At first glance, it looks like just another
gift shop, stocked with T-shirts and mugs,
books and posters, logo wear and plush toys.
But the Publications and Gift Shop operated
by the Legislative Counsel Bureau in the
Legislative Building at the state capital in
Carson City has a mission: to showcase
Nevada.
Upon closer look the boxed bling is a
series of commemorative coins, the plush
toys are mustangs and coyotes, the jigsaw
puzzles depict state flags and the bronze casting
is a frontier icon.
The shop opened in 1997 along with a
snack bar both part of an addition to the
State Assembly building.And the idea came
from the politicians who gather there.
"A lot of our legislators saw it done in
other states and asked,"Why aren't we doing
this?'" says Lorne Malkiewich, director of the
State of Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau.
"It's not a profit-making venture," he
adds,"but rather, a convenience for the
public."
That's not to say the shop doesn't ring up
sales, especially with the busiest season coming
up: those four months the Legislature is
in session, from February to May. However,
when items sell, the take goes to replenishing
stock.
The most popular items are apparel
emblazoned with Nevada state or legislature
designs.
The best customers come from among the
800 lobbyists that converge upon the building
when the lawmakers are in session. Shoppers
also step out from the clusters of staff and
personnel attached to the legislators who
travel to the capital from southern Nevada.
"When going back to Las Vegas, they
think to pick up a souvenir for their kids,"
says Malkiewich.
While gift shop employees may spend up
to 75 percent of their time selling souvenirs
during session, souvenir sales fill only 5 percent
of the day after lawmakers head home.
Then the staff takes on other jobs such as
filling orders from the publications unit."The
larger part of their job is selling Nevada
Revised Statutes," says Malkiewich.
In summer, visiting tourists are partial to
a state pin or brooch. And business picks up
again at Christmas, when legislative staff
members shop for gifts and Carson City residents
come in seeking gifts distinctly
Nevadan.
Recently says Malkiewich, lawmakers
approved legislation that allows the shop to
sell wine with a distinctly Nevadan label,
of course.Again, legislators on travels
brought back the idea, this time after seeing
it at the capital of a Canadian province.
The Publications and Gift Shop staff hasn't
worked out the details about whether the
souvenir wine would come from a local winery.
But with all the publications work associated
with the upcoming legislative session,
finding a source of wine is the least of
Malkiewich's worries.
In fact, he says,"We're a little leery about
having it in session."
