America250 Retail Revolution: Guest Services’ First Retail Contest
October 14, 2026 | A250, Property Spotlights
When general managers gathered at The Lodge at Wakulla in January and were asked for fresh ideas for driving revenue, one group’s answer was simple: turn retail into a competition. That idea became America250 Retail Revolution, the company’s first-ever retail contest, and its results are already shaping how our stores think about selling.
From Brainstorm to Contest
The original pitch was ambitious: have every store compete against each other in total sales. But with roughly 45 stores, each running its own point-of-sale system, comparing results across the whole Guest Services operation would have been difficult. “For [our] first contest, it was a little too hard to wrangle,” said Mark Johnson, Director of Retail.
At the same time, a group of stores was already preparing to carry co-branded merchandise celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. That narrow product line offered an opportunity for creating a contest with clear boundaries that made results easier to measure. America250 Retail Revolution was born: like stores would compete in sales of America250-branded merchandise.
A Product with a Story
America250 is a bipartisan initiative focused on engaging Americans in celebrating the country’s 250th anniversary. Its official logo is licensed only to select vendors, one of which is Ace Specialties. The company partnered with Ace Specialties, chosen in part because everything it makes is produced in the United States.
That detail mattered. “Apparel these days is very difficult to find made in America,” Mark said. “It’s really a kind of rare thing.” A made-in-USA product gives staff a story to tell; it’s something to brag about.
Rewarding Smart Buying, Not Just Big Sales
To keep things fair, stores competed in three divisions: boutique stores (which sell >$500k per year), core stores (which sell $500k to $1.5 million per year), and power stores (which sell $1.5 million and up per year). The top seller in each group won its division. The three division winners then faced a second challenge: the store with the least leftover Ace Specialty inventory in relation to total contest sales would be the grand champion.
The approach to the contest was deliberate. “It’s easy just to buy 500 t-shirts and try to sell as many as you can,” Mark said. The harder skill, and the one the retail team emphasizes all year, is buying and predicting sales based on data, KPIs, and trends.
Big congratulations to this year’s division winners: Washington Sailing Marina took first place among boutique stores, St. Andrews State Park won the core division, and Paradise Inn at Mount Rainier topped the power stores. Runners-up Lake Guntersville, Bear Mountain Inn, and Big Sur kept the pressure on throughout.
Paradise Inn Takes the Crown
Paradise Inn earned the grand champion title by excelling at both merchandising and inventory. Its first impression table blended America250 products with other patriotic items, including goods from veteran-owned companies. Additionally, a focal point of the display was a local connection: celebration and recognition of Jim Whitaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest, who trained on Mount Rainier.
Paradise Inn also bought very wisely. With total sales of $21,677, the store finished with only $274 in remaining inventory. Additionally, the team placed only a single reorder during the entire contest, (which is the process of purchasing additional inventory of a product that the store already sells).
All three division winners shared one trait: a strong first impression display. First impressions, storytelling, and focal points are what Mark calls the three pillars of merchandising success, and his pillars were proven successful.
America250 Retail Revolution started as a brainstorm. It ends with a proven playbook for every store: tell the story, put it up front, and buy smart.
Competition Builds Momentum
Enthusiasm varied from store to store, but teams near the top were fired up, helped along by meaningful prize money: $250 for the winning store’s retail manager/supervisor, and $50 for each retail associate. Over the couple of months that the contest ran, two or three stores in each division jockeyed for first place, and the lead changed hands several times. “Those teams definitely were inspired, excited, and competitive,” Johnson said.
Lessons that Last Beyond the Contest
For Johnson, the biggest takeaway is that the merchandising strategies work, and they can drive sales all year at every store when done well.
He also credits the Guest Services general managers who first raised the idea of a retail competition. When leaders asked them how to drive revenue, retail was on their minds. “I was happy [about] that,” he said.
America250 Retail Revolution started as a brainstorm. It ends with a proven playbook for every store: tell the story, put it up front, and buy smart.