Gift Shops for Curious Travelers
The Biltmore’s Twin Shops Mix the Practical with the Elegant
Part of the fun of visiting the two gift shops in the downstairs lobby of the Biltmore is visiting the Biltmore itself. Located on either side of the ground floor entrance to the grand hotel are the Signature and Peacock shops, both well stocked with a wide array of items appealing to the well-heeled traveler – and not too unappealing for the rest of us, either.
As it turns out, both shops are part of the same store, says head salesclerk Dahlia Ricketts. “I love working with both,” says Ricketts, who helps with shop layout and ordering.
Still, the twin shops serve different purposes. The Signature Shop side is more for your essential needs, while the Peacock side – named for George Merrick’s wife Eunice Isabella Peacock – is a bit fancier. Merrick, for those who don’t live here, is the city’s founder who built the hotel in 1926.
Beyond taking care of a traveler’s needs for toothbrush, shirt, phone charger, or sandals, the shops provide an easy pop-in for finding great gifts. After all, the kinds of things the shops sell to help hotel guests enjoy their stay – pajamas and robes for optimal relaxation, bathing suits, hats, coverups, Ray-Bans for poolside, even a new book selection with novels to pass the time – are gifts any South Floridian would like. And for frequent travelers, they carry the Anatomie clothing line, which does not wrinkle. “It’s an excellent brand,” says Ricketts. “They fit nice, they stretch, and they are amazing.”
For other outings there is jewelry and dining attire including pashminas, purses, cufflinks and bowties as well as a children’s section. “We have all sorts of candies, cookies, small gifts and even those gifts one can give themselves,” says Ricketts. Jewelry lines include La Costa, Mary Louise Designs, Deena K, and Umbellina Paris. The shops sell wines with the Biltmore label, including red, white and red reserve, which are also available in gift baskets.
With several outdoor restaurants where smoking is permitted, there is a Biltmore Humidor located inside the Signature Shop, which has a wide variety of quality cigars. Guests come by to purchase Winston Churchill Cigars, Padron Cigars, or the 80th Anniversary Cigars, which they say is a favorite of Biltmore owner Gene Prescott. For the uninitiated, a staff member is available to assist in your selection based on the length, taste and duration of the cigar.
Finally, because the Biltmore is a dog friendly hotel, they carry items for your four-legged companions as well, including bowls, leashes and elegant collars. And never overlook the 50 percent-off sale items upfront.
As for the shopping experience itself, the Biltmore offers some nice perks. There is easy free parking in the vast lot adjacent to the hotel (or you can valet instead), and you can linger for lunch poolside, have a cocktail at the bar, or sip afternoon tea in the stunning lobby upstairs.
Signature and Peacock Shops
1200 Anastasia Avenue
(855) 311-6903
biltmorehotel.com