---
title: "Road to Retail: Alaska Edition"
description: Discover the enduring partnership between DM Merchandising and Hops Hallmark in Alaska, showcasing innovative products that resonate with local and tourist needs.
image: https://blog.247dm.com/hubfs/Road%20to%20Retail%20Alaska.jpg
---
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# Road to Retail: Alaska Edition
[Jensen Smith](https://blog.247dm.com/author/jensen-smith)
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For more than 30 years, DM Merchandising and Hops Hallmark have grown together through changing trends, new products and an ever-evolving retail landscape.
So, when it came time to kick off our new *Road to Retail* series, Anchorage, Alaska, felt like the perfect place to start.
Hops Hallmark is a family-owned business that got its start in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1979. Today, brothers Carter and Luke continue the family business they grew up in, quite literally growing up in the store selling DM products.
We were able to visit the team, see DM products on their shelves and hear firsthand what has kept our partnership going strong for more than three decades.
**A Partnership Built to Last**
Hops Hallmark's relationship with DM began before Carter and Luke joined the business full-time, when their parents would travel to gift shows in Seattle and Atlanta and order DM merchandise.
Decades later, that relationship is still going strong.
For their team, it comes down to innovative products and dependable customer service. From responsive support to orders arriving intact after the extra boats, trains and planes it can take to reach Alaska, DM has remained a vendor they know they can count on.
**The Right Products for Alaska**
In addition to meeting the team at Hops Hallmark, our visit also showed just how successful a product can be when it’s the right fit for a retailer and their customers.
The **[Bear Claw Back Scratcher](https://247dm.com/products/brands/bear-claw/b-claw/)** is a perfect example. Fun, functional and uniquely fitting for Alaska, Hops Hallmark orders them in large quantities for both locals and tourists.
Then there are the [**Night Scope Hats**](https://247dm.com/products/brands/night-scope/). With built-in hands-free lighting, they’re practically made for the dark, cold Alaskan days. Hops Hallmark has sold thousands and thousands of them, with new colors and designs continuing to keep the assortment fresh.
It’s exactly what we aim to do at DM: bring retailers innovative products that are useful, unexpected and made to stand out on the shelf.
**More Than Products**
Getting into our customers’ stores allows us to listen, learn and better understand what’s working on the sales floor. That feedback helps us continue developing innovative products while providing the service and support our retailers need.
Thank you to Carter, Luke and the Hops Hallmark family for welcoming us to Anchorage and for trusting DM for more than three decades! We’re proud to be your partner.
Watch the full Alaska Edition to hear their story and see our first *Road to Retail* stop in action. Then, follow along to see where the road takes us next!
#### Jensen Smith
Jensen Smith is the Social Media & Content Manager at DM Merchandising, where she oversees social media strategy and develops marketing materials that elevate the brand’s presence. With a background in Communications and Media Marketing, she is passionate about bringing ideas to life through a digital lens, crafting campaigns that engage audiences and drive meaningful results.
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