Thursday, February 17, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

LAS VEGAS KEEPSAKES: Everything Old is New Again

Interest in gifts that have been around for years seen in souvenir market

Old postcard replicas show images of the city's history. This roulette ashtray is for sale at Bonanza Gifts Shop. The "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign is a popular souvenir. Elvis merchandise always attracts buyers. While snow is rare in Las Vegas, snow globes are popular items. The interest in retro Las Vegas extends to postcards. Black T-shirts featuring pictures of Bugsy Siegel, Lucky Luciano and Al Capone sell briskly at $20 each. Photos by John Gurzinski.

Hands-down, the hottest Las Vegas souvenir is a big, fat jackpot.

But the miniature version of the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign runs a close second.

"For the last 10 years, we've had people come in here and ask if anyone makes those signs. When this came out a few months ago, it was truly the must-have item of the year," said Angie Hurt, assistant manager of Bonanza Gifts Shop.

Despite their $40 price tag, the electric signs are probably the hottest souvenir right now, Hurt adds.

When it comes to the world of kistchy Las Vegas collectibles, there aren't a lot of new things available. Nearly every Las Vegas key chain, ashtray, pen and snow globe has been created. Gaming chips, cards and dice are old hat. But the trends, they are a changing, local souvenir gurus said.

"There seems to be more interest in things that have been around for years and years," said Lynn Morris, owner and buyer for Bonanza Gifts. "I call it the `Disneyland' cycle. Every seven years, Disney rereleases `Snow White' because there's a new group of kids who haven't seen it. Every seven years what's old (in souvenirs) is new again."

Since television and celebrities have made poker the game of the moment, kits, chips, cards and all things related to poker have become big sellers. The choices have widened during the past 10 months and range from the simple -- a deck of cards -- to the elaborate, such as a Texas Hold 'Em kit, complete with a dealer's visor, poker table felt, cards and colored chips, Hurt said. Decorative chips are hot, too.

"It's just phenomenal what's happened with the poker," Hurt said. "You see fads like blackjack, but nothing like this."

Renewed interest in the Rat Pack and Sin City's mobster past have boosted interest in retro souvenirs, Hurt said.

Black T-shirts featuring pictures of Bugsy Siegel, Lucky Luciano and Al Capone sell briskly at $20 each.

Snow globes have entered a new realm as Las Vegas souvenirs. They range from a low of $2 for a small, simple one to $23 for a globe that plays "Luck Be a Lady" and contains miniversions of the most visual Strip landmarks, Hurt said.

Of course, Elvis-related items and dice clocks remain perennial favorites.

"Everything retro is hot right now. Old designs and postcards are always very hot," said George Harris, owner of Shooting Star Souvenirs. "Anything with Elvis is phenomenally hot. His stuff, it just amazes me the way it sells."

Shoppers have an abundance of Elvis stuff to choose from, including T-shirts, posters and Elvis Christmas ornaments featuring black leather Elvis, white jumpsuit Elvis or "Blue Hawaii" Elvis. Gold Elvis glasses with sideburns continue to be hot sellers, Hurt said.

"People ride the roller coasters wearing them, they get married in them, they wear them on New Year's Eve and every other holiday," Hurt said of the fake sideburns.