Currently Resort Retail operates, manages and provides buying services for 11 resort and hotel gift shops in Arizona, California, and Missouri. All merchandise, product development, management, buying, human resources, training, accounting, operations and store support is conducted on-property or at the Phoenix offices.
Resort Retail has realized, even with the recent downturn in the nation’s economy, that growth potential and opportunity for a niche company comes when least expected. It has expanded the company’s managerial and buying services to now include direct hotel to company leasing. As a result, their choices of service literally provide hotels and resorts a hands-free experience in the retail segment of the property.
Through their experience in the hospitality industry, Resort Retail has developed a unique expertise in the hotel-retail business. The company brings that expertise and creativity to work closely with management to solve the resort’s retail needs.
Who is Resort Retail?
Sally Chambliss — Owner, Co-Founder
Sally began her retail career as an assistant buyer after college. Within a two year period she was promoted to buyer for a seven store chain in the Midwest. For the next ten years, Sally worked for department stores as well as a specialty chain and gained broad experience working with vendors, negotiating prices and traveling to the Orient to develop products. Sally was recruited to turn around the retail operations at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa. At that time, there were two retail shops operated by the hotel that were losing money. In the five years that Sally worked at the Arizona Biltmore, she assisted the resort in taking over leased retail space and creating five distinct retail concepts for the resort. Two of the concepts were designed and developed by Sally from the ground up. All of the shops were extremely profitable. Sally left the Arizona Biltmore in 1995 to begin Resort Retail Incorporated; a management company specifically devoted to retail operations for high-end resorts. Over the past 19 years Resort Retail has profitably operated shops for Westin, Loews, Hilton, Sheraton, Trump and Destination Hotels & Resorts.
Sally has a Bachelor of Science, Cum Laude, with a double major in Business and Home Economics with an Art minor, from William Woods University, Fulton, Missouri.
Sabra Wagoner — Owner, Co-Founder
Sabra entered the hotel industry after graduating from college with a degree in accounting. She accepted a position in an accounting management-training program for Westin Hotels. Her management experience with Westin included the opening of a new hotel as assistant controller and later promoted to Controller. Her career with Westin included three hotel transfers with the last being from Kansas City to Phoenix to take on the responsibilities of Controller of the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa. It was at the Arizona Biltmore that Sabra gained her experience in the financial aspects of hotel retail management. She recognized the need in the hotel industry for experienced retail management. In 1995, Sabra left the Arizona Biltmore to begin Resort Retail Incorporated, a hotel retail buying and management company. The corporation currently is managing and buying for twelve retail stores and has expanded their operations to include leasing.
Sabra received her Bachelor of Science, with a major in accounting, from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.