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Shine
On
Unique Products and
Smart Licensing The Ticket to Success for Moon Shine
October 30, 2007
When Klaus Schoening Jr. founded Moon Shine back in 1997, he suspected he was launching what would develop into a niche company. What else would you expect from a business idea based on tickertape belts? But Schoening knew that success on an even larger scale awaited him if he hit on unique products and tapped into the appropriate markets. Ten years later, Schoening has proven to be right on the money.
“It’s not often you find what we do,” he says.“We’re always on the lookout for the unusual.”
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For Moon Shine, that ranges from web/leather d-ring belts and key chains to dog collars and pacifier holders. For sure, consumers gravitate to just about everything the company offers. “They enjoy seeing a quality product—at the right price,” says Schoening.
Collegiate licensing has also played an important role for Moon Shine. Currently, the company has more than 100 schools in the fold. Schoening says that Moon Shine sells extremely well in college bookstores and fan shops. “We’re very strong in the Southeast,” he reports.
Using this success as a launching point, the Moon Shine philosophy is fairly simple. If a product is popular in Georgia or Tennessee, then it should also fair well in other states with thriving college towns. Moon Shine, in fact, has been targeting new areas of the country for expansion. Texas and California are among those at the top of the list.
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Hand and hand with this geographical push is the introduction of new product. For example, Moon Shine is focusing more intently on the baby and pet sectors. The company is also unveiling more items that tend toward the boutique, including a licensed blue jean coozie.
Another area of concentration for Moon Shine is the Sports Licensing & Entertainment Marketplace and Tailgate • Picnic Show this coming January in Las Vegas. The company exhibited at the inaugural show and made some interesting observations.
“Last year, the show was about quality buyers,” says Schoening. “So we’ve doubled up on our booth space and are gearing toward our baby and pet products.”
If history is any indication, Moon Shine should have several more winners on it hands.
