Improvements to the DAR Store - In Person and Online
Kathryn West, Corresponding Secretary General

I’m delighted to share we’re improving your DAR Store – both in person and online to offer you exciting new products and an enhanced shopping experience.

The most exciting news is the move to a new location – one that was long overdue. It was in 1992, during the Blair Administration, that the Office of the Corresponding Secretary General last moved, when it migrated from a small First-Floor space into a larger space on the Lower Level -- within days, the office was moved, cabinets were built and “one-office shopping” was initiated, thereby eliminating the need for members to visit separate offices to obtain supplies and publications. Credit cards were accepted, and a fax machine was installed – all vast improvements for the time.

But the store was never ideal for retail shopping, and it was physically separated from our shipping department. Earlier this year, it was decided to switch locations with the Data Entry group, enabling the DAR Store to be adjacent to the shipping area, improving efficiency and allowing us to plan with a retail space in mind.

Still on the Lower Level, but now directly across from the elevators, the DAR Store beckons you to open the bright, double-wide glass doors and grab a shopping basket.  The shopping space is light and fresh, and shoppers can now browse the many great DAR products for sale. DAR Store Manager Carolie Walker and team member Bernard Nuby moved the store on breaks from processing mail during the pandemic – and they are anxious to welcome you to their new location as soon as the building reopens to the public. View this video to see the updated DAR Store.

The physical move was accompanied by data migration onto an updated and upgraded Point of Sale system and E-Commerce platform, allowing for improved one-office shopping across all three DAR stores (DAR Insignia Store, DAR Store and Museum Shop).  We hope these improvements make your online shopping easier but we’re especially grateful that this platform allows us to better manage inventory and process payments behind the scenes.

We’ve certainly been busy, especially because the Virtual 129th Continental Congress sales incorporated the Junior Membership Committee items; all of the committee’s products were added to the system and picked, packed and shipped, along with all of the regular store product offerings.  With limited staffing on site at headquarters due to ongoing pandemic restrictions, the DAR Store has also handled all of the Museum Shop items since March.

And the numbers are impressive! From June 17 to 28, more than 21,100 items were ordered, with the DAR Store staff processing more than 3,000 separate Congress orders with the mindset of “doing it right the first time.” More often than not, they worked alone due to staffing restrictions. Processing that many orders correctly isn’t an easy task, but the DAR Store staff did it, despite the restrictions. I appreciate their work -- and I hope that you do, as well.

I’m anxious to be at our headquarters building for many reasons but seeing the store in person is on the top of my list. Until then, I’ll keep shopping at shop.dar.org.

P.S. Happen to be looking for the perfect gift for the DAR members on your list? You may now also purchase gift certificates that are redeemable at all three stores – we’re ready to serve up everything on their wish list!

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