Staff Picks

Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift or trying to find a personal souvenir to commemorate your trip to Yellowstone, you’ll be sure to find what you’re looking for in one of our retail shops (either in-store or online). And if you don’t know what you’re looking for, our staff is here to help! There are 125 friendly, enthusiastic, and passionate employees whose primary goal is to provide unforgettable guest service to our visitors.  We don’t sell souvenirs; we sell MEMORIES! Just how many memories? Over 500,000 retail transactions in one of our 12 in-park stores or 18,000 mail orders in a single year! Local, regional, charitable, and cause-related products make up 65% of those transactions. And over half of the products we sell are Made in the USA.

This bustling department is based out of our Gardiner, Montana Distribution Center, where they send products all over the park to fill the stores with gifts from Yellowstone. When it comes to shopping advice, who knows better than our retail staff? Get to know a little bit more about them, the things they love about the park, and their favorite items in the gift shop.

Vivian, Retail Coordinator, is originally from Dalton, GA and based in Gardiner, MT. She has worked 13 years in Yellowstone.

“I grew up in small-town Dalton, GA, and when I was in college, I decided I needed a summer adventure.  I started looking online for different “adventure jobs” and while there were many things that popped up, Yellowstone is what called me.  I came out for 3 months in 2009, but it just wasn’t enough.  Two years later in 2011, I came back and began working summers and winters.  Most of my time has been in retail, but I did spend 3.5 years in recruiting.  I even moved to Denver to work in the corporate office for a year and a half.  However, I soon realized that I missed Yellowstone too much, and I had to come back.
I love Yellowstone because of the people you meet here, both guests and employees.  And I love retail, because most of the guests we work with are happy and excited to be here.  It’s fun to help them find something that will remind them of this amazing place.  I wanted to highlight the wildflower scarf because when I hike, I always look for how many different flowers I can find.  They bring me joy, and I am amazed at all the different colors, shapes, and smells that the wildflowers have!  My favorite wildflower is fireweed, but I also love harebell and forget-me-nots.”

Larry is one of the Retail Distribution Center associates.  He has been with the company for 40 years. Originally from Tennessee, he came out to the park for a job, but loved the wildlife and beautiful scenery and decided to stay. His favorite part of his job his processing and packing orders for the gifts shops all over the park.  His favorite products to recommend are the hoodies and board games. Hoodies are a favorite among guests and visitors alike and perfect for showing their Yellowstone pride. Board games are another favorite because they are a great way to spend time with family. After a long hike in the park, or driving the whole “figure 8 ” tour of Yellowstone, playing a board game like National Park Scrabble or Trivial Pursuit is the perfect way to end the day.

Debby is our Mail Order Specialist. She has been with the company since 1989! She grew up in the Midwest and fell in love with the park after visiting with her family in 1973. “

“I have always loved the bison. With their great strength and endurance they are a fine symbol of our nation. I love the Bison Family Fleece Throw because I can wrap up in it’s softness and have the bison symbol wrapped around me to remind me of all my years watching them and hearing their voices.”

Not knowing a soul in Yellowstone, Caroline began her adventure in 2004 with a plan to move on to a different national park after a couple of seasons. Her background in Fine Art led her to fall in love with the landscapes, and then with the people, and so her Yellowstone journey continued. Caroline has worked as a ski guide in Mammoth in addition to managing our retail stores in Mammoth, Canyon, and Lake Lodge, but for the past several years The Grand Lady of the Lake has been her home. One of Caroline’s favorite products is the bright and vibrant Grand Prismatic Folding Umbrella, which keeps you prepared for all kinds of weather throughout the year!

“I love the colorful umbrella design but I hope it is for snow this winter, not rain!”  

Ted hails from Texas with many interesting stops along the way. He has plenty of customer service experience in his varied background, but working for Xanterra the past three seasons is his first experience in hospitality. Ted enjoys interacting with our guests and they love hearing his tales of adventures in Yellowstone. Ted, in his own words, likes to “eat, sleep and hike!”

One of Ted’s favorite products is the Bison Pom Pom Hat.  Ted likes wearing the furry hat and his playful nature is on display in his interactions with the guests. He is seen here encouraging fun behavior with the barista, Jennifer. Bring out your playful side with this fun and furry cap!

Nick comes from Idaho and this is his second season in the park. He came to Yellowstone because wanted to explore new places and to experience and photograph Yellowstone National Park and its wildlife. Nick’s favorite part of his job is getting to meet people from all over the world. He is an avid photographer and you can see some of his work on Instagram @microphonick.

For his staff pick, he recommends the Faux Leather Patch with Buffalo Zip-up Hooded Sweatshirt. It not only looks great, but keeps Nick warm in the winter chill, along with a Bison Pom Pom Hat of course!

Retail is just one of the many departments that we hire for. Regardless of what you do in the park, a job in Yellowstone is a great way to make memories-for a season or for a lifetime. Interesting in learning more about working here? Visit our website to find out all the details.