When I was growing up our family would go to Virginia Beach every year for summer vacations. One highlight was going to the boardwalk, where my dad would reluctantly buy us all t-shirts. Selling souvenirs must have been quite a business since there were always a lot of shops to choose from. My father didn’t really mind what we picked out, I just remember proudly showing off my new attire when we returned home.

Marketers might label this type of purchase as “impulsive buying behavior” and when you think about it, there’s really no reason to purchase this sort of thing if you aren’t at the destination. This got me thinking about Central City and my guess is that the casinos experience this phenomenon too. 

I recently saw a shirt with the heading “I got lucky in Central City”. It’s a clever motto, but you probably have to be in Central City to buy a shirt like this. I guess there might be the possibility that an affiliation with gambling or the play-on-words could be enough to drive this purchase, but I speculate that most of these shirts have been acquired free of charge.

So what does this have to do with Opera? Well, we recently updated the Central City Opera online gift shop with souvenirs using images from this season’s performances. So naturally, I wondered if the same impulsive buying behaviors apply? Would you come to the web site and purchase a “Susannah” t-shirt to show off your affiliation with the opera? My guess is no, especially if you had not seen the opera yet.

Select the image above or HERE to go to the online gift shop now.

What if you were given the opportunity to purchase a souvenir during the process of buying your ticket? My guess is the likelihood would increase dramatically; in fact, I can imagine a time when you could go online, purchase a performance, select your seats, add a shirt, print your ticket, arrive at opera and have the usher deliver your souvenir while you wait for the opera to start?

Combining the gift store with ticket buying is about convenience and removing obstacles in the transactional path. We live in an on-demand world and the internet can be used in so many powerful ways to support the one-to-one paradigm. I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts on this matter. In the meantime, feel free to look over the new apparel on the Central City Opera web site and online store!

We recently posted a link to a short video profile of Central City and the opera house on Denver’s CBS-4. To kick things off, Emmy-award winning journalist and television anchor Jim Benemann introduces Colorado Getaways producer Doug Whitehead and he quickly dives into the rich history of Central City and the opera house.

Like many opera patrons, I’ve been going to performances in Central City for quite some time now. Well, I was really taken back with all the wonderful background information provided in this short video production.  My hat goes off to the folks that created it.

Select the image above or HERE to see the Colorado Getaways video.

At first, I thought it would be interesting to discuss several talking points from the video, then an underlying theme emerged and the marriage metaphor seemed apropos. From the day (1878) Welsh and Cornish miners cut the rock to erect the structure, to the day (1931) the daughter of then Colorado governor John Evans saved the building by selling seats, community and patron support has played a major role in the opera house’s longevity.

This mining town and this opera house have been married for generations and it may just be time to reaffirm their vows: I, Central City, take you Opera House, to be my partner, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward.

There are so many little tidbits in this piece to enhance your next journey to Central City. From the boomtown beginnings, the great depression, and finally to today, I know my next visit will be slightly more enchanting. Whether you are a long time subscriber or a newbie, this video is chocked full of intriguing information on the opera house. Thank you for doing this CBS-4 Denver!