RETAIL : Plaza Tests Items Carrying Own Logo

If Disneyland, Sea World and Universal Studios can sell trinkets emblazoned with their names, why not South Coast Plaza?

The Costa Mesa mega-mall apparently wondered the same thing. And starting Friday it launches its first-ever gift area (three counters in Carousel Court) loaded with South Coast Plaza steins, key rings, beach towels and the like. Among the items: license plates reading “University of South Coast Plaza” ($4.95), sweat shirts with the mall logo ($19.95), and jade crystal six-inch rulers ($24.95).

The marketing plan ties in with South Coast’s promotion of itself as a tourist destination. And with an estimated 20% of its trade coming from tourists, the mall probably isn’t far off the mark. “It’s something tourists and residents have requested and that we’ve talked about over the years,” said Maura Eggan, spokeswoman. So “we decided to test the waters in the peak season.”

And if the items sell well, will they be sold on a permanent basis? While there are no present plans to continue selling the merchandise after Christmas, “we’ll certainly be evaluating customer response to this,” said Eggan. “Obviously if it does well, that would be taken under consideration.”