About Us - Ganzee Barbados

Experience Barbados & Grenada!

BARBADOS

The Ganzee Shops represent a truly innovative approach to destination retail. Our brand statement “Experience Barbados” holds true in each shop. From the Crane Beach Resort to the Chattel House Village on the West Coast, the Ganzee brand offers the most comprehensive range of themed destination merchandise, creatively presented in the most vibrant shops. We operate 6 stand-alone shops, - 4 trading as “Ganzee” and 2 as “Caribbean Kidz” – and are concessionaires in 4 Bridgetown Duty Free Department stores in Barbados.

grenada

In addition to our shop in the Esplanade Cruise Ship Terminal, Ganzee is also well established at the Maurice Bishop International Airport and has been in operation since 2006. This store stands out in the Departure Lounge with a fabulous display of well stocked products from both local and international suppliers, at prices to fit all budgets. In 2017, an additional shop was added in the Departure Lounge. “Spice It Up” is, as the name suggests, dedicated to all things edible and their associated kitchen ware.

Partnerships

Today, G.C.S. Limited, trading as “Ganzee” is an associate member of the Cave Shepherd and Co. Ltd. Group of Companies. This respected public Company with a diverse portfolio of retail, financial services and property investments based in Bridgetown, Barbados is in partnership with Tourvest Inc who is the largest Destination Retailer in South Africa. Tourvest Holdings (Pty) Ltd. operates stores across Southern Africa including 9 shops in Johannesburg International Airport and outlets at Congo Caves and 1 UNESCO Wold Heritage site namely, Robben Island. In addition to their interests in the South Africa and the Caribbean, Tourvest continue their global expansion into tourist markets with multiple shops in New Zealand.

History

In business for many years, GCS’s retail experience started with a shop in St. Lawrence Gap, Barbados, in 1996 as a pilot project. It quickly became evident that there was a viable souvenir t-shirt market. Statistics indicated that t-shirts represented almost 50% of the value of all tourist souvenirs sold in the region! GCS was then trading as Island Graphics, a division of Moore Paragon (Caribbean Limited). The success of the pilot project resulted in the expansion to six locations across Barbados by the end of 1997 trading as GANZEE and in 1998, the legal entity GCS Limited was formed out of a joint-venture agreement between Moore Paragon (a printing company) and Cave Shepherd & Co. Ltd. (the largest retail store operator) in Barbados. One year later, GCS operated thirteen retail locations in Barbados and one in Grenada. At this point in time, T-shirts were still “king”! In 2000, and in response to market demand, a range of casual resort wear, souvenirs, gifts and collectibles were added to the offering setting the platform that is experienced by our shoppers today. Ganzee has been a part of the retail landscape in Grenada for over 20 years. The first store was opened on the Carenage in 2000. Unfortunately, hurricane Ivan demolished that operation but, undaunted, Ganzee re-opened in 2005 in the custom-built Esplanade Cruise Ship Terminal from which location we continue to operate today.