CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for gift, novelty and souvenir stores in Asheville, NC
Gift, novelty and souvenir stores in the Asheville, NC metro area: 68 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 4-person team.
- Establishments
- 68CBP 2023
- Employees
- 257mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 16.1U.S. 5.6
- Rank
- 52nd of 602areas by count
Gift, novelty and souvenir stores in Asheville, NC by the numbers
The Census Bureau's 2023 County Business Patterns lists 68 establishments classified as Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores (NAICS 453220) in the Asheville, NC metro area. Together they reported 257 mid-March employees and $6,190,000 of payroll for the year. That ranks 52nd of the 602 metro and micropolitan areas where Census published a count for this industry.
With 422,000 residents in the Census 2024 estimate, that is 16.1 gift, novelty and souvenir stores per 100,000 people, 189.8% above the national rate of 5.6. Establishments average 3.8 employees, 44.1% below the U.S. average of 6.8. Payroll per employee comes to $24,086, 5.7% below the national $25,533.
| Measure | Asheville, NC | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 68 | 711 | 18,896 |
| Mid-March employees | 257 (moderate noise) | 3,912 | 127,699 |
| Annual payroll | $6,190,000 | $85,146,000 | $3,260,545,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 3.8 | 5.5 | 6.8 |
| Payroll per employee | $24,086 | $21,765 | $25,533 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 16.1 | 6.4 | 5.6 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
How big gift, novelty and souvenir stores in Asheville, NC are
Of the gift, novelty and souvenir stores in Asheville, NC that had employees in March 2023, 73.5% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 55.8%). 88.2% had fewer than ten. Small teams usually share the phone: the person who answers is often also serving a customer or doing the job, which is when calls get missed.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 50 | 73.5% | 55.8% |
| 5–9 employees | 10 | 14.7% | 21.9% |
| 10–19 employees | 8 | 11.8% | 17.4% |
| 20–49 employees | not published | — | 4.2% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.7% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Why the phone matters for gift, novelty and souvenir stores in Asheville, NC
Gift shops take calls about stock, holds and gift wrapping, with seasonal peaks. Quick answers help capture holiday sales. That holds for gift, novelty and souvenir stores in Asheville, NC as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to gift, novelty and souvenir stores in Asheville, NC:
- The store calls a customer about an order.
- A customer calls to hold an item.
- A customer calls about shipping a gift.
When nobody can pick up
After-hours calls are mostly hours questions.
With business-hours routing, calls after closing can go to transcribed voicemail or an optional AI receptionist instead of ringing an empty room.
What a phone system costs a gift shop in Asheville, NC
The average gift shop in Asheville, NC has 3.8 employees, so a 4-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Priced per seat, 4 users would run $120.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $99.80 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 4 people cost $99.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $252. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $99.00 | $1,188.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $76.00 | $912.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $92.00 | $1,104.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $99.80 | $1,197.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $108.00 | $1,296.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $120.00 | $1,440.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Which area code to use in Asheville, NC
The exchanges in the area's named cities and towns are all in area code 828 (162 exchanges in NANPA's file). Callata's plan includes up to 3 local numbers; you can pick them in the area codes your customers recognize, subject to carrier inventory, or port the number you already have for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 828 | 162 | Eastern | 1998 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for gift, novelty and souvenir stores
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Asheville, NC, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many gift, novelty and souvenir stores are there in Asheville, NC?
Census County Business Patterns counted 68 gift, novelty and souvenir stores in the Asheville, NC metro area in 2023. They employed 257 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 4-person gift shop?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 4 users cost $120.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $99.80 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $99.00.
What area code should a gift shop in Asheville, NC use?
Area code 828 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a gift shop?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.