The Georgia Aquarium’s retail provider spending $650K to renovate main gift store

The largest of The Georgia Aquarium’s two gift shops is slated for renovations.

A permit citing construction costs of $650,000 was filed with City of Atlanta for the project.

The aquarium’s retailer provider, Event Network, will be funding the renovations, Mackenzie Anderson, public relations specialist for the Georgia Aquarium, told What Now Atlanta in an email Thursday.

“The Aquarium is not funding this renovation,” Anderson said. “New finishes and fixtures to display our sundry of items will be highlighted when the gift shop reopens for business.”

The Aquarium has two gift shops which carry educational, entertaining and other gifts.

While the renovation is taking place at the main shop, a temporary gift store established in the Aquarium’s main atrium will be available to visitors, she said.

The smaller shop in the Aquarium’s Café Aquaria will remain open during the renovation process.

The Georgia Aquarium’s 6,543-square-foot main gift shop is expected to reopen sometime in March 2012.