“There is no denying that the last year has been a testing one for us all, but yet so many retailers have demonstrated true grit, passion and ingenuity in finding new ways of engaging with their customers. Such retailing prowess needs to be recognised and celebrated – and The Retas 2021 awards will do just that,” stressed Jakki Brown, joint managing director of Max Publishing, which owns and organises The Retas greeting card retailing awards. “Last year, due to the pandemic, The Retas did not happen, so we have a doubly good reason that the 2021 awards will really ‘bang the drum’ for our retail champions,” Jakki added.
The Retas awards shine the spotlight not only the best independent and multiple specialist greeting card retailers regionally and nationally, but also the multifarious non-specialist retailers that stock cards, as well as retail employees who have gone the extra mile.
While retailers are being encouraged to enter (there is a downloadable entry form on The Retas website, sometimes those lovely retailers need a bit of encouragement by way of third party praise.
Publishers, reps, agents and wholesalers are invited nominate which retailers they believe have done a great job in the last year or so (for activities in the period 1 January 2020 – 15 April 2021) in the following categories…
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – London (inside the M25)
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Home Counties and South East
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – East Anglia
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – South West
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Wales and the Midlands
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – North and Northern Ireland
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Scotland
Best Greeting Card Retailer Newcomer (opened since Jan 2018) – South
Best Greeting Card Retailer Newcomer (opened since Jan 2018) – North
Best Independent Bookstore Retailer of Greeting Cards
Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards – North
Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards – South
Best Greeting Card Small Multiple (5-20 stores)
Best Department Store Retailer of Greeting Cards
Best Supermarket Retailer of Greeting Cards
Best Non-Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards
Best Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards (20+ stores)
Best Garden Centre Retailer of Greeting Cards
Best Greeting Card Retailer Initiative (for a specific project or initiative undertaken by a retailer since 1 January 2020)
Best Greeting Card Service Based Wholesaler or Cash & Carry
Greeting Card Retailer of the Year
Greeting Card Retail Employee of the Year
The deadline for nominations is Wednesday 24 March. All nominations should be emailed to Jakki Brown on jakkib@max-publishing.co.uk.
“We can then contact these retailers to let them know they have been highlighted by one of their suppliers (but will not divulge the name of the company) and encourage them to enter,” explained Jakki.
Retailers do have until 15 April 2021 to submit their entries. They do not need to be nominated in order to enter.
All Retas winners will be announced at a fabulous Awards lunch and afternoon event to be held on Wednesday 14 July in the Ballroom of the Grosvenor House Hotel. To be among the best card retailers in the UK as well as some great card publishers, book your ticket online via Max-Tickets.net or contact The Retas’ awards manager Clare Hollick, director of Createvents on 01183 340085 or clare@createvents.co.uk.
In keeping with the thriving passion for houseplants and gardening, as well as our yearn for green shoots of optimism, the theme of The Retas 2021 is The Finery of Greenery!
Talented designer, Lianne Harrison, founder and creative director of Paperwhale Greeting Cards (who reached the finals in The Henries 2020 Most Promising Young Designer or Artist category) has provided the artwork for The Retas 2021, which is inspired by her personal passion for plants.
