Retailers splash out with prizes for awards celebrations
Becoming a Retas Awards finalist is no mean feat and many have been basking in their success by spending the 2023 Sunshine vouchers at this week’s PG Live show as well as continuing their own celebraions.
There’s a Van Gogh theme for the glitzy 2023 awards ceremony on Thursday, 6 July, and Medici Gallery is already in the spirit with retail manager Tim Reynolds and assistant manager Charlie Wheatley getting appropriately flowered up.
“We’re delighted to be nominated again for the Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – London. It’s such an honour to be chosen and we are rightfully proud,” Tim said.
“The Van Gogh theme is very appropriate for Medici as we’ve sold prints of his work for many years and we have sun flowers in our staff room!”
Over in Christchurch, Bookends co-owner Debbie Pritchard commented: “Everyone is delighted and honoured. We pride ourselves on supplying high-quality greeting cards, creating eye-catching and appealing displays, and are therefore extremely proud and happy to know that our consistent hard work, impeccable service and wonderful teamwork is recognised.”
The four-strong team at Llanishen’s Daisy Daisy is delighted at the news, where owner Becky Mudie works alongside Carole Beynon, who’s been at the store for over 15 years, Caroline Waudby has eight years under her belt, and Saturday girl Ffion Edwards, who is threatening to go to uni in September and will be much missed.
Becky said: “All of them are wonderful and a true asset to the success of Daisy Daisy. We’re so excited that our lovely little community shop has been nominated for an award and reached the finals.
“Daisy Daisy was nominated and in the finals seven years ago and now here we are again despite such challenging times and a change in ownership. This success is all thanks to our fantastic customers and wonderful team and I personally can’t thank you enough.
“Do wish us luck although we already feel like winners to have been selected by others in our industry and down to the final six in our region.”
At Stewarts, in Christchurch, Broomhill and Abbey, home and lifestyle buyer Charlie Sansom and retail director Terry Head said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have been nominated, what an honour! Especially when we saw all those brilliant retailers in the finalist list. We’re among the very best and very proud.
“Catharine, our supervisor in the home and lifestyle department, and Lizzie at Christchurch centre, were very excited about the nomination news – they shouted ‘yay’!”
Kayleigh and Sinan Hisim are finalists in the Best Greeting Card Retailer Initiative category for Milford Cards & Gifts, and said: “We’re very much looking forward to attending the awards ceremony. We are over the moon to have been nominated for this amazing award and were completely surprised by it all.
“Our nomination isn’t just for us it’s for the wonderful people and customers of our local community. Everyone pulled together and was extremely generous in donations and goodwill messages.”
It’s a family affair at The Hollies Farm Shop in Little Budworth and Lower Stretton, where siblings Phil, Ed and Sue are the third generation of Cowaps to look after the business.
“We’re thrilled to hear that we’re finalists in the prestigious Retas greeting card retail awards! The category we have been shortlisted in is the Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer Of Greetings Cards – North.
“We’re super proud of our teams at both Little Budworth and Lower Stretton for making it this far and will be keeping our fingers crossed until the awards ceremony.”
It’s now all Gogh-go-go for The Retas 2023 event at which the winners will be announced on Thursday, 6 July, at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, and will be attended by over 400 members of the greeting card community, with a strong roster of sponsors ready to hand out the trophies.
The Van Gogh theme ties in with the 50th anniversary of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and award sponsor Danilo is providing a selection of cards from its licensed Van Gogh range of greeting cards, wrap, bags, calendars and diaries, for the menus at the celebration.
The Retas 2023 sponsors also include AfroTouch Design, The Art File, Belly Button Designs, Carte Blanche Greetings, Cath Tate Cards, GBCC, Hallmark, Ling Design, Lucilla Lavender, Meraki, Museums & Galleries, Ohh Deer, Paperlink, Paper Salad, Pigment, Progressive Greetings Live, Rosie Made A Thing, Sensations/Express Yourself, Spring Fair/Autumn Fair, UK Greetings, Wendy Jones-Blackett, W Select, and Woodmansterne Publications.
To be among the UK’s best greeting card retailers 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 0118 334 0085 or email clare@createvents.co.uk.
