The UK’s very best greeting card retailers were officially recognised at The Retas 2023 greeting card retailer awards ceremony, which took place today (6 July) at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Mayfair.
The Retas 2023 saw greeting card retail stockists from right across the retail spectrum duly recognised, rewarded and celebrated. Among the many jubilant winners was Postmark, which not only won the Best Greeting Card Small Multiple award, but was also presented with the final award of the ceremony, the prestigious Greeting Card Retailer of the Year award.
The ever-popular event, which this year took on a Van Gogh theme, to tie in with the 50th anniversary of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, was hosted by comedian Jake Lambert and was attended by some 400 greeting card retailers, publishers and suppliers.
Welcoming guests, PG’s co-owner Jakki Brown paid tribute to The Retas finalists and winners, saying: “With The Retas 2023 we put those who are excelling in the true artistry of greeting card retailing in the frame for their rightful fanfare.
Vincent van Gogh wrote regularly to his younger brother Theo, an art dealer, in which his letters revealed his mission to create an emotional connection with his art. In July 1882 he wrote: “I want to touch people with my art. I want them to say, ‘he feels deeply, he feels tenderly.” It is now exactly 141 years since Vincent wrote that letter, but it is the same mission that greeting card retailers achieve each and every day with the greeting card selection they curate and offer their customers. They, together with greeting card publishers, are continuing Van Gogh’s legacy – of creativity powered by emotion.”
The Retas Awards 2023 Winners are…
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – London
Diverse in Brixton
Award sponsored by Ohh Deer
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Home Counties and South East
Red Card in Petworth
Award sponsored by Hallmark Cards
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – East Anglia
Sincerely Yours in Hornchurch and Shenfield
Award sponsored by Abacus Cards
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – South West sponsored by Rosie Made A Thing
Bazaar in Barnstaple
Award sponsored by Rosie Made A Thing
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Wales
Creative Cove in Lampeter
Award sponsored by Progressive Greetings Live
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Midlands
Bentleys/Maddison in Birmingham, Harborne, Solihull and Stourport-on-Severn
Award sponsored by Paper Salad
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – North West and Northern Ireland
Bus Stop Cards & Gifts in Castlederg
Award sponsored by UK Greetings
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – North East
Artichoke in Tynemouth
Award sponsored by Wendy Jones-Blackett
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Scotland
Paper Tiger, three stores in Edinburgh
Award sponsored by Belly Button Designs
Best Greeting Card Retailer Newcomer
The Beverley Card Company in Beverley
Award sponsored by Carte Blanche Greetings
Best Independent Bookstore Retailer of Greeting Cards
The Hedgehog Bookshop in Penrith
Award sponsored by Woodmansterne Publications
Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards – North
Archerfield Walled Garden in Dirleton
Award sponsored by Lucilla Lavender
Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards – South
MiMi in Hartley Wintney and Wokingham
Award sponsored by Pigment
Best Greeting Card Small Multiple
Postmark, 14 stores in London, Birmingham and Glasgow
Award sponsored by Ling Design
Best Department Store Retailer of Greeting Cards
Elphicks in Farnham
Award sponsored by Spring & Autumn Fair
Best Supermarket Retailer of Greeting Cards
Tesco
Award sponsored by Danilo
Best Non-Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards
Oliver Bonas
Award sponsored by Cath Tate
Best Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards
Cardzone
Award sponsored by Paperlink
Best Garden Centre Retailer of Greeting Cards – Independent
Highfield Garden World
Award sponsored by Museums & Galleries
Best Garden Centre Retailer of Greeting Cards – Multiple
Longacres Garden Centre
Award sponsored by Woodmansterne Publications
Best Greeting Card Retailer Initiative
House of Cards, for its Thinking of You Week activities
Award sponsored by AfroTouch Design
Best Greeting Card Wholesaler
Jackson’s CRS
Award sponsored by Sensations International/Xpress Yourself
Greeting Card Retailer of the Year
Postmark
Award sponsored by The Art File
Enjoying a strong roster of sponsors, all leading companies, who are all committed to rewarding retailing expertise, The Retas 2023 was backed by: Abacus Cards, AfroTouch Designs, The Art File, Belly Button Designs, Carte Blanche Greetings, Cath Tate Cards, Danilo, Hallmark, Ohh Deer, Ling Design, Museums & Galleries, Paperlink, Pigment Productions, Progressive Greetings Live, Rosie Made a Thing, Sensations/Express Yourself, Spring Fair/Autumn Fair, UK Greetings, W Select, Wendy Jones-Blackett and Woodmansterne Publications.
Photos from The Retas will be available to view and download from the awards’ website (www.theretasawards.co.uk) over the next few days and the event will be covered in full in the next edition of Progressive Greetings magazine.
The Retas, organised by Max Publishing, owners of Progressive Greetings magazine are the only dedicated awards for greeting card retailers.
