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The Retailer of the Year Award recognizes a retailer who exemplifies excellence in the gift & souvenir industry through outstanding merchandising, customer experience, business leadership, and vendor partnerships. This award celebrates not only business success, but also the story behind the brand, recognizing retailers whose passion, innovation, and commitment have helped define who they are and what they bring to the industry. Whether recognizing a respected peer or highlighting your own journey, this award honors the achievements, values, and impact that set a retailer apart. |
Retailer of the Year
Instructions:
There are multiple Legends Award categories, and each category has its own voting page. Be sure to vote in ALL categories!
- Click each nominee’s name to read their nomination.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page to cast your vote.
- Fill in your information, select your choice and click Submit.
- After submitting, click through to the NEXT AWARD CATEGORY and vote again.
- Continue until you have voted in each award category. The final submission button will say "Complete Voting"
Only one vote per person, per category will be counted.
Share the excitement and encourage others to cast their votes too! Winners will be announced at the Legends Award Ceremony on Thursday, November 5.
Voting closes October 20.
Captain Jacks has a restaurant & retail shop. Revenue is 3.5M with $300K of it retail which highlights the local community, bodies of water and private label merchandise year round. This business was acquired in 2024 growing the t-shirt sales from $30K to a $250K retail multi-line store added on to a successful restaurant.
Duckies Candles & Friends has established itself as a truly unique destination in Nashville, TN retail. Since opening in December 2024, the store has created an experience that customers remember, photograph, share, and return to visit.
Located on Music Valley Drive near Opryland, Duckies Candles & Friends offers visitors something they cannot find in a typical Nashville souvenir store. The store's signature product is its enormous variety of rubber ducks, complemented by candles made in store, handmade soaps, apparel, plushies, gifts, and other unique merchandise.
What makes this store particularly deserving of recognition is the creativity behind the retail experience. It gives customers a reason to walk through the door, explore, take photographs, discover something unexpected, and tell others about their experience.
The store has created a distinctive identity around fun, collecting, and Nashville tourism. Its photo opportunities and constantly changing product selection make the store feel more like an attraction than a traditional retail establishment. Since opening, Duckies Candles & Friends has welcomed thousands of customers from around the world. Duckies Candles & Friends was recognized with a 2026 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award, an achievement that speaks directly to the positive experience visitors have had at the store.
The store also demonstrates what can be accomplished by an independent retailer with vision and determination.
In less than two years, the store has gone from a new retail concept to an established Nashville destination with a growing reputation among visitors. That kind of progress is a testament to the passion, creativity, and commitment behind the business.
I strongly recommend Duckies Candles & Friends for its innovation in independent retail, commitment to creating an exceptional customer experience, success in attracting visitors, continued growth, and recognition through the 2026 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award.
Vote for Good Lather Soaps LLC DBA Duckies Candles & Friends!
Kristy is an amazing retail buyer, always a pleasure to meet with, terrific to process orders and interactions with, keeps up to date on what her customers want and selling amazing product!
Robby has spent more than 20 years managing smaller retail shops throughout the Myrtle Beach area, building a career around his passion for retail, customer service, and creating memorable shopping experiences. His dedication to the industry is evident in everything he does—from the way he welcomes and serves guests to the relationships he builds with his employees, vendors, and representatives.
What truly sets Robby apart is his belief that a successful retail store is about much more than simply selling a product. He believes in creating an experience that makes guests feel valued and gives them a reason to remember their visit. His philosophy is simple:
“Give the guest a great experience and they will always remember their product and where they purchased it from.”
Robby also understands that great retail begins with great people. He surrounds himself with positive, like-minded individuals who share his enthusiasm for the industry and his vision of creating an amazing retail environment. He encourages his team to take pride in their work, connect with guests, and continually look for ways to make the shopping experience better.
His passion extends beyond the sales floor. Robby enjoys the creative process of designing and developing retail spaces that are inviting, exciting, and reflective of the guests they serve. He understands how merchandising, presentation, customer service, and team culture all work together to create a successful retail operation.
After more than two decades in the Myrtle Beach retail industry, Robby continues to approach each day with the same enthusiasm and commitment. He is a leader who values relationships, inspires his team, respects his business partners, and genuinely enjoys the retail industry.
For his years of experience, dedication to exceptional guest experiences, commitment to his team, and passion for creating outstanding retail environments, Robby Ammons is an excellent candidate for Retailer of the Year.
Ole Smoky Distillery is a masterclass in retail excellence. Each display is well thought out, beautifully curated and tailored to the customers they know visit their stores. The merchandise mix is always fresh and interesting and the actual displays are well crafted to venue to create a retail experience that is more immersive than just grabbing a tshirt and going to the register.
Kent Reed exemplifies what it means to be an exceptional retailer. With decades of experience, a keen understanding of merchandise and consumer trends, and an unwavering commitment to the customer experience, he has helped build a retail operation recognized for quality, innovation, and consistency.
His hands-on approach to merchandising, product development, and operations reflects a passion for continuous improvement and a deep understanding of what makes a retail business successful. Equally important is the culture he creates through his leadership. Kent is respected for his professionalism, sound judgment, and ability to build strong relationships while maintaining high standards. His vision, dedication, and retail expertise have made a lasting impact on both his organization and the industry as a whole.
Best eye for design and merchandising. Excellent attention to detail.
Tommy exhibits all the qualities one could wish for in a tourism retailer. While he always has his eye on the bottom line, he never forgets the importance of using suppliers who offer sustainable product. He searches out craftsmen who otherwise might be overlooked. His merchandising is second to none, offering appealing displays with good products along with a telling message. He is also generous with his time speaking at events in many venues, teaching others his retail philosophy. As a former "Living Legend" recipient, I can think of no one more deserving of this award.
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