by The Home Furnishings Assn. is accepting nominations for its 2023 Retailer of the Year, Trailblazer, Emerging Star, Partner of the Year, and Manufacturer of the Year awards — the latter a new category .
The annual recognitions honor the best and brightest furniture retailers in the industry and are a much-anticipated highlight for all HFA members, the home furnishings member organization said.
“These are pure honors,” HFA CEO Mark Schumacher said in a release. “What I mean by that is nominations come from peers, then nominees have to show how they have set high standards in customer experience, mentoring, sustainability, technology, philanthropy, and store culture. A panel of industry leaders judges all.”
Two HFA member retailers – large and small – will be recognized as Retailer of the Year. The large retailer category applies to businesses with 50 or more employees. The small retailer award covers businesses with fewer than 50 employees. The Emerging Star award recognizes exemplary HFA members, 40 or younger (born on or after January 1, 1983). The Trailblazer award honors an HFA member who has been in the industry for at least 20 years. Partner of the Year recognizes the HFA solution partner contributing to HFA members’ success.
The new Manufacturer of the Year award will honor an HFA manufacturer “that best supports HFA members through exceptional products that impact our members’ business and consistently supports the home furnishings trade organization,” the association said.
“2022 has been another challenging year,” Schumacher said. “We will celebrate those companies and individuals who have weathered the ups and downs and maintained a standard of excellence.”
CITY Furniture, based in Tamarac, Florida, won last year’s large Retailer of the Year. Room to Room was awarded HFA’s Small Retailer of the Year. Irv Bumkin, Chairman of Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM), garnered the Trailblazer Award, while Eric Beiter, General Manager at Beiter’s Furniture Mattress Appliance in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, received the Emerging Star recognition. Partner of the Year went to Podium.
Nominations are open and can be submitted here through Oct. 31. Nominees will be notified and asked to complete an application in November 2022. A panel of judges composed of retail industry leaders, HFA partners, and past honorees will select the winners.
Then the fun begins. IN FEBRUARY, the HFA will announce the honorees in February at its annual member meeting and then hold in-store celebrations with recognition throughout 2023.
