Getting the Word Out

Two of the Promotion category finalists in the 2002 Retailer Excellence Awards are old hands at creating inventive special events. Andrew Morton Inc. of Knoxville, Tennessee, has been in business for more than 35 years, and The Little House in Vashon, Washington, opened its doors in 1978. The owners of both know the value of getting the word out to their many customers with fun and informative events that keep them connected, and both are previous Gifts & Dec Award winners. The third finalist is Black Sheep Designs of Trumansburg, New York, which has been in business since 1995. Owner Susan Whitaker faces the ongoing challenge of promoting her store to local customers long after summer tourists have departed her neck of the woods. The Promotion finalists' stories begin on page 24.

This is the last call to join us and all the finalists for the Retailer Excellence Awards dinner at The Plaza hotel on Sunday, August 11. Tickets are $125 per person, and you can order yours by calling (646) 746-7353. Or, you can purchase tickets (with cash or check) August 10 and 11 at the Special Events Booth in the Javits Center lobby during the New York International Gift Fair.

Did you know that you're legally required to pay a licensing fee when you play your favorite CD on your store's sound system? But don't panic: There are a number of exceptions to the law. If you sell the music you're playing, for example, the fee is waived. Also, if you are transmitting music from the radio over your system, and your store is less than 2,000 square feet, there is no fee. To learn of other exceptions and more information about licensing fees, read "Paying the Piper," on page 54. After all, you don't want the music police knocking on your door.