The 2003 REA's Presented at Plaza Hotel Gala

Accepting her Gold "REA" Award for Community Service, Jo Packham, owner of Ruby & Begonia of Ogden, UT, expressed surprise and extended her thanks to the large audience which showed its support for retailers like her by attending Gifts & Dec's 52nd annual Retailer Excellence Awards dinner, August 10 at New York's Plaza hotel. Other Gold REA Awards were presented to Ross-Simons, Durham, NC, for store design; Zinc Details, Berkeley, CA, for visual merchandising; and Scarsella's, Laurel Hollow, NY, for store promotion. Silver REA Awards were presented to The Little Shop, Johnstown, PA; Santoro & Co., Bridgeton, NJ; and toto, Pittsburgh, PA, for store design; and to Hart-Hall Ltd., Meridian, MS; Inside-Out, Racine, WI; and Room in a Kit Vignettes, Indian Harbour Beach, FL, for visual merchandising. Angelica Berrie accepted the 2003 Industry Achievement Award on behalf of her husband, Russ Berrie. The awards gala was sponsored by George Little Management. Co-sponsors were the Dallas Market Center, DMG World Media, Western Exhibitors, Whereoware.com, 225 Fifth Ave., 230 Fifth Ave., and 41 Madison Ave. (Watch for more photos in the October issue.)