Home Accents Today announces 2012 Retail Stars honorees

Susan Dickenson -- Home Accents Today, 5/21/2012 11:05:32 AM

Home Accents Today announced the names of the 50 independent home furnishings retailers selected for inclusion on its 2012 Retail Stars list.

The businesses selected for the list, which honors retailing excellence and is sponsored by AmericasMart Atlanta, have demonstrated that they operate successfully in their marketing areas, exhibit strength in merchandising, display and/or advertising, and have a positive presence in their local communities.

"There has never been a tougher time to be an independent retailer, with ongoing competition from chain stores, the increasingly significant role of online retail and the difficult economic climate," said Jenny Heinzen York, editor in chief, Home Accents Today. "The 2012 Retail Stars have taken on these challenges with a combination of clever entrepreneurship, innovation, merchandising, customer service and marketing. We are delighted to recognize these talented merchants, and, as always, encourage everyone to support their own local businesses."

"Those who are celebrated (on this year's list) have created businesses that embrace the powers of excitement, innovation and creative ingenuity," said Jeffrey Portman, Sr., president and COO, AmericasMart Atlanta. "They understand that excitement equals engagement. And engagement delivers sales."

Home Accents Today editors focused on independent and family-run retailers, specifically those considered specialty, home accent or home furnishings stores. Members of the industry were invited to suggest stores and retailers were encouraged to submit information describing their businesses. A business may be named to the list only one time, resulting in 50 first-time honorees each year.
The list, now in its eighth year, was compiled and narrowed down by research analysts and editors of the publication.

The 2012 Retail Stars are listed below in alphabetical order below. The complete report, including individual store descriptions, websites, home accents categories/vendors, and sales Cover: Urban Country, Bethesda, Md.estimates, is published in the May, 2012 issue of Home Accents Today, and is available for purchase and download from the publication's online store.

Home Accents Today's 2012 Retail Stars are:

Abode Fine Living, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Antiquarius Imports, Arroyo Seco, N.M.
Art ‘N Oddities, Milwaukee, Wis.
Bella Patina, Rapid City, S.D.
Bobby Berk Home, New York, N.Y.
City People's Mercantile, Seattle, Wash.
Cozy Cottage, Broomfield, Colo.
Creative by Nature Home, Charlotte, N.C.
Decorating Den Interiors, Easton, Md.
Decorative Arts, Vero Beach, Fla.
Discovery Furniture, Topeka, Kan.
El Dorado Furniture, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Gracious Me!, Hopkinsville, Ky.
Hill Street Warehouse & Gardening, Atlanta, Ga.
Home-ology, Scottsdale, Ariz.
In the Pink Boutique, Phoenix, Ariz.
J Douglas Design, Dallas, Texas
Jefferson's, Greenville, N.C.
Kohler Gardener, Kohler, Wis.
Laurie's Home Furnishings, Tomball, Texas
Le Potager, Fullerton, Calif.
LuLu's, La Quinta, Calif.
Marvel Home Decorating, New London, Conn.
Material Possessions, Chicago, Ill.
Maze Home Store, Winnetka, Ill.
McKee & Company Home, Newport Beach, Calif.
Melissa Jeffrey Home, Boerne, Texas
Patina Green Home and Market, McKinney, Texas
Pipits of Saratoga, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Potted Petals, Lombard, Ill.
Pretty in Pink, Versailles, Ky.
Rolling Greens, Los Angeles, Calif.
Rustic Point, Evergreen, Colo.
San Luis Traditions, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Savannah Home, Escondido, Calif.
Seville Home, Leawood, Kan.
Southern Design Lighting, Shreveport, La.
SVH Interiors, Port Washington, N.Y.
Taylor Creek, Green Bay, Wis.
Tender Land Home, Phoenicia, N.Y.
The Embellished House, Scottsdale, Ariz.
The Gilded Lily, High Point, N.C.
The Orchards, Wrens, Ga.
Thou Art, Brewton, Ala.
TK Home and Garden, Hudson, N.Y.
Urban Country, Bethesda, Md.
WA, Provincetown, Mass.
Wake Robin, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.
Winteriors and Luken Interiors, Dayton, Ohio
Yetzer Home Furnishings, Waconia, Minn.

More on the 2012 Retail Stars can be found here.