Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM NOVEMBER 2023 58 F ourteen BrandSource members were lauded as Dealers of the Year at the buying group's recent Convention 2023 in Nashville. The annual accolade reflects the honorees' commitment to excellence in the retail industry, their service to their respective communities, and their support of BrandSource, their fellow members, and the group's vendor partners. The award recipients are selected by the members within each of BrandSource's 14 geographic Regions. Congratulations to this year's winners! • Great Bend Appliance/Sleep Source in Great Bend, KS, is a city- block-long home-goods emporium featuring bedding, appliances, furniture, TVs, grills, space heaters, and a staff of 21 dedicated employees. • Drees Electric of Marinette, WI, features a wide assortment of home appliances, consumer tech, and mattresses that are sold, delivered, installed, and serviced by a staff of 20. • Dependable Maytag Home Appliance Center is a thriving three- store operation in Farmington, NM, with 11 employees. • Kubin's Furniture and Mattress in St. Louis, MI, is a destination showplace, with an assortment of over 400 chairs and recliners that is the largest in the state and draws customers from throughout the Midwest. • Co-owner Shauna Runkle of Ja-Mar Appliance left her job as an RCA finance specialist to join her dad as a partner in the Portland, IN, business. "Having a small business in a rural community has its challenges," Shauna said, "but also great opportunities to get involved and make an impact." • Kathie Giorgi, principal of Frank DeClemente Inc. in Cranston, RI, said the support of BrandSource has led to ongoing growth, prosperity, and customer loyalty for the multi-category home goods shop. • Volkmann Appliance in Winona, MN, is among the last independent appliance store owners in town, thanks to a dedicated staff and a full-service offering that includes delivery, installation, and repair. • Arnold's Appliance in Bellevue, WA, operates a state-of-the-art showroom with live product displays, multiple lifestyle vignettes, and more than 45 brands, along with delivery and installation services. • Carmona's Appliance & Mattress Center in Redding, CA, is a 21,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art appliance and mattress emporium that credits AVB's digital marketing and advertising support, in part, for its success. • Appliances & More in Baker City, OR, is a 12,000-square-foot showcase for appliances, mattresses, furniture, hot tubs, massage chairs, and saunas, among other products. A second location is expected to open soon. • Economy Furniture Co. in Batesburg-Leesville, SC, offers an expanded assortment of mattresses, appliances, consumer electronics, and floor coverings, along with great value and friendly, reliable small-town service. • McMasters Home Gallery in Loretto, TN, operates a 10,000-square- foot showroom and 15,000-square-foot warehouse and adheres to the tenets of selling quality products at good prices and treating customers like family. • Lafferty's Home Center in Texarkana, TX, operates a 47,000-square- foot Home Center brimming with appliances, furniture, mattresses, and outdoor equipment and continues to follow its founder's guiding principles of "Family, honesty, and hard work." • Stewart's TV & Appliance in Elyria, OH, began as a radio repair shop and now has 20 full-time employees and an expansive line of premium appliances and the latest TV and video tech. B U Y I N G G R O U P N E W S RO BRANDSOURCE HONORS DEALERS OF THE YEAR Fourteen companies inducted in Convention ceremony Alan Wolf is Senior Communications Specialist at AVB BrandSource, the nation's leading merchandising and marketing co-op for independent appliance, home furnishings and consumer tech dealers.

• Cover