Royal Jewelers
Retailer of the Year


 

Royal Jewelers is a world class retailer and one of the finest jewelry stores in  North America. They are a perennial winner of Boston Magazine’s Best Jewelry Stores award and were most recently honored by Harper‘s Magazine as one of the Top 25 Jewelry  Stores in America.   But you don’t need  to read the reviews or the list of honors this store has received to understand how special this store really is.

You just have to cross the threshold  of this downtown Andover institution and experience what retailing is all about. This store’s visual appeal is eye candy to the customer. It keeps you in the store and makes you want to explore every nook and showcase in the store.  The Royal Jewelers customer expects the unexpected and shops there to see the latest and greatest  the world’s top designers  have to offer.

Top vendors and designers also flock to this single store retailer because they all want to be represented at Royal Jewelers. Not only because they sell a lot of merchandise, but because Royal Jewelers is a bellwether store that other jewelers will say “if Royal is carrying it-- it must be good.”

Royal Jewelers is a family business started by the Leed Family, a true “Mom and Pop” business, 50 plus years ago and continued by the brother and sister team of Paula and Steven Leed. Brother and sister family businesses are a rare commodity, especially one of this caliber.   The spirit their parents business was built on serves as the core beliefs and foundation for this Main Street Retailer that attracts customers   from around the world.  Royal Jewelers sells priceless gems but to the retailing community of Massachusetts, they are our priceless gem.

www.royaljewelers.com

Joe’s Beach Road Bar & Grille at the Barley Neck Inn
Restaurant of the Year

The Barley Neck Inn traces its’ roots to 1848, and original portions of the current building were built in 1857.  Located in this historic sea captain’s home, Joe’s Bar & Grille has been in operation for 15 years.  With multiple dining rooms ranging from the small and elegant in the original portions of the home, to the atmosphere of the well decorated bar housed in the Inn’s original barn, Joe’s is the perfect location for special functions, family dining, and evening entertainment.  The extensive menu will please all members of the family, but the freshly caught local fish is a specialty.  Operating year round with weekend evening entertainment, a roaring fire, friendly staff, and the extensive specialty drinks and wine list, Joe’s attracts a loyal local crowd.  The food is excellent and Chef Christian Schultz harvests vegetables and herbs from the Inn’s own organic garden.  Joe’s Bar & Grille and the dining rooms of the Barley Neck Inn have been recognized by USA Today, the Boston Globe, Yankee Magazine, and Wine Spectator.

Kickass Cupcakes
Advertising and Promotion

Sometimes the name says it all – Kickass Cupcakes.  Founded in 2007, Sara Ross and her husband came up with the name Kickass Cupcakes because that's what you say when you eat one of their cupcakes, "damn, these cupcakes kickass!"  Well in just three short years this small company has truly made a name for itself with its cupcakes, baked from scratch every day in small batches and using only the best all natural ingredients.  Kickass Cupcakes, located in colorful Davis Square, is Boston's most unique and fun cupcake bakery and was recently featured on the Food Network's “Kid in a Candy Store” show, featuring the coolest, quirkiest and tastiest treats.  Loyal customers look forward to the last Monday of every month when the store hosts its Cocktail Cupcake Happy Hours, with free tastings of mini cupcakes in cocktail inspired flavors.  And coming next year – a cupcake truck!

www.kickasscupcakes.com

Tedeschi Food Shops of Westford
Community Service

Dave Loiselle operates his business with the philosophy to always treat your customers like neighbors.  Dave has been in the convenience store industry for 39 years, the last 16 years as owner/operator of Tedeschi Food Shops of Westford.  Throughout his career, Dave has always emphasized involvement and support of community and civic activities which include volunteering with many local organizations, such as the Lowell Folk Festival, Greater Lowell Salvation Army, the Tobacco Control Committee, and the Nabnasset Neighborhood Improvement Committee.  As a Vietnam veteran, his passion and commitment to veterans is apparent by his continuous orchestration of projects that support servicemen and women around the world.  He is responsible for initiating projects such as the Adopt a Squadron Program, which sent nearly 1,000 care packages and 1,500 Christmas cards to military overseas.  Dave has also raised a significant amount of money for “Homes for our Troops,” an organization that builds houses for returning servicemen with severe handicaps. Dave believes most people WANT to get involved in community service, but may not know where to begin.  Dave states, “My responsibility as a retailer is to open doors so that our customers can share in the satisfaction of helping the community and beyond.” 

“The most generous people walk through these doors….. our customers.”

Vanash Florals
Creative Display

Vanash Florals & Interiors, Inc., is a one of a kind, award winning floral design shop featuring premium and specialty flowers arranged in traditional, contemporary and unique design styles. "Elegant doesn't have to cost a lot," owner Karen Maines often says. Karen’s talent and passion for interior design is showcased in her stunning Acton store.  She renovated a historic barn on Great Road and opened the florist shop which also stocks unique gift baskets. Karen's shop is elegant and always has the most beautiful seasonal displays. The first floor of her shop displays her unique gift baskets and floral arrangements. Her second floor office is mostly dedicated to bridal consultations.  Karen believes that each wedding should be based on individuality.  Karen states that “Flowers set the stage, although they don’t last forever, the wedding pictures will.” 

Zimman’s
Retail Hall of Fame

Zimman’s of Lynn is truly a Massachusetts treasure.  This is a fabric and furniture store without competition. That is not an easy statement to make in this period of hyper competition from across the street to around the world. Especially about a highly niche specialty business located in a downtown that has experienced all of the challenges of today’s downtowns and  reflects on its proud past.
 
This store has been in the same location for the past 70+ years of its 100 year  history. Although the store carries two  floors of furniture, it is the selection of fabrics customers will actually fly in from across the country with their interior decorators to discover -  the perfect fabric to decorate a room, offices or reupholster a family heirloom.

Michael  Zimman not only carries the largest inventory of any fabric store in North America, but he has a taste level that is unequalled as well.  You are WOWED with the quantity of inventory but blown away with the quality and the attention to every buying decision.

We are proud to sing the praises of this Massachusetts tradition that maintains a low profile and checks their egos at the door to become a truly customer centric business.  Visit this store to experience retailing the way it once was for all and continues that way for only a select few. Understand why Zimman’s  has reached the pinnacle of retailing success when it is  constantly described as a  store, “You just have to shop.”

www.zimmans.com

Rick Segel
Retail Hall of Fame

In 1997, Rick Segel, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional),  approached Jon Hurst and proposed the concept of the RAMAE Awards  to honor the memory of his mother, a Massachusetts retailer for 58 years who had recently passed away.  Little did any of the small committee formed by Rick ever imagine the scope and influence this awards program was going to take.  The committee formed by Rick consisted of the manager of Mashpee Commons, Melissa Gallant, Yolanda Cellucci from Yolanda’s and Catherine O’Brien from RAM.

Rick is the 85th recipient of a RAMAE Award. This program has been the inspiration for many awards programs around the world. Rick has served as a consultant, judge, and as Master of Ceremonies for many of these programs in a multitude of industries. However, the examples demonstrated by the winners have inspired retailers around the world.

Rick is a seasoned retailer for 25 years, running one of New England’s most successful independent woman’s apparel retailers. He only left active retailing when he became one of the most sought after business speakers. Rick has now spoken professionally over 2,100 times, in 49 states and 12 countries.

He is the author of 13 books including The Retail Business Kit for Dummies, which has sold over 100,000 copies in its two editions.  In January, his latest book, Becoming the Vendor of Choice  was named one of the top 10 business books for 2010 by Selling Power Magazine.

Rick is also the author of the Retail Store Evaluation for Microsoft that has been distributed worldwide to independent retailers. His client list represents some of the finest retailers and associations in the world today. Rick and Margie, his wife and partner of 41 years, have volunteered countless hours in the promotion of retailing. He is proud of his 3 children, their spouses, and his 6 grandchildren.

www.ricksegel.com