(Chicago) The record 69 awards presented recently at NASFM’s 32nd Annual Retail Design Awards Presentation highlight the creativity and innovation marking the industry today. Combining form and function, the award-winning imaginative new store and store fixture designs captivated and inspired. They were recognized during the association’s awards presentation Sunday, March 16, in Chicago, following the conclusion of the first day of GlobalShop. In addition to the top two awards, Store of the Year and Fixture of the Year, NASFM presented 16 Special Merits for Individual Store Fixtures, 6 Special Merits for Outstanding Fixture Groupings, 16 Grand Prizes, and 29 Outstanding Merits.

Store of the Year was presented to Nambé by Larry Greenberger, publisher of Display & Design Ideas, presenting sponsor of the Retail Design Awards. The 1,900-sq.-ft. specialty store based in Colorado Mills Mall in Lakewood, Colo., complements the retailer’s product line of high-end metal and crystal home accessories with a clean, elegant presentation. “The undulating radii of the store fixtures meld into one continuous line vertically and horizontally, drawing the customer in,” explains Don Finley, president of Capital Contracting & Design Inc., adding that the shelving was designed to appear to float in the space. Like Nambé’s product, the fixtures, which are built from maple, leather, steel, plastic laminate, and glass, are clean and elegant. The store was designed by Karim Rashid Design, New York; fixtures were fabricated by Capital Contracting & Design Inc., Plainfield, N.J., a member of NASFM.

Fixture of the Year was presented to Best Buy in New York for its Chelsea Digital Platform by David Reynolds, president and CEO of The Miller Group and president of NASFM. The fixture, an interactive kiosk for cell phones and digital cameras, is designed to help customers try out the products in a fun, educational shopping experience. “Sales associates can stand in front comfortably discussing the product with customers,” says Chuck Lee, display design manager for Best Buy Co. The kiosk was designed by Best Buy Co., Eden Prairie, Minn., and fabricated by Retailer Services Corp., Anoka, Minn.
More information on all winning RDA projects will be available online at www.nasfm.org after March 25.

The Judges
Ted Clemens, vice president of store planning, Abercrombie & Fitch
Dennis Gerdeman, principal, Chute Gerdeman Group
Mark Randall, director of fixture purchasing, Best Buy Co.
Terri Roberts, manager of casework, Starbucks Coffee Co.
Michael Saubert, fixture designer-hardlines, Sears, Roebuck & Co.
Kathy Socha, president/design director, Phase One Design Services Inc.
RoxAnna Sway, editor, Display & Design Ideas
Marianne Wilson, senior editor of special projects, Chain Store Age
Carole Winters, associate publisher, VM+SD Magazine

The Criteria
This year’s winners successfully integrated strong brand identity into their store and fixture designs and used traditional materials in unique ways to support their store brands. The winners were selected from projects completed between January and December 2002.

Planning for 2004
Please add the deadline for NASFM’s 2004 Retail Design Awards to your industry calendars; early-bird entries must be received by Dec. 15, 2003. Stores and fixtures must be completed in 2003 to be eligible for consideration. Entry information will be available at www.nasfm.org.

Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor, Display & Design Ideas
Photo Sponsor, PhotoCraft
Crystal Sponsors, Bartco Lighting, Crown Metal Manufacturing Co., and Reeve Store Equipment Co.
Patrons of the Retail Design Arts, FRCH Design Worldwide and TOLI International

About NASFM
NASFM is an international, not-for-profit association representing the store fixture manufacturing industry since 1956. The association’s membership includes more than 400 manufacturing member companies operating over 700 plants worldwide; over 200 industry suppliers are associate members. NASFM members manufacture an estimated 85 percent of all store fixtures produced in North America. The typical NASFM member employs 85 people and generates revenues in excess of $10 million per year.

Editor’s Note: Digital image files for all winning entries, together with project descriptions and lists of project contributors, are available upon request. Please provide your contact name, specific requests, and e-mail address.