Watch the 2022-2023 Minnesota's Retail Champions video:
https://youtu.be/ot-82kBILrA

 
Join the Minnesota Retailers Association (MnRA) as we recognize eleven leading retailers and industry partners with the announcement of the 2022-2023 Minnesota’s Retail Champions.

Winners will accept their awards during Retail Rally (www.retailrally.com) on Thursday, October 6, 2022, beginning at 2:00 p.m. in Golden Valley. Retail Rally is changing the way retailers and their key business partners engage with today’s consumer. The event features practical, game-changing, cutting-edge retail innovation strategies and ideas, and the insights of Tim Tang, director of enterprise solutions at Hughes and his presentation “Multi-Industry Perspective on Retail Digital Transformation.”

“We are proud to recognize eleven innovative retailers, communities and partners that are leading the way in connecting with consumers and today’s trends following a vigorous process to identify Minnesota’s Retail Champions,” said Bruce Nustad, Minnesota Retailers Association president. “The retail industry has a deep impact on Minnesota communities, and these award recipients are truly representative of what is great about retail across the state, how the industry is changing, and what it takes to attract customers today.”

The following is a complete list of the 2022-2023 Minnesota’s Retail Champion award recipients:

Lifetime Achievement
Paul Ostergaard, retired McDonald’s owner-operator, Eden Prairie, MN
>> Click here to read more about this award, including quotes.

Retailer of the Year
Victual, Crosby, MN
>> Click here to read more about this award, including quotes.

Special Achievement: Five Generations
Bachman’s, Twin Cities, MN
>> Click here to read more about this award, including quotes.

Best Place to Work
Sugar Loaf Ford Lincoln, Winona, MN
*nominated by the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce
>> Click here to read more about this award, including quotes.

Advocate of the Year
Dan Wolter, Hy-Vee, Upper Midwest and Southern U.S.
>> Click here to read more about this award, including quotes.

Partner of the Year
Buncha, Minneapolis, MN
>> Click here to read more about this award, including quotes.

Customer Experience
My Happy Place Boutique, Somerset, WI
>> Click here to read more about this award, including quotes.

Retail Manager of the Year
Hans Ahlstrom, M&M’S Mall of America, Bloomington, MN
>> Click here to read more about this award, including quotes.

Social Responsibility
Waste Wise, a program of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, St. Paul, MN
>> Click here to read more about this award, including quotes.

Building Community Through Retail
Urban Growler Brewing Co., St. Paul, MN
>> Click here to read more about this award, including quotes.

Customer Experience
Kendall’s Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN
>> Click here to read more about this award, including quotes.

MnRA started the awards process by putting out a statewide call for nominations early in the year.  A panel of peer judges reviewed nearly ten dozen nominations and selected the top nominee in each category. Tickets to Retail Rally are $25 online and free for media at www.retailrally.com.

Contact: Bruce Nustad, Minnesota Retailers Association, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., (651) 227-6631

About the Minnesota Retailers Association: The Minnesota Retailers Association promotes, preserves and enhances the retail industry in Minnesota by taking a leadership position in development of public policy and regulatory measures that impact members. MnRA also works to enhance the public image of the retail industry by providing information, services and support that adds value to its members. www.mnretail.org.

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St. Paul (October 4, 2022) – The Minnesota Retailers Association is pleased to recognize Paul Ostergaard with its Lifetime Achievement award as part of the 2022-2023 Minnesota’s Retail Champions program.

“In addition to his years of service on the Minnesota Retailers Association Board of Directors, including serving as Board Chair, Paul has employed and mentored thousands of employees over the years,” said Bruce Nustad, Minnesota Retailers Association president. “Paul has been a leading advocate for retailers and his impact on the lives he has touched cannot be measured. As Paul enters retirement following being an owner-operator of McDonald’s franchises it’s an honor to recognize him as a true Minnesota retail leader and for his lifetime of commitment to the industry.”

Paul Ostergaard is the sole recipient of the Minnesota’s Retail Champions Lifetime Achievement award. Ten other organizations will be recognized in other categories such as Retail Manager of the Year, Social Responsibility, Retail Innovation, Best Place To Work, Advocate of the Year, Building Community Through Retail, Partner of the Year, Customer Experience, Special Achievement and Retailer of the Year.

Paul Ostergaard will accept the award during the Retail Rally event on Thursday, October 6, 2022, beginning at 2:00 p.m. in Golden Valley. The event features practical, game-changing, cutting-edge retail innovation strategies and ideas. Retail Rally event information can be found at www.retailrally.com.

Click here to see all the 2022-2023 Minnesota's Retail Champions award winners.

About the Minnesota Retailers Association: The Minnesota Retailers Association promotes, preserves and enhances the retail industry in Minnesota by taking a leadership position in development of public policy and regulatory measures that impact members. MnRA also works to enhance the public image of the retail industry by providing information, services and support that add value to its members. www.mnretail.org.

Contact: Bruce Nustad, Minnesota Retailers Association, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., (651) 227-6631

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St. Paul (October 4, 2022) – The Minnesota Retailers Association is pleased to recognize Victual with its Retailer of the Year award as part of the 2022-2023 Minnesota’s Retail Champions program.

“When Paul Kirkman and Paul VanderWaal visited beautiful Crosby, Minnesota they couldn’t readily find a lot of their favorite products,” said Bruce Nustad, Minnesota Retailers Association president. “Because of this and knowing there was a market for a collection of specialty goods, they opened a store that instead of competing with area businesses, complimented them. From cheese to chocolate, cards to serving pieces, and home-made ice cream to specialty liquors their store truly has it all. They have created a unique, successful store with a one-of-a-kind shopping experience that showcases what is great about retail in Minnesota. MnRA is proud to name Victual our Retailer of the Year.”

Said Pail Kirkman upon hearing of this award: “This recognition is deeply meaningful for me.  Victual is a retail unicorn that, on paper, few would have anticipated its success in the marketplace – we’re a metropolitan-style store with sophisticated offerings in Crosby – a greater Minnesota community of only 2400 people.  But we take advantage of our prime location – we’re a lakes community with a prestigious medical facility, and the mountain bike trails of the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area bring in hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.  We have an amazing base of customers who has followed along and supported us fiercely from the beginning, even though years of oppressive road construction followed by pandemic.  We owe that success to our fantastic staff that’s focused on providing exceptional customer service, having deep knowledge of the products we sell.  But we also know that our successful launch in 2019 was based on rigorous planning and evaluation of the marketplace, with intent to look differently, feel differently and shop differently than other stores in the area; this enabled us to carve out our own unique path that’s difficult to emulate.  We constantly stive to be unique and remain one step ahead of our competitors.”

Victual is the sole recipient of the Minnesota’s Retail Champions Retailer of the Year award. Ten other organizations will be recognized in other categories such as Lifetime Achievement, Social Responsibility, Retail Manager of the Year, Best Place To Work, Advocate of the Year, Building Community Through Retail, Partner of the Year, Customer Experience, and Special Achievement.

Paul Kirkman and Paul VanderWaal will accept the award during the Retail Rally event on Thursday, October 6, 2022, beginning at 2:00 p.m. in Golden Valley. The event features practical, game-changing, cutting-edge retail innovation strategies and ideas. Retail Rally event information can be found at www.retailrally.com.

Click here to see all the 2022-2023 Minnesota's Retail Champions award winners.

About the Minnesota Retailers Association: The Minnesota Retailers Association promotes, preserves and enhances the retail industry in Minnesota by taking a leadership position in development of public policy and regulatory measures that impact members. MnRA also works to enhance the public image of the retail industry by providing information, services and support that adds value to its members. www.mnretail.org.

Contact: Bruce Nustad, Minnesota Retailers Association, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., (651) 227-6631

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