ALA Members Shine Among 2023 Lighting Showroom of the Year Finalists

Annual awards program honors outstanding North American lighting retailers during June’s Lightovation trade event

Finalists for the 2023 Showroom of the Year Awards, honoring outstanding lighting retailers across North America, have been decided. ALA members are represented in all categories.

Each year, showrooms are judged on a number of criteria, including merchandising display, marketing and advertising, customer service and engagement, employee education and motivation, and community involvement. Five Showroom of the Year finalists are named in each of three dollar-volume categories. The winners will be announced at a 6 p.m. ceremony on Wednesday, June 21, during Lightovation at Dallas Market Center. The event is open to all participants in Lightovation, which runs June 21-24.

The annual awards program, now celebrating its 14th year, is presented by Furniture, Lighting & Decor magazine and Lightovation at Dallas Market Center.

“These showrooms are the best in the business, and we look forward to celebrating their creativity and success,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO, Dallas Market Center, “Please join us this summer to see how these independent retailers make a difference in their communities and elevate the industry.”

The finalists in all three categories — Revenue Under $2 Million, Revenue $2 Million-$5 Million and Revenue $5 Million and Over — are profiled in Furniture, Lighting & Decor’s May issue.

Finalists in the Revenue Under $2 Million category are:
●    Alcott & Bentley, Louisville, KY
●    First Choice Electric Supply, Newark, NY
●    LED Capstone, Vero Beach, FL
●    One Source Lighting, Billings, MT
●    Tidewater Lighting & Design, Madison, CT

Finalists in the Revenue $2 Million-$5 Million category are:
●    Christie’s Lighting Gallery, Fletcher NC
●    Georgia Lighting, Sugar Hill, GA
●    Progressive Lighting, Atlanta, GA
●    Tallahassee Lighting & Decor, Tallahassee, FL
●    The Lighting Corner, Grandville, MI

Finalists in the Revenue $5 Million and Over category are:
●    Cartwright Lighting & Furniture, Calgary, Alberta, CA
●    Best Plumbing & Lighting, Edmonton, Alberta, CA
●    Lee Lighting, Pineville, NC
●    Inline Lighting, Montgomery, AL 
●    Park Lighting & Furniture, Edmonton, Alberta, CA

“This year’s Showroom of the Year finalists have exhibited what it takes to put customers first,” says Diane Falvey, Editor-in-Chief of Furniture, Lighting & Decor. “From customer service to education, product selection and pivotal roles in their communities, our lighting showroom finalists this year exemplify retail excellence.”

All finalists are also eligible for three specialty awards: Outstanding Merchandising Display, Exceptional Community Involvement and Social Media Star, an award that industry members help select.
Again this year, 50 percent of the scoring for the Social Media Star Award will be determined by “likes” posted to finalist profiles within the Showroom of the Year Social Media Star Event on Furniture, Lighting & Decor’s Facebook page, starting May 2 and continuing through May 12. Official judges’ scores complete the remaining 50 percent of scoring for that category.

Judging this year’s competition is an esteemed panel of industry professionals: Patrick Keiser, Founder of Heart on Mainstreet, a non-profit organization designed to help independent retailers thrive; Michelle Sherrier, Founder of MC Design Collaboration and The Retail Whore Podcast; and Erinn Valencich, Founder of and Lead Designer at Erinn V. Design Group, Product Designer and Founder of StyleRow, a project management platform for interior designers. 

Keep watching  the Lightovation Facebook page and the Lightovation - Lighting Industry Discussion Group on Facebook for additional details about the June awards presentation and Social Media Star Award voting. And follow the #SOTYAwards hashtag for all of the latest news regarding the Showroom of the Year Awards.