GAMA announced the winners of its 2016 Power Retail Awards at GAMA Trade Show in Las Vegas last week, in three categories:  Outstanding Store Design, Outstanding Marketing, and Outstanding Organized Play.  An Outstanding Store Award winner was also announced.  The program had more entrants this year, with a longer submission period and improved prizes (see “GAMA Power Retail Awards Extends Deadline”).

Allen Burkes, Mike Kistler, and Hunter Davies (l-r)
The winner for Outstanding Store and Outstanding Store Design was Epic Loot, of Centerville, Ohio, pictured above and in the Gallery below.  For the Outstanding Store Design Award, retailers were asked to show off everything from exterior signage to displays to fixtures to graphic design and layout, and to answer the question, “What do you do to give your store a unique look while informing your customers?” 




Kelly and Don Allen
The winner for Outstanding Marketing was Comic Quest of Lake Forest, California, owned by Don and Kelly Allen.  For this Award, retailers were asked to show their web presence, advertising, promotions, sponsorship, and community outreach as a means to display the most innovative aspects of their business communication and message-building to current and potential customers.





David Wheeler
The winner for Outstanding Organized Play was Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy of Austin, Texas, owned by Dave Wheeler.  Retailers competing for this award were asked to describe how they made their Organized Play programs a success and some of the things they do to keep it that way.






For images of the stores and programs of the winners, click the Gallery below.