The Inspired Home Show and the International Housewares Association (IHA), global sponsors and organisers of the gia programme, have announced the national gia winners.
32 outstanding home and housewares retailers from 31 countries around the globe, including winners from totally new gia countries – Kazakhstan and Peru – have been recognised this year.
The gia programme was created by the IHA and The Inspired Home Show to foster innovation and excellence in home and housewares retailing throughout the world. Since its launch in 2000, there have been over 500 gia retail award winners from over 50 countries on six continents.
The 2023-2024 national gia winners are:
Argentina – Negro House and Pleasures negrohouse.com.ar
Australia – Granite Lane granitelane.com.au
Austria – Redl Glas – Porzellan glas-porzellan-redl.at
Belgium – Dhondt leef mooi dhondt.be
Brazil – MUMA muma.com.br
Canada – Bradshaws bradshaws.ca
China – DOHMC idhmj.com
Colombia – CRISTALERIA LA PAZ cristalerialapaz.co
Eastern Europe – Potten & Pannen – Stanek pottenpannen.cz
France – Maison Empereur https://empereur.fr
Germany – Kustermann kustermann.de
India – Pure Home + Living purehomeandliving.com
Ireland – The Kitchen Whisk thekitchenwhisk.ie
Italy – Cucina33 cucina33.it
Japan – Y.YACHT store.y-yacht.co.jp
Kazakhstan – Premium Home (pictured)
Mexico – Liverpool liverpool.com.mx
Middle East – Home Centre homecentre.com
Netherlands – Kookx kookxwinkel.nl
New Zealand – Smith & Caughey’s smithandcaugheys.co.nz
Peru – Sodimac y Maestro sodimac.com.pe
Poland – Premium Home premium-home.eu
Portugal – COTTOOK – Kitchen’s Life cottook.com
Saudi Arabia – NICE nice.com.sa
Spain – Trends Home trendshome.es
Switzerland – Loeb AG loeb.ch
Turkey – TAC tacev.com.tr
Ukraine – POSUD MEISTER posudmeister.ua
United Kingdom – Divertimenti divertimenti.co.uk (pictured)
Uruguay – Home – Grupo Disco del Uruguay disco.com.uy
USA – Giftware Retailers – Mix It Up Home & Gift mixituphome.com
USA – Housewares Retailers – The Cook’s Shop thecooksshop.com
The gia competition is structured on a two-tier national and global level, to honour retailers in several categories:
- Overall mission statement, vision and strategy
- Store design and layout
- Visual merchandising, displays and window displays
- Marketing, advertising and promotions
- Customer service and staff training
- Innovation
Each national gia winner is invited to The Inspired Home Show in Chicago, where the global gia jury, consisting of three experts representing Asia, Europe and the Americas, plus a rotating group of co-sponsoring trade publication editors from around the world, will select up to five gia Global Honorees and the winners of the Martin M. Pegler Award for Excellence in Visual Merchandising and the gia Digital Commerce Award for Excellence in Online Retailing.
On Sunday, March 17, the national winners will be honored at a festive awards dinner where the gia Global Honorees and winners of the Martin M. Pegler and gia Digital Commerce Award will be announced. In addition, the national winners are featured with a special display at the show.
gia represents retailing excellence around the world, and is part of a larger education initiative which includes seminars by retail experts, columns in international housewares publications and educational sessions at events in sponsors’ home countries.
As part of gia’s educational offering, on Monday, March 18, the four gia Expert Jurors, Anne Kong, Wolfgang Gruschwitz, Scott Kohno and Henrik Peter Reisby Nielsen will present a special session in the show’s Inspiration Theatre:
Innovate, Elevate, Captivate: Reinventing the Retail Experience
As we navigate through the changing tides of consumer behavior, technological advancements and market trends, we dissect the intricate ways in which retailers are embracing innovation. From augmented reality shopping experiences to AI-powered personalization, this presentation unveils the cutting-edge technologies that are reshaping the retail ecosystem. The concept of elevation goes beyond just products on shelves. The gia Expert Jurors will delve into how retailers are elevating their spaces, services and overall brand image to create an immersive and unforgettable customer journey. From sustainable practices to community engagement initiatives, discover how retailers are enhancing their impact on both individuals and the world around them.
But innovation and elevation alone are not enough. To truly captivate the modern consumer, retailers must craft compelling narratives and experiences. The gia Expert Jurors analyse the storytelling techniques, experiential marketing and brand strategies that captivate audiences and foster lasting connections. Join them as they reimagine the future of retail, where innovation, elevation and captivation converge to create a retail experience that goes beyond transactions, turning every interaction into a memorable and meaningful moment for both retailers and consumers alike.
The Inspired Home Show, IHA’s global home + housewares marketplace, will be held March 17-19 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Complex. For more information about the 2024 Show, and to register for your free Show entrance badge, please visit TheInspiredHomeShow.com.
