Honored As Retail Champions
Updated: Mar 2
The owners of Hive & Honeybee were honored in Washington D.C by the National Retail Federation as Retail Champions for the continued advocacy effort that they provide on behalf of small retailers.

Last week the owner of Hive & Honeybee attended the NRF Retail Advocates Summit, the retail industry’s premier advocacy event. The Summit was a celebration of the industry coming together — major iconic retail brands along with Main Street independents — to demonstrate retail’s impact every day in communities they serve.

It was also an opportunity for retailers to connect with policymakers about issues impacting their businesses, employees and customers. At this year’s Summit, NRF completely reimagined the traditional fly-in format and had 102 lawmakers participate in The Retail Experience — an interactive journey through the retail industry with six immersive exhibits that demonstrate retail’s role in driving the economy, providing jobs and strengthening lives and communities across the country.

NRF presented more than 200 lawmakers with the Champion of Main Street and Hero of Main Street awards for their continued support for the industry through legislative actions on issues like easing inflation and addressing the ongoing labor shortage.

The NRF thanked Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., for his leadership on credit card routing legislation that will create greater competition in the payments industry, and Reps. John Garamendi, D-Calif., and Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., for their leadership on the Ocean Shipping Reform Act.

NRF has created an original program called The Retail Experience that brings together leading retail brands, retail technology innovators and Main Street small businesses to demonstrate the depth and breadth of the retail industry to policymakers and congressional staff through immersive exhibitions.
THE RETAIL EXPERIENCE
The Retail Experience features six exhibits that demonstrate retail’s role in driving the economy, providing jobs and impacting lives and communities across the country. An interactive, educational showcase designed to take policymakers through an interactive journey of the retail industry at six immersive exhibits that demonstrate retail’s role in driving the economy, providing jobs and impacting lives and communities across the country.
NRF's AMERICA'S RETAIL CHAMPIONS AND INDUSTRY CELEBRATION DINNER
The Summit wrapped up with an industry celebration dinner sponsored by Klarna, where we named Margaret Barrow, CEO and founder of It’s NOLA, as NRF’s 2022 America’s Retail Champion of the Year. Barrow was selected out of 34 companies and five finalists in our America’s Retail Champions program, recognizing small businesses that are exceptional champions for retail and their communities.
“Every single person I have met at NRF has created a ripple effect in my person,” said Barrow in her acceptance speech. “I thank you for honoring [small businesses] tonight.”