RETAILOBSERVER.COM JUNE 2022
6
Moe Lastfogel
moe@retailobserver.com
Moe's Musings Views
Happy Retailing,
F
ifteen years ago, this month, we embarked on this incredible journey of
taking over the reins of The Retail Observer. This coming July will
commemorate our 1st issue and it's been quite the ride!
At the time, The Retail Observer was a regional "news rag" with most of its
distribution in paper in the Western States and extending about as far as the
Mississippi River. There was no real web presence at the time, so everything
was printed in Healdsburg, CA on a very old print press. The press left tread
marks from the rollers, and the ink bled through the thin recycled newspaper
stock being used. The owner at the time, Chuck Edmonds, (the "Old Guy",
as he referred to himself) was using archaic means to produce the magazine…
nothing was digital. The magazine was formatted on a typewriter, taped to
paper alongside actual photos, and photographed for print production.
With the help of our art director, Terry Price, and the dedication and
determination of our team, we upgraded to a digital template format, while
cutting print production time by a full 2 weeks. Nothing short of a miracle, we
created a cleaner-looking version for our readers in record time for our
premiere issue.
Fast forward to today. We now cover all North America and reach audiences
in 38 countries internationally. We are now considered one of the leading
magazines in the Kitchen and Bath and Rent to Own industries, widely read
by designers, contractors, remodelers, and architects. We serve 32 trade
shows worldwide, 15 trade associations, and 8 buying groups. The Retail
Observer has strategically partnered with industry award programs including:
NKBA Design Awards, NARI Coty Awards, PCBC Gold Nugget Awards as a
Platinum Ceremony Co-Sponsor, and as I write this article, we have become
the Platinum Patron Sponsor of the SEBC 2022 Aurora Awards.
There is so much more to mention, and I will touch more on that next month
in the July anniversary issue. As I have said, we have come a long way in the
last 15 years and are actively planning for our expanded growth into the
future. Thank you all for your support of our coverage of the combined
industries that we reach within the home-building market.
WE'VE COM E A
LONG WAY,
BABY
We proudly support the following
trade associations and buying groups
throughout North America whose news
and information greatly contribute to the
quality of The Retail Observer and the
education of our readers.
www.asid.org
www.cedia.org
www.dpha.net
www.feigroup.net
www.htsa.com
www.cta.tech
www.cantrex.com
www.unitedservicers.com
www.psoca.org
www.NKBA.org
www.necoalliance.com
www.psaworld.org
www.prosourceinfo.com
THE RETAIL
www.nahb.org
www.nrha.org
Follow us on:
Join us at:
Become a Fan:
www.NARI.org
www.nationwidegroup.org
www.aham.org
www.rtohq.org
www.joinbrandsource.com
