Oct 12, 2018
Best Birding Retailer Awarded at the 2018 Wild Bird Expo

Grant Toellner, vice president of Gold Crest Distributing, presented awards at the 2018 Wild Bird Expo in Mexico, Missouri, the first week of October.

Wedel’s Nursery, Florist & Garden Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan was awarded Best Large Store with a Birding Emphasis. They offer an expansive selection of Wild Bird Products and sponsor their local radio station’s show called “Birdwatch.”

Front Range Birding Company in Littleton, Colorado, was awarded with Best Small Store with a Birding Emphasis. They do an excellent job of educating their community through monthly bird walks and a very well-constructed website that makes it easy to get involved, shop or learn.

Rucker Pet with locations in Alpharetta & Cumming, Georgia, landed Best Birding Department in a Multi-Line Store. Their dedication to educating employees clearly translates to their success with customers and reputations within their communities.

Best Birding Department as a Funding Source for a Nonprofit Organization was won by Eagle’s Nest Bookstore located in Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, Maryland. This group operates as an entirely volunteer organization and they encourage birding early on in the community by supporting environmental education programs for fourth and sixth graders and putting funds towards the Annual Eagle Festival and Youth Fishing Day.

Best New Birding Store or Department was awarded to The Bluebird Shed in Bella Vista, Arkansas. Throughout their brief, but successful, existence they continuously collaborate with the Bella Vista Bluebird Society as well as support avian research at the local university. 

As part of Share Night, winners were also chosen in various categories based on marketing materials that they had submitted to be judged by their peers.

Best Advertisement was awarded to Wedel’s Garden Center.

The Bird House – Rochester won Best Direct Mail.

My Backyard claimed the title of Best Display.

For The Birds – Georgetown walked away with Best Special or Promotion and Birds & Beasley’s won for Best Social Media.

For more information, visit www.wildbirdexpo.com.