(Frankfort, Ky.) -- For the fourth year, the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program and the Department of Agriculture have partnered with the Kentucky Retail Federation, a statewide group that represents the retail community in Kentucky, in presenting the Kentucky Crafted Retailer Awards to an outstanding in-state retailer, a Kentucky Proud food retailer, a Kentucky state park gift shop manager, and an out-of-state retailer. These four important categories of retailers provide outlets for Kentucky producers to sell their products. Winners were honored at the Kentucky Crafted: The Market Awards Dinner on Friday, February 28, 2003, held at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center, Louisville, in conjunction with Kentucky Crafted:The Market.

This year's top retailer award recipients were: Don Wallace of Forever Resorts, Scottsdale, Arizona, for Top Out-Of-State Retailer; Mimi Dandeneau of Appalachian Fireside Gallery, Berea, Kentucky, for Top Kentucky Retailer; Carol Bernard of Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, Jamestown, Kentucky, for Top Kentucky State Park Retailer; and Emily Greenwell of My Old Kentucky Home State Resort Park, Bardstown, Kentucky, for Top Kentucky Proud Food Retailer.

There were twelve nominees for the in-state award, 7 nominees for out-of-state, 6 nominees for state parks, and twenty-three nominees for the "Kentucky Proud" award. Nominations were made by Market exhibitors and based on quantities of Kentucky Crafted inventory ordered by the nominees, promotional efforts, and positive relationships with vendors.

"We were very impressed by the quality of craft offered at the Kentucky Crafted Market. Every booth displayed beautiful handcrafted works of art in a wide variety of mediums and price points. We met several artists and found many new resources for our Forever Resorts stores," said Don Wallace, senior vice president, Forever Resorts Retail.

2003 TOP RETAILER AWARDS
"Kentucky Crafted" Nominees

Kentucky
American Saddlebred Museum, Lexington KY
Ann Greely Interiors, Lexington KY
Appalachian Fireside Gallery, Berea KY
Artique, Lexington KY
The Cozy Corner, Whitesburg KY
Kentucky Derby Museum, Louisville KY
Kentucky Museum Store, Bowling Green KY
kyvirtual.com, Frankfort KY
*Log House Craft Gallery, Berea KY
Paradies Shops- Louisville International Airport, Louisville KY
Patti's 1880's Settlement, Grand Rivers KY
*True Kentucky, Glendale KY

Out-of-State
Clarksville Pottery & Galleries, Austin TX
Forever Resorts, LLC, Scottsdale AZ
Grovewood Gallery, Asheville NC
The Longaberger Company, Newark OH
Masterpiece Crafts Gallery & Garden, Marlton NJ
The Sassafrass, Inc., Nashville IN
**Southern Hands, Highlands NC

Kentucky State Parks
**Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, Corbin KY
Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, Jamestown KY
My Old Kentucky Home State Park, Bardstown KY
Natural Bridge State Resort Park, Slade KY
*Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls of Rough KY
White Hall State Historic Site, Richmond KY

"KENTUCKY PROUD" Food Nominees
*A Taste of Kentucky, Louisville KY
*Barren River Lake State Resort Park, Lucas KY
Colony House, Russellville KY
**Completely Kentucky, Frankfort KY
**Constitution Square State Historic Site, Danville KY
**Craft Company No. 6, Rochester NY
**Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, Corbin KY
*General Butler State Resort Park, Carrollton KY
Hawley-Cooke Booksellers, Louisville KY
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington KY
Labrot & Graham Gift Shop, Versailles KY
Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, Jamestown KY
Liquor Barn (Beaumont Centre Parkway), Lexington KY
The Longaberger Company, Newark OH
My Old Kentucky Home State Park, Bardstown KY
**Paul's Fruit Markets, Louisville KY
Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site, Perryville KY
Riverside, The Farnsley-Moremen House, Louisville KY
*Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls of Rough KY
*Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg KY
**Southern Hands, Highlands NC
The Party Source, Louisville KY
*True Kentucky, Glendale KY

* Previous Top Retailer Award Recipient
** Hall of Fame Retailer

Since 1981, the Craft Marketing Program's mission is to develop the state's craft industry, support and empower Kentucky artisans and craftspeople, create an economically viable environment for craft entrepreneurs, preserve the state's craft traditions, stimulate and support product development, and generate public awareness, public support, and public/private partnerships.

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