Excellence in housewares retailing is an important focus at The Inspired Home Show in Chicago as the world’s most innovative and creative home and housewares retailers are honored at the annual IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) program. 

At the 2024 show held last month from March 17-19, outstanding home and housewares retailers from 31 countries around the globe were celebrated as country winners including the Canadian winners – Owners Carrie and Jeremy Wreford from Bradshaws located in Stratford, Ontario.

Bradshaws is a 128-year-old business that has been owned and operated by six generations of two Stratford families.  Although a historic store in a historic downtown core, it has a contemporary focus that responds to the changing needs of the clientele.  Bradshaws actively seeks out innovative new products and the selection is evolving constantly, striving to promote merchandise from companies with a vision of improving the industry through innovation, design, quality and environmental and social responsibility.  Customers are of key importance to Bradshaws and they are very active in their local community, through donations to local charities and arts organizations, hosting events from open houses to wine tastings and collaboration with local organizations. 

The CHPTA is honored to be the Canadian Sponsor of the gia Award recognizing overall excellence, business innovation and creative merchandising in home and housewares retailing within Canada.  

The gia program was created by IHA and The Inspired Home Show to foster innovation and excellence in home and housewares retailing throughout the world. Since the launch of gia in 2000, there have been more than 500 gia retail award winners, from over 50 countries on six continents. 

The 2023-2024 national gia winners are:

Country Store Name Store website

The gia competition is structured on a two-tier level, national and global, to honor independent and multiple location home and housewares retailers for excellence in several business 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, then 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 were honored at a festive awards dinner held at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel in Chicago. In addition, announcements were made for five Global Honorees winners which this year included a European sweep:

  • Eastern Europe – Potten & Pannen – Stanek, Czech Republic
  • France – Maison Empereur
  • Germany – Kustermann
  • Netherlands – Kookx
  • United Kingdom – Divertimenti

Also, announced during the gala dinner were the winners of the Martin M. Pegler Award for Excellence in Visual Merchandising – Switzerland’s (Loeb AG) and the gia Digital Commerce Award for Excellence in Online Retailing – UK’s (Divertimenti).

gia Award Winners for Product Design

Finally, on the product side, fourteen housewares suppliers ranging from well-established brands to first-time exhibitors were also honored as Global Honorees of the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) for Excellence in Product Design and were announced during the gala including 

  • Bath + Personal Care: Dorai Home Inc, Large Bath Stone™ Mat
  • Cleaning: Cuisinel, Cuisinel Cast Iron Scrubber Set
  • Cook + Bakeware: Joseph Joseph Inc., Space 10 piece cookware set
  • Home Décor + Gifts: Umbra LLC, Cubiko Wall Planter
  • Home Organization + Storage: Delta Cycle Corp., Pivot Bike Storage Rack
  • Household + Home Electrics: Cricut, Cricut Joy Xtra™ Smart Cutting Machine
  • Kitchen Electrics: FinaMill Co., FinaPod GT
  • Kitchen Hand Tools + Cutlery: Dreamfarm, Ozest 
  • Kitchenware: Dreamfarm, Corpeel
  • Luggage, Travel Goods & Accessories: Talus – High Road Organizers, Luggage Cup Holder
  • Pet Products: Paikka, PAIKKA Glow leash and collar bundle
  • Smart Home: Tramontina USA, Inc., Tramontina Guru
  • Sustainable Products: The Peacock Vacuum Bottle Co., Ltd., Cooler Bucket
  • Tabletop: Gourmet Kitchen Works LLC, Leopold Vienna Otto

For more information about the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) program, the co-sponsors, or participating in 2024-2025, contact Piritta Törrö at piritta.torro@inspiredconnection.fi. Additional information on the gia program is also available online at TheInspiredHomeShow.com/Awards/gia-Retailing.