The Laughing Dog Gallery of Vero Beach, Fla., was named the 2007 Retailer of the Year by NICHE magazine in a ceremony held on Aug. 5 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Retailer of the Year is the highest honor awarded at the 2007 Top Retailer Awards ceremony, held in conjunction with the Philadelphia Buyers Market of American Craft, the nation’s largest wholesale craft show.

More than 18,000 professional fine craft artists throughout the U.S. and Canada nominated nearly 600 galleries, retail stores, arts nonprofits, museums, and guilds for the NICHE Top Retailer Awards.

This year, the awards program recognized 33 retailers and gallery owners. Criteria for nomination were based on NICHE magazine’s Retailer Guide to Best Practices, which details the characteristics of craft retailers who are committed to fair business practices and to growing and strengthening the American craft community.

“I am honored to recognize this year’s winners,” said Wendy Rosen, publisher of NICHE magazine. “Their commitment to American crafts ensures the continued growth of the arts and small businesses in communities throughout the country.”

A complete list of winners is available at http://www.americancraft.com/Top_Retailer/2007/topretailer.html.

JCK