CHICAGO, IL. – The Independent Grocers Alliance has announced Rich and Darlene Hoffman, owners of Sky Plaza IGA located in Garrettsville, Ohio, as IGA USA Retailers of the Year.
The Retailer of the Year awards are the highest honors IGA bestows upon its retailer members. They are presented annually to grocers who have best provided leadership and excellence in their communities.
The Hoffmans will be recognized at the IGA Awards of Excellence Ceremony on Monday, February 27, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. They were nominated by SpartanNash, the store’s Licensed Distribution Center.
IGA CEO John Ross, Senior Vice President Retail and Business Development, Doug Fritsch, and National Retailer Advisory Board President and 2020 International Retailer of the Year, Bob Rybick will visit Garrettsville’s Sky Plaza IGA on January 10 at 8:00 a.m. 2023 to get a firsthand feel for how the retailer interacts with employees, customers, and the community. Press is welcome for this visit.
Based on information gathered during the store visits, each IGA USA Retailer of the Year will receive additional recognition for their unique accomplishments such as innovations, community service, etc. on stage at the IGA Awards of Excellence Ceremony on Monday, February 27, 2023. Held in Las Vegas during The NGA Show, the Awards of Excellence Ceremony will recognize fellow IGA Retailers of the Year from other countries in addition to select Red Oval partners and wholesalers. At the ceremony, one of the IGA USA Retailers of the Year will be named IGA USA International Retailer of the Year.
“When I found out that our store, Sky Plaza IGA in Garrettsville, Ohio, was awarded the IGA Retailer of the Year I was shocked,” Rich Hoffman said. “To think that our small store would be recognized at the national level, and maybe even the international level, is a great honor. Yet, this honor really belongs to the employees and surrounding communities who have been the backbone of the store’s success.”
In 1987, Rich and Darlene bought their first grocery store in Garrettsville. “Our employees’ dedication to great customer service throughout the years has allowed us to continue serving our community for the past 36 years,” Rich said.
Sky Plaza IGA has forged community relationships that have contributed to a strong local brand and identity. For 36 years, they have been a staple in the community, supporting schools, the Chamber of Commerce, churches, festivals, clubs, and organizations. The grocer collects money at its registers for food and pantry items for the Nelson-Garrettsville Community Food Cupboard and local People Tree Charity year round. Serving the people in Garrettsville and surrounding communities remains of the utmost importance.
“The IGA name carries significant weight throughout the country, and these nine Retailers of the Year have proven this without question. The relationships they have built within their stores and throughout their communities run deep with friendships and some with family legacies,” said IGA CEO John Ross. “The Hoffmans and their team have established a reputation of local ownership and commitment to not only shoppers but their respective neighborhoods.”
