Specsavers has taken out the coveted Australian Retailers Association (ARA) 2013 Australian Retailer of the Year award at this morning’s annual Australian Retail Awards breakfast in Melbourne. 
National winners were announced in of each of the awards’ 11 categories, with Myer CEO Bernie Brookes and Victorian Small Business Minister and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, Louise Asher, delivering keynote addresses.
ARA executive director, Russell Zimmerman, said this year’s awards were more competitive than ever.
A number of new categories were added to the 2013 Awards program to reflect the changing nature of the retail sector and enable individuals and online retailers to be recognised alongside traditional retailers.
New categories included Australian Individual Retailer of the Year, Small Business Retailer of the Year, Online Retailer of the Year, and Customer Satisfaction Retailer of the Year.
The Independent Retailer of the Year Award was won by Native botanical, while Shoes of Prey took out the Online Retailer of the Year category.
Specialty Fashion Group took home the Australian Multi-Channel Retailer of the Year prize, and Spec Savers shone for a second time, also winning Retail Employer of the Year.
A full list of winners and finalists can be found below.
Winners and finalists of the 2013 ARA Australian Retail Awards:
Visa Australian Retailer of the Year
Winner: Specsavers
Runner-up: Myer
Highly commended: Priceline Pharmacy
Finalists: Salvo Stores, Jeanswest, Repco
REST Industry Super Australian Individual Retailer of the Year
Winners:
Female – Jo-Anne Oakeshott, Sunglass Hut
Male – Cameron Richardson, Repco Corporation Limited
BDO Australian Retail Employer of the Year
Winner: Specsavers
Finalists: Jeanswest, Pandora
Eftpos Australian Independent Retailer of the Year
Winner: Native Botanical
Runner-up: Saltwater Wine & Stormriders
Finalists: Casa Mia, Caesars Furniture, Sydney Street The Realise Group
Australian Retail Innovator of the Year
Winner: Brava Sport
Finalists: BankWest, instant retail, Webstore Pty Ltd trading as Wedding Wish
Expr3ss! Australian Retail Graduate of the Year – Diploma and Certificate IV
Winners:
Diploma – Michelle Hayes, Beacon Lighting
Certificate IV – Piyush Bhanot, ALDI Stores
Australian Multi-channel Retailer of the Year
Winner: Specialty Fashion Group
Runner-up: The Co-op Australian
Online Retailer of the Year
Winner: Shoes of Prey
Runner-up: Blamey Saunders hears
Finalists: Beginning Boutique, Sneaking Duck,
Ausmode Australian Retail HR Practitioner of the Year
Winner: Jeanswest
Finalists: Scaffidi Group
Victorian Retailer of the Year
Winner: Claws ‘n’ Paws Pet Supplies
Runner-up: Reader’s Feast Bookstore
Customer Satisfaction Retailer of the Year
Winner: Australian Geographic Shop
Runner-ups: ALDI and ABC Stores
Finalists:
· Best & Less
· The Reject Shop
· Myer
· SportsPower
· Williams The Shoemen
· Suzanne Grae
· JB Hi-Fi
· Home Hardware
· The Good Guys
· Supercheap Auto
· Guardian
· Michel’s Patisserie
· House
