​By Moe Lastfogel
Director of Sales and Marketing for The Retail Observer

As we worked on this issue, many memories popped into my mind about the last 10 years: the economy crashing just as we took the reins of The Retail Observer, getting the word out to clients, associations, trade shows, and buying groups about who Eliana and I were, letting them know about our plans for the magazine, and  nding the right people to work with to make The Retail Observer what it is today. It seems all the early efforts have paid off. Those 10 years at the helm of the magazine has brought us to where we are today.

But, what’s up next? Well, we anticipate another successful and rewarding decade! As we go forward in this journey, we again will be looking to our current partners to bring you the magazine content that you, our readers, have grown accustomed to — the news, education, and features that make us a resource in the industry. But we won’t stop there. As the industry grows, your clients’ needs and dreams are also growing, and we plan to grow along with them.

As we work on the upcoming year of 2018, we are planning with our partners to bring you new products, new writers, and new opportunities to assist you in the growth and maintenance of your organizations. Since all the Ts haven’t been crossed or the Xs signed yet, I can’t let the cat out of the bag, but I will say it’s going to be an exciting future.

Most of all, I would really like to thank Eliana in believing in my dream to take on The Retail Observer and for her guidance and hard work along the way. Without her support, this “news rag” couldn’t have grown into the publication it is today. I’d like to thank Terry, with whom I have worked with for over 15 years, for her patience with deadlines and for helping create a visually-pleasing magazine that now sits on table tops in some of the highest-end design and retail showrooms throughout the world. To Michelle, thank you for the great website you have created and to Vmags Media for keeping the digital version on the cutting edge. And to you, our readers, manufacturers, associations, PR agencies, buying groups and trade shows — thank you for a great 10 years. I look forward to working with all of you going forward.

Happy Retailing,
Moe Lastfogel
​[email protected]

Wow, 10 years of growing with The Retail Observer! How quickly they’ve passed, and how many changes have occurred in the industry during that time. Those in the industry have weathered the storms of a recession and are learning to market themselves and their products to a new client base, and are seeing results for their efforts.

On a personal note, when Moe and I first entered this venture and spoke with Chuck Edmonds — founder of The Retail Observer — about continuing his dream, we had no idea that it would grow into the publication it is today. With Moe’s experience in the appliance industry/sales and my design/build background, we forged ahead, and with the expertise of others in the industry, The Retail Observer has grown from a 32-page regional “news rag” into an internationally-read magazine. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome.

I have really enjoyed the connection with the independent retailers: the mom and pops, the interactions with their families, and the ability to watch their businesses grow. It feels good to know we have been part of their experience in growing and managing their businesses, and we will continuously strive to source new and pertinent information for our retailers and the industry.

Ithasbeenanamazingexperiencetotravelaroundthenationand abroad, visiting manufacturing facilities and gaining exposure to different corporate cultures. These diverse ways of doing business have helped shape our field and bring a broader sense of how our industry is being run.

As always, the driving force of The Retail Observer is to supply education and opportunities to retailers and designers so that not only will their businesses thrive, but that they will be able to help their clients make the best choices for themselves and their families.
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We have enjoyed our journey over the past 10 years and thank all of those who have helped us grow — our manufacturers, associations, buying groups and our employees. We especially thank you, our readers. You are the heart of The Retail Observer.

With gratitude,
Eliana Barriga
[email protected]