Small Retail Business Spotlight: July 2026
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This month’s spotlight features Danny Reynolds of Stephenson’s of Elkhart in Elkhart, Ind. Reynolds was named the 2026 America’s Retail Champion at the 2026 Retail Advocates Summit in recognition of his unwavering commitment to the retail industry and exceptional advocacy on behalf of retailers nationwide.
1. What makes your business unique in your community or industry?
We’ve scaled our business in such a way that we are truly unique, in size and scope. We are larger than a little mom-and-pop boutique, but smaller than a modern-day department store. We try to use that size to our advantage: Large enough to offer resources like a New York buying office, and small enough to know many of our customers by name and buy products specifically with them in mind.
2. How do you stay connected to your customers to keep them coming back?
We do many things the old-fashioned way, but we do try to use data and technology to our advantage. We track the brands our customers love, so we often reach out to them with new arrivals. We are always trying to have conversations with our customers, whether in person, by phone or text, to keep them engaged. We also use AI to communicate with certain customers, like brides for instance, learning what they’re looking for, prior to their visit. It really elevates and streamlines the customer’s experience.
3. How have you adapted your business to changes in retail, technology or customer expectations?
Being a bricks-and-mortar retailer in the digital age can be a challenge — but also an opportunity. The pandemic taught us that not everyone wants to shop online, for everything, all the time. Sometimes it’s about that sensory experience. The most important thing is to never lose sight of why your business exists: To serve the customer.
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