Monster Spotlights '05 Top Retailer Awards

Las Vegas — Outstanding consumer electronics retailers were singled out by Monster Cable Products at CES, when the Brisbane, Calif.-based cable and audio products company honored its top dealers for their past 12 months' contributions to the CE business, as well as to Monster.

Monster attracted some 5,000 attendees to the annual dealer awards ceremony and concert at the Paris Hotel, here. This year's featured performer was Rod Stewart, the 60-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, and now American Songbook crooner.

Head Monster Noel Lee was the master of ceremonies for the awards portion of the evening, which also included a moving tribute to the late Bob White of Bjorn's and a moment of silence for the tsunami victims.

A special post-awards show was held later at Bally's featuring guitar legend George Benson and funk/soul singer Val Watson.

Special recognition awards went to A/V independent specialist retailers Jackson Electric Outlet, Jackson, Tenn.; Leigh Adams Discount Sales, Ontario, Calif.; Schaefer's TV and Appliance, Lincoln, Neb.; Video and Audio Center, Santa Monica, Calif.; and Video Revolution, Tulsa, Okla.

Ken Crane's Home Entertainment, Hawthorne, Calif., took down the A/V independent specialist chain special recognition award. Cambridge Sound Works, Andover, Md., was the A/V specialty chain special recognition winner. Power retailer special recognition went to BrandsMart USA, Miami, and Nebraska Furniture Mart, Omaha, Neb. and Kansas City, Kan. The special retailer special recognition winner was Crutchfield, Charlottesville, Va.

Silver awards winners were named by Monster in a number of categories. A/V independent specialist retailers cited include Bjorn's Stereo Designs, San Antonio; Electronics Expo, Succasunna, N.J.; Flanner's Audio Video, Brookfield, Wis.; Hippo's Home Entertainment, Albany, N.Y.;Stereo Exchange, New York; Wilshire Home Entertainment, Thousand Oaks, Calif.; and World Wide Stereo, Hatfield, Pa.

A/V independent specialist chain silver awards were presented to 6th Avenue Electronics City, Springfield, N.J.; Anderson's, Redwood City, Calif.; Hifi House, Boomall, Pa.; MyerEmco, Gaithersburg, Md.;Ovation Audio Video, Indianapolis; and Vann's, Missoula, Mont.

A/V specialty chain silver awards were garnered by American TV, Madison, Wis.; Good Guys, Alameda, Calif.; and Ultimate Electronics, Thornton, Colo.

The power retailer silver award was taken down by B & H Photo, New York, while the special retailer silver award went to Wild West Electronics, Goodyear, Ariz.

Among the Monster category award winners were The Little Guys, Glenwood, Ill., for A/V independent specialist retailer; Harvey Electronics, Lyndhurst, N.J., for A/V independent specialty chain; Tweeter Home Entertainment Group, Canton, Ohio, for A/V specialty chain; and Future Shop, Vancouver, B.C., for international retailer.

Monster named Bjorn's Audio Video for M-Design retailer of the year, and Harvey for gold retailer of the year.

Earlier in the week, at its “Best Of” dinner on Wednesday night, Monster presented the international retailer special recognition award to the Dixon Store Group of Ireland; the Plug-Ins of Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Powerhouse of England; and Vanden Borre of Belgium.