Firm recognized for marketing and visual merchandising acumen

CHICAGO, Ill. – Global real estate advisor Avison Young announced today that two of its managed retail properties have clinched the prestigious ICSC Silver MAXI Award and a Visual Victories Award.

The MAXI Award, conveyed for The Shops at Waldorf Center’s “Youth Shark Tank” Kidpreneur Competition, recognizes innovation and expertise in creative marketing programs and celebrates the best practices and most innovative approaches to marketing within the retail real estate industry. The Visual Victories Award, a recognition of retail excellence in visual merchandising, was earned for a display created by artisan accessories retailer JN eCollections, a CityPlace Doral retail merchandising unit (RMU) tenant.

Representatives from the firm’s marketing and specialty leasing teams accepted both awards on Sunday, May 18th, at the Global Awards Ceremony held during the recent ICSC conference in Las Vegas. View the Maxi Award entry and Visual Victories entry on the ICSC website.

“This year’s awards were incredibly competitive with entrants representing shopping centers from around the world,” said Heather Almond, Principal, Senior Director US Retail Services, Avison Young. "We are thrilled to be recognized for our efforts in driving engagement and foot traffic through strategic, insight-led programs. We are proud of our teams for creating innovative and intentional initiatives. These wins highlight the strength of Avison Young’s local and national partnerships, which are crucial in delivering value to our clients."

Silver Maxi Award: Youth Shark Tank Kidpreneur Competition 

The Shops at Waldorf Center, an open-air lifestyle shopping center located just minutes from the Capital Beltway in Southern Maryland (www.theshopsatwaldorfcenter.com), earned this year’s Silver MAXI Award in the “community” category for a single marketplace with total expenses under $10,000.   

Using just a small portion of its annual marketing budget to make a big impact, The Shops at Waldorf Center hosted its Youth Shark Tank Kidpreneur Competition in August of 2024, an event designed to inspire and support young entrepreneurs by giving kids ages 17 and under a platform to pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges. Emulating the format of the popular "Shark Tank" television show, participants received valuable feedback, mentorship, and the opportunity to win prizes to help launch or grow their businesses. The festival also featured a youth makers market, family-friendly activities, and entertainment fostering community engagement and celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit among the youth. View the Maxi Award entry on the ICSC website.

Visual Victories Award: JN eCollections 

CityPlace Doral, an open-air lifestyle shopping center in the heart of Florida’s Miami-Dade County (https://cityplacedoral.com), earned a Visual Victories Award for its entry highlighting JN eCollections, an artisan RMU tenant passionate about creating hand-crafted shoes and skilled in designing captivating visual merchandising displays to showcase her eco-friendly wares while delivering an experience for shoppers who want to connect with true craftsmanship and individual style. View the Visual Victories entry on the ICSC website.