Morman Named A Retail Champion

Celtic Tides last week announced that co-owner John Morman has been named a 2024 America’s Retail Champion by the National Retail Federation.

Now in its seventh year, the program honors small retailers from across the country who speak out on public policy debates affecting the retail industry at the national, state and local levels.

“This is an amazing honor” said Morman. “To be included amongst some of the most remarkable small business owners in the nation is incredible. I hope to be able to continue to speak out for truly small businesses in the future. It’s all too easy to overlook the contributions that ‘mom and pop’ businesses contribute to their communities, and I think it’s a privilege to be part of that effort.”

Retailers were nominated by state retail associations and their peers based on engagement in public policy discussions. Forty-four retailers from 27 different states were selected as champions for the program and five were named as finalists. One small retailer will be named the 2024 America’s Retail Champion during NRF’s 2024 Retail Advocates Summit, the retail industry’s premier advocacy event, on July 25 in Washington, D.C.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the American economy and are at the heart of every Main Street throughout the country,” NRF Executive Vice President of Government Relations David French said. “The 2024 America’s Retail Champion honorees represent the breadth and depth that the retail industry offers to millions of customers on a daily basis.”

The overwhelming majority of retailers are small businesses, with more than 98 percent of all retail companies employing fewer than 50 people.

John and Mary Jo Morman opened Celtic Tides in February of 2005. The business was under previous ownership from 2000. Mary Jo, from Tenelick in County Longford, Ireland, and John, from Rosyth in Scotland, bring an authentic Celtic feel to the business and import the best of products originating from Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

“We don’t have customers”, said Mary Jo, “We have friends who shop with us.”