Retail’s voice takes center stage in Washington at the 2026 Retail Advocates Summit

NRF’s Retail Advocates Summit returned to Washington, D.C. July 14 – 15 for two days of celebrating the retail industry. The event brings together retail leaders and policymakers to highlight the important role of retail in local economies, discuss key issues impacting the industry and build connections between retailers and policymakers. 

This year’s summit was especially meaningful, taking place just after national celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States — inspiring the event’s theme, “Retail: Powering America’s Next 250.” 

Bringing retailers and lawmakers together

The highlight of the Retail Advocates Summit is The Retail Experience, a trade show-style advocacy expo that convenes leading retailers, small businesses and technology innovators for interactive conversations with members of Congress and their staff. This year, retail leaders including Affirm, Amazon, Catalyst Brands, Dollar Tree, Google, Lowe’s, Macy’s, Shopify, Target, TikTok Shop and Walmart showcased their brands through immersive displays and interactive experiences. Sponsors also contributed patriotic products to the “Retail: Celebrating America 250” product display. 

Highlighting the impact of small businessess

The Retail Experience also featured a mini-Main Street highlighting products from nearly 50 small businesses participating in NRF’s America’s Retail Champions program, giving lawmakers a firsthand look at the entrepreneurs driving local economies. An interactive map illustrated retail’s impact in states and congressional districts across the country. The event drew strong bipartisan participation, with representatives from more than 109 House and Senate offices, including 66 members of Congress. 

Spotlighting key policy issues

The Summit featured a series of discussions with leading policymakers, industry experts and retail advocates on some of the industry’s top priorities. Attendees heard from congressional champions of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act including Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Representatives Dina Titus, D-Nev., and Susie Lee, D-Nev., as well as leading supporters of the Credit Card Competition Act, including Senators Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Representative Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif. Sessions also explored emerging technologies such as agentic commerce and insights from experienced advocates on effective engagement with lawmakers. 

Honoring retail's advocates

Recognition is a key pillar to the Retail Advocates Summit. NRF honored more than 260 lawmakers with the Hero and Champion of Main Street Awards for their support of policies that strengthen the retail industry. Rob Karr, president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, received the J. Thomas Weyant award given to an outstanding state retail association executive, in recognition of his outstanding leadership and contributions to retail advocacy at the state level. 

Aaron Brown of Town Center Music in Suwanee, Ga., received the inaugural NRF Rising Star Advocate award, which recognizes a small business retailer who is new to NRF’s advocacy network but has already made a meaningful impact advancing the industry’s priorities. 

The Summit’s highest honor went to Danny Reynolds of Stephenson’s of Elkhart in Elkhart, Ind., who was named the 2026 America’s Retail Champion for his unwavering commitment to the retail industry and exceptional advocacy on behalf of retailers nationwide. In a surprise presentation, Reynolds received the award from his representative in Congress, Rep. Rudy Yakym, who also recognized Reynolds and Stephenson’s in the Congressional Record, making the honor an especially memorable tribute to his leadership and service to the industry. 

NRF thanks the retailers, lawmakers and industry partners whose participation made this year’s Summit a tremendous success. View photos from this year’s event.