5 small retailers showcasing the U.S.’s entrepreneurial spirit
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According to the National Archives, 17 of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence were merchants of some form, second only to lawyers among those who signed that charter of freedom in 1776.
From the original shopkeeper-patriots to today’s retail advocates, retail has been telling the story of America for 250 years, and that story continues to unfold on Main Streets across the country. Today’s retailers are job creators, community leaders and advocates for the businesses that keep America’s hometowns thriving.
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, it’s an ideal time to reflect on the generations of small business owners who have built the nation’s economy and strengthened local communities across the country.
The retailers recognized through NRF’s America’s Retail Champions program proudly carry that legacy forward. Sponsored by Affirm, this year’s program honors 50 retailers representing 26 states from Hawaii to New York. Five have earned the distinction of finalist, and, on Wednesday, one will be named the 2026 America’s Retail Champion.
As NRF prepares to celebrate this year’s honorees, these five finalists are a reminder that the same spirit of entrepreneurship that helped build our nation is just as vibrant today.
Richard Brown
Proof Culture
Cleveland
Richard Brown built Proof Culture from the ground up, transforming an idea into an ecommerce brand that specializes in premium sneaker accessories like crease protectors and cleaning kits. What started as a small business serving customers online has ballooned into a national brand, and, as his business grew, Brown recognized that many small retailers lacked a voice in policy discussions shaping their future.
He stepped forward to help fill that gap and has become a prominent advocate for small retailers, participating in Washington, D.C., advocacy fly-ins, congressional meetings and making appearances on national news platforms.
“You need to know that your voice matters,” Brown says. “Access to information is access to power.”
Brown’s impact begins with advocacy, but his mentorship of more than 100 Black-owned businesses elongates his shadow as he helps them navigate growing their brands on ecommerce platforms. He also developed an artificial intelligence marketplace platform designed to help small sellers better manage and understand their businesses. Brown continues a tradition at the heart of American entrepreneurship: building something of your own while creating opportunities for others to do the same.
Angela Hawkins
Bamblu
Atlanta
As founder of Bamblu, Angela Hawkins has built a retail brand focused on thoughtfully designed luxury bamboo bedding. Along the way, she has become a passionate advocate for small businesses, ensuring that their voices are heard in policy discussions that directly affect their ability to grow and succeed.
When sweeping tariffs began affecting retailers across the country, Hawkins brought the perspective of Main Street to Washington, D.C. She traveled to the nation’s capital to participate in fly-ins, meeting directly with lawmakers to explain the real-world consequences of rising costs on small businesses. Hawkins’ approach to advocacy is anchored to the belief that small businesses serve the same communities as their elected officials, and that speaking up about the issues that impact them is simply part of the job.
Hawkins is a member of the next generation of American merchants who understand that building a business also means using their voices to strengthen the communities where they operate. “We may be small in the eyes of a few,” she says, “but in our community, we make a big impact.”
Alfred Mai
ASM Games
San Francisco
“We wear so many hats,” Alfred Mai says. Like countless American entrepreneurs before him, Mai first donned the hat of a small business owner in his living room when he and his wife founded ASM Games eight years ago with a simple goal: Create engaging card games and connect with customers around the world.
Today, ASM Games sells online and through retail stores around the world, but Mai’s dedication to retail is not limited to his business alone.
Over the past two years, Mai has become one of the retail industry’s most recognizable voices on tariffs and global trade policy. Through appearances and interviews with major national outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, CNBC, NPR and Fox Business, he has helped bring the perspective of Main Street retailers to policymakers and consumers alike.
He has also traveled to Washington, D.C, to meet directly with lawmakers and share the challenges small retailers face while cultivating their businesses. “Anybody can have a powerful voice and make change,” Mai says.
Darcy Michalek
Garbo’s Salon & Spa
Omaha, Neb.
“Small business is the engine of our country,” says Darcy Michalek. “It keeps us running day in and day out across America.”
As the owner of Garbo’s Salon & Spa, a full-service salon and spa business with multiple locations in Nebraska, Michalek understands the responsibility that comes with building a small business. Through her work serving customers and supporting her employees, she has seen firsthand how small businesses strengthen the communities they call home. That experience has fueled her commitment to advocating for retailers and ensuring their voices are heard in the decisions that will shape their future.
Michalek has traveled to Washington, D.C., several times to advocate on behalf of retailers, meeting with members of Congress and their staff to discuss issues ranging from the Credit Card Competition Act to workforce concerns, and testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee on tax policy. Through these conversations, she has brought lawmakers a firsthand perspective on how decisions made in Washington affect employees, customers and small businesses in Nebraska and beyond.
“These businesses are our babies — we think about them all the time. They are the extra children, and you worry about them,” Michalek says. Decisions made in Washington “affect us dramatically.”
Whether advocating for policies that support employers and workers or encouraging other business owners to take up advocacy in their own right, Michalek embodies the spirit of civic engagement that has long defined America’s small businesses. Her message to other business owners is simple: “You can’t get upset about a policy that hurts your business if you sit on the sidelines and don’t get involved.”
Danny Reynolds
Stephenson’s of Elkhart
Elkhart, Ind.
For nearly a century, Stephenson’s of Elkhart has been a fixture of downtown Elkhart, Ind., outfitting generations of customers from the same location where it first opened in 1931. Under the leadership of Danny Reynolds, the family-owned retailer continues its long tradition of serving customers while becoming a respected voice for independent retailers nationwide.
Through countless media interviews, regular trips to Washington, D.C., and a weekly radio program, Reynolds has worked to elevate issues affecting Main Street businesses like his. He has been particularly active in advocating for the Credit Card Competition Act, sharing firsthand accounts of how swipe fees impact retailers and consumers alike.
“We are the voices of Main Street,” Reynolds says. His advocacy extends far beyond the halls of Congress. In his home state, Reynolds founded Elkhart’s Merchant Alliance, a forum for local businesses to collaborate, learn and engage on issues affecting the retail industry and local communities. He has also participated in numerous retail town hall meetings and industry panels, helping fellow business owners navigate challenges ranging from the pandemic to trade policy.
Through his leadership, Reynolds has picked up the torch that has sustained the heart of American retail: small businesses coming together for the betterment of their communities and to make their voices heard. As he often reminds fellow retailers, “Together, small businesses are big businesses.”