Meet the small retail businesses driving retail forward
NRF’s Small Retail Business Spotlight highlights exceptional small retailers who are innovating, inspiring and making a difference in their communities.
May 2026 Spotlight
Ben Wolfgram
BenShot
Appleton, WI
1. Tell us the story of how your business started. What inspired you to open your doors?
My father and I started BenShot, our handcrafted glassware company, over 10 years ago in his garage in Wisconsin. My dad was a retired letter carrier, and BenShot originally began as a project to keep him busy during retirement.
What started as a small father-son idea quickly grew into something much bigger. Today, we employ a team of talented people right here in Wisconsin and navigate all the fun, challenging and rewarding parts of running an American manufacturing business together. As a tip of the hat to our roots, we fly a flag outside our glass workshop that is the same dimensions as the garage we started in.
BenShot creates handcrafted glassware with real objects embedded into the side of the glass, taking meaningful items from golf balls and fishing lures to musket balls and firefighter axes and turning them into functional art and gifts. Every glass is handmade in the USA, and every design is created with the idea that gifts should tell a story and create a connection.
2. What product or service are you most proud of right now and why?
Right now, we’re especially proud to be creating glasses for our nation’s 250th anniversary. We make products for the America 250 Official Store as well as commemorative designs for retailers and companies across the country.
Some of my favorite designs feature authentic musket balls embedded into the side of the glass. I love the idea of combining American craftsmanship and history into an American-made keepsake.
3. What’s something about running a small retail business that people might be surprised to learn?
From the outside, it looks like we are just selling glassware. In reality, we get to be part of some of the most meaningful moments in people’s lives like weddings, anniversaries, retirements and military homecomings.
One of my favorite parts of the job is talking directly with customers. My team teases me because I’ll answer the phone before anyone else just so I can chat with people. Last week, I spent nearly 20 minutes talking with an 84-year-old Vietnam veteran who was excited to give our glasses to the group of veterans he plays cards with every week. Moments like that remind me that we’re helping people celebrate connection, memories and shared experiences. In this digital time we live in, it's important for me to keep connected to the reason we started making gifts in the first place.
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The NRF Small Retail Business Hub's monthly spotlight program elevates the personal stories of small business owners who help shape and strengthen communities across the United States.
Read more on eligibility, selection and apply to be considered.
Eligibility
Small retail businesses with less than $38 million in annual revenue and fewer than 500 full-time employees. See prohibited product categories.
Selection
NRF will have full discretion in choosing the businesses featured each month.
Promotion
Featured retailers will appear on the NRF Small Retail Business Hub website for the full month. Each spotlight will include written stories about the business and may include video content.
NRF will also promote each business across its social media channels throughout the month. After their spotlight month, featured businesses will remain on the site’s archive page for ongoing visibility.
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Small Retail Business Spotlight Application
Prohibited product categories
Crib bumpers, Drop side cribs, incline sleepers, or car seats
Animal Products (fur from the killing of animals or cruel practice – mink, bearskin, angora, mohair); live animals; ivory/rhino or any endangered species
Critical Use Products – seek to save lives (CPR kits, emergency auto telephone dialer, etc.)
Invasive/Non-Invasive Self Treatment & Self Diagnostic Products
Breath Testing Devices and Breathalyzers
Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco or Drug Paraphernalia
Supplements, folk medicines and snake oil remedies
Cosmetics using animal testing
Violent, obscene and pornographic materials
Weapons and weapon-related products
Profanity and banned words
Promotion of hatred, racism or intolerance including stereotypes on gender, nationality, race, religion or sexual orientation
Costumes that refer to specific cultures
Flags/Maps shown in destructive manner or manipulated
Nudity or sexual inuendo / sexualization of children
Gambling and wagering games/devices
Covert surveillance equipment (including surveillance drones)
High-risk recreation equipment
Fuel additives, gas mileage enhancers or other global hazmat related products
Currency with the exception of gift cards, collectible coins, or tickets
Unauthorized copies or reproductions of artwork that violate any copyright or trademark