Connecticut Retail Network is Advocate for Retail Industry

The organization formerly known as the Connecticut Retail Merchants Association (CRMA) has begun the year with a new name – the Connecticut Retail Network.

The Connecticut Retail Network – the Voice of Retail – will build on the solid foundation established over many decades by CRMA, working on behalf of Connecticut’s vibrant retail community with legislators, state agencies, businesses and communities throughout Connecticut. The new name is accompanied by a new website, www.ctretailnetwork.com and a new logo, which merges the outline of Connecticut with a contemporary shopping bag and the tagline “The Voice of Retail.”

“The landscape for retail businesses has changed dramatically in recent years, requiring navigating new technologies and an array of global challenges, while maintaining first-rate customer service in an ever-changing business environment,” said CRN President Tim Phelan. “As retail businesses have adapted and seized new opportunities, playing a vital role in promoting jobs and Connecticut’s economy, the organization representing retailers is evolving as well.”

In recent months, a committee of leading Connecticut retailers met regularly to consider options to better position the organization to respond to the world we’re now in, a distance away from the traditional “merchants” of years gone by. The results can be seen in the new name, new branding, and renewed commitment to Connecticut, through CRN’s growing network of Connecticut retail businesses and retail customers.

CRN is a trade association whose mission is to represent the interests of retailers and serve as a vital link between those retailers and state and governmental agencies. The association’s members include more than 2,000 stores throughout the state, including some of the world's largest retailers as well as the state's main street merchants. The association began its efforts at the State Capitol under the CRMA banner more than 60 years ago, after decades as part of prior business organizations.

In Connecticut today, retail businesses are strong supporters of communities and community-based organizations throughout the state. More than 470,000 jobs are supported annually by retail businesses in Connecticut. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) impact is $34.2 billion – about 14 percent of the state’s total GDP.

More than 98 percent of all retail companies employ fewer than 50 people, and provide a wide array of fulfilling and rewarding career opportunities across Connecticut. Members of the Connecticut Retail Network were enthusiastic about the rebranding, and the support provided by CRN.

“Connecticut Retail Network is an inspired name choice, reflecting a thriving retail network of businesses all across the state – responding to our customers, connecting with our communities and driving Connecticut’s economy forward. We’re proud to be part of the evolution from CRMA to the Connecticut Retail Network,” said Christina Fisher of Amazon.

“The Connecticut Retail Network (CRN) is a trusted, influential, and effective organization that works tirelessly on behalf of their membership, said Karen F. Munson, President of Munson’s Chocolates. “They’ve earned the respect of legislators with solid, fact-based advocacy,” added David Director, CEO, Connecticut Lighting Centers.

Design support for the rebranding process was led by Danielle Hunter of Hunter Design Studio, based in Glastonbury, closely coordinating efforts with members of the committee of retail leaders. Additional support in the changeover was provided by David Joslin of WebLight Media in East Hampton and Bernard Kavaler of Express Strategies in Hartford.

“A thriving retail community is essential for a thriving Connecticut. Retailers have worked diligently to respond to their customers throughout the challenges of COVID, and we look forward to being active participants in Connecticut’s economic recovery – that is our commitment to Connecticut,” Phelan added.

To learn more about the Connecticut Retail Network, visit www.ctretailnetwork.com