Kelowna can now boast having one of the top housewares stores in the world.
Lakehouse on Bernard Avenue has been named one of five winners of the International Housewares Association Global Innovator Award for 2015, and was recognized with the four other recipients at the International Home + Housewares Show awards gala on March 5 in Chicago.
Lakehouse competed against 25 home and housewares retailers from 23 countries and was named one of the five Global Honorees for Retail Excellence. Also named were were Illums Bolighus, Denmark; Kitchen Shop, Malaysia; K’OOK, Netherlands; and Lords, United Kingdom.
Opening its doors five years ago, Lakehouse is locally owned by the husband and wife team of Ben and Sue Boschman.
“We’re overjoyed to be recognized on the world stage for what is truly our passion,” said Ben. “We owe a great deal of gratitude to the many people who helped us execute our vision for Lakehouse, including our suppliers and professionals, but in particular our loyal and committed staff, and most of all to our Okanagan clientele who have embraced Lakehouse from the beginning.”
“We were both humbled and inspired by our fellow nominees,” added Sue. “Most notably Illums Blights from Denmark, whose store is more than 70 year-old and now being operated by the third generation. We hope to create a similar legacy with Lakehouse in the Okanagan.”
Last fall, Lakehouse was won the national title. In Chicago, a global jury consisting of four retail/visual merchandising experts and seven editors and publishers of co-sponsoring housewares trade publications from around the world chose the five honorees.
A few blocks from Okanagan, Lakehouse is located in a 1910 brick-fascade building on the 500-block of the revitalized Bernard Avenue in downtown Kelowna.
The store boasts a showcase of 5,000 home items.