The Alabama Retail Association represents retailers, the largest private employer in the state of Alabama, before the Alabama Legislature and the U.S. “Mark and Susan Anderson are retailers of the year EVERY year to the Eagle Eye Outfitters customers, their 62 employees and the Dothan and Wiregrass communities,” said Alabama Retail Association President Rick Brown.įull list of the 2016 Retailers of the Year “They have vision, passion and commitment, not only for their business, but for the entire community.” The Alabama Retailer of the Year awards, started in 1999, honor retailers who have demonstrated growth, innovation and a commitment to their respective communities. “ Mark and Susan are shining stars in our community,” Mitchell said. The chamber’s executive director gives the credit back. “We are where we are today because of their support.” “Just to be nominated was an honor, and the most special part of all of this – our local chamber nominated us,” said Susan. The community-minded couple deflects their success to others. “I thought, if churches can do that, why can’t our business?” In 2015 alone, Eagle Eye donated more than 2,000 hours of community service through its employee volunteer program. “After seeing the dynamic of community members getting together to serve and the value it gave our community, it changed me instantly,” explained Mark. One week every year, the ministry organizes community volunteer efforts of area churches in an event called Wired Week. The idea sprang from Wired Ministries, an organization for which Mark serves as executive director. The company recently hired a full-time staff member to coordinate these volunteer opportunities. It shows we care, but does an amazing job of creating great relationships among our staff members.”Įagle Eye Outfitters has a Volunteer Paid Time-Off Program, which provides their employees 40 paid hours off annually for community service projects of their choice. “It’s important for us to have our employees serving in the community together. “We’re about people more than profits,” said Mark. The Retailer of the Year judges also gave high marks to the Andersons’ extraordinary service-minded business philosophy. They are the true example of having a dream and turning it into a reality.” The Retailer of the Year judges praised the Andersons for “renovating an empty building, which greatly improved the retail corridor in the area.”ĭean Mitchell, executive director of the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce, which nominated the Andersons and Eagle Eye for the award, echoed the judges, saying, “They took a place that was run down and put a spotlight on it. The 18-month renovation project, completed in 2014, allowed Eagle Eye to more than double their selling space, but also turned a community eyesore into a beautiful, thriving retail location. Currently, the store occupies 45,000 square feet of retail, storage and office space in what was once home to the Northside Cinema One. Seventeen years later, the business is now one of the top independently owned outdoor retailers in the nation. The Andersons opened Eagle Eye Outfitters in 1999 with 2,500 square feet of retail space.
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