EDENS Announces Lineup Of Esteemed Speakers For 2014 smART: The Art of Retail Conference March 3 And 4 In New York City

NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- EDENS, one of the nation's leading retail real estate developers, announces a stellar lineup of speakers for the 2014 smART: The Art of Retail Conference. Participants include: Sid Mashburn, Chairman, Mashburn, LLC; Ann Mashburn, Chief Creative Officer, Mashburn, LLC; Michael Karsch of Juice Press; Jesse Cole, CEO of Haute Hippie; Jarrod Moses, CEO of United Entertainment Group; Lisa Kline, CEO of LisaKline.com; and Tim Carroll of William Blair & Company.  smART will take place on March 3 & 4, 2014 at the Gansevoort Park Hotel in New York City.

smART: The Art of Retail is two days of engaging dialogue, trend mining and knowledge share among some of the industry's giants along with industry start-ups. smART pairs proven professionals with the next generation of industry leaders in an open, honest exchange about the current state and direction of the industry, key issues and influences shaping the retail landscape, and what it takes to grow a compelling brand in today's age of hyper-media and new commerce.

"With today's retail landscape constantly evolving, smART has emerged as an invaluable forum of ideas on the future of retail," said Jodie McLean, President and Chief Investment Officer, EDENS. "Industry thought leaders share their expertise with the next generation, who bring a fresh perspective, bold ideas and more than a little push-back. The energy is contagious and helps us push our industry forward."

To kick off this year's smART, a panel of renowned retail experts will select the winner of the 2014 EDENS Retail Challenge. 

The 2014 Retail Challenge judges include:

• Tim Carroll - Partner & Managing Director, William Blair & Company, LLC
• Lisa Kline - CEO, LisaKline.com; @lisaklinestores
• Ann Mashburn - Chief Creative Officer, Mashburn, LLC; Annmashburn.com; @annmashburn
• Sid Mashburn - Chairman, Mashburn, LLC; Sidmashburn.com; @sidmashburn
• Andy Stenzler - Co-Founder, Kidville; @kidville

The EDENS Retail Challenge is a nation-wide student competition for the most compelling new retail concept. Drawn from some of the country's top universities and graduate schools, the students are challenged to develop a comprehensive business plan – from initial vision to financials to launch strategy – for a compelling, persuasive retail concept.  This year's challenge attracted 72 participants from 25 schools. The winner will be announced on the morning of March 3, 2014, in conjunction with smART.  Both the EDENS Retail Challenge and smART are devoted to incubating new ideas, sharing knowledge and identifying the next generation of retail innovators.

The winner of the EDENS Retail Challenge will receive a total of $13,000; second place will be awarded $8,000; and third and fourth place winners will receive $5,500 in addition to extensive monitoring in all aspects of their concepts and business plan.

For more information about smART: The Art of Retail Conference, please visit www.edenssmartretail.com.  For more information about the EDENS Retail Challenge, please visit www.edensretailchallenge.com.

About EDENS:
EDENS develops, owns and operates retail and retail-driven centers in primary markets throughout the East Coast. With projects such as Union Market in Washington, D.C., and Mosaic District in Fairfax, VA, EDENS has emerged as a leader in incubating new retail and food concepts as a way of enriching and engaging the local community. EDENS has Regional Headquarters in Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Miami and Columbia, SC. For more information about EDENS, please visit www.edens.com.

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