PAVE Global in partnership with Fred Meyer and OPTO International, Inc. is proud to announce the winners of the 2024 PAVE Global x Fred Meyer Student Design Challenge, an exciting competition aimed at fostering innovation and creativity among aspiring designers. This year, a remarkable concept crafted by a team of Juniors from the Interior Design Program at Appalachian State University has secured the top honors.
Kelly Garoutte and Allyson Johnson, the talented duo from Appalachian State University, have emerged as the student designers behind the winning concept for Fred Meyer. Their design captivated the judges with its ingenuity and vision. As winners of the 2024 PAVE Global x Fred Meyer Student Design Challenge sponsored by OPTO International, Inc., Garoutte and Johnson have earned a remarkable opportunity to bring their design to life in collaboration with the team at OPTO.
OPTO International, a leading provider of innovative display solutions, will work closely with the students to transform their concept into reality. The prototype will then be prominently featured in the PAVE Booth at the upcoming Shop! MarketPlace event, scheduled to take place from April 9th to 11th, 2024, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
"We are thrilled to recognize Kelly Garoutte and Allyson Johnson from Appalachian State University as the winners of the 2024 PAVE Global x Fred Meyer Student Design Challenge sponsored by OPTO," said Dash Nagel, Executive Director of PAVE Global. "Their exemplary talent, creativity, and dedication have truly set them apart. We are excited to see their design come to life in collaboration with OPTO and showcased at Shop! MarketPlace."
Attendees of Shop! MarketPlace are encouraged to stop by the PAVE Experiential Zone to experience the winning design firsthand and learn more about the innovative project directly from the students themselves. Garoutte and Johnson will be present at the booth to share insights into their design process, inspirations, and aspirations for the future.
Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to witness the intersection of talent, innovation, and design excellence at the PAVE Booth during Shop! MarketPlace. Join us in celebrating the remarkable achievements of Kelly Garoutte and Allyson Johnson from Appalachian State University as they showcase their award-winning design to the world.
For more information about PAVE and the 2024 PAVE Global x Fred Meyer Student Design Challenge, please visit www.paveglobal.org.
About OPTO International
OPTO is a leading designer and manufacturer of retail fixtures in both domestic and international markets. We believe in relentless communication, we have a passion for growth and are obsessively focused on helping our clients be successful. We apply a creative thought process to our customer proposals, product development, and internal operations. The excitement, innovation, and passion from our team members allows us to curate the best solutions for any retail environment.
Learn more at www.optosystems.com.
About Fred Meyer
Fred Meyer is an American chain of hypermarket superstores operating in the northwest U.S., within the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska. The company was acquired by Kroger in 1998, though the stores are still branded Fred Meyer. The chain was one of the first in the United States to promote one-stop shopping, eventually combining a complete grocery supermarket with a drugstore, bank, clothing, jewelry, home decor, home improvement, garden, electronics, restaurant, shoes, sporting goods, and toys.
Learn more at www.fredmeyer.com.
About Shop! Marketplace
Shop! MarketPlace is the must-attend trade event for retail industry professionals creating the in-store experiences consumers want today.
It’s where you can experiment, get hands-on with store concepts, talk with fellow retail experience creators, and engage with award-winning designers and retail thought leaders.
Come to Shop! MarketPlace, where the brands you know share their knowledge in deep-dive presentations, hands-on workshops, and powerful Smart! Talks and keynotes. Then take it to the show floor to discover ways to put your new ideas to work.
Learn more at www.shop-marketplace.com.
About PAVE Global
Founded in 1992 as The Planning and Visual Education Partnership, PAVE Global is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, with all proceeds benefitting PAVE’s educational programs. The organization enables young talent to build successful careers designing and creating consumer environments. Our vision is to cultivate relationships with students, educators, and the design industry through financial assistance, top-industry thinking, inspiration, and mentorship.
For more information, please visit www.paveglobal.org.