JUN/JUL 18 Michigan Retailer

JUN/JUL 2018 The official publication of the Michigan Retailers Association

www.retailers.com

Gardner-White’s next generation thinks big ANNOUNCEMENT: MRA unveils its private insurance exchange Trouble getting a loan?

Think unconventional Tips for dealing with charity requests

Gardner-White President Rachel Tronstein

Board of Directors ORIN MAZZONI, JR.

Chair Orin Jewelers, Garden City

JAMES P. HALLAN

President and CEO Michigan Retailers Association

BECKY BEAUCHINE KULKA

Vice Chair Becky Beauchine Kulka Diamonds and Fine Jewelry, Okemos

PETER R. SOBELTON

Treasurer Mondial Properties, Birmingham

WILLIAM J. HALLAN

Executive Vice President Michigan Retailers Association

DAN MARSHALL

Past Chair Marshall Music Company, Lansing

BO BRINES

Little Forks Outfitters, Midland

KEN HAYWARD

Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island

JOSEPH MCCURRY

Credit Card Group

LARRY MULLINS

Brandon Tire & Auto Service Center, Ortonville

BRYAN NEIMAN

Neiman’s Family Market, East China Township

BARB STEIN

Great Northern Trading Co., Rockford

JOE SWANSON

Target Corp.

THOMAS UNGRODT

TDU Consulting, LLC, Ann Arbor

JAMES WALSH

Meijer, Inc., Grand Rapids

D. LARRY SHERMAN

Board Member Emeritus

Michigan Retailers Services, Inc. Board of Directors JAMES P. HALLAN

President and CEO

CHAD AYERS

Allendale True Value, Allendale

BILL GOLDEN

Golden Shoes, Traverse City

JOHN LEPPINK

Leppink’s Food Centers, Belding

JAMES P. HALLAN

Publisher

MEEGAN HOLLAND

Editor

PAT KERWIN

Design Manager

Publication Office 603 South Washington Avenue Lansing, MI 48933 517.372.5656 or 800.366.3699 Fax: 517.372.1303

Subscribe Michigan Retailer (USPS 345-780, ISSN 0889-0439) is published in February, April, June, August, October and December for $20 per year by Michigan Retailers Association, 603 South Washington Ave., Lansing, MI 48933. Subscription fees are automatically included in the Michigan Retailers Association membership dues. Periodical postage paid at Lansing, Michigan. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 603 South Washington Ave., Lansing, MI 48933. The Michigan Retailer may be recycled with other white office paper.

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With every issue, we reach retail owners, managers and executives who make spending decisions for 15,000 stores and websites across the state.

To request a media kit, email Rachel Schrauben at rschrauben@retailers.com.

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8 ON THE COVER

GARDNER-WHITE’S RACHEL TRONSTEIN page 10 Gardner-White Furniture has always been a regional force, and its new president - daughter of owners Steve and Barb Tronstein is carrying on the tradition of innovation.

Contents FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

4 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT We unveil the MRA Private Insurance Exchange to give members options.

2 FROM THE CEO

6 MRA CELEBRATES AN AWARDEE Government Affairs VP Amy Drumm gets national recognition.

8 UNCONVENTIONAL LOANS What to explore when you can’t get a traditional bank loan.

10 GARDNER-WHITE THINKS BIG 16

Retailers.com RetailersInsurance.com BuyNearbyMI.com

IN HER OWN WORDS Teresa Wren reflects on four generations at Kean’s Department Store in Mason.

3 FIVE TIPS Maximize back-to-school sales.

5 IT’S THE LAW Prepare for the chance that violence may intrude on your workplace.

6 GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Data breach bills pose problems for retailers.

14 LOTTERY NEWS 15 THE CATCH-ALL DRAWER Tidbits from around the retail world.

18 RETAIL TECH How to handle “Credit card declined.”

20 WHAT DO YOU SAY? What retailers advise when you’re asked to donate to the local charity.

Visit us online and quickly see what’s new today in the industry and what services are available to you as a member to strengthen your business.

Volume 43 No. 3 WWW.RETAILERS.COM JUN/JUL 2018

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MUSINGS Announcing our private health exchange In this issue, there is an article about the launch of the new MRA Private Insurance Exchange. The debut of this new exchange, effective July 1, is the result of more than a year of intense planning and testing. Our goal is to provide you with more benefit options and cutting-edge technology so you can quickly evaluate plan benefits and costs. On the health insurance side, MRA will provide plan offerings backed by Priority Health and HAP, and continue to offer BCBS. Dental insurance will also be on the exchange along with small group life, disability and vision. Dental insurance will be underwritten by Retailers Insurance Company and continue to be administered by our longtime partner, Delta Dental of Michigan. Guardian will provide small group life insurance and disability. Vision will be provided

by VSP. We believe this enhanced product selection and the ease of selecting plans will prove to be a strong membership benefit.

BALLOT ISSUES The trend of enacting legislation by ballot initiatives continues. Two ballot issues have already been certified and will be on the November ballot unless the legislature directly enacts the ballot language. As of this writing, the two certified issues are the legalization of marijuana and the elimination of the state’s prevailing wage law which would end the requirement that union wages be paid for public projects like schools and government buildings. Yet to be certified are two very troubling issues for retailers. The first is another attempt to mandate scheduled increases in the minimum wage law and the second would mandate family and sick leave time for employees under a very complicated formula. If minimum wage and mandated leave issues are certified, expect Michigan Retailers to be fully engaged, as the MRA board has already taken a position of opposition on these issues.

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SCAMS The frequency of scams, random telephone calls, identity theft, and cyber attacks are increasing at an alarming rate.

Unfortunately, there is not a simple defensive system that is 100 percent foolproof. Probably the old adage is still applicable: “If it sounds too good to be true, it’s most likely not a good deal.” Keep the antennas on high alert both from a personal and business perspective.

RETAILERS INSURANCE COMPANY Finally, I’m very pleased to report that our Lansing-based Retailers Insurance Company’s financial rating has been upgraded to (A Prime) Unsurpassed by Demotech. This level of financial stability is assigned to insurers who have unsurpassed financial stability related to maintaining positive surplus and other criteria, including liquidity of invested assets. Demotech has been rating insurance carriers since 1985.

JAMES P. HALLAN MRA President and Chief Executive Officer

Check it out Events for golfers, grocers and jewelers

Ways to drive customers to your back-to-school merchandise Here’s how you can take advantage of the estimated $80 billion headed for such back-to-school purchases as clothing and shoes, electronics and school supplies.

Visual displays

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Organize your back-to-school items in one section of your store, making it easier for shoppers to find what they need.

If you have a website, do the same online, combining clothes, school supplies, dorm furniture and other back-to-school items.

Target the student

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Parents aren’t always making the decision on what to buy. In fact, the National Retail Foundation notes that about 10 percent of parents admit their child influences 100 percent of their back-to-school purchases!

Go beyond Facebook and Twitter

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Instagram and Pinterest may be best for reaching young audiences. It’ll help if your website is mobile friendly for the 40 percent of college students who use a smartphone to research products and compare prices, and 45 percent who use a tablet to shop. (NRF)

Think outside the box

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If you’re not selling typical back-to-school products, get creative about what you can offer college students. Hardware stores could assemble a basic toolbox or car safety kit. A pharmacy could offer first-aid kits or shower caddies stuffed with essentials.

Prepare for procrastinators

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The number of procrastinators may be as high as 30 percent, according to NRF. You may want to extend sales closer to school openings, or think of ways to quickly deliver the goods to harried parents.

JUNE 21: IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN MRA’S GOLF OUTING! One of the benefits of bringing the Michigan Grocers Association into the MRA fold is their annual golf outing! The outing is open to all MRA members – not just grocers - so we hope you join us.

The scramble will be Thursday, June 21, at the Brookshire Inn and Golf Club in Williamston, about 20 minutes east of Lansing.

• Entry fee: $125 per golfer • Includes golf, cart, breakfast, lunch, refreshments and prizes • 8 a.m. registration with 9 a.m. shotgun start Plan on fun prizes, a swag bag and great networking with fellow retailers. Please fill out the registration form - found at http://bit.ly/2L9LRwm - and submit it via: Mail - 603 S. Washington Ave., Lansing, MI 48933 Fax - send PDF to 517.327.8959 Email - Nora Jones at njones@retailers.com SEPTEMBER 23-25: CONNECT WITH GROCERS BY SPONSORING FOOD RETAILERS SUMMIT Join us at Crystal Mountain Resort for the Food Retailers Summit, where we’ll take networking to the next level. We’ve refreshed the agenda to give both retailers and suppliers more opportunities than before to connect and learn from one another.

The summit, sponsored by MRA and its grocers division, is Sept.

23-25. We’re replacing the traditional trade show with a luncheon that will connect sponsors directly with retailers. The Grocer-Supplier CONNECT Luncheon is one of many ways to get one-on-one contact with potential clients.

Also this year, all meals are included in the reduced registration fee of just $120 in recognition of the 120th annual gathering.

Several sponsorship opportunities are available – from placing items in our Buy Nearby swag bag, buying a table at the CONNECT luncheon, underwriting one of our events or becoming a host sponsor. For more information, contact Nora Jones at njones@retailers.com or call her at 800.366.3699 ext.344.

SEPTEMBER 30: JEWELERS, SAVE THE DATE! SHANE DECKER TO SPEAK IN SE MICHIGAN Stay tuned for details on our Jewelers Summit on Sept. 30, when nationally known jewelry sales expert Shane Decker will talk about trends and sales techniques.

The southeast Michigan location for the summit will be announced soon. MRA, AGS and GIA are all sponsoring the event, and hope that jewelers will bring along employees for this close-tohome chance to learn more about the business.

Decker has provided sales training to more than 3,000 jewelry stores. He cut his teeth in jewelry sales in Garden City, KS, and sold over 100 1-carat diamonds four years in a row. He is a regular contributor to INSTORE magazine.

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Private insurance exchange launched for MRA members For the first time, Michigan Retailers Association members will have an array of health insurance options for their employees through the MRA Private Insurance Exchange.

The exchange will give members a way to save on insurance costs and offer their employees the best insurance coverages available.

Ally Nemetz, left, and Jodi Barber, MRA’s insurance experts, spent months creating an easy-to-use tool to help employers create the best insurance plans for their workplaces.

How to access the MRA Private Insurance Exchange Go to retailers.com/privateexchange. To get a quote, you’ll be asked to complete a basic registration form and start your shopping experience. You can apply for coverage immediately or print the quote and enroll at a later date.

Personalized customer service is available at any step along the way by calling our MRA insurance department at 800.366.3699 ext. 681 or emailing MRA’s insurance expert Ally Nemetz at anemetz@retailers.com.

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Priority Health and Health Alliance Plan (HAP) are the two health insurance programs on the exchange. HAP is a subsidiary of Henry Ford Health System, a Detroitbased integrated delivery system. Priority Health is a Grand Rapids-based non-profit founded in 1986.

Both insurance carriers are well-known in Michigan and, between the two of them, provide coverage in most Michigan regions.

Also on the exchange is Retailers Insurance Co. dental insurance, administered by Delta Dental; VSP vision insurance; and Guardian for life and disability insurances.

The exchange offers a defined contribution program, which lets employers decide which insurances to offer employees and define how much they’ll contribute toward employees’ benefits. Employees then use these contributions to select insurance products that best meet their needs.

“The new insurance exchange helps address a clear need from members – particularly small retailers with only a few employees. Now they have choices for affordable insurance for themselves, their families and their staff members,” said William J. Hallan, MRA Executive Vice President, COO and General Counsel.

“The exchange will help our members navigate the ever-changing health insurance environment,” said MRA insurance expert Ally Nemetz. “And we’re so pleased to be able to offer Priority Health and HAP, two of the most reputable insurance providers in Michigan.”

If participants choose to bypass the exchange and enroll with BCBS coverage, they can simply contact Nemetz at 800.366.3699, ext. 681 or by email at anemetz@retailers.com.

MRA’s Nemetz and Jodi Barber have worked on ramping up the exchange since last year and are excited to see it launch.

“The tool is a convenient way to access the insurance products for a one-stop shop. It’s very intuitive to use, and allows employers easily compare plans and choose which options fit them best,” Barber said.

MRA will continue to offer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan health insurance as an option for members.

When can you make changes to your insurance plan?

• Employers can make changes to their plan anytime during the year. Insurance carriers usually require a 30 to 45-day lead time.

Through MRA’s Private Insurance Exchange, employees will be able to compare and purchase health insurance, as well as dental, vision, life and disability.

• Individuals can enroll in an individual health insurance plan during the annual Open Enrollment Period that runs from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15.

IT’S THE LAW

Violence in the workplace

Businesses are responsible for customer and employee safety If you haven’t been by Michigan Retailer Association “world headquarters” in Lansing, you should. We love to give tours. R.E. Olds, the founder of Oldsmobile, built the stately building in 1913 as a women’s center for his wife, Metta Ursula Woodward. MRA purchased the building in 1999 and we’ve tried to maintain the historical integrity.

WILLIAM J. HALLAN MRA Executive Vice President, COO and General Counsel Contact William at whallan@retailers.com

Employers who become aware of an employee’s violent propensities must take reasonable action to prevent injury to others.

The location is prime. We’re just a hop, skip and a jump from the Capitol and we’re conveniently located near the highway. However, the brilliance of our location does have some drawbacks. We happen to be located in the middle of a troublesome triangle, with a bus station, liquor store and homeless camp at each point.

Unfortunately, we’ve experienced a few concerning events in the last few weeks, with unwelcome visitors entering our reception area, including a masked man asking for money.

Fortunately, each situation resolved without incident, but retailers know the situation well – trying to achieve the balance between security and public access. Often we focus on our security measures on outside threats, but it’s not always those that are external that pose safety concerns. Violence in the workplace can also be internal, and employers have certain affirmative duties they must take to protect their employees and visitors.

In Michigan, an employer can be liable for torts of negligent hiring, supervision and retention of an unsafe employee.

Liability requires a level of knowledge. In the case of negligent hiring, the inquiry is whether the employer hired the employee and gave that person an opportunity to be violent even though the employer knew, or should have known of the employee’s violent propensities.

Negligent retention occurs when the employer becomes aware of the employee’s violent propensities and fails to take reasonable action to prevent injury to others. Likewise, negligent supervision is when the employer fails to exercise ordinary care supervising the employee’s conduct so as to prevent the foreseeable violence of the employee resulting in harm to other employees or third persons.

The court in Hersh v Kentfield Builders, Inc., 385 Mich 410, 412 (1971) eloquently summarized an employer’s responsibilities: As has already been noted, a duty imposed upon an employer who invites the general public to his premises,

and whose employees are brought into contact with the members of such public in the course of the master’s business, is that of exercising reasonable care for the safety of his customers, patrons or other invitees. It has been held that in fulfilling such duty, an employer must use due care to avoid the selection or retention of an employee whom he knows or should know is a person unworthy, by habits, temperament, or nature, to deal with the persons invited to the premises by the employer.

The employer’s knowledge of past acts of impropriety, violence, or disorder on the part of the employee is generally considered sufficient to forewarn the employer who selects or retains such employee in his service that he may eventually commit an assault, although not every infirmity of character, such for example, dishonesty or querulousness, will lead to such result.

Simply put, employers must act affirmatively to prevent harm if violent tendencies of prospective or current employees come to their attention.

Employers should start by having prospective employees fill out a job application form that requires an applicant to answer questions that typically won’t be found on a resume, such as whether the applicant has ever been convicted of a crime. In addition, the form can be used to obtain the individual’s authorization to run a background check, including a criminal and credit review and driving record if applicable. Feel free to email me at whallan@retailers.com if you’d like to see the form Michigan Retailers uses.

Employers should also check references. While many employers are reluctant to provide meaningful information for fear of being sued for defamation, some may disclose whether the individual was fired and for what reason.

Once onboard, employers should implement zero tolerance policies for violence and encourage employees to report violent or potentially violent behavior. Securing the workplace through lighting, video surveillance, alarms and key access will also help maintain a safe environment.

While employers may be more likely to be consumed worrying about violence from external sources, it’s important to look inward and consider whether you’ve taken reasonable measures to protect your workforce and guests.

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GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NEWS

Data breach bills could add significant burden to retailers While retailers agree that data security is important, a pending bill in the legislature that MRA strongly opposes would add additional hoops and cost to anyone doing business in Michigan. The Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee heard testimony this spring on SB 633, which would make several harmful changes to Michigan’s data breach notification law.

AMY DRUMM MRA Vice President, Government Affairs Contact Amy at adrumm@retailers.com

The bill would double the cost for retailers or business owners who are the victim of a data breach.

The bill does nothing to prevent data breaches.

Instead, it would double the cost for retailers or business owners who are victims of a data breach. It would also make an already efficient system of notification extremely complicated by requiring a separate notification be provided to the issuing bank or credit union within three days – a near impossible standard.

Anyone who accepts credit cards knows the strict security rules required by Payment Card Industry’s Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS). The majority of retailers do what they can – and are required to do under PCI – to protect sensitive information. The hackers often go unfound and unpunished.

PROPOSED NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS Under SB 633, a business would be required to notify a financial institution within three days that there was a breach. In order to provide that notice, they first need to determine the full scope of what occurred and who was impacted. This can take far longer than three days. The business would also need to know who the financial institution is and how to contact them. Retailers and most other businesses do not retain the information necessary to identify the financial institution and do not know how to contact them.

To meet this new standard, any entity that accepts

payments would need to gather the information from their credit card processor, identify contacts at each financial institution, and then find a secure way to share the information, all within three calendar days.

There is already a highly efficient industry system in place that provides standards for a breached entity to notify its payment processor, who in turn notifies impacted financial institutions. This most often happens through analysis done by the card brands (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, etc.), who notify the financial institutions to shut down impacted cards immediately. Most of this happens long before the scope of the breach or incident is even known.

DOUBLE DIPPING The bill would also allow a financial institution to bring a civil suit against a merchant to recover the financial institution’s actual damages (reissuing cards, closing accounts, opening or reopening deposits, refunds or credits made to cardholders and notification).

Merchants are already subject to fines for violating PCI-DSS. Those fines are used to cover the cost of reissuing cards and is set by contractual agreements that exist between the financial institutions and Visa, MasterCard, etc.

Committee members recognize the many challenges the bills present to business owners. More productive discussion is needed between financial institutions and business groups to look at best practices to stop fraud rather than simply shifting blame and costs.

To share your concerns with your legislator, contact me at adrumm@retailers.com or visit www.retailers.com/advocacy/take-action.

MRA Exec Amy Drumm nationally recognized for public affairs efforts WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) on April 11 recognized the extraordinary leadership of Amy Drumm, MRA’s vice president of government affairs.

FMI President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin said, “Amy’s ‘just-knuckle-down-and-do-it’ attitude helped her state become a national leader, by passing our country’s first-ever law preempting local excise taxes or fees on the manufacturing, distribution, or sale of all food and beverages.”

Sarasin also cited Drumm’s lobbying to preempt local wage and benefit ordinances as 6

MICHIGAN RETAILER JUN/JUL 2018

well as plastic bag bans and taxes.

Drumm also played a pivotal role in the 2014 passage of Main Street Fairness legislation, elimination of the Personal Property Tax for retailers with $80,000 or less in personal property; proposed sales tax increases, adoption of anti-competitive measures, and limitations on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food purchases.”

Drumm oversees MRA’s Political Action Committee and serves as the chairwoman of the Michigan Recycling Partnership, an industry group that identifies comprehensive recycling solutions.

MRA’s 2018 legislative reception Michigan Retailers Association held its annual legislative reception on April 24 and had nearly 130 attendees. The event was a combined retailers and grocers’ reception, following the Michigan Grocers Association becoming a division of Michigan Retailers Association in January. MRA continued the grocers’ tradition of showcasing their members by having grocery stores cater the event. Thank you to the event sponsors: Amway, Artic Glacier Premium Ice, Busch’s Fresh Food Market, Consumer Healthcare Products Association, Dykema, Kroger, Lipari, Meijer, Oleson’s Food Stores, National Confectioners Association, National Retail Federation, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Prairie Farms Dairy, Retail Industry Leaders Association, Rite Aid, SpartanNash, Target and Walgreens.

Righthand photos: Top, MRA’s Bill Hallan, Rep. Frank Liberati (D-Allen Park), Rep. Daire Rendon (R-Lake City), and Rep. Sue Allor (R-Wolverine). Middle, state Treasurer Nick Khouri, MRA’s Jim Hallan, Sen. Jim Marleau (R-Lake Orion), retired MRA CEO Larry Meyer, and John Leppink, Michigan Retailers Services board member and President of Leppink’s Incorporated. Bottom, an overview of the reception, held at Dykema Gossett’s law offices in Lansing, with food catered by members of the Michigan Grocers division of MRA.

Lefthand photos: Top l-r, State Sens. Margaret O’Brien (R-Portage) and Tony Schuitmaker (R-Lawton). Middle, Sen. Geoff Hansen (R-Hart) with Ken Hayward, MRA board member and Executive Vice President and Managing Director of the Grand Hotel.

Bottom, Dave Biswas (Sen. Mike Kowall’s Chief of Staff), MRA’s Amy Drumm, Rep. Brandt Iden (ROshtemo Township), Samantha Zandee (Rep. Iden’s staff) and Bryan Harrison (Amway).

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Rejected by your bank?

Here are small business loan options

Unconventional loans

By RICK HAGLUND

and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program that guarantees up to 80 percent of a business loan from a bank or credit union.

They obtained a guaranteed loan through Horizon Bank in St. Joseph that allowed them to open their tasting room and retail wine business in 2015.

While similar to the Small Business Administration’s loan guarantee programs, the USDA’s program is limited to financing businesses located in areas of less than 50,000 people.

“What we’re trying to do is play a larger role in the economic development of rural communities,” said Josh Church, a USDA rural development loan specialist in Mason. “And we want to increase our role in financing retail projects that boost downtowns.”

The USDA’s business and industry loan guarantee program isn’t nearly as well known as the SBA’s much larger programs.

Many businesses don’t consider financing from the USDA because of a misconception that the department finances only farm operations, Church said.

In fiscal 2016, the SBA guaranteed 2,625 loans totaling $837 million through 135 Michigan lenders, according to the SBA’s latest reported data.

W

hen Deborah and Jeffrey Pallas sought funding to expand their winemaking business in Southwest Michigan, local banks were unwilling to provide them with a conventional business loan.

“We went to a couple of banks, but they viewed us as too much of a risk,” said Deborah Pallas of Vineyard 2121, a vineyard, tasting room and retail wine business in Benton Harbor.

But she and her husband found a financing solution in the United States Department of Agriculture’s Business 8

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Deborah and Jeffrey Pallas at first couldn’t find a conventional business loan for their winemaking business, Vineyard 2121 near Benton Harbor.

So they went the unconventional route.

SBA has a variety of loan programs. Its most popular one is the 7(a) guarantee program that can be used for a variety of business purposes, including purchasing machinery, making building improvements, acquiring and start businesses and augment working capital. The SBA will guarantee loans of up to $5.5 million in the 7(a) program.

Its 504 loan program allows the SBA to participate with financial institutions in business loans for the purchase of land, equipment, machinery and other fixed assets. The SBA provides 40 percent of the funding of a loan, up to $5 million.

The USDA typically spends about $30 million a year for its loan guarantee program in Michigan, but Church said more money could become available with higher demand.

The USDA guaranteed a record $150 million in Michigan business and industry loans in 2010 during the Great Recession as many banks ended loan relationships with struggling small businesses. Church said the USDA could again fund that level of guarantees if the demand justified it.

Guarantees vary by the size of the loans. The USDA will

guarantee up to 80 percent of loans up to $5 million, 70 percent for loans between $5 million and $10 million and 60 percent for loans between $10 million and a maximum $25 million.

Businesses can use the USDA loan guarantee program to purchase real estate and equipment, and to finance inventory and accounts receivable. It can also be used to refinance debt and acquire additional businesses when the loan will create or save jobs.

USDA loan guarantees can be used for mixed-use developments containing retail, office and residential uses as long as 51 percent of the venue generated by the development comes from business uses.

Banks like the USDA loan guarantee.

“It gives us extra tools to help borrowers,” said Bruce Piekarski, vice president and commercial group manager at Horizon Bank, where the Pallases got their loan. “From a bank perspective, the guarantee helps reduce risk, and the guaranteed portion doesn’t count against our lending limits. We’ve used it quite a bit.”

Church said there can be some advantages for USDA loan guarantee buyers over SBA programs.

“Our loans generally have longer borrowing terms than the SBA offers for real estate and equipment,” he said. “And sometimes borrowers can get a lower rate than on an SBA loan, making the payments more affordable for borrowers.”

Interest rates are negotiated by the lender and borrower and

must be reviewed by the USDA. The USDA charges a fee of 3 percent of the total loan amount to guarantee the loan. The fee can be rolled into the loan, contrary to a misconception that it must be paid up front, Church said.

Unlike with the SBA, businesses can use the USDA loan guarantee program to finance the acquisition of non-owner occupied buildings for investment purposes, he said.

There also are a number of government grant programs for small businesses. Grants.gov is a federal government website that provides information on 1,000 federal grant programs, including those at the SBA and Department of Commerce.

Some regions take matters into their own hands. In Kalamazoo, a group of nonprofit and for-profit partners have come together to create the Kalamazoo Capital Consortium. It’s working with a dozen financial institutions to help small businesses access capital. Its online site asks businesses questions about revenue, credit score, business history and sector, location and capital needs, and then looks for appropriate lenders.

Such options are needed for entrepreneurs. Pallas said the USDA loan guarantee program was critical in helping her business grow and succeed.

“In just three years, we’ve been able to compete with (other wineries) that have been in business for 15 to 20 years,” she said.

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Big-pictur Family furniture business Gardner-White earns prestigious honor with innovation

By SHANDRA MARTINEZ AUBURN HILLS - Steve Tronstein jokes that his oldest daughter’s return to the family furniture business was a step up after working for President Bill Clinton and Nobel Laureate Steven Chu, Energy secretary during the Obama administration.

“It just keeps on getting better,” he laughs.

Rachel Tronstein is president of Gardner-White Furniture Co., which recently was named retailer of the year by the International Home Furnishings Representatives Association.

She is the fourth generation to run the business started by Eugene Clinton White and John G. Gardner in 1912, when Michigan was still home to the furniture capital of the world.

Her maternal grandfather, Irwin Kahn, bought the store in

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the 1950s, keeping the name. Much of the retailer’s growth has come in the past three decades, under the leadership of her parents, Barb and Steve.

The retailer, which competes with Warren-based Art Van for the mid-market segment, operates 10 stores across Southeast Michigan. The family-owned company has a workforce of about 500 employees and annual sales of more than $120 million.

During its centennial in 2012, Gardner-White relocated its headquarters to the home of a 450,000-square-foot former GM supplier’s warehouse. The massive facility at 4445 N. Atlantic Road in Auburn Hills now houses a distribution center, store and outlet.

In April, the company was named Retailer of the Year by the International Home Furnishings Representatives Association

e thinking After a career devoted to energy issues, Rachel Tronstein, left, returned to Michigan to oversee the family business.

Gardner-White Furniture has thrived the past three decades under her parents Barb and Steve Tronstein’s leadership.

(IHFRA), a High Point, N.C.-based organization of 2,300 sales associates.

One reason for the award is the respect Gardner-White shows for sales reps. They are treated like family, says Albert David, IHFRA’s president and a sales representative for Ashley Furniture who has worked with the retailer for 12 years.

While Gardner-White is a regional player in the industry, it has a reputation for being innovative.

In 2014, Gardner-White became the first furniture retailer in the Midwest to launch same-day delivery service that lets customers track delivery time down to a 20-minute window, using GPS technology. continued on page 12

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Big-picture thinking

continued from page 11

Five years ago, the retailer began converting lights to energyefficient LED. With Rachel Tronstein’s background, one might assume this was her idea, but the project was spearheaded by her dad.

The cost of the lights was recouped in months because air conditioning bills plummeted over the summer for the stores, which range in size from 40,000 to 60,000 square feet. The result is stores that are more comfortable, Steve Tronstein says.

The retailer has added a recycling center that makes money selling its compressed packaging. Next on the list is exploring how to make its delivery fleet more energy-efficient.

“I’m always looking at it from the energy side, but if it isn’t costcompetitive, we’re not going to do it,” Rachel Tronstein said.

Best Buy picked the retailer for a national pilot in 2012 that put Gardner-White merchandise into two Detroit area stores. While the electronics chain ended the experiment after two years, Gardner-White learned how to capture a customer who isn’t necessarily thinking about a product segment like mattresses.

“No one sleeps well, but it takes a long time for you to become a mattress customer. We helped shorten that time cycle that it would normally take to become a bedding customer,” Tronstein said.

She and her parents are strategic in an industry that tends to react to the ups and downs of sales.

The self-described geek studied economics and political science at the University of Michigan before heading to the London School of Economics. She credits her international graduate school experience for teaching her how to think, much the way law school did for her parents.

“I could have been in school forever but it’s more fun to do something with it,” she said.

Tronstein manages sales and warehouse operations, while her mom oversees advertising and consumer finance and her dad is in charge of merchandising.

Despite growing up talking retail strategy and advertising around the kitchen table, Tronstein said her parents never pressured their two daughters to join the family business. They were surprised when she dropped plans to launch a clean tech startup in the San Francisco Bay area to work at Gardner-White.

Rachel Tronstein, President of Gardner-White Furniture, stands in front of a historic picture of the business, founded in 1912.

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MICHIGAN RETAILER JUN/JUL 2018

“I really was concerned because I wasn’t sure that going back to Detroit and being in this kind of business after her exposure all over the world was going to be enough to keep her interested, but she’s done a great job and seems to be very happy,” says her mom, Barb Tronstein.

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Her return has been good both professionally and personally. She married dermatologist Brian Stewart in 2015, after the two were set up by a family friend.

Tronstein’s strengths are energy and analytical skills. She also brings fresh eyes to the business because of her experience outside Gardner-White “that the rest of us haven’t had” in a long time, says her mom.

Rachel Tronstein remains a big-picture thinker. When asked about her concerns about the industry, she says she is worried about Michigan’s shrinking middle class and stagnant wages.

She recently was named chairwoman of New Detroit, an organization committed to improving income equity, education and health and safety in Michigan’s biggest city.

“We’re really focusing on providing opportunity and giving people the skills to then go and live and be productive,” she said.

She shares her office with Tron, the family’s beagle mix. Soon, she’ll make room for a crib. At 37, Tronstein is expecting her first child, a daughter.

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Big-picture thinking 1. Gardner-White’s 450,000 square-foot warehouse, store and outlet in Auburn Hills.

2. Steve Tronstein oversees merchandising.

3. Gardner-White has 10 stores in Southeast Michigan.

4. The store changed to LED lights, which has resulted in huge savings.

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5. Barb Tronstein has been a strategic force during the past few decades.

Photos by ABIGAIL L. SHERROD

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This first grandchild could be the third generation of women leaders, a rarity in any business.

The child’s career seems destined for medicine or retail. Tronstein’s younger sister is a physician on the West Coast whose husband and father-in-law are doctors.

“She can do anything she wants, but she will have a background in retail,” Tronstein says.

WWW.RETAILERS.COM JUN/JUL 2018

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LOTTERY

Doubler Days expected to boost lottery games Michigan Lottery players have had fun this June with the popular Doubler Days promotion for the Club Keno, Fantasy 5, and Lotto 47 games.

BRIAN O’NEILL Lottery Commissioner

From June 1 through June 30, all Club Keno, Fantasy 5, and Lotto 47 tickets purchased at Lottery retailers are eligible for Doubler Days. A Doubler message is printed on random tickets and doubles all non-jackpot prizes won on that ticket, without any additional cost to players. The Doubler feature also applies to EZmatch prizes on Fantasy 5 and Lotto 47 tickets. Club Keno Extra and The Jack prizes are excluded from the promotion.

This popular promotion generates excitement among players and boosts sales for retailers.

“This popular promotion generates excitement among players and boosts sales for retailers.”

The Doubler Days promotion offers double benefits to retailers with increased sales and increased commissions. Lottery retailers weren’t the only ones to benefit from this successful promotion in September. All told, Club Keno, Fantasy 5, and Lotto 47 players won more than $2.8 million in Doubler Days bonus prize money.

GOLDEN TICKET INSTANT GAME The Michigan Lottery’s GOLDEN TICKET instant game (#231) was a huge success for retailers. The $10 instant game has performed well with 7 million GOLDEN TICKETS sold since the game launched in July 2017.

The GOLDEN TICKET game offered players an opportunity to enter non-winning ticket codes for a chance to win one of 15 trips to Las Vegas to participate in the BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE on April 18. Michigan Lottery players submitted more than 400,000 non-winning GOLDEN TICKETS for entries into the BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE. Fifteen Michigan Lottery players recently joined 90 lottery players from around the country to take part in the BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE for a chance to win up to $1 billion. The event took place at the LINQ Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Players have won more than $28 million playing GOLDEN TICKET. Each $10 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 up to $1 million. More than $28 million in prizes remain, including two $1 million top prizes and 31 $10,000

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prizes. The GOLDEN TICKET instant game is still available at retailers.

To capitalize on the popularity of the game, the Lottery will launch GOLDEN TICKET II (#267) on July 2. Each $10 ticket will offer players more than 20 chances to instantly win prizes ranging from $10 up to $1 million. Again, players also may enter codes from non-winning tickets by visiting MichiganLottery.com/GoldenTicket for a chance to win one of 15 trips for two to Las Vegas and for the opportunity to play the BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE and possibly win up to $1 billion. The trip includes deluxe hotel accommodations for four days and three nights, round-trip airfare for two, ground transportation to and from the Las Vegas airport and hotel, and $1,000 spending money.

NEW INSTANT TICKETS: These tickets go on sale June 5: IG 255 - Platinum 7’s - $5 IG 260 - Win For Life - $2 IG 263 - Money Money Money - $20

INSTANT GAMES SET TO EXPIRE: June 4 IG 775 - Tic Tac Toad - $1 NEW PULL TABS TICKETS: These tickets go on sale June 5: MI 504 - American Pride - $1

PULL TABS GAMES SET TO EXPIRE: June 6 MI 585 - Detroit Red Wings - $1 July 10 IT 869 - Big Win - $2 July 11 MI 563 - Snow Much Money - $1 MI 571 - Treasure Trove - $.50 Brian O’Neill is the new Lottery Commissioner. About 97 cents of every dollar spent on Lottery tickets is returned to the state in the form of contributions to the state School Aid Fund, prizes to players and commissions to vendors and retailers. For additional information, follow the Michigan Lottery on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and online at www. michiganlottery.com.

catch-all drawer The

MIOSHA PROVIDES TIPS TO AVOID ‘PINCH POINTS’ The term “pinch point” sounds unpleasant – and it is.

A pinch point is “any point at which it is possible for a person or part of a person’s body to be caught between moving parts of a machine, or between the moving and stationary parts of a machine, or between material and any part of the machine,” states the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

To help keep workers safe from experiencing pinch-point injuries, employers should carefully evaluate all machines and equipment to identify pinchpoint hazards. “After identifying them, the next step is to eliminate or guard the pinch points to prevent employee contact with the pinch points,” MIOSHA states.

Guards can help prevent workers from coming into contact with a pinch point.

Employers also should insist that only trained and qualified workers should alter a machine guard, and only under specific machine repair cases.

Tidbits to make business easier

But the Retail Index shows that 75 percent of Michigan retailers expect strong sales through June, while 6 percent predict a decrease and 19 percent expect no change. That results in an adjusted outlook index to 76.5 – a positive sign for a fruitful spring, according to the Retail Index survey.

We’ve sent out the survey for May results. Please answer it if you can – the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago relies on us to give as accurate a picture as possible of the retail scene in Michigan.

NEW BUY NEARBY GUY

THE CRAZY WEATHER IS GONE, RIGHT? Unseasonably wintry weather kept customers out of Michigan Original Buy Nearby Guy was looking raggedy, so we asked the Detroit Parade Co. stores in April, but luckily retailers to spruce him up and create a second mascot costume. Here, old Buy Nearby were coming off a strong sales Guy unveils his new counterpart (left) to the MRA board at its April meeting. month in March, according to the latest Michigan Retail Index, a joint project of Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Detroit branch.

The Michigan Retail Index’s April survey found that 42 percent of respondents reported sales increases over March, 45 percent recorded declines and 13 percent reported no change. The results create a seasonally adjusted performance index of 43.7, well below the 64.3 performance index reported in March. A year ago, the Retail Index was 54.5.

The 100-point index provides a snapshot of the state’s overall retail industry. Index values above 50 generally indicate positive activity; the higher the number, the stronger the activity.

An April 15 ice storm caused widespread power outages and dangerous roads, and snow was still evident in much of Michigan as late as April 20. Coming off a cold March, MEDC’s Kelly Wolgamott talked to the MRA Board at its April retailers said winter-weary customers simply weren’t getting meeting about the sophisticated techniques and social media in the mood to buy spring clothing, equipment and other used to attract and track tourists. Wolgamott is the Director products. One survey respondent reported that the store lost of Marketing for the state’s Pure Michigan campaign. a full day of sales due to a power outage.

WWW.RETAILERS.COM JUN/JUL 2018

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In her own words

Kean’s Store Company Opened: 1928 Location: 406 South Jefferson, Mason Specialties: Gifts, Hallmark, toys, boutique, jewelry, crafts, candy, fabrics and housewares.

MRA member since: 1990 MRA services: • Group insurance, • Workers’ compensation insurance Owners: Steve and Teresa Wren

By RACHEL SCHRAUBEN

Does your business have a unique story?

Contact rschrauben@retailers.com.

INTRODUCTION When Gus and Fern Kean opened Kean’s Store Company in 1928 the floor space reflected a third of the 17,000 square feet today.

What started as a Five and Dime has grown into Mason’s oldest continuously operating business specializing in gifts, cards, crafts, candy and toys.

Gus and Fern Kean’s granddaughter, Teresa Wren, is the third generation to run the store, along with her husband Steve, after taking over from her father, Warner Kean, in 2000. The store weathered a major fire in 2015 and is now in its 90th year in operation. Here are Teresa Wren’s observations.

IN HER OWN WORDS The best thing about a family-owned business is...

The traditions and stories from the old days. In November we have our traditional Holiday Open House with Santa. Our Santa has been with us for 32 years. We have live reindeer, live music and the employees bake cookies to share with customers. We also Above, Teresa Wren weighs candy, a practice likely since Kean’s opened in 1928. But Wren and her husband have been responsible for store updates that keep customers coming.

Photos by ABIGAIL L. SHERROD 16

MICHIGAN RETAILER JUN/JUL 2018

Kean’s Store Company is on its third generation, after Teresa Wren, right, took over in 2000. She worries that no younger family member has yet expressed interest in running the store.

honor some of our history by displaying photographs and antiques that were once used in the store.

The main reason for our successful 90 years in retail is...

Our customers. Plus, staying on top of what’s trending, beautiful ever-changing displays, as well as a clean and well-kept store. We are constantly moving out slowmoving merchandise in our sale area and bringing in new items to attract newer generations. The biggest struggle is inventory control, scheduling enough staff and minimizing overhead cost and building maintenance.

My greatest fear for our business is...

The customer that makes it a practice to purchase their gifts, toys, fabric and housewares online with Amazon and comment openly about it. We try to overcome that by staying positive and offering our customers great service. Along with that, I mostly fear declining sales and less foot traffic.

The biggest advice/motto passed on from store owner to store owner is...

Take care of your employees first and foremost. Always listen to their concerns. Praise accomplishments with verbal compliments and give raises. Be organized, use kindness and exhibit excellent customer service.

Our customer service is...

An ongoing learning experience. It makes us feel great when we do it right. We receive customer feedback every day. Good or bad, we meet as a team and discuss it.

Our community is...

Very important to us! We see their support through continuing to shop at our store and the other local businesses. The best example is when we were closed for six months after a fire in 2015. When I first learned of the fire, I was at home and I was panicked. My heart and body were racing out of control. My family and employees and the Mason firemen helped me get through it. Our community also came out in large numbers to help us get re-opened. It brought tears to my eyes! I will never forget all the faces of the people that were here to help us.

Our plans for the future are...

As we celebrate our 90th anniversary in June, we plan to invite our customers to an open house on Saturday, June 23, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Old photos and memorabilia will be on display. Free hot fudge sundaes will be served by our staff. Come take a walk through time!

Facebook event link: bit.ly/2KO3CRo WWW.RETAILERS.COM JUN/JUL 2018

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RETAIL TECH

Credit card declined

The three most unpopular words for retailer and customer When “credit card declined” pops up during a transaction, what do you do?

There are many reasons a card will fail to get a successful approval code. It is helpful to understand the transaction flow so that you can understand what didn’t work correctly when you don’t successfully complete a transaction.

JOHN MAYLEBEN ETA CPP and MRA Consultant Contact John at jmayleben@retailers.com

In cases where fraud is suspected “make sure that you have appropriate responses for your staff. Your safety, the safety of your employees, and your customer’s safety is the primary goal.”

The transaction starts when you “dip”, “tap”, “swipe” or “key” a transaction into your terminal, your smart phone or a desktop computer. Once you have completed the entry of the needed fields, the system reaches out to the “processor,” who determines which card association’s brand (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or someone else) is on the card and they reach out to that organization. Once the transaction arrives at the card brand’s server, they determine which bank (if appropriate) issued the card and hand the transaction off to that bank (the “issuer”).

Once an issuer receives a request for the transaction they review the “open to buy” (aka, credit limit) and determine if there are funds available to hold for the amount requested. If there are funds available AND if the transaction passes whatever anti-fraud rules that particular issuer is applying to the specific card, then they provide an approval code and that code flows back through the system to the terminal, where a receipt is printed for the consumer’s signature.

All of this happens in the 3-5 seconds between the dip, tap, swipe or key and the printing of the receipt.

Obviously there are a lot of “single points of failure” that could interrupt the transaction and return an unsuccessful transaction response.

Before reviewing these situations, you, as a merchant need to make sure that you have appropriate responses for your staff. Your safety, the safety of your employees, and your customer’s safety is the primary goal. When in doubt, simply hand the card back to the consumer and indicate that they will have to provide a different form of payment.

SIGNS OF FRAUD If a customer attempts to swipe a chip card and the terminal is set up for chip processing, they will be told to dip the card. In this case, if the card that they are presenting doesn’t have a chip, you as the

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merchant should be very concerned whether this is a counterfeit card. The mag stripe fallback on a chip card is coded to alert the terminal that there should be a chip present. If someone has a card that says this and they don’t have a chip on the card, there is strong possibility that the card was skimmed at another retail location and a counterfeit card has been made.

If a chip card is dipped and the terminal is not able to read the chip, you may have a card that has been damaged. In this case, you need to attempt to dip the card two more times before the terminal initiates the “fallback” procedures. After three unsuccessful dip attempts, the terminal will prompt you to swipe the card. If this fails three times, then the terminal will ask you to key in the card number.

In the case of a fallback failure, you should make sure that the last four digits of the card number match what is printed on the receipt. This will help insure that a bad guy didn’t damage a card and code the mag stripe with a different card number as a way of committing fraud.

If all of the fallback procedures fail and you are keying a card number, or you have a mag stripeonly card that has a damaged mag stripe, you need to complete the transaction as you normally would but also get (and complete) a manually imprinted transaction receipt. This is normally done via the oldfashioned “knuckle buster” and a carbonless sales draft. This step in the transaction process will allow you to prove you had the card in your possession at the time of the sale, thereby minimizing the opportunity for a chargeback.

After all of this, you as the merchant still need to make sure that your staff understands the various responses that the terminal provides at the end of the transaction process.

If you attempt to process a sale and it receives a decline code, normally it means that the credit limit for a credit card or the checking account balance for a signature debit card is not large enough to cover the amount of the transaction. It is rare that rerunning the transaction for the same amount will generate a different response.

A decline may also be given if the issuer thinks that the card is being used fraudulently. This might happen if

the cardholder is spending more than they usually do or is shopping outside of normal travel patterns. A decline in this situation simply means that the issuer is declining the transaction in an abundance of caution.

SCAMS ON THE RISE One of the scams we see on the rise involves a Decline or a Pick Up Card message. In the case of a Pick Up Card message, the card issuer is alerting you that a transaction is being attempted on a card that the issuer would like to retrieve. If a cardholder has had his or her card stolen, lost the card, or the issuing bank has closed the account, any attempt to process a transaction will generate the Pick Up Card message. If you can do it safely, you are asked to keep the card.

If this is not possible or especially if the cardholder demands the card back, by all means return it to the customer. If you are able to keep the card, once the cardholder leaves you should call your voice authorization center for directions on submitting the card to the appropriate card brand.

For a Decline or Pick Up Card message, the cardholder uses his or her cell phone (or convinces the sales clerk to make the call) to contact someone at the issuing bank. In reality, the cardholder has called a friend who is impersonating the bank.

The fake bank employee then walks the clerk through the process to do a force transaction and provides a fake authorization code.

The clerk thinks everything is okay … until a couple of days later when the transaction is returned as unauthorized. By then the

merchandise is gone and the store is out the money. This is why staff training on fraud is so important.

The best advice is NEVER call the number on the back of the card or let the cardholder call “the bank.” Use your voice authorization center for that call. That way you can be sure you are speaking to a legitimate source for your information.

And if the cardholder talks to “their bank” and is told that it is a legitimate transaction, you should rerun the card through the terminal in an attempt to get an approval code.

If you ever have questions about these types of issues, please call one of our customer service team members at 800.563.5981.

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Email sales@retailers.com or call 800.366.3699

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WWW.RETAILERS.COM JUN/JUL 2018

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WHAT DO YOU SAY?

When you’re asked to contribute to charity I find myself saying one thing over and over again to anyone who will listen: “Support the retailers who support your community.” That often stops people in their tracks – you can almost see them ticking off a list of online stores in their heads and realizing that those businesses aren’t donating items to their local charity auctions.

MEEGAN HOLLAND MRA Vice President, Communications and Marketing.

Contact Meegan at mholland@retailers.com.

My mantra: “Support the retailers who support your community.

Out-of-state sellers aren’t donating to your local charities, but your local retailers are.”

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So I posed the question to retailers: “What do you do when someone comes in asking you to donate an item to their charity?”

I received some great responses – thank you to those who took the time to answer! And be sure to see the next issue’s question at the bottom of this column.

Here’s what you said: Priscilla Hansma from SheActive Boutique in Rockford, observes: “I get asked A LOT! I usually give a $25 gift card (which is a pair of Smartwool socks).

If the person asking is a regular customer, I will give more. If I don’t think I’ve ever seen the person in my store, I ask them if they have ever been in. If the answer is no, I ask them how can I support them if they don’t support me? I just want them to think about it.

Half the time, they don’t even know what store they are in. Sometimes, they then buy something from me.

In the end though, 95 percent of the time, when someone spends the gift card, they spend more.”

Tom Ungrodt, MRA board member and retail consultant as President of TDU Consulting, describes what he takes into account before donating: 1. I check and see if we had donated to this organization before – we might move on or donate again.

2. Does the owner or family of the owner have a link to the charity? If yes, it moves up the chart.

3. Are there any employees (manager first) that have specifically participated in or have a loyalty to this charity?

4. Not a major priority but I consider whether this donation will bring additional traffic to the store.

5. I set a budget at the beginning of the year and do not exceed it at all costs.

Mark Childs of South Lyon Cycle says, “As a family-owned and operated small business, we are often asked to donate an item to charity. And since we are a family-owned and operated small business, we can tell if someone has just come in off the street, having never been into our store, let alone patronized it,

MICHIGAN RETAILER JUN/JUL 2018

if they ask ‘to speak to the owner or manager.’ That being said, we listen to all requests and answer that we will contact them if we are interested in and are able to donate an item to their charity. When we do so, it is most often in the form of a store gift certificate for a deluxe bike tune-up or a bike safety helmet, that they can use as a door prize or auction off to raise money for their charity (rather than a cash donation).

However, each request is looked at on a case-by-case basis and is thoroughly considered.”

Roy Saper, of Saper Galleries in East Lansing, says, “Saper Galleries contributes to 100 organizations a year. I usually find that small, local organizations are truly thankful for the contributions and in contributing, we are helping non-profits in the communities that we serve. If we, as businesses, seek support from the community, then we should be willing to give what we can to organizations whose missions are consistent with our values. “ Roy also has a page on his web site that lists the many local organizations that have received donations from his business. A great idea, Roy! More food for thought, gleaned from various sources: • If someone has never shopped at your store, why give to that cause? Give to the causes of your regular customers.

• Come up with an annual donation budget and once it’s out, it’s out. Done.

• Just know that when you give a gift certificate, likely a loyal customer will buy it to get the deal.

• If you’re donating to a gala charity affair or one that really attracts your target audience, don’t just give a gift certificate. You should ask if you can be behind the table so you can promote your store there.

OK, it’s time for next issue’s question. Please share your observations by emailing me at mholland@retailers.com.

And don’t hesitate to suggest questions for future issues – I’m all ears!

Here’s the question: Have you ever considered putting your brand name on products for sale in your store? What swayed you one way or the other as far as the advantages of private label merchandise?

New Members Adrian Transportation LLC, Adrian Ideal Painting, Alpena Genomenon Inc., Ann Arbor Klapp Chiropractic Life Center PC, Ann Arbor Sunrise Market LLC, Au Gres Adventure Art Glass Inc. dba Hardwood Door, Auburn Hills GLAM Inc., Battle Creek Southside Vet Clinic, Battle Creek Bay Area Rental, Bay City Pleasanton Valley Greenhouses Inc., Bear Lake Village of Bellaire, Bellaire Bay Cliff Health Camp, Big Bay Lighthouse LLC, Big Bay Integrated Plantscapes, Byron Center J & J Smoked Meats LLC, Cadillac DNR Customs LLC, Casco Todd Talaski Enterprises LLC, Caseville Doc Sweets Candy Company LLC, Clawson Dima Khalife DDS PLC, Clinton Township Mervenne Holdings Inc. dba Champs Bar, Coopersville Kosch-Meier LLC dba Nitsche’s Sausage Co, Dearborn Tech Town Detroit, Detroit Van Dyke Coney Island LLC, Detroit Allsecurity Service Inc., Detroit The Peacock Room, Detroit Events to Rent, East Lansing Birdland Indian Art LLC, Frankfort Beyond 26 Inc., Grand Rapids Bay Harbor Fiberglass, Harrison Township D & A Rental Depot Inc., Hastings Parney Car Care Inc., Hillsdale Jead Enterprises LLC dba Floorgear, Holland Journey of Hope Yoga Inc., Holland Alliance Home Health Care Services Inc., Holland Uncle Jib’s LLC, Holland Parkway Inn Inc. dba Black Sheep Bar & Grill, Holland Northern Auto & Tire Inc., Honor Suomi Restaurant Inc., Houghton Magnum Equipment LLC, Hudsonville JuncaJ Rentals LLC, Imlay City Inland Lakes Rentals Inc. dba Rental Express, Indian River A Spectacular Event Inc., Jonesville Pure Green Lawn & Tree Professionals of Kzoo, Kalamazoo Melvin Hill dba Oak Hill Electric, Kalkaska The Stone Mill Inc., Lakeview Impression 5 Science Center, Lansing Lewiston Hotel Bar & Grill, Lewiston SJS Ventures Inc. dba Jamesport Brewing Co, Ludington Sloaneys LLC, Ludington Parkdale Auto Sales, Manistee Parkdale Auto Service, Manistee

Imperial Motel, Marquette Connectpay LLC, Massachusetts A-1 Auto Center Inc., Monroe Right at Home of Southeastern MI Inc., Monroe Dimartino Chiropractic Center PC, New Baltimore Black Cap Limousine LLC, New Baltimore Oliver Printing & Packaging, Ohio Contractors Equipment Supply Inc., Paw Paw Kelley Hardware & Rental, Paw Paw Manning Enterprises Inc., Paw Paw Shelby’s LLC, Pentwater A-1 Rent All Inc., Plainwell Opto Solutions Inc., Plainwell A & M Autoworks LLC, Plymouth Gild the Lily LLC, Rockford Northland Tool & Die Inc., Rockford Haven Creek, Rockford Frentz & Sons Hardware Co., Royal Oak JDCTek LLC, Royal Oak Leblanc Trucking LLC, Saginaw ABO Tent Events Inc., Saginaw Lakeshore RV Park & Campground LLC, Saint Ignace Konevals Kones, Saint Johns J & C Thumb Gunnery LLC, Sandusky The Owl House, Saugatuck ICR Plumbing LLC, Southgate Retail Resale LLC, Stanwood Klodi Carpet Installation LLC, Sterling Heights Team Manufacturing & Supply, Three Rivers L & L Floral Design Inc., Traverse City Ace Auto Repair LLC, Vermontville HQ Salon LLC, Waterford RSH Group Inc., Waterford Deano’s Pizza, West Branch Harbor Humane Society, West Olive National Confectioners Association, Washington, DC Great Lakes Elevator LLC, Williamston Newaygo County Mental Health, White Cloud PRM Trucking Inc., White Pigeon Stoney Acres Electric, Whittemore Michigan Snowmobile Association, Wyoming Charles Ramsey Tire Service LLC, Wyoming CBI Telecommunications Consultants, Wyoming Hager Wood Preserving LLC, Wyoming Superior Text LLC, Ypsilanti 734 Brewing Company Inc., Ypsilanti Advantage Marine Inc., Zeeland Blendon Cattle LLC, Zeeland

By Pas International, Zeeland Meyaard Tolman & Vanlet PC, Zeeland WWW.RETAILERS.COM JUN/JUL 2018

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