Aug/Sept 22 Michigan Retailer

MICHIGAN

R E TA I L E R

NORTH CENTRAL MICHIGAN COLLEGE CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF MRA MEMBERSHIP 2022 MICHIGAN RETAILERS SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY PROVIDES LIFESAVING RESOURCES THE CAMPUS CLOSET TRAINS NEXT RETAIL LEADERS

Aug. 2022 / Sept. 2022 Vol. 47 No. 4 The official publication of Michigan Retailers Association

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contents “Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.”

– Marian Wright Edelman Founder, President Emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund

RETAILERS.COM RETAILERSINSURANCE.COM BUYNEARBYMI.COM Visit us online to see what’s new in the industry and what services we provide members to strengthen your business.

FEATURES

8

DEPARTMENTS North Central Michigan College By: Shandra Martinez Petoskey’s NCMC finds new ways to serve students

From the CEO Win, Place, and Show

Legally Speaking

10 11 12

What is a Number Worth?

By: John Mayleben Preventing fraud in a non-faceto-face transaction

Implementing a Standard Operating Procedure By: Shandra Martinez How an SOP can strengthen your business 2022-23 Scholarship Winners Twelve Michigan Retailers Foundation scholarships awarded

Buy Nearby Weekend, Oct. 7-9

14

Get your store ready for our annual shopping weekend

Can I ban a problem customer?

Capitol Update Three of MRA’s Organized Retail Crime initiatives are signed into law

In Their Own Words Alpena High School’s studentrun store trains the next generation of business owners

Milestone Members

New Members

From the Archives

MRA Welcomes New VP

16 18

Andrea Bitely will lead the Communications and Marketing Department

Building Healthier Communities By: Meredith Gremel Share these lifesaving cancer resources Aug 2022 / Sept 2022 – 3

FROM THE CEO

Michigan Legislature: Win, Place, and Show BY: WILLIAM J. HALLAN

President & CEO of Michigan Retailers Association whallan@retailers.com

Every year my family watches the Kentucky Derby. We draw names, put a few dollars in the pot, and pretend like we follow horse racing year-round as we watch the fastest two minutes in sports. I love all of it, the bugler’s call to post, the mint juleps, hats, seersucker suits and pageantry. But it’s the race strategy that I enjoy the most. Will the pace be fast and furious? Will the favorite hang back to use its closing speed?

MRA President and CEO William Hallan, SVP of Government Affairs Amy Drumm, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on the steps of the Michigan Capitol.

The 2022 winner, Rich Strike, was a long shot at 80-1 odds and as the race unfolded it appeared that the odds were right on the mark. With 3/4ths of mile to go, Rich Strike was in 14th place in a 20-horse field. Jammed between two other horses, three wide of the rail, victory seemed impossible. But as the field broke for home, a lane to the inside opened, and the jockey expertly guided Rich Strike around a fading horse. A closing surge propelled Rich Strike past horses Epicenter and Zandon, making him the longest shot to win the Derby since 1913.

First, second, and third in a horse race is known as win, place and show. If you pick them in order, it’s called a trifecta, and the payout is huge. The retail industry had its own trifecta recently, and it wasn’t due to a lucky bet, rather, it was the result of many hours of hard work.

Organized Retail Crime (ORC) continues to plague our industry, but the recent passage of three pieces of legislation represents a significant victory that protects both retailers and consumers.

On July 19, Governor Whitmer signed the INFORM (Integrity Notification and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces) Act, HB 5486-5487 into law. The act requires online marketplaces to verify their high-volume thirdparty sellers and provide the seller’s contact

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information to purchasers. Criminals often use online marketplaces to sell stolen property, and new transparency requirements will make it more difficult for them to fence those goods.

On July 20, Governor Whitmer signed a bipartisan budget for the 2023 fiscal year, which includes $3.5 million in funding to be used for a dedicated ORC task force within the Attorney General’s department. Organized Retail Crime frequently occurs across multiple counties, and this budgetary expenditure vests additional resources within the AG’s department to prosecute ORC offenses.

On July 21, Governor Whitmer signed SB 691, which adds Organized Retail Crime to the list of crimes that can be charged as a racketeering offense. Racketeering in Michigan is a 20-year felony, so prosecutors now have additional tools (with significant teeth) to prosecute Organized Retail Crime.

Moving legislation in Michigan requires a clear strategy. Michigan is one of only 10 states with a full time legislature, so the process can require a steady pace, endurance, and some closing speed. Obtaining multiple legislative victories takes months of planning and we’re happy to report our own version of win, place and show. Trifecta’s are rare, so a celebration is appropriate. I don’t know about you, but I’ll be having a mint julep.

WILLIAM J. HALLAN MRA President and Chief Executive Officer

LEGALLY SPEAKING

Banning a Problem Customer BY: THOMAS CLEMENT

MRA Vice President, Operations and General Counsel tclement@retailers.com

An unfortunate reality of owning and operating a retail store is dealing with problem customers.

Whether they are disruptive, displeased with the service they have received, in violation of reasonable rules that you have put into place, or just downright unpleasant, dealing with these situations requires both deft interpersonal skills and a strong backbone.

Perhaps the initial reaction is to simply kick the customer out and tell them never to return.

In many circumstances this is the perfect response, especially where safety is an issue.

In other situations, an outright ban may be an overreaction to a circumstance that can be solved with some good diplomacy. In another scenario, maybe the mantra “the customer is always right” holds true and you need to assess whether you or your employees are in the wrong.

many states and local laws affording these protections. With these laws in mind, it is safe to say that you may be running afoul of the law if you ban or refuse to serve someone, not because of anything they have done, but simply because of who they are.

Of course, the overwhelming majority of retail owners do not discriminate against anyone, whether there are legal protections in place or not. These same people also have a vested interest in ensuring a safe, comfortable and enjoyable experience for their customers. In order to afford customers a nice experience, problem customers can and must be dealt with or without fear of legal recourse.

Recently, our Ask Us First team (askusfirst@retailers.com) was asked whether the owner of a store could ban a customer who engaged in a verbal dispute with staff. Generally, the answer is yes, so long as the reason for the ban is non-discriminatory and does not violate federal, state, or local laws.

You will also want to make sure that you inform the customer of the ban properly, in order to make enforcement easier.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits businesses from refusing service based upon race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Likewise, the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation on the basis of disability. There is no current federal law that bans discrimination in places of public accommodation based on sexual orientation or gender identity. However, this is very much a part of an ongoing nationwide dialogue, with

Dealing with problem customers can take several forms including a ban from the store, either formally or informally, a warning, or a discussion, whether amicable or not, in an effort to correct any miscommunications. In the normal course of events, these options will usually build upon each other. First, with the infamous, “I need to speak to your manager,” and the ensuing discussion that takes place.

Oftentimes, through good interpersonal skills, all issues can be resolved at this stage, whether

through accommodating the needs or wants of the customer, answering a question that others could not, or reaffirming what your employees have already communicated. If this fails, and the customer becomes increasingly disrupted or agitated, it may be time for the strong backbone to emerge, whether through agreeing to disagree, the customers departure, a stern warning, or a full ban.

If you choose to ban a customer from your store, in reality you are issuing them a trespass notice. Ideally, this should be done in writing, with a formal letter of trespass, so that you can prove that the person was on notice. Law enforcement in many communities provide resource officers who may be able to assist with service of a trespass notice. Where this type of resource exists, it is the safest option. MCL 750.522 provides that a person shall not “enter the lands or premises of another without lawful authority after having been forbidden to do so by the owner or occupant, or the agent of the owner or occupant.” Violation of this statute is a misdemeanor, punishable by not more than 30 days imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250, or both.

Banning a customer from your store is an extreme option that should be used only when necessary. The most obvious circumstances that warrant a ban are theft, property damage, or threats to physical safety. When a ban is necessary, knowing the options and the process will help implementation with maximum legal effect. If you would like a sample trespass letter that you can tailor for your own needs, please email me at tclement@retailers.com.

Aug 2022 / Sept 2022 – 5

CAPITOL UPDATE

A Trifecta Win to Combat ORC in Michigan BY: AMY DRUMM

Senior Vice President, Government Affairs adrumm@retailers.com

As of July 21, all three of MRA’s Organized Retail Crime (ORC) initiatives have been signed into law. This three-pronged approach includes the INFORM Act, adding ORC as a racketeering offense, and a $3.5M budget line item to create an ORC unit under the Attorney General. (See MRA President and CEO William J. Hallan’s column on page four for more detail.)

It wouldn’t have been possible to check all three of these boxes this year without help from the legislators who championed these bills and those who supported our efforts. Below, you’ll hear directly from our bill sponsors about why they felt it was important to work with MRA and support retail’s efforts to curb ORC activity in Michigan.

“Shoppers deserve protection from criminals — nefarious actors who use the convenience and anonymity of the internet to cheat buyers or even sell stolen items. Reasonable transparency requirements will deter criminals who try to hide behind a virtual mask.” – Representative Mark Tisdel, (R-Rochester Hills) sponsor of HB 5487, part of the INFORM Act. “Passing the INFORM Act here in Michigan was one of my biggest priorities in my first term as a legislator. This law will make third-party reseller

websites more legitimate, fair, and safe to use for all Michiganders while at the same time protecting our retailers and small businesses from increasing threats of organized retail crime. I am so proud that Michigan once again will take its leadership position at the forefront of innovative policymaking.” – Representative Samantha Steckloff (D-Farmington Hills), sponsor of HB 5486, part of the INFORM Act. “Shoplifting has blown up into a multi-billion industry across America. We’ve all seen video after video showing perpetrators bursting into businesses with hammers, bags, and other accessories to commit robberies in a highly organized manner — putting innocent customers and store employees in unnecessary danger. SB 691 seeks to hold accountable those at the top of the criminal ring who benefit from coercing youth and vulnerable individuals to commit organized retail crimes on their behalf.” – Senator Jim Runestad (R-White Lake), sponsor of SB 691, which adds ORC to the state’s racketeering statute.

MRA applauds the good work these lawmakers, their colleagues, and Gov. Whitmer did to stop ORC in Michigan, protecting consumers, retailers, and retail workers.

Judge Rules Original $12 Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Laws Be Reinstated On July 19, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Douglas Shapiro ruled that the legislature’s “adopt and amend” strategy on the 2018 minimum wage and paid sick leave ballot proposals was unconstitutional. The decision found that the subsequent revised laws passed in December 2018 were invalid and the original ballot proposals that were adopted in September 2018 must stand.

MRA recommends members wait for guidance from the state’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity before adjusting their policies.

As this publication went to print, a request for a stay (pause) on the decision had been filed and an appeal to the Court of Appeals was in progress. This issue will continue to play out at the court level for some time.

For now, nothing has changed from an implementation or enforcement standpoint. MRA continues to carefully monitor the situation and will keep members advised to any changes. Watch your email closely.

If the laws are reinstated, we fear that small businesses who just survived COVID shutdowns and are now battling workforce challenges, high inflation, and supply chain issues may not survive the extremely onerous requirements. We’ve also made a request for clarity and adequate implementation periods for employers if the laws are changed back to the much more aggressive, original proposals.

Gov. Whitmer signs INFORM Act legislation into law as bill supporters look on.

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Elections have consequences, this is one more reason to pay attention and vote carefully this year. MRA has made recommendations of retail-friendly candidates in many legislative races. Find our Friends of Retail list on our website.

Alpena High School Campus Closet

IN THEIR OWN WORDS MEMBER

SINCE

2020

Training the next generation of retail leaders BY: RACHEL SCHRAUBEN

For as long as Alpena High School students can remember, the Campus Closet has been open for business. What likely started as a quick pit-stop to buy a pencil or small snack between classes has merged into a full-scale, studentrun retail store.

Marketing teacher and Campus Closet student advisor Melissa Timmreck, along with student store managers, Gianna Bolda and Paige Timmreck, share how the Marketing Program, and Campus Closet specifically, have paved the way toward their future dreams.

Their normal high school experience Gianna – Students that visits the Campus Closet are most likely looking to buy a beverage, candy, or quick snack, but we also offer a variety of clothing – including our bestseller, hooded sweatshirts.

We operate during school hours and aren’t open to the general public, but we have an online store where orders can be placed and we’ve created a system to run purchases out to those that ordered online. The pandemic did affect some of our general public sales, but our high school is also a closed campus during the day, so the general public can’t just come in and shop on a whim. Student workers also have to attend their other core classes.

When you take the initial marketing class with Mrs. Timmreck, you first help out at the Campus Closet by re-stocking items, re-folding, and learning the small details into what it takes to run a retail store. It was interesting and fun, and it made me want to take the secondary marketing classes and gain more experience running my own business.

Paige – Student involvement and responsibility has grown over the years. We have vendors visit us to talk about their products and we decide what colors to bring into the store, the different fonts we’d like to use, and the different logos.

It’s interesting to look into our system and see what’s been selling best and to use that data to decide what products to buy more of and what products we may need to cut back on.

Melissa – We have 12 student employees running the store and the other 80 students in the marketing program help out on other various tasks. Help also comes from Marga Dekker, a para-professional in the program.

She takes shipments from vendors while the students are in their traditional classes.

We’re constantly getting candy and Frito-Lay deliveries and can get 20 cases of Pepsi or Coca-Cola in every other week.

DECA and NYC Melissa – Our school is involved in a DECA Marketing Club and Paige and Gianna hold officer roles. They’re CTE – Career and Technical Education – ambassadors and leaders for our section of marketing. They visit local elementary schools and share what’s happening at the Campus Closest, they lead tours for visiting schools and share their experiences. The Campus Closet has grown exponentially because of our work in the Club.

Paige – In our other advanced marketing class – Virtual Enterprise (VE) – students create an online virtual business and build a business plan for the company. Earlier in the year, we presented our business plan at the District Level and made it to the State Level and competed at Northwood University. We placed second in the state of Michigan, so that moved us onto the National Business Planning competition in New York City. We took the trip after Spring Break.

Melissa – We took eight students. Ninety different schools attended and we earned a Gold Booth Award for the tradeshow. It was a great experience for the students, many of which had never even flown before.

It was special to be a part of it. We flew into New Jersey, took a shuttle, and used the subway system the entire time. Students had the opportunity to see a Broadway play, visit the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and Central Park. Most of those experiences are something they would never be able to do, and now they’ll remember it for the rest of their lives.

(L-R) Gianna Bolda, Melissa Timmreck, Paige Timmreck

Campus Closet What is your biggest inspiration?

Paige – My family. They work hard to succeed and they’ve shown me that putting in work isn’t always fun, but it’s always worth it.

Gianna – My family. My siblings were very devoted to sports and always trying their hardest to get as far as they could and that’s a big inspiration to me.

What’s the latest movie, podcast, or show you binged?

Paige – a movie – The Social Network.

Gianna – a show – Inventing Anna.

Guidance from MRA Melissa – Our connection with the Michigan Retailers Association during the pandemic was vital. We had the guidance to order plexiglass stations and knew how many guests were allowed in the store. We were able to keep up with the changing sanitization methods and rules, and used the free Buy Nearby materials during Buy Nearby Weekend. It gave us an opportunity to replicate industry and MRA has been an awesome resource.

Aug 2022 / Sept 2022 – 7

FEATURE • NCMC

MEMBER

SINCE

2012

How the Pandemic Prepared One College for the Future BY: SHANDRA MARTINEZ

As COVID-19 continues to upend the higher education landscape, North Central Michigan College is finding creative ways to better serve students.

Online learning became universal during the pandemic as gatherings were restricted to prevent the spread of contagious and sometimes deadly illnesses. While students are returning to the classroom, the online component isn’t going away.

“Students are used to that now and are actually expecting that, so we’ve had to ramp up our offerings of the online courses,” said Troy Slater, North Central’s director of business services.

Fortunately, the community college has been helped by an increase in federal aid through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) that the college is investing in its campus and programs. HEERF III is authorized by the American Rescue Plan, a pandemicrelated financial relief package that became law in March 2021.

“We’ve used a lot of that money to upgrade technology so that we can offer remote classes and include hybrid remote classes,” Slater said.

“We bought a lot of technology equipment for our classrooms — such as cameras, speakers and things — so we can have hybrid remote classes, where some students are in the class www.retailers.com

and some are watching remotely. That’s just been a big thing that we, along with a lot of other colleges, have had to do.”

A portion of the $3.2 million allocation was also distributed to students in direct grants based on financial need, as required by law.

Student count expected to rise Enrollment stayed steady during the pandemic, and the college is seeing an increase for the fall. Slater says that may reflect fears that the economy may be heading into a recession.

Community college enrollments generally have an inverse relationship to how the economy is going. If it’s a good economy, enrollments can be down. Over the past decade, enrollment has been declining as the economy recovered from the Great Recession, when enrollment was at a record high.

The current student population of 1,700 includes traditional students, dual-enrolled high school students, and re-entry students.

“Many of the students who started here, their intention is to transfer to a four-year institution. We work very hard to maintain good relationships with the four-year colleges and universities in the state,” said Tom Zeidel, North Central’s vice president of finance and facilities.

The college is known for its highly-rated nursing program, and the growing demand for nurses has helped draw students. The college has a robust hospitality program because Northern Michigan is a big tourism draw. It also offers business manufacturing technology certification.

“There are several programs in that area that hopefully are preparing students for the future,” Slater said.

Recent additions to campus North Central, which opened in 1963, has expanded in recent years. The Student and Community Resource Center opened last year.

It houses the physical education and recreation facilities, an expanded college bookstore and the college’s Learning Support Services, which include open computer labs, a tutoring center and study areas.

The latest addition to the campus is the Health Education and Science Center, a 23,300-square-foot building to house science labs, classrooms and office space for faculty and staff. The project included renovation of the previous science laboratory space, creating 7,150 square feet of instructional space for nursing labs and general-purpose classrooms.

“We did a major renovation to our main

classroom and administration building,” Zeidel said. “We added a new piece to the building but we were also able to renovate some of the classrooms and students’ spaces with the goal of creating better student learning spaces.

That’s the new focus.”

“We periodically will make sure we’re getting the best deal and check with some competitors, but they aren’t able to significantly beat the rates that Michigan Retailers offers, and so we’re really happy to stay with them,” Slater continued.

Unlike most community colleges, North Central has residential housing to accommodate up to 120 students. During summer, the residence hall becomes housing for seasonal workers employed in construction and hospitality jobs.

Students often prefer to pay online or in person by credit card, he said.

“We’re certainly seeing the high demand for that in the last couple of years, to the point where we’re very much considering ways we can expand our housing,” Slater said.

Using MRA credit card services Slater joined the college 11 years ago as his department was making the decision to join Michigan Retailers Association.

“We did a search for credit card processors and MRA won the bid, and we’ve had absolutely no issues since then,” he said. “They have very good customer service. They are very easy to get ahold of and have always helped us. They’ve kept us up to date on the latest credit card processing equipment and have just been a really good partner for us.

“Credit cards are really just a way of life,” Slater said. “We’ve got credit card processing terminals at our gymnasium and our cafeteria, along with our cashiers’ station, but a lot of students pay online now. I like to think we’re keeping up with the times by the payment options we’re offering, and certainly, the credit card processor is a big part of that.”

most popular tourist destinations.

In the middle of the campus is a spectacular sculpture garden. Harris Gardens began with a gift of a sculpture from the late businessman and NCMC benefactor Jack Harris, whose initial donation was followed by many more and eventually grew into the sculpture garden. The college offers self-guided tours of 26 pieces of vibrant art, along with benches and pathways.

“We think it’s a great campus,” said Zeidel.

“We’re hoping since we are in a tourist area that people who come up here will visit our campus to see it.”

Athletics and art Last year, North Central joined the Michigan Community College Athletic Association, the state sports association for two-year colleges.

NCMC has six teams: men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, volleyball and esports (which turns online gaming into a spectator sport). Along with the status, the college has a mascot: the timberwolf.

The school’s colors are blue and green, reflecting the vibrant natural hues of the community that is one of Northern Michigan’s

(L-R) Troy Slater, NCMC Director of Business Services and Tom Zeidel, NCMC VP of Finance and Facilities

Aug 2022 / Sept 2022 – 9

CREDIT CARD PROCESSING

What is a Number Worth?

BY: JOHN MAYLEBEN

What is a valid credit card number worth to the bad guys? A lot, it seems.

Imagine having a ‘customer’ come into your physical store and stand at the cash wrap station asking you to run one card after another, one thousand times or five thousand or ten thousand?

Obviously you wouldn’t allow that in a face-toface environment but, depending on how your website is set up, the bad guys could be doing that right now ‘in your store.’

Card tumbling or Card Enumeration/Account testing is when someone uses a legitimate merchant account (not their own) to test thousands of cards, one right after another.

This practice is used to figure out if the card numbers the bad guy has access to are ‘good’ and can be sold on the dark web to other people who will commit fraud with those accounts.

Besides the obvious protection of the card processing ecosystem, the biggest issue for a merchant that suffers this type of attack is that they will incur transaction fees for each of those

CREDIT CARD PROCESSING Reach Customer Service at 800.563.5981, option 2.

attempts. While, individually, these transaction fees may only be a few pennies, when multiplied by 10,000 or 20,000, it results in a big monthly bill on the merchant processing statement.

There are a number of ways to prevent this type of thing from happening to your website. The easiest is to establish a CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart). This is the process that you, as a website visitor, have to view or read something on the page and retype it or click on images. These extra steps prevent a bot from using the website and completing the transaction without human intervention.

Another way to restrict card tumbling is to measure velocity. Just as in a face-to-face situation, you wouldn’t allow one of your store clerks to try five or 10 different cards to make a sale, you can configure your shopping cart to restrict card transaction attempts from the same computer during a specific timeframe (minutes, hours, days, etc.). This will prevent someone from (if they evade your CAPTCHA) tumbling a large number of card transactions against your merchant account.

GUIDANCE FOR CARD-NOTPRESENT TRANSACTIONS • Key the card number and expiration date.

• Enter street address (you must receive a Match response).

GENERAL TIPS • Ingenico iCT220 terminals are no longer compliant. The terminal will display “GeoTrust Certificate Expiring,” indicating the terminal must be upgraded.

• Credit card terminals are most efficient when processing with an internet connection.

• Keyed sales require an imprint or a copy of the front and back of the credit card.

Unembossed cards should not be keyed because they can’t be imprinted.

• WiFi capable terminals are now available.

Call customer service to discuss options.

• Before the sale is complete, review the credit card receipt to verify the amount is correct and a signature was obtained.

• If the customer is present and their credit card does not process when you insert the chip or swipe the card, request another form of payment.

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• Enter zip code (you must receive a Match response).

• Enter the three- or four-digit security code.

• Answer all prompts (invoice #, purchase order #, customer ID, sales tax amount, etc.).

• Obtain a signature on all sales at time of delivery or pickup, or request another form of payment.

FRAUD CONTROL If you receive a request to wire money or to ship merchandise out of the country, please call customer service to discuss before processing the transaction.

Be on alert for suspicious or fraudulent transactions, such as: • Multiple purchases by the same customer.

• Multiple credit cards from the same customer.

• AVS (Address Verification) or V-Code (Security Code) does not match.

• Shipping to an address different from the billing address.

PROTECTIVE MEASURES There are a number of other measurements that you can utilize, through your back office suite of tools on your website or shopping cart.

• Transaction alerts for a large number of attempts that fail, regardless of card number or IP address that is generating the attempt.

• Analyze time zones that originate transactions. Most of these fraud attempts are coming from an IP address that is not consistent with your location or usual customers’ location.

• Watch for matching data elements on each transaction. Example: is the same email address being provided for multiple transactions?

• Watch for authorization attempts with small dollar amounts ($1, $2 or $5). The bad guys just want to see if the card is ‘good,’ they don’t want to trigger any fraud flags with the issuer.

These types of fraud protections only work if you have them turned on via the tools that you have for your website back office. Because of this, make sure that you are protecting your login credentials and that you are using Multi Factor Authentication for logging into the set up portion of your website. Just like your physical store, your virtual store needs to be secured and you need to control access to the ‘office.’

You should also make sure your staff (that have login credentials) are aware and trained to prevent phishing attacks. They need to be able to protect those credentials to keep the bad guys out.

You also need to make sure that your web developer is applying all of the appropriate security patches in a timely fashion.

During a conversation with a merchant we discovered that they had missing website ‘patch’ that allowed someone to get into their back office and change the amount of an item that they then purchased online for a severe discount. This is the digital equivalent of changing the price tag before the clerk rings up the order. Thankfully, they had just set their website up and were watching the transaction process very closely and were able to stop the order before shipping.

While it is great to have a second sales channel (your website), you need to always think of it as an additional store front. That additional location has the same risks and security concerns as your primary store.

FEATURE • SOP

How an SOP Can Improve Your Business BY: SHANDRA MARTINEZ

S

tandard Operating Procedures (SOP) may sound dull, but they can be transformative for a business, especially a retailer. A document detailing practices can be key to easier onboarding of new employees, consistent customer experiences, and even increasing the value of a business in a sale.

Michelle McFarland, founder and owner of The Wedding Shoppe in Berkley, is glad she made the investment in an SOP. “It’s just been such a weight off my shoulders, knowing that our procedures are documented.

Now that it’s done, it’s so easy to make small tweaks and updates when we have a slight procedural change or technology changes a little bit,” McFarland said.

Creating an SOP was on her to-do list for years before she decided she needed help to make it happen.

“I just got to the point where I realized this is not something that I can do myself because no one on my team had the time or the inclination to do a project like that,” she said.

RELYING ON A PRO Fortunately, McFarland found Sarah Donnelly, founder and CEO of the Detroit area-based Retail Reality.

The SOP they assembled spans several hundreds of pages in Google Docs. While McFarland’s managers have spearheaded the project, most of the detailed work has been handled by Donnelly.

“She watches them do their work and talks to them about it, why it’s important and how it’s done. Then she takes all of her notes and writes out the formal SOP. She then meets with the same team member and runs through the SOP to make sure that it’s correct. She’s very thorough,” McFarland said.

In the wedding business, which has so many variables, an SOP ensures there are standardized procedures so all employees understand how to respond in each situation.

“My staff has grown to 30 people now and I just

staff transition. The employee may be gone, but everything their replacement needs to know is in the SOP. Find the pain points.

Michelle McFarland Owner, The Wedding Shoppe, Berkley

Comprehensive documentation helps owners discover any flaws in their procedures. Gaps and weak points become more obvious when procedures are put into writing.

It can be more than words.

Sarah Donnelly Founder and CEO, Retail Reality, Detroit

An SOP doesn’t just have to be written words.

Consider incorporating video, infographics, and photos. Think about how you want to communicate with your staff and how your staff receives the information. Some people are visual learners, while some need everything written down.

Can help businesses of any size.

can’t rely on everyone to remember everything.

There has to be a place they can go back to double-check,” said McFarland. “There’s no guesswork involved. If they have a shadow of a doubt that they might not be doing something correctly, they can go right to that document to check.”

Donnelly’s experience with SOP began during her days working in corporate retail.

Documentation was everywhere, whether on hard copy or the company’s internal website.

“It was used for your foundational information on how to operate everything from A to Z,” Donnelly said. “Whenever there were updates, they were communicated in a really timely manner so everyone was given a consistent experience right across the brand.”

SETTING UP AN SOP Scope of the project.

This depends on how quickly you want it done and how much you are going to be involved.

Knowledge base for workers.

SOPs can be extremely useful when onboarding new employees. It also helps with cross-training and gives you an insurance plan in case of sickness, maternity leave, or other

An SOP is helpful whether for a multi-store or single location operation. All enterprises will benefit from the clarity such a document provides.

DIY option.

Yes, you can do an SOP yourself. Just be prepared to invest the time. Donnelly recommends setting benchmarks and deadlines and assigning people to run the project. Test out the documents by having someone who doesn’t normally do a task go through the SOP guidance and see if they can do it. It’s like a recipe. You want consistent results.

Ultimately, an SOP empowers your team by giving them the tools to do what needs to be done. They can feel the success that comes from that, building growth and momentum.

“You’ve created the tools and foundation for your team to thrive,” Donnelly said. “Your customers get a consistent experience. And you can work on your business instead of in it.”

If you’re interested in documenting Standard Operating Procedures for your business, contact Sarah Donnelly at hello@retailrealitycoach.com or visit retailrealitycoach.com.

Aug 2022 / Sept 2022 – 11

FOUNDATION

12 Students Receive Michigan Retailers Foundation Scholarships MRA’s annual scholarship competition is awarding 12 college students with scholarships totaling $42,000 for the 2022-23 academic year. The awards are funded by the Michigan Retailers Foundation, the mission of which has always been to support the educational advancement of retail employees.

Earlier this year, the Michigan Retailers Association board voted to increase individual scholarship amounts to $3,500 and award 12 legacy scholarships in 2022. Last year, 26 scholarships were awarded ranging from $1,000-$1,500.

The following scholarships were awarded: • • • • • • •

MRA Legacy Scholarship (6) Paul M. Felice and Al Kessel Platinum Legacy Scholarship Helen McCurry Platinum Legacy Scholarship D. Larry Sherman Platinum Legacy Scholarship Raymond A. and Mildred C. Sobelton Platinum Legacy Scholarship Joseph Swanson Platinum Legacy Scholarship Walsh Family Platinum Legacy Scholarship

Donors for the six MRA Legacy Scholarships include: To be eligible, recipients must be an employee of a MRA member business or the dependent of an owner or employee of a member business.

Students apply between January 1 and April 1 each year for the scholarships.

The program’s totals have now reached $657,250 awarded to 613 recipients since 1999, when the current program format began.

Scholarship recipients were chosen by a thirdparty administrator – International Scholarship and Tuition Services.

Information for each student is listed in this order: high school; hometown; award name; business where the student or parent works; business location; college or university; major; and class status.

stay tuned... www.retailers.com

• Nathan Rosenfeld • Mark Schrag and Friends • Schwark Family, including brothers James, Tom and Michael • Barb Stein • Tom Ungrodt • John Mayleben, in honor of Linda Mayleben • Jean and Thomas Sarasin • Dan Marshall, in honor of Willis W. and Mary Jane Marshall • Orin and Tina Mazzoni and Family

The 2023-2024 scholarship competition will begin January 1, 2023 and run until April 1, 2023. Materials will be mailed out in the first week of January, following New Year’s Day.

• • • • • • •

Bo Brines and Family Judy and Rodney Phillips W. Bruce and Joyce M. Rogers Bill Golden Becky Beauchine Kulka Jeff and Doreen Joyce Larry and Gail Meyer

For more information regarding our scholarship competition, follow our MRA Facebook page at fb.com/MichiganRetailers.

Joseph Clark

Karlin Decker

Luke Douglass

Jordyn Disbrow

Portage Northern High School,

Alpena High School, Alpena

Ravenna High School, Ravenna

Kalkaska High School, Kalkaska

Portage

MRA Legacy Scholarship

MRA Legacy Scholarship

MRA Legacy Scholarship

Alpena High School Campus Closet, Alpena

Ravenna Lumber Company, Ravenna

Larry Sherman Platinum Legacy Scholarship

Northern Michigan University

Cornerstone University

University of Michigan

Biology

Education

Biochemistry

Freshman

Freshman

Sophomore

Jacob Fetrow

Jacob Flickinger

Ayah Habhab

Carter Harris

Allendale High School, Allendale

Home-schooled, Grand Rapids

Fordson High School, Dearborn

Saline High School, Saline

Paul M. Felice and Al Kessel Memorial Platinum Legacy Scholarship

Walsh Family Platinum Legacy Scholarship

Raymond A. and Mildred C. Sobelton Platinum Legacy Scholarship

Joseph Swanson Platinum Legacy Scholarship

Centrica Care Navigators, Kalamazoo Kalamazoo Valley Community College Communications

McLean’s Hardware, Kalkaska

Freshman

SpartanNash – D & W Fresh Market, Grand Haven Adrian College Business Management

Meijer, Grand Rapids Grand Valley State University Accounting Junior

Freshman

Rite Aid Corp., Allen Park

Milan Ace Hardware, Milan

Wayne State University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Pharmacy

Computer Engineering

Senior

Freshman

Gabriel Maday

Adam Rasmussen

Joel TenHaaf

Ethan Tennant

St. Francis High School, Traverse City

Traverse City Christian High School, Traverse City

Home-schooled, Caledonia

Bedford High School, Temperance

Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools, Traverse City

Alpena Marc, Alpena

MRA Legacy Scholarship

Helen McCurry Platinum Legacy Scholarship

MRA Legacy Scholarship University of Notre Dame Science Education Freshman

MRA Legacy Scholarship Cornerstone University Education Sophomore

Enwork, Caledonia Kettering University Mechanical Engineering Senior

Kroger Co., Monroe Aquinas College Political Science Freshman

Aug 2022 / Sept 2022 – 13

Buy Nearby Weekend Checklist Get your store ready for MRA’s annual shopping weekend!

Buy Nearby Weekend, MRA’s annual event designed to celebrate Michigan retailers and to promote shopping local, is Oct. 7-9, 2022. Get shoppers in your store with this handy checklist.

MRA members: order a free packet of Buy Nearby Materials Promote Buy Nearby Weekend in your store!

This year we have infographics, table tents, decals, and magnets to help encourage shoppers to Keep Their Money in Michigan!

Visit bit.ly/BuyNearbymaterials to order your free packet. Deadline to order: Sept. 23.

When you order a packet, you’ll automatically be added to our MRA Members Participating in the Buy Nearby Program list located on the Buy Nearby website.

Packets will be mailed/delivered starting Sept. 1.

our state and fuels our economy.

Get creative: plan your own promo Planning something special for your shoppers?

Share it with us or tag us in the social media announcement. We’ll share it with other MRA members for inspiration.

Buy Nearby Weekend would not be possible without the help of our leading sponsor, DTE Energy, and supporting sponsor, Retailers Insurance Company.

We greatly appreciate their support of the Buy Nearby program.

SPONSORED BY:

Joint our email list Stay in the know on all things Buy Nearby. Email rschrauben@retailers.com with your name, business name, and location to be added to our subscription list.

SUPPORT, POST,

SUPPORTING SPONSOR

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION SPECIALISTS

BUY NEARBY WEEKEND OCTOBER 7-9, 2022

Share our photo contest We’ve tweaked our photo contest for the 2022 weekend. Shoppers can now enter to win a $250 Visa gift card by shopping local on Oct. 7-9, taking a shopping selfie or photo of their purchase, and posting it to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and tagging the corresponding page: Facebook – @BuyNearbyMI Twitter – @BuyNearbyMI Instagram – @mibuynearby A winner will be chosen at random and announced on Oct. 11.

But that’s not all – the store where the winner shopped at will also win $250, in the form of a Visa gift card. It’s simple, promote the contest to your shoppers and increase your chances to win!

Download assets from our media kit Get everything you need for digital promotion in our media kit – downloadable images, infographics, banners, press releases, logos, and sample posts – all compiled to help promote the importance of shopping local and showcase how every shopping dollar impacts

www.retailers.com

Enter to win a $250 Visa gift card in three easy steps: 1

Shop local on Oct. 7-9

2

Take a shopping selfie or photo of your purchase

3

Post it to social media, tagging the corresponding page Facebook - @BuyNearbyMI Twitter - @BuyNearbyMI Instagram - @mibuynearby

THAT’S NOT ALL...

The store where the winner shopped at will also win $250, in the form of a Visa gift card!

To learn more, go to buynearbymi.com/photo-contest

BUY NEARBY WEEKEND OCTOBER 7-9, 2022

KEEP YOUR MONEY

IN MICHIGAN! www.BuyNearbyMI.com

SPONSORED BY:

SUPPORTING SPONSOR

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION SPECIALISTS

Aug 2022 / Sept 2022 – 15

WHAT’S NEW?

MRA Welcomes Andrea Bitely as Vice President of Marketing and Communications Michigan Retailers Association welcomed Andrea Bitely as its new Vice President of Marketing and Communications on July 18.

“Andrea will be a great asset to MRA’s membership with her experience in business, government, politics, crisis communications management and public affairs, and will assist our members whenever and wherever they need their voice heard,” said William J. Hallan, President and CEO of Michigan Retailers Association.

“Andrea has strong connections with media from across the state of Michigan, and she understands the power of having the voices of Michigan’s retailers being heard loud and clear by legislators in Lansing, and by community

leaders across the state. I’m proud to welcome Andrea to the MRA team.”

Bitely, a Michigan native, joins MRA from Truscott Rossman (TR), a Detroit-based public relations firm. Bitely was the Senior Director of Strategy and Client Services at TR, serving clients in Michigan while nationally tackling crisis communications and public affairs. She worked with businesses and educational institutions large and small, and supported trade associations in the business and healthcare communities.

Bitely was named one of Lansing’s most effective public affairs professionals, and the leading woman, in the most recent survey by MIRS of Capitol insiders.

Jena Hovey/McShane Photography

She previously served as the Director of Communications and Public Affairs for thenAttorney General Bill Schuette, as Director of Social Media for Washington, DC-based news outlet POLITICO, and as the Senior Manager of Digital Content for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

Your Employees Can Be Your Best Defense Against a Cyberattack BY: DAVE KELLY, CTO, SENSCY We all understand that the last few years have been a difficult time for many small businesses.

But small business owners are resilient and have managed to change the way in which we do business to survive—and thrive—in this new era.

There is a risk on the horizon that cannot be ignored. According to CyberSecurity Magazine, 61% of small to medium-sized businesses (SMB) have reported at least one cyberattack during the previous year and 43% of all data breaches now involve SMBs. While these statistics are alarming, the good news is that there are many cost-effective things that can be done to significantly reduce the risk of a successful attack and/or ensure the ability to recover, should an incident occur.

Employee training Our employees are our greatest asset, but when it comes to cybersecurity, they can also be our greatest risk. This has been a consistent www.retailers.com

trend in cybersecurity for many years, but it can be avoided with persistent cybersecurity awareness and policy.

Phishing Phishing is a form of social engineering and is a common technique used by hackers to trick employees into divulging company information or to download malicious code. This technique takes advantage of two traits that all our best employees have: trust and a desire to help others.

Phishing attacks can occur through email, text messages, instant messaging, social media, or phone calls. The common thread of a phishing attack is to present an immediate problem to our employee and ask for their help to solve it.

How easy is it for hackers to pull off social engineering?

According to a recent report in Forbes,

employees of small businesses with less than 100 employees will experience 350% more social engineering attacks than employees of larger enterprises. Hackers have realized that small business employees are less prepared to deal with these situations due to a lack of consistent training on how to identify social engineering.

SensCy recommends a cybersecurity training program that involves 10 to 15-minute lessons every other month. By committing to a cybersecurity education program, you can protect your greatest asset (your employees), safeguard your business, and sleep better at night knowing you are creating a front-line defense against cyber criminals.

For more information on cybersecurity, visit www.senscy.com.

Surcharging helps you keep more of you profits where they belong – in your pocket.

This means you’ll have more money to reinvest in your business.

Reinvestment means more customers.

And more customers mean more growth.

Michigan Retailers Association offers one of the most competitive and flexible credit card processing solutions in Michigan.

When you work with us, you gain a host of benefits, service options, and a team of supporters all devoted to helping your business grow.

To learn more, go to retailers.com/surcharge-program

Enjoy even better savings Members can

save up to 40%

Members now save up to 40% on FedEx with the MRA Shipping Program.

on FedEx shipping with the MRA shipping program

PartnerShip.com/41MRA

Enroll now at PartnerShip.com/41MRA 800-599-2902 sales@PartnerShip.com 800.599.2902 •• sales@PartnerShip.com Aug 2022 / Sept 2022 – 17

FEATURE • LLS

Connect Staff and Communities to Vital Lifesaving Cancer Resources BY: MEREDITH GREMEL

Meredith Gremel retired from SpartanNash in 2021 and served on the Michigan Retailers Services board from 2020-2021.

Michigan Mission Progress – Michigan 2021 2021 continued to be a year like no other, but LLS was unstoppable in serving thousands of patients and their families in Michigan by providing financial assistance, educational programs and resources, support and advocacy.

Andy and Meredith Gremel

Every three minutes, someone receives news that seems to stop time.

1,990

$9,087,000

Patients and caregivers served by Education and Services in the state of Michigan.

In Co-Pay assistance awarded to patients in the state of Michigan in 2021.

$11,150,305

LLS helped pass the landmark federal law – No Surprises Act - that will prohibit healthcare providers from charging patients through surprise medical bills.

LLS helped pass the CLINICAL TREATMENT Act, ensuring the 80 million Americans covered by Medicaid can access clinical trials

“You have a form of blood cancer.”

Fear, uncertainty, and plenty of questions and ‘what ifs’ set in.

Where do you turn for help?

Fortunately, here in Michigan and throughout the United States, families, businesses, and healthcare providers have a tremendous resource. Since 1949, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) has invested nearly $1.5 billion in groundbreaking research, pioneering many of today’s most innovative approaches. This global leader is dedicated to finding cures and ensuring patients can access the lifesaving treatments they need. When someone experiences the fear and uncertainty of a cancer diagnosis, LLS provides hope, compassion, education, and support.

LLS was founded by a family for families, years ago at a time when a diagnosis of leukemia was nearly 100% fatal. With the development of new treatments for childhood leukemia, to today’s advances in precision medicine and

www.retailers.com

Over the past decade, research funding in the state of Michigan that supports and encourages basic and translational research on all blood cancers

We advocate for policies that will ensure underserved blood cancer patients have access to quality, affordable treatment — regardless of their background, income, or insurance status

$60,500

In Urgent Need financial assistance provided to patients in the state of Michigan..

$5,400

In Patient Aid financial assistance provided to patients in the state of Michigan.

900 New patients and caregivers served by Education and Services in the state of Michigan.

"...It brings me to tears when I think about how much they have done for me & that their help has helped me focus on getting better & not on finances. LLS, I love you all & words could never say how much I appreciate your help, thank you just doesn’t seem to be enough but I truly do THANK YOU!! God bless you all, the ones that donate & everyone else involved in this wonderful organization!!" - Barbara, Patient The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – National Office – 3 International Drive, Suite 200 Rye Brook, NY 10573

immunotherapy, LLS has had a colossal impact on advancing cancer cures and changing the way cancer is treated.

Here’s a snapshot of LLS’s impact in Michigan alone last year: • LLS gave more than $9M to Michigan residents to help pay for cancer treatments, travel, and medications.

• LLS awarded over $2.6M in research grant support to the Grand Rapids-based VanAndel Institute and The University of Michigan Medical Center.

• LLS funded 14 of the 17 FDA approved treatments for blood cancer. (85% in the last five years and 40% of all cancer treatments are the result of blood cancer research).

• Nationwide, LLS education and information specialists connected over 26,000 callers to healthcare providers and resources – navigating the confusing landscape in 170 languages.

Thanks to research, survival rates for patients with many blood cancers have doubled, tripled, and even quadrupled since the early 1960s.

Yet, despite these advances, blood cancers are the second leading cause of death and about one-third of patients do not survive five years after their diagnosis. Every nine minutes a loved one is lost to blood cancer.

Blood cancers don’t care about your age, sex, race, education, profession, or background.

This insidious disease strikes everywhere and often.

how can you help?

Align Retail Brand with Building Healthier Communities

Building awareness of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s educational support, advocacy, peer partnering, and financial resources is critical to ensuring access to care.

So is raising funds for research and support services.

Each fall, LLS hosts Light The Night events in over 150 major markets throughout the United States to raise awareness and funds to find a cure, while improving patient outcomes. Coming together for a common goal, friends, family, businesses and coworkers form fundraising walk teams. Millions of consumers also help by donating at retail outlets. Culminating in inspiration and memorable evening walks, participants carry illuminated lanterns to take steps to end cancer – white for survivors, red for supporters, and gold in memory of loved ones lost to cancer.

“When a loved one hears the words ‘you have cancer,’ it is one of the darkest moments in your life,” said Lori Morrison, LLS Executive Director for the Michigan-Indiana Region. “At Light The Night, it is our aim to bring light to the darkness of cancer through research and cures, and reinforce the urgent need to raise awareness.

LLS is a global leader in the fight against cancer, and we won’t stop until we achieve a world without blood cancer.”

To form a team or to learn more, please call Allie Wittenbach, Michigan Campaign Director at 616.260.4400 or visit www.lightthenight.org.

The 2022 Light The Night campaign includes three inspirational evenings in Michigan: • September 22, Midland Farmer’s Market, Midland • September 29, Hart Plaza, Detroit • October 6, Calder Plaza, Grand Rapids For decades, national, regional, and local retailers have benefitted from aligning their brands with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night campaign.

Partnerships are personalized, and have included retail scans, percent of sales, in-kind donations, co-branding products, forming corporate teams, and engaging staff in volunteering or walking at the event.

According to the Cone Global CSR Report and Social Impact Study: • 93% of consumers have a more positive image of a company that supports LLS. • 92% want to buy a product that supports a cause.

• 90% of consumers say they would switch brands.

• 82% of consumers believe support of a cause is important when deciding where to shop, what to buy and what products to post, tweet, or pin about.

The 2022 LLS West Michigan Light The Night campaign is co-chaired by former Michigan Retailers Services board member and retired SpartanNash executive, Meredith Gremel. In 2020, Meredith underwent treatment for a rare form of lymphoma. She and her husband, Andy, are passionate about using their gift of time and stable health to help families navigating blood cancers. For more than 35 years, The Gremel Group has dedicated itself to ensuring Michiganders have affordable access to healthcare by providing insurance and advisory services to businesses and individuals.

Aug 2022 / Sept 2022 – 19

MILESTONE MEMBERS

Mackinac Island Bikes Mackinac Island

25 years The Jewelry Shoppe Jackson

10 years Thank you for your continued loyalty to MRA!

www.retailers.com

Automatic Equipment Sales & Service, Walker

Great Lakes Foot Care, Pontiac

The Beauty Stop LLC, Marlette

Greenfield Presbyterian Church, Berkley

BioLyte Laboratories LLC, Grand Rapids

Ink and Toner Alternative, Sault Ste. Marie

CEI Michigan LLC, Whitmore Lake

Kost Contracting, Grand Ledge

Country Woods, Ovid

Simply You Salon & Spa, Stockbridge

Fraco Inc., Marquette

Sunsation Products, Algonac

Paul Glendon, Arbitrator Attorney, Ann Arbor

NEW MEMBERS

A very warm welcome to all of our new members!

We look forward to serving you!

Algonac Coney Island, Algonac Armada Baseball Association, Armada Great Lakes Holistics dba GLH Cannabis Co., Battle Creek Eclipse Communications LLC, Benzonia Reliable Liaison Services LLC, Brighton Blue Water Importers Inc., Burton Riley Partners LLC dba One Love Labs, Burton

Bachman’s Welding LLC, Hartford

Petland, Novi

Gomez Granite Countertop LLC, Holland

Forgotten Harvest Inc., Oak Park

Holland Eye Clinic PC, Holland

Richmond Township General Fund, Palmer

Graphix Signs & Embroidery, Holland

Strobel Corp. dba HighTalian Farms, Paw Paw

Fortress Stabilization Systems LLC, Holland CFit LLC dba Crossfit Hakkapelitta, Houghton

Portland Plastics Co., Portland

Heritage Hot Lunch, Hudsonville

LBVIA, Rockford

Wick Wire PC, Iron River

Precision Jig & Fixture Inc., Rockford

Globe Industries Inc., Ironwood

Old Town Distillery LLC, Saginaw

Mulder’s Moving & Storage, Kalamazoo

DP Technologies Group, Saginaw

Healthcare Career Pathways LLC, Kalamazoo

SSMCC LLC dba Sault Ste. Marie Country Club, Sault Ste. Marie

Blessing of the Boats Inc., Ludington Ludington Meat Company, Ludington

Fly with Tango LLC dba Stony Lake Market, Shelby

JI Painting Co LLC, Macomb

V.O. Settings, Southfield

Faith in Christ Fellowship, Marquette

Northwestern MI Emergency Physicians PC, Traverse City

Stop Pest Control Power Washing Inc., Melvindale

Radio North LLC, Traverse City

Legends Bar & Grille LLC, Muskegon

Muncipal Services Consulting Inc., Traverse City

BN Trans LLC, New Baltimore 1st Street Market LLC dba Cafe 31, New Era

Traverse Bay Radiation Oncologists PC, Traverse City Traverse Neuro Rehabilitation LLC, Traverse City

Traffic Reconstitution & Transportation Compliance, Byron Center

The Workshop Brewing Company LLC, Traverse City

FCG Truck Driver Training Inc., Byron Center

Stump’s Trucking LLC, Camden

Modern Bird LLC, Traverse City

Balch Investments Inc. dba GNC, Midland

Fleet Compliance Group Ltd., Byron Center

Sleepy Hollow Pet Cemetery & Crematory LLC, Byron Center

LBVWS, Rockford

Under Par Golf

Sozo Companies, Warren Dorr Environmental and Septic LLC, Wayland

Tromble Bay Farms Inc., Cheboygan

Giana Carolina Designs dba Diva Design Jewelry, West Bloomfield

Dependable Marine Service Inc., Chesterfield

Michigan Evergreen Nursery Inc., West Olive Dawn to Dusk LLC, West Olive

Joshua’s House dba Red Door Thrift Store, Clare

Planted Provisioning, Whitmore Lake

Commercial Interior Construction LLC, Clarkston

A & V Construction Services LLC, Wyoming

M46 Brothers Party Store LLC, Caro

Norton Shores

Eco Green Supply, Wyoming Aspen Gardens LLC, Ypsilanti

Hostel Detroit, Detroit Q & F Hotel Mgt Co dba De Lido Motel, Detroit DM Burr Security Services Inc., Flint Great Atlantic Outfitters, Florida The Paisley Gastropub LLC, Grand Haven United Foodservices Solutions Inc., Grand Ledge Snack Craft LLC, Grand Rapids Door 2 Door Disposal LLC, Grand Rapids IGA Abrasives LLC, Grand Rapids RTD19 LLC, Harrison Township

Owner: Stephen Smiddy Year opened/started: 2021 Specialties: Indoor golf simulation, club building, club repairs, lessons MRA services: Workers’ compensation Best business advice given or received: You can never have a bad day with a good attitude.

Favorite thing about Norton Shores: The community

Aug 2022 / Sept 2022 – 21

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Remembering Michigan Retailer March 2000 ( Vol. 25/Issue 2)

Every now and then, we stumble upon gems from our archives.

Take a look back at Foundation statistics from 2000.

Although the scholarship program has changed over the past two decades, one thing will remain the same, the Foundation’s philosophy to honor our members, their employees, and their dedication to the retail industry.

Note the Cowrie shell necklace – a 2000 signature look that is making its way back in popularity twenty years later.

www.retailers.com

PUBLICATION OFFICE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MICHIGAN RETAILERS SERVICES, INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

603 South Washington Avenue Lansing, Michigan 48933

Bo Brines Chair Little Forks Outfitters, Midland

William J. Hallan President & CEO

Phone: 517.372.5656 or 800.366.3699

William J. Hallan President & CEO Michigan Retailers Association

Fax: 517.372.1303

Bill Golden Vice Chair Golden Shoes, Traverse City Peter R. Sobelton Treasurer Mondial Properties, Birmingham

ABOUT US Michigan Retailer (USPS 345-780, ISSN 0889-0439) is published in February, April, June, August, October, & December by Michigan Retailers Association.

603 South Washington Avenue Lansing, Michigan 48933 Periodical postage paid at Lansing, Michigan Postmaster: Send address changes to 603 South Washington Ave., Lansing MI 48933.

This publiction may be recycled with white office paper.

Chad Ayers Allendale True Value, Allendale Rachel Hurst Kroger Co. of Michigan, Novi John Leppink Leppink’s Food Centers, Belding Joe Swanson Target, Retired

Becky Beauchine Kulka Past Chair Becky Beauchine Kulka Diamonds and Fine Jewelry, Okemos Kim Edsenga Meijer, Inc., Grand Rapids

MICHIGAN RETAILER

Dan Marshall Marshall Music Company, Lansing

William J. Hallan Publisher

Orin Mazzoni, Jr. Orin Jewelers, Northville

Andrea Bitely Editor

Joseph McCurry Credit Card Group

Rachel Schrauben Copy Editor and Content Manager

Bryan Neiman Neiman’s Family Market, St. Clair

Josh Delany Design and Layout

Barb Stein Great Northern Trading Co., Rockford

Shandra Martinez Contributor

Thomas Ungrodt TDU Consulting, LLC, Ann Arbor

Steve Jessmore, Josh Delany and Lisa Reibsome Photographers

D. Larry Sherman Board Member Emeritus

Your code is:

MRA22AUG ADVERTISE

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

MICHIGAN

R E TA I L E R 603 South Washington Avenue Lansing, Michigan 48933 Phone: 517.372.5656 or 800.366.3699 Fax: 517.372.1303