OCT/NOV 18 Michigan Retailer

OCT/NOV 2018 The official publication of the Michigan Retailers Association

www.retailers.com

Stores that lure millennials MSU’s new processing center may spice up our grocery carts Wahmhoff Farms kicks into holiday high gear What if a patron says you violated her religion?

Tapper’s Diamonds & Fine Jewelry in metro Detroit

Volume 43 No. 5

Board of Directors BECKY BEAUCHINE KULKA

Chair Becky Beauchine Kulka Diamonds and Fine Jewelry, Okemos

JAMES P. HALLAN

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

President and CEO

CHAD AYERS

President and CEO Michigan Retailers Association

Allendale True Value, Allendale

BO BRINES

Leppink’s Food Centers, Belding

Vice Chair Little Forks Outfitters, Midland

PETER R. SOBELTON

Treasurer Mondial Properties, Birmingham

WILLIAM J. HALLAN

Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel Michigan Retailers Association

JOHN LEPPINK

KIMBERLY MILLS

Target Corp.

JAMES P. HALLAN

Publisher

MEEGAN HOLLAND

Editor

PAT KERWIN

ORIN MAZZONI, JR.

Design Manager

BILL GOLDEN

Publication Office

KEN HAYWARD

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

Past Chair Orin Jewelers, Garden City Golden Shoes, Traverse City Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island

DAN MARSHALL

Marshall Music Company, Lansing

JOSEPH MCCURRY

Credit Card Group

BRYAN NEIMAN

Neiman’s Family Market, East China Township

BARB STEIN

Great Northern Trading Co., Rockford

JOE SWANSON

Big Springs Enterprises

THOMAS UNGRODT

TDU Consulting, LLC, Ann Arbor

JAMES WALSH

Meijer, Inc., Grand Rapids

D. LARRY SHERMAN

Board Member Emeritus

MICHIGAN RETAILER OCT/NOV 2018

About Us Michigan Retailer (USPS 345-780, ISSN 0889-0439) is published in February, April, June, August, October and December by Michigan Retailers Association, 603 South Washington Ave., Lansing, MI 48933.

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

GETTING MILLENNIALS THROUGH YOUR DOOR page 10 In some respects, millennials are taking retailers back to basics.

They want less of a transactional experience and more of a relationship with their favorite stores.

Contents FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

3 SEASONAL HIRING WOES It’s tough during a year marked by labor shortages, so training is key.

2 FROM THE CEO

7 WHAT’S THE FUTURE OF RETAIL Our correspondent reports back from the recent design:retail Forum in Detroit.

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MSU’S NEW INCUBATOR What’s the FPIC? MSU proudly unveils its Food Processing Innovation Center.

14 CENTENNIAL RETAILER See which business is the latest to qualify for a Centennial plaque.

3 FIVE TIPS How to recruit the best employees.

4 GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MRA vets candidates to guide you as you head to the polls to vote.

5 IT’S THE LAW Religious beliefs violated?

6 RETAIL TECH Why ALL data breaches are bad.

6 RIC SAFETY TIP MIOSHA offers safety equipment grants.

17 AN EPIC WEEKEND Scenes from Buy Nearby Weekend.

15 CATCH-ALL DRAWER Tidbits from around the retail world.

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16 LOTTERY COLUMN

Retailers.com RetailersInsurance.com BuyNearbyMI.com

IN HIS OWN WORDS Dan Wahmhoff talks about life on one of the top Christmas tree farms in the country.

21 NEW MEMBERS

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

WWW.RETAILERS.COM OCT/NOV 2018

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FROM THE CEO Fall Musings Joined by almost every major business association in the state, Michigan Retailers announced its endorsement of Attorney General Bill Schuette for Governor and Lisa Posthumus Lyons for Lt. Governor. For us, the endorsement decision was easy. Attorney General Bill Schuette has been a terrific advocate for the business community. For example, he signed on to a brief that urged the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit its 1992 Quill decision that determined when remote sellers should collect sales tax. Partly as a result of his engagement, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that a new economic nexus test should be used to determine when sales tax should be collected. Likewise, when Lisa Posthumus Lyons was in the state legislature, she introduced, at our request, the bill that repealed Michigan’s item pricing law and incorporated pricing flexibility that recognized the advantages of emerging technology. Without her strong leadership, we could very well still be fighting for pricing modernization. These two examples of the leadership provided by Bill Schuette and Lisa Posthumus Lyons have directly benefited the retail community. Many more examples of their pro-business support have been exhibited over the years and we are confident that they will continue to lead Michigan’s economic recovery.

ELECTION SEASON The November elections are fast approaching with our mailboxes inundated with campaign flyers and the airwaves filled with media pitches. When civil discourse is pitched and campaign emotions run high, let us all remember that our right to vote is precious.

Please make sure to vote.

SQUIRREL REPORT A few years ago, I started to make my very “scientific” squirrel report as a predictor of the upcoming winter season. Assisting me in this very scientific methodology is my trusty border terrier, Winston. Collectively, Winston and I have observed that the squirrels are more abundant this year and their nut gathering more intense.

Thus, we predict winter we will be earlier and harsher than last year.

FOOD RETAILERS SUMMIT We just concluded the newly formatted Food Retailers Summit, and by all accounts, it was very successful. The event marked the 120th anniversary of the grocers’ gathering and was held at beautiful Crystal Mountain with a dash of Winston, intent on getting an accurate absolutely Pure Michigan weather. winter forecast, scours the yard to Speakers covered wide-ranging monitor squirrel activity. subjects, including loss prevention, active shooter prevention tips, shopping trends and economic initiatives by USDA. The grocers became a division of Michigan Retailers earlier this year, and we were pleased to continue their time-honored convention.

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MICHIGAN RETAILER OCT/NOV 2018

JAMES P. HALLAN MRA President and Chief Executive Officer

Hiring woes

MRA workshops encourage businesses to invest in employees

By MEEGAN HOLLAND

RECRUITING

Retailers are looking for employees who can help create gratifying experiences for customers. In a tight labor market, how do you find them?

1 2 3 4 5

Never stop Don’t wait until you need to start looking for your next hire. To avoid starting from scratch, constantly recruit.

Stay in touch Keep your eye out for great servers, somebody who impresses you at church, or your friend’s good kid. Stay in touch with them for that time you have an opening.

Toot your horn Convey to potential employees how your store provides a better culture and work environment than others.

Network like crazy Always have your business card and give it out to those who impress you. Say, “Hey, I hope you’re happy where you are, but if you’re ever looking…”

Invest in your best Finally, consistently show your best employees how much you appreciate their sales savvy. Invest in their training.

Retention is the best policy!

Some tips provided by: Bob Negen, WhizBangTraining.com

It’s not a coincidence that the “5 Tips” feature at left is focused on helping you recruit employees. Stores have been struggling to find great employees all year, let alone the holiday season.

Macy’s, Kohl’s and Target announced they want to add a total of 300,000 employees, and plan to add perks to attract candidates.

That will make it tough for smaller stores to hire.

One way to recruit and retain employees is to invest in them. MRA helped do just that recently by carrying on the annual meeting of food retailers, and co-sponsoring workshops targeting jewelry stores and Detroit area entrepreneurs. Here are some nuggets: The Jewelers Summit: Sales trainer expert Shane Decker said at the jewelery conference: “The experience delivered is more important that then product purchased.” Other tips from Shane: • Greet everyone within seconds of their entering the store; too often, customers aren’t acknowledged.

• Team sell – if you can’t close the deal, bring in another associate with a different sales style.

• Walk your clients to the door after the sale – in other words, treat them as if they were in your home.

Holiday readiness workshops at TechTown Detroit: Mary Aviles of Connect 4 Insight on Sept. 30 talked about ways to keep customers surprised - in a good way - every time they walk in your store. Pro tip: When a customer comes in looking for a product and you don’t have it, figure out a way they can get it, even if it means sending them to your competitor. That adds to your credibility and supports another local retailer.

Retail operations guru Christina Devlin on Oct. 3 discussed procedures to help things run smoothly during the holidays, including staffing, inventory management and handling crowds.

The final workshop is Oct. 24 at Techtown from 6-8 p.m. on merchandising. More info: mholland@retailers.com The Food Retailers Summit: Attendees learned that in the event of an active killer entering the premises, there’s no “one-size fits all” solution, but there are several best practices to keep customers and employees safe. Three widely accepted training and emergency planning platforms are: Run – Hide – Fight; Avoid – Deny – Defend (A.D.D.); and Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate (A.L.I.C.E.).

Businesses who have trained employees with active response strategies rather than passive responses have a much higher rate of survival. Employers may also want to consider strategically placing first aid/bleeding control kits around their building to provide first aid in case EMS is delayed.

WWW.RETAILERS.COM OCT/NOV 2018

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2018 Friends of Retail Michigan Retailers Association announced the designation of 120 legislative candidates (41 state senate candidates and 79 state house candidates) in the August 7 primary election who are considered a “Friend of Retail” (FOR) and deserve member support. Our FOR candidates did well in the primary with 85 moving on to the general election (27 state senate candidates and 58 state house candidates.

MRA’s Friends of Retail designations were approved by the Association’s Legislative Committee and are based on an analysis of voting records and candidate questionnaires. Candidates earning a Friend of Retail designation have demonstrated through their votes on key business issues and their answers to critical business policy questions that they understand the importance of the retail industry to Michigan’s economy.

When MRA makes Friends of Retail selections, we do so based on candidates’ policy positions and votes on business-related items. MRA believes that simplifying and reducing regulations and allowing businesses to determine the benefits they can offer gives retailers the best chance of competing for talent and innovation as the economy continues to change.

It can be hard to find candidates and lawmakers who will support your business with their votes. You may not agree with them 100 percent of the time – in fact, it’s highly unlikely you will agree with them 100 percent of them time. We encourage you to look at our recommendations with your business hat on. They may not always reflect your personal beliefs on certain matters but from our experience, they are best positioned to listen to and vote with the retail community on business matters. That’s why we’re here – to help protect and grow your business.

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MICHIGAN RETAILER OCT/NOV 2018

General Election Candidates Michigan State Senate 2 7 8 10 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 20 21 22

Adam J. Hollier (D-Detroit) Laura Cox (R-Livonia) Peter Lucido (R-Shelby Township) Mike MacDonald (R-Sterling Heights) Henry Yanez (D-Sterling Heights) Michael McCready (R-Bloomfield Hills) Marty Knollenberg (R-Troy)* Ruth Johnson (R-Holly) Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake)* Dale Zorn (R-Ida)* Margaret O’Brien (R-Portage)* Kim LaSata (R-Bainbridge Township) Lana Theis (R-Brighton)

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Curtis Hertel (D-East Lansing)* Tom Barrett (R-Potterville) Dan Lauwers (R-Brockway) Jim Ananich (D-Flint)* Peter MacGregor (R-Rockford)* Chris Afendoulis (R-Grand Rapids Township) Roger Victory (R-Georgetown Township) Ken Horn (R-Frankenmuth)* Rick Outman (R-Six Lakes) Jon Bumstead (R-Newaygo) Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington) Jim Stamas (R-Midland)* Wayne Schmidt (R-Traverse City)*

Michigan House of Representatives 13 17 20 24 30 32 33 38 39 40 41 44 45 46 47 52 53 56 57 58 59 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 70

Frank Liberati (D-Allen Park)* Joseph Bellino (R-Monroe)* Jeff Noble (R-Plymouth)* Steve Marino (R-Harrison Township)* Diana Farrington (R-Utica)* Pamela Hornberger (R-Chesterfield)* Jeff Yaroch (R-Richmond)* Kathy Crawford (R-Novi)* Ryan Berman (R-Bloomfield Hills) David Wolkinson (R-Birmingham) Doug Tietz (R-Troy) Matt Maddock (R-Milford) Michael Webber (R-Rochester Hills)* John Reilly (R-Oakland Township)* Hank Vaupel (R-Handy Township)* Teri Aiuto (R-Manchester) Jean E. Holland (R-Ann Arbor) Jason Sheppard (R-Temperance)* Bronna Kahle (R-Clinton)* Eric Leutheuser (R-Hillsdale)* Aaron Miller (R-Sturgis)* Brandt Iden (R-Oshtemo Township)* Dave Morgan (R-Marshall) Matt Hall (R-Battle Creek) Julie Alexander (R-Hanover)* Sarah Lightner (R-Springport) Beth Griffin (R-Mattawan)* Zach Moreau (L-Lansing) James Lower (R-Cedar Lake)*

71 72 74 77 78 79 80 82 83 84 85 86 87 89 91 93 94 95 97 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108

Christine Barnes (R-Grand Ledge) Steven Johnson (R-Wayland)* Mark Huizenga (R-Walker) Tommy Brann (R-Wyoming)* Brad Ryan Paquette (R-Niles) Pauline Wendzel (R-Coloma) Mary Whiteford (R-Casco Township)* Gary Howell (R-North Branch) Shane Hernandez (R-Port Huron)* Philip A. Green (R-Millington) Ben Frederick (R-Owosso)* Thomas Albert (R-Lowell)* Julie Calley (R-Portland)* Jim Lilly (R-Park Township)* Greg VanWoerkom (R-Norton Shores) Graham Filler (R-DeWitt) Rodney Wakeman (R-Saginaw) Vanessa Guerra (D-Saginaw)* Jason Wentworth (R-Clare)* Roger Hauck (R-Mount Pleasant)* Scott VanSingel (R-Grant) Jack O’Malley (R-Lake Ann) Michele Hoitenga (R-Manton)* Daire Rendon (R-Lake City)* Larry Inman (R-Williamsburg)* Triston Cole (R-Mancelona)* Sue Allor (R-Wolverine)* Lee Chatfield (R-Levering)* Beau LaFave (R-Iron Mountain)*

*Candidates with an asterisk next to their name are incumbents

IT’S THE LAW

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

A barefoot woman walks into a store...

What’s the store owner to do?

What if a patron claims you’ve violated her religious beliefs?

It’s a cloudy morning in Lansing, and as usual, I’ve arrived before dawn. The coffee has started to work and I’m knee deep in research. A colleague strolls into my office and wants to know why I’ve got a pentagram splashed across my computer screen. “Pagan witchcraft.” I reply. Just another typical day at the office.

to certain ritual objects, such as a robe, candles and sulfur, that he claimed he needed in order to perform certain Wiccan rituals. The Department of Corrections denied access to the items on grounds that the items would endanger prison security and that the Wicca faith was merely a conglomeration of occult practices.

Retailers are rarely caught off guard as they’ve seen it all. Whether it’s unusual orders, fraudulent activity, theft, or even medical emergencies, retailers are accustomed to rolling with the punches and hosting all sorts of visitors.

The Eastern District of Virginia concluded that Wicca was a religion and entered an injunction preventing the Department of Corrections from denying Dettmer access to the items. On appeal, the Fourth Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part. Most significantly, the Fourth Circuit agreed that Wicca was a religion, entitling Dettmer to First Amendment protection. However, the Court found that Dettmer was not entitled to possessing such items because the prohibition did not discriminate against him based on his beliefs. In other words, the Department of Corrections had similar restrictions for all inmates and had reasonable concerns regarding security.

The MRA team did pause, however, when we got a question about whether a “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service” policy discriminated against the Wicca faith.

Citing the First Amendment and Michigan’s ElliottLarsen Civil Rights Act, the patron claimed that the retailer’s policy violated her religious belief that required her to walk barefoot whenever possible.

I’ll be honest, prior to my research, my knowledge of the Wicca faith was pretty limited and possibly clouded with stereotypes on witchcraft. The truth is, the Wicca faith is difficult to pin down because it has no central authority, resulting in many different denominations or Traditions as they’re called.

Older versions of Wicca are duotheistic, with followers worshiping a Goddess and God, while other versions see God as a single, supreme and infinite energy referred to as the Great Mother. And while magic is performed, Wiccan will point out that some Wiccan are witches, but not all witches are Wiccan. Perhaps the most common shared belief among the Traditions comes from the following principle: “Do what you will, so long as it harms none.”

The patron who wanted to walk barefoot through the retailer’s store likely adhered to an animistic Tradition, with the belief that every human, tree, animal, stream and rock has a divine spirit within.

Because Wicca isn’t a mainstream religion and since it has so many variations, you may be wondering whether it is even a religion entitled to protection by the First Amendment and other applicable laws. In fact, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals evaluated this very issue in 1986. At issue in Dettmer v. Landon, 799 F.2d 929 (4th Cir. 1986), was whether Herbert Dettmer, a Virginian prisoner, should be granted access

OK, so the Wicca faith is entitled to religious protections, but must you accommodate a barefoot patron?

Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, or marital status (MCL 37.2302).

The question here though is whether a “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service” policy discriminates on the basis of religion. We reached out to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) and they agreed with our interpretation that the policy was not discriminatory on its face. In other words, the policy applies to everyone in a neutral manner.

However, the MDCR did caution that a neutral policy could have a discriminatory impact and it recommended that the retailer engage in a discussion with the patron to see if a reasonable exception could be made to accommodate the patron’s religious beliefs.

While MRA agrees that it’s a good idea to work with your patrons to avoid conflict, we also understand the liability implications of allowing barefoot patrons in your stores. We believe that a court would likely side with a retailer that the policy is not discriminatory and constitutes a reasonable health and safety restriction imposed by the retailer.

For those who are wondering, the pentagram represents the five elements of water, fire, earth, air and spirit.

WWW.RETAILERS.COM OCT/NOV 2018

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RETAIL TECH

How your data can be breached: Let us count the ways Recently, Facebook announced that they had discovered a possible data breach and that 50 million Facebook users were being forced to re-enter their passwords to prove they were the “real” user. This possible breach may generate a massive $1.6 billion (that is with a “B”) fine from the EU, if it is proven that they violated European privacy rules.

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

Businesses of all sizes use data that has nothing to do with payment card transactions, yet exposes them to data breaches.

This made me think about how businesses use data that has nothing to do with payment card transactions (commonly called PCI data), yet exposes them to data breaches that could put them in the crosshairs of local, state, federal or international regulators.

Because we have a sometimes (OK, almost always) dysfunctional federal legislative process and because regulators tend to hate a vacuum where issues aren’t addressed, we have ended up with a hodgepodge of data breach lawsuits from various states.

Also, because consumers use computers to make purchases across state lines, you must contend with cross-jurisdictional issues. Hopefully the federal government can craft a nationwide solution that will preempt the various state’s patchwork quilt of rules.

As a business owner, you should spend time looking at all of the places in your business that customer data is collected and figure out how/when you need to protect it. In light of the cross-jurisdictional nature of customer data, you also need to review which rules apply. At first pass, ask the question of “why?”

• Why do we need to collect this data?

• Why, if we collect it to handle a specific transaction, do we need to keep it?

Employers with up to 250 employees can now apply for a matching grant of up to $5,000 to make improvements in their workplace safety and health, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) announced.

News from Retailers Insurance 6

“We are encouraging employers to step up workplace safety and health,” said MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman.

The $250,000 in MIWISH grants will be offered to employers to purchase safety

MICHIGAN RETAILER OCT/NOV 2018

• If we need it, why does it need to be stored the way it has been in the past?

Some data points are obvious: credit card data, check; checking account data, check. But what about the birthday club you run? If you collect the birthdays of your customers as a way of sharing a coupon on their birthday, how do you protect that data? Have you looked at the redemption rate of those coupons? Is it something you should discontinue or modify?

What about shipping data? Do you, as a matter of regular business, ship merchandise to your customers? Is it a one-time transaction or recurring?

How do you store their addresses? How many different places do you store their shipping addresses?

Other customer data? Does this data cross the line for some other data protection law? FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)? HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)? GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), the EU’s attempt at a regional data protection law? The FTC Act (regulating deceptive business activities)? The financial services modernization act, commonly called Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB)? FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act)? What about the new European (and because we are so interconnected, the bleed over to the US) “cookie” regulations for websites?

Make sure that you understand which regulations apply and how to comply with them. While no one wants to have a data breach, you really don’t need the added insult of accidently being in violation of some regulation you didn’t know about.

and health-related equipment and training.

Preference is given to employers in high hazard industries.

Some equipment examples include residential fall protection systems, lifting equipment or portable lifting equipment for patients or noise reduction engineering controls.

More info: michigan.gov/mioshagrants, or contact MIOSHA’s grant administrator at (517) 284-7811.

What’s the future of retail?

At the recent design:retail Forum in Detroit, retail guru & editor Alison Embrey Medina talked about the radical transformation she sees as she criss-crosses the country.

Hybrid future

Smart retail

Definition: It’s no longer bricks versus clicks.

Customers are shopping in stores and buying online. It’s now completely fluid. Retail has to be omnipresent. It has to be anywhere and whenever the shopper needs it.

Definition: Stores will be decked out with Internet of Technology (IoT) such as lights, floors and shelving that will track products and communicate with customers.

Example: That’s why Kate Hudson’s Fabletics website plans to quadruple its footprint to 100 stores. The athletic apparel company co-founded by the actress is strategically opening locations where the brand has large clusters of customers.

Example: High-tech, staff-less convenience stores already are opening around the globe. Closer to home, grocery giant Kroger has a high-tech shelf display in the works that not only shows pricing and nutritional information, but communicates with smartphones to help shoppers find the products they are looking for.

Hyper-personalization

Tactile tech

Definition: Shoppers want retail experiences tailored to their individual tastes and shopping purchase history. It’s not easy to personalize if you don’t have data on customers when they walk into the store.

Definition: This refers to digitally immersed consumption where the customer is part of something inspiring.

Example: Stitch Fix, an online subscription and personal shopping service, sends customers monthly outfits based on their personal profiles, purchase history and feedback. Medina said she was surprised when she learned Natalie, the personal shopper sending her emails, wasn’t a person but an algorithm.

Example: Those LED bracelets handed out at Taylor Swift concerts that light up with different colors for each song or only on some concertgoers to create a giant heart that everyone in the arena can see. “It brings 60,000 people together in an intimate way using a tactile technology that’s now immersing us in a way that maybe we couldn’t have done before with our little lighters,” Medina said.

Tribetailing

Up the analog

Definition: The practice of tailoring everything you do — from your products to store design and marketing — for a specific niche. It’s a shift away from generalist marketing that aims not to offend anyone.

Definition: For every layer of tech, add a human layer to balance. This might mean more store associates who have to time to talk to shoppers or more art in a space. These kind of immersive experiences engage the senses. There has to be a balance. If it’s all tech, you lose the shopper and the shopping experience, Medina said.

Example: While this strategy has given small brands loyal followings, mega brands employ it as well.

Starbucks plans to eliminate straws to take an environmental stand; Dick’s Sporting Goods responded to gun violence by pulling firearms; and Nike sided with Black Lives Matter by putting Colin Kaepernick in an ad.

Example: Neiman Marcus launched the Idea Factory in a few select stores. This experience includes artists coming in to customize sportswear, jeans, jackets and accessories with their art.

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MSU’s new incubator Below, Brian Perrone of Slows Bar BQ is considering using the “FPIC” to get a sauce on store shelves. Bottom, Marcus Redmond of Burgers Unlimited, used the FPIC to experiment getting quality frozen hamburger patties packaged and to sellers.

A food processing center helps entrepreneuers and large companies get products onto store shelves.

By MEEGAN HOLLAND OKEMOS - A Michigan State University accelerator for taking new food products to market will be a game changer for businesses ranging from Slows Bar BQ in Detroit to a Michigan startup called Burgers Unlimited in Fenton.

MSU’s Food Processing and Innovation Center (FPIC) recently opened and is ready to help existing food businesses and largerscale startups with commercial food development and beyond.

Several mid-size and large businesses are eyeing it as a way to save money on capital expenditures while testing the creation and packaging of products before they go to market.

Brian Perrone was checking out the facility along during an August open house. Slows’ co-founder and executive chef is trying to decide if the business should expand its BBQ sauce line.

“We have two sauces we serve at Ford Field, and we’re making it all in our kitchen,” Perrone said. “We would love to do a larger batch to sell. There’s a lot to look at and see if it makes sense for us.”

Clients will rent the facility, and then produce, process and package their products here, said Bruce Harte, former director of MSU’s School of Packaging. Harte and Matt Birbeck FPIC Director are members of the team that developed the concept and then took it to a commercial small-scale processing facility.

“Instead of spending several hundred thousand dollars, you may only have to spend $20,000 – and you may even make some back because you can sell what you make here,” since the facility is certified by both federal and state agencies that deal with food safety, Harte said. The fee is about $3,000/day.

The FPIC provides all the equipment a client may need – from a spiral freezer to an equipment sanitizer to a gigantic pressure cooker, a high-speed/high-capacity dicer, not to mention massive refrigeration and freezer space. The packaging is there as well – ranging from vacuum packers to pallet wrappers.

At first, Harte and FPIC Director Matt Birbeck thought mostly midlevel companies would be interested in using the facility, believing that larger companies would have their own facilities. But the industry is moving so fast nowadays, that one of the FPIC’s first clients will be a large company that wants to remain anonymous.

In fact, many companies want confidentiality, so the FPIC likely will have only one client at a time using the facility for a three-week maximum stay. Because of the limited time, a lot of planning has to go into the product before the client even starts using the facility.

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MICHIGAN RETAILER OCT/NOV 2018

Cleanliness is key. A high-pressure steam cleaner will be in use often for equipment “that may be used only for a half hour, but takes two hours to clean,” Harte said.

In addition to Harte and Birbeck, Jason Hofman, FPIC Facilities and Operations Manager, is onsite to help companies understand what equipment is needed to get food products processed and onto the consumer’s table.

At the recent open house, Don Ballein could be seen showing off the multi-purpose slicer and dicer, which he sells across the nation. He was one of many vendors who wanted to be part of this project.

“This is one of the best I’ve ever been in. It has good equipment and a little bit of everything,” said Ballein, owner of the Los Angeles-based CES/Foodlogistik.

Marcus Redmond, executive chef and COO for Burgers Unlimited, said his company has been developing a frozen burger product in the FPIC – the first client who helped work out any bugs. “I was doing it in my restaurant and beta testing. It really helped to figure out how to go from making the burgers by hand to automating it while maintaining the quality that we want. Now we know what we need if we go to a co-packer.” He hopes the burgers end up at stores like Gordons Food Market, Costco and even online.

Left, FPIC Director Matthew Birbeck and MSU packaging professor Bruce Harte.

Above top, Harte talks about the FPIC’s cutting-edge equipment, including this pressure canner.

Photos: PATRICK KERWIN WWW.RETAILERS.COM OCT/NOV 2018

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Siblings Magdalene and DJ Finwall in front of their business, Garden Bouquet and Design, in downtown Marquette. DJ also owns Earth Heart Gardens, a sustainable landscaping business.

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MICHIGAN RETAILER OCT/NOV 2018

Social shopping The secret behind millennial retail success

By SHANDRA MARTINEZ Rachel Nisch is like many millennial retailers, she is finding a new way to reach customers her own age and keep them coming back.

The 31-year-old is buying Graye’s Greenhouse in the Detroit suburb of Plymouth, where she has worked at for the past two years for the businesses’ owners, who are in their 70s.

She jokes the greenhouse sells the experience of exploring its sixacre oasis as much as potted plants.

“People also just come to hang out and spend time here,” says Nisch, who has started hosting workshops featuring different artists. Her customers happily fork over $50 to $100 to do projects using terrariums out of reclaimed materials, macrame plant hangers, and succulent mosaics.

Nisch is making smart moves in the constantly changing retail environment, says her dad, Ken. That’s isn’t just parental pride speaking. The elder Nisch is chairman of JGA, a Metro Detroit-based retail-focused architectural and design firm and a perennial presenter at the National Retail Federation’s annual conference in New York City.

SOCIAL SHOPPING Millennial shoppers are looking for less of a transactional experience and more of a relationship with a retailer. If it sounds old-fashioned, that’s because it is.

There’s a joke that millennials hate their parents but love their grandparents. Maybe hate is too strong of a word, but they are critical of their parents’ generation for pursuing commercialism and consumption at the expense of the environment.

Millennials want to live smaller and more local, as their grandparents and earlier generations did. Technology affords them a more compact life.

They want their possessions to be authentic and handcrafted. They want to know the person creating their food or jewelry, so a story becomes part of that purchase, Ken Nisch says.

This retail experience that millennials crave is what Ken Nisch describes as social shopping.

“They take care of their needs online, but for their wants, in many cases, they’d rather buy in a place as part of an experience,” he said.

Ken Nisch points to his client, Tapper’s Diamonds & Fine Jewelry, a retailer that is embracing this philosophy by transforming its storefront at Somerset Collection, a high-end Troy mall.

AN EXPERIENCE LIKE ‘NO OTHER’ The space was reimagined as a 5,600-square-foot luxury showroom with an U-shape bridal bar of engagement rings, Michigan’s only Rolex shop and a pub called Tapper’s Tap Room. The elegant bar and high-top seating lets shoppers gather as friends or couples to have a Michigan craft beer or a glass of wine while they browse.

The high-tech, 8-foot-square digital wall usually is programmed with content about jewelry — unless a must-see sporting event is taking place. Then, customers may watch the World Cup, Detroit Tigers baseball, Michigan football or the NCAA Tournament. continued on page 12

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Social shopping continued from page 11

“We really wanted to give them an experience that was like no other,” said Mark Tapper, president of the business with three locations in Southeastern Michigan.

At 37, Tapper is at the far edge of the millennial generation. His perspective about retail reflects his childhood growing up in the three-generation family business as well as his experience earning a Harvard MBA and working for luxury retailer Louis Vuitton.

The new “more personalized and engaging shopping experience” is living up to the initial buzz. Tapper credits the setting for people lingering longer and spending more.

He tells the story of a man who came into to watch a March Madness game while his wife shopped. Tapper offered him a beer, and the two had a conversation. Five weeks later, the man returned to buy his wife a $7,000 piece of jewelry as a Mother’s Day gift.

down could result in scrapping the whole project.

“I think the customer is moving so fast that what they want yesterday is not what they’re going to want tomorrow,” said Jacob Bishop.

MAKE AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION Magdalene Finwall’s business, Garden Bouquet and Design, which she owns with her brother, DJ Finwall, in downtown Marquette has benefitted from collaborating with other businesses on social media.

The best way for the photogenic flower shop to connect with clients has been Instagram, which she uses to showcase her creations, advertise events and promote sales.

That’s a good return on “a $2 beer and just being nice and friendly,” Tapper says.

SPEND MORE ON SOCIAL MEDIA Like Tapper, Jacob and Adam Bishop returned to Michigan to give their family’s shoe business a millennial-friendly upgrade.

In 2012, they merged Soles, their successful high-end Florida sneaker boutiques, with dad Alan Bishop’s Metro Detroit-area Mr. Alan’s shoe and clothing chain, rebranding stores as Mr. Alan’s Elite.

That strategy has paid off. The average unit price quadrupled to $125 with the focus on luxury sneaker brands, while the average age of the customer base dropped to the coveted 18 to 35 range. Last year, revenue and store count jumped 50 percent. There are plans to grow the 31 stores — located across Michigan, Illinois and Florida — by another dozen locations over the next 18 months.

More than a decade ago, the Bishop brothers — Jacob is now 32 and Adam is 34 — capitalized on the demand for specialty retail when they opened their first Miami Beach boutique.

They were among the first to introduce new shoes with midnight parties and release events.

Jacob Bishop’s advice to other retailers: Devote a bigger portion of your marketing budget on social media. His company spends 75 percent of their ad budget on social media.

The brothers also use social media - particularly Instagram to grab immediate feedback during product development. A positive reaction might mean a larger order, while a thumbs

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Jacob and Adam Bishop returned to Michigan to give their family’s shoe business, Mr. Alan’s Elite, a millennial upgrade.

She has found the benefits of social media multiply when a circle of retailers tag each other in the photos, creating a millennial-to-millennial connection for the businesses.

But social media isn’t often the first step of a meaningful connection, Finwall says. Real relationship-building begins when customers walk through the doors. She gets to know her customers, often asking what they are trying to communicate with an arrangement. Then, she selects blooms that reflect the sentiment, such as lilies for peace or hellebore for courage.

“I feel like people aren’t going to remember what they bought, they are going to remember how they felt,” Finwall said.

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Above, the entrance to one of Tapper’s three stores, located in Novi, West Bloomfield and Troy.

Right, Rachel Nisch of Graye’s Greenhouse; below, examples of Nisch’s Instagram-ready displays at the business she is buying from retirees.

Graye’s Greenhouse photos: ABIGAIL L. SHERROD All other photos provided by the stores.

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Murdick’s Famous Fudge named Centennial Retailer Fifth generation at famous fudge shop continues making original recipes

By RACHEL SCHRAUBEN If you’ve ever been to Mackinaw City, there’s a good chance you’ve tasted Murdick’s Famous Fudge. The store is now owned by fifthgeneration candy maker, Aaron Murdick, 35, and his father, John.

Michigan Retailers Association presents centennial plaques to businesses who hit the extraordinary anniversary. Murdick’s is overdue for the honor.

In 1887, sail-maker Newton Jerome Murdick was commissioned on Mackinac Island to make awnings for the newly constructed Grand Hotel. He took a chance when he saw the tourism opportunity and opened Murdick’s Candy Kitchen and began his fudge-making career. In 1922, the store changed names to Murdick’s Famous Fudge.

Through their 130+ year history, the Murdick family opened stores in Charlevoix (1954), Traverse City (1960) and Mackinaw City (1980). In 1969, the Mackinac Island location was sold out of the family, and the island store’s name was changed to Original Murdick’s Fudge.

The locations operated by a member of the Murdick family are: Murdick’s Famous Fudge at 219 E. Central Ave. in Mackinaw City, Murdick’s Fudge Frankenmuth and Celeste Murdick’s Fudge in

Charlevoix, owned by John Murdick’s sisters, and Doug Murdick’s Fudge, owned by John’s cousin, Doug, in Traverse City.

The journey wasn’t always easy. During the World Wars, sugar was rationed to help the troops overseas. The store made as much candy and fudge as the limit would allow and typically would sell out within hours after opening.

After WWII, Mackinac Island became a middle-class tourist attraction, bringing more families to the Island and expanding the popularity of the fudge store.

Although Murdick’s Famous Fudge closes its doors a few days before Christmas, Aaron and John still make fudge for mail orders through the Christmas season. They typically reopen in the last week of March. But this year, when the Mackinac Straits were visited by blue ice (when light is reflected through the ice causing a blue hue), they opened in February to accommodate the surge of tourists who arrived to witness the natural phenomenon.

John Murdick believes the key to success in owning and operating a business for over 130 years is sticking with the original recipes and methods for making the fudge. “People will always try to cheapen the recipe. You can make fudge anyway you want, but in my 51 years of doing this, our recipe hasn’t changed.”

If you know of a business over 100 years old, contact MRA’s Rachel Schrauben at rschrauben@retailers. com or nominate a retailer at www.retailers. com/member-benefits/ member-recognition.

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Above, Aaron Murdick shows his daughter the techniques of making handmade fudge.

Below, Murdick’s Candy Kitchen, located on Mackinac Island was the first Murdick-owned location, opened in 1887.

catch-all drawer The

GET PCI DSS COMPLIANT If you are currently processing with our credit card program, you are required to complete an annual self-assessment questionnaire with our vendor, ControlScan. Staying in compliance protects both you and your customers.

Please go to compliance101.com and click on the green “Get Started” button. The username is your Merchant ID number and the password is compliance101.

If you encounter login issues, call ControlScan at 800.571.3928 for assistance.

What is PCI DSS compliance? The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) encompasses a set of requirements that ensure all merchants who process, store or transmit credit card information maintain a secure transaction environment.

HOLIDAY MERCHANDISING Retailers who responded to our Retail Index survey revealed when they plan to set up for the holidays.

Three percent said they started displaying holiday merchandise before Oct. 1.

But 33 percent said they’d set up holiday displays in October, and 63 percent would do so in November.

Just remember – 57 percent of Retail Index survey respondents in October 2017 reported a sales spike; this happened both in Michigan and nationally. While Halloween sales are robust, many believe that people had started Christmas shopping early as well.

EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT: SHIPPING DISCOUNTS! FedEx recently announced that for the second year in a row, it will not apply additional residential surcharges during the holiday season, except for shipments that are oversized, unauthorized or necessitate additional handling. Residential shipments sent with other carriers could incur an additional surcharge during peak days in November and December.

This is good news for MRA members who expect a significant amount of e-commerce orders over the 2018 holiday season. As a free member benefit, MRA members have access to exclusive discounts with FedEx. Between the savings through the MRA Shipping Program, and avoiding a peak surcharge on residential shipments, members have a clear advantage this holiday season.

Tidbits to make business easier

If you’re not currently taking advantage of this free member benefit, enroll at Partnership.com/41MRA. For more information, call PartnerShip at 800.599.2902 or email sales@PartnerShip.com.

FOOD RETAILERS SUMMIT - AL KESSEL AWARDEES • Aunt Millie’s Bakeries gets Outstanding Business Partner award Aunt Millie’s Bakeries received the 2018 Al Kessel Outstanding Achievement Award at the September Food Retailers Summit at Crystal Mountain Resort.

Aunt Millie’s has four baking plants in Michigan. The company was nominated by DJ Oleson of Oleson’s Food Stores, for supplying thousands of free buns for the annual Northwestern Michigan College barbecue, in addition to fundraisers for breast cancer research and the March of Dimes. It also created a program to help schools earn money.

“Aunt Millie’s has made significant contributions to the Michigan’s grocery industry,” said James P. Hallan, MRA President and CEO. “They have earned the respect and admiration of colleagues and customers.”

The company is based in Fort Wayne, Ind., and was established in 1901 as Perfection Bakeries. It now has 1,600 employees.

• Hollywood Markets get Outstanding Retailer Award For the “honesty and integrity of the organization and its outstanding customer service,” Hollywood Markets and its president, Thom Welch, were honored at the recent Food Retailers Summit. They were nominated by Bruce Fagerman, with Grand Rapids-based SpartanNash.

Thom’s grandfather, John Welch, Sr., opened the grocery chain’s first store in 1924 in Detroit after returning from World War I. Many family members served in wars, and tragically two died. But the family carried on and the company expanded to five locations, with the Hollywood Markets name first appearing in 1950. Today, six third-generation Welches now run Hollywood Markets.

Employing 500 people, the Welch family works closely with the food rescue organization Forgotten Harvest, Salvation Army and more. Thom served on the Michigan Grocers Association Board of Directors from 2013 until MGA joined MRA in 2018. Today he serves on the Grocers Division Advisory Board.

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LOTTERY

Lottery retailers can maximize sales during the holidays Giving the chance to win a huge cash prize makes Michigan Lottery products a popular holiday gift item for many players across the state.

BRIAN O’NEILL Lottery Commissioner

It’s no secret that the holiday season is one of the most lucrative times for retailers. Consumer spending during the holiday season dwarfs all other times of year. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), consumer spending during the holiday season has increased steadily each year since 2009. The NRF projects that consumer spending this November and December will increase as much as 4.8 percent to a total of $720.9 billion, up from $687.9 billion last year.

To help maximize sales opportunities for retailers, the Lottery will offer players four holiday-themed games this season. The holiday games once again offer shoppers a wide range of prices and prizes suitable for stocking stuffers or individual gifts.

The Lottery will offer four holidaythemed games this season.

This season’s games are: • Holiday Dazzle: $10 ticket with top prizes of $500,000 and more than $21 million in total prizes.

• Peppermint Payout: $5 ticket with top prizes of $300,000 and more than $15 million in total prizes.

• Holiday Lucky Times 12: $2 ticket with top prizes of $30,000 and more than $11 million in total prizes.

• Festive $50’s: $1 ticket with top prizes of $5,000 and $8 million in total prizes.

Launching on Oct. 30, the holiday-themed games give retailers additional sale opportunities by extending

MRA’s Private Insurance Exchange

the holiday sales season. The Lottery also has a robust advertising campaign planned to support the launch of the games. That advertising campaign is designed to raise public awareness of the games and drive traffic to retailers.

NEW INSTANT TICKETS: On sale Oct. 30: IG 274 - Festive $50’s - $1 IG 275 - Holiday Lucky Times 12 - $2 IG 276 - Peppermint Payout - $5 IG 277 - Holiday Dazzle - $10

INSTANT GAMES SET TO EXPIRE: Nov. 5 IG 789 - Winter Lucky Times 10 - $5 IG 791 - Candy Cane Crush - $1 IG 792 - Gifts Galore - $2 IG 793 - Holiday Gold - $5 IG 794 - Treasure Tree - $10 IG 796 - Bingo Plus - $5 IG 797 - Double Bonus Cashword - $5 Dec. 3 IG 744 - Superstar Cash - $10 IG 780 - Tetris - $2 NEW PULL TABS TICKETS: On sale Oct. 30: MI 532 - The Rock Show - $.50 MI 526 - 777 - $1

For more information, follow the Michigan Lottery on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and online at www.michiganlottery.com.

Let us show you how the MRA private exchange takes the hassle out of group health insurance.

Get a quote at bit.ly/MRAexchange Questions? Call 800.366.3699 ext. 681 Fewer than two or more than 50 full-time employees, please call the above number.

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Scenes from Buy Nearby Weekend Thanks to all who participated in Buy Nearby Weekend Oct. 5-7. We had more retailers – and retail groups – participate than ever before! It was heartening to see retailers’ creative social media and ideas for encouraging people to enter the shopping contest.

Buy Nearby Guy had fans wherever he went – Gaylord, Wayland, Robinette’s Apple Haus and Winery in Grand Rapids Township, Old Town Lansing, Caro and Frankenmuth. He even hopped on a Bird scooter to twirl around the state Capitol.

We hope you filled out the survey we sent out for feedback, but if not, email mholland@retailers.com to share your thoughts on what was helpful, what was not and ways to make it better next year.

Of course, we all know that with Buy Nearby Weekend – it’s not about the event. It’s about raising awareness year-round of why shopping local is so impactful. So it doesn’t stop here – we’ll be preaching the message day in and day out. You can continue to order our handouts with all those meaty economic numbers to stuff in shopping bags or put by your cash registers.

We had fun with our friends at MLive.com, who helped publicize Buy Nearby Weekend. And we couldn’t have done it without you – and the generosity of our sponsors, DTE Energy and Retailers Insurance Company.

Clockwise from top: • Hot cider was a hit at Robinette’s Apple Haus and Winery, northeast of Grand Rapids.

• Woolybuggers in Gaylord got into the spirit!

• You can’t see it, but trust us: There was a long line for Robinette’s bakery.

• Buy Nearby Guy hung out at the bustling Wayland Community Business Expo.

• MLive’s John Gonzalez and Amy Sherman shower Buy Nearby Guy with love.

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In his own words Tree timming is a huge fall chore at Wahmhoff Farms Nursery in Gobles. Here, employee Ben Sayre takes a snip.

Wahmhoff Farms Nursery Opened: 1950s Location: 23090 M-40 Hwy., Gobles Specialties: Christmas trees, wreaths, garland and tree stands MRA member since: 2008 MRA services: Credit card processing Owners: Brothers Dan and Ken Wahmhoff

By RACHEL SCHRAUBEN

Does your business have a unique story?

Contact rschrauben@retailers.com.

Christmas comes year-round at Wahmhoff Farms Nursery located in Gobles, west of Kalamazoo. The holiday is strategically planned years in advance. Owners Dan and Ken, along with siblings Betsy and Tom, grew up on the family farm and work it to this day.

Trees were first planted on the farm in the 1950s by Dan’s grandfather, Carl Wahmhoff Sr. and father, Carl Wahmhoff Jr. When Christmas trees grew in popularity in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the family harvested more than 100,000 trees per year on their 1,600 acres.

The farm has downsized to 1,000 acres but still produces between 50,000 to 70,000 trees each year.

The Wahmhoffs also run a seedling and transplant nursery with over two million trees in production annually.

With peak season upon us, Dan shares his observations on growing up in a farm family business.

Opposite, scenes from the farm, including the family, from left, Tom, Ken and Dan Wahmhoff, Dan’s wife Lorie and Betsy Wahmhoff Perales. Bottom, employees Andy Gaffney maneuvers the tractor and Lori Iehl sorts seedlings.

Photos: STEVE JESSMORE

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IN HIS OWN WORDS We have our own Christmas traditions...

We all like to spend time together picking, cutting and decorating our Christmas tree - believe it or not, we still love our own tree.

Christmas is still a very important time to our family, even though it can be very busy here on the farm.

The spirit of competition Wahmhoff Farms Nursery takes great pride in growing some of the best Christmas trees in Michigan. It’s a testament to our father/patriarch, Carl Wahmhoff, who brought us up to be competitive. As a family, we always compete at everything we do, whether it’s a family softball or volleyball game, a board game, a card game or whatever we might do. The same holds true for our Christmas tree growing - we like to compete. For this reason, we are the most awarded Christmas tree farm in Michigan over the past 30-40 years.

The only real off-season for us on the farm is...

In January and February, when we have a smaller crew. We complete office work, service and repair our machinery and do some preliminary field clean-up and preparation. We also have some of our trees trimmed during this time of the year.

From mid-March through mid-May, we dig, sort, and ship nearly a million seedlings and transplants each year. We also dig and ship thousands of evergreen landscape trees from 4’-14’ each year.

De-coning of the trees, trimming, tagging, mowing and spraying is all done during the summer and early fall months in preparation for the fall harvest season.

Our process of shipping trees across the country is...

We hire several local drivers and lease trucks and trailers for many of our deliveries within a 200+ mile radius. Deliveries further than 200 miles are delivered by various over-the-road haulers.

We typically don’t have leftover trees, but if we do...

Most of the retailers we work with each year know their market and order what they expect to sell. There are typically not a lot of leftover trees. That’s also true for our retail lots in nearby Kalamazoo and Portage. We have been selling Christmas trees in these areas for nearly 60 years and have a consistent customer base and we usually have very few trees left over at the end of a season.

If we do end the season with leftover trees, they are chipped and used as mulch. Others may be donated to other projects like wildlife cover or sunk in a pond or lake for fish habitat.

We’ve been selling trees online...

It’s been about 20 years now. We’re always exploring additional sales opportunities, but this isn’t a large part of our business. We do sell a lot of other products online, so this just fit into our overall online sales plan.

Our participation in the Trees for Troops Event started...

In 2005, when the National Christmas Tree Association’s Christmas Spirit Foundation began the promotion. Michigan Christmas tree growers typically donate 1000-1,200 trees each year to this worthy cause. For the past 10 years or so, our farm has been one of the loading sites, and we often have nearly 100 volunteers continued on page 20 WWW.RETAILERS.COM OCT/NOV 2018

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In his own words continued from page 19

present to help with the loading. It is truly a community effort.

Some of our most memorable customers...

We’ve had the honor of presenting Christmas trees or wreaths to several of Michigan’s governors over the years, some more than once, as winners of the state’s Christmas tree and wreath contests. Success in national contests has allowed us to present trees to Vice President Biden and his family during his time in the White House. All of these honors are important to our family, as well as to our entire crew. It’s particularly a testament to Tim Butler, our long-time field crew manager, who is responsible for the quality of our trees, as well as for selecting the competition trees each year.

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New Members

Adrian Super Laundromat Inc., Adrian Community Living Support Services LLC, Albion The Hawkins Project, Ann Arbor Monahan’s Seafood Market Inc., Ann Arbor Aseel LLC dba Mediterranean Market, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard High School, Ann Arbor Midwest Punch Embroidery & Applique, Au Gres Berrien County Youth Fair Association, Berrien Springs Out the Door Rent to Own, Cadillac SJAF Inc. dba Achatz Catering, Casco Dearborn Sausage Company Inc., Dearborn Eighty Ate LLC dba Ima Restaurant, Detroit Midtown Mgt. dba Sweet Lorriane’s Fabulous, Detroit Signe LLC dba Urbanum, Detroit Rio Ausable Railroad Enterprises Inc., Fairview Poof Estate Services Inc., Ferndale Lina Transportation LLC, Ferndale Alica Wrzenski dba Wrzenski Specialized AFC, Grand Junction Complete Roofing & Repair LLC, Grand Rapids The Dog Pit GR LLC, Grand Rapids AAA Concrete Construction, Grant 1st Choice Transport LLC, Hamilton Maybe Joe’s, Holland All We Sell is Fun, Holland All Metal Designs Inc., Holland Pioneer Club of Holland, Holland Hopland Brewing, Holland DeWeerd & Van Dyke Inc., Hudsonville West MI Heating & A/C, Hudsonville Fibercare LLC, Jenison Consumers Credit Union, Kalamazoo N & Sami Corp dba East Lake George Store, Kalkaska Baa Baa Zuzu Inc. dba Baabaazuzu, Lake Leelanau Accounting Center & Tax Services Inc., Lambertville PM Environmental, Lansing Talley’s Log Cabin Inc., Lewiston Knaggs Agency LLC, Marion P & T Leasing Company of Marlette Inc., Marlette Rotations Deli LLC, Marquette An Orchard Setting, Melvin Trojan Powersports LLC, Monroe Bay Machinery Company LLC, Monroe 360 Digilab LLC, Monroe Sitting Pretty Pet Spa & Boutique, Muskegon Factory Bar & Grill Inc., Muskegon Semlow Chiropractic PLLC, Muskegon Oselka’s Snug Harbor Marina Inc., New Buffalo Midwest Power Equipment, Okemos Taylor Chiropractic PLC, Otsego Dafoe’s LLC, Oxford Paw Paw Village Drug Inc., Paw Paw Fredy Flores dba AF Auto Glass & Detail, Portage S & S Towing Inc., Port Huron Lite’s Plus, Portland Ludington Pub LLC, Ravenna JAI Jalaram Inc. dba Travelers Motor Inn, Redford Bigtime Market LLC, Rochester Tom’s Air Duct Cleaning Inc., Rochester Omni Electrical LLC, Rochester Hills

Catch Air LLC, Rockford Elite Nurse Staffing LLC, Rockford O’Sullivan Moving & Storage Co Inc., Royal Oak D.E.B. AFC Inc., Saginaw OWSA Rail Car Inc., Saint Clair Kaden Inc., Sanford Star of Saugatuck, Saugatuck David Rice Auto Sales LLC, Schoolcraft Goodwin’s Auto Repair, Skandia M & M Sports Center Inc., South Boardman Anton LLC, Southfield Sunrise Motors, Standish GLG Holdings dba Nu New York Deli, Sterling Heights Du-All Cleaning Inc., Sterling Heights Sturgis Glass LLC, Sturgis Crusted Creations Inc., Traverse City JkA 22 LLC, Utica Ironwood Bar & Grill LLC, Walker Partsfor.com, Walker Broom Hilda LLC, Warren George T. Gegaj, Washington Viva Tracker LLC, Waterford JVC Enterprises, Wayland American Gear & Engineering Company Inc., Westland Double XL, White Cloud NIJU Inc., Wixom El Caribe Food Truck, Wyoming

Electronic transactions Credit cards, gift cards, check processing, e-commerce – we offer it all!

Get a quote today

Email sales@retailers.com or call 800.366.3699

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603 South Washington Avenue Lansing, MI 48933 Phone: 517.372.5656 Toll-free: 800.366.3699