A Decade of Buying Nearby

A circuit breaker failed at MRA world headquarters, causing my office temperature to plummet to the mid-50s during the coldest months of the year. A breaker replacement required a two-week lead-time, so I grabbed two space heaters to thaw out. Those lasted until I blew a fuse. I’m currently holed up in the MRA library – a time capsule of sorts and the quickest way to review the historical footsteps of the Association.

Michigan Retailers Association was established in 1940, and we’ve celebrated many anniversaries over the years. We’re excited to celebrate another one this year – the 10-year anniversary of our Buy Nearby program.

The original intent of the Buy Nearby program was simple, we wanted to create a program that would directly increase the sales of our members. By educating consumers about the power of shopping local, we hoped to move the needle on the migration to online shopping. It’s worth noting that the objective was never to halt online sales. Rather, the mission was to make consumer shopping more purposeful.

So, 10 years in, has the program been successful? Well, changing consumer behavior is not easy, especially when a global pandemic pushed even more individuals online. But even a small change has meaningful results, and we’ve had many highlights over the years. We created a mascot to be the face of the campaign, march in parades, and engage with shoppers of all ages. We commissioned economic surveys to provide concrete data to answer the question “why is it important to shop local?” We told the stories of our members, issued grants to downtowns, and disseminated our positive message through media buys.

By all accounts, the needle has moved, however, our work is not done. As we thaw out our office and anxiously await spring, the MRA team is busy planning Buy Nearby celebrations for 2023. Stay tuned to see what we have in store, as we make new footprints for the Association.

Board Of Directors

Bill Golden Chair Golden Shoes, Traverse City

William J. Hallan President & CEO Michigan Retailers Association

Bryan Neiman Vice Chair

Neiman’s Family Market, St. Clair

Peter R. Sobelton Treasurer Mondial Properties, Birmingham

Bo Brines Past Chair

Little Forks Outfitters, Midland

Kim Edsenga Meijer, Inc., Grand Rapids

Becky Beauchine Kulka

Becky Beauchine Kulka Diamonds and Fine Jewelry, Okemos

Dan Marshall Marshall Music Company, Lansing

Orin Mazzoni, Jr. Orin Jewelers, Northville

Joseph McCurry Credit Card Group

Raeann Rouse Bridge Street Baby, Rockford

Thomas Ungrodt TDU Consulting, LLC, Ann Arbor

Larry Meyer Board Member Emeritus

D. Larry Sherman Board Member Emeritus

MICHIGAN RETAILERS SERVICES, INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

William J. Hallan President & CEO

John Leppink Leppink’s Food Centers, Belding

Kendra Patterson Michigan Barn Wood & Salvage, Mason

Joe Swanson Target, Retired

Michigan Retailer

William J. Hallan Publisher

Andrea Bitely Editor

Rachel Schrauben Copy Editor and Content Manager

Josh Delany Design and Layout

Shandra Martinez Contributor

Josh Delany Photographer

WILLIAM J. HALLAN MRA President and Chief Executive Officer