November 8, 2001

Michigan Retailers of the Year honored at luncheon

LANSING -- The Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) kicked off the season of giving by recognizing retailers who embody the spirit of generosity year-round.

Three Michigan retail companies were honored for their outstanding community involvement at the fourth annual Michigan Retailer of the Year Awards luncheon today.

"The terrorist attacks on September 11 have inspired a tremendous outpouring of giving and volunteerism from Americans in all walks of life," said Jayne Bower, news anchor for WWJ Newsradio in Detroit, who served as emcee for the event. "But the retailers we honor today have been involved in their communities day-in and day-out for years."

The Michigan Retailer of the Year Awards recognize retail businesses for exceptional contributions to civic, charitable and volunteer activities in their communities. The awards are sponsored by the Michigan Retailers Association and cosponsored by the Michigan Press Association's Michigan Newspapers, Inc., and by the Michigan Talk Radio Network.

Awards are given in three categories -- small, medium and large -- based on annual sales volume.

The 2001 Michigan Retailers of the Year are:

Small: Swift Printing Company, Grand Rapids; Walter Gutowski, Jr., President

Swift Printing partnered with Genesis Nonprofit Housing Corp. to turn the upper floors of its two historic buildings into 27 apartments for low-income individuals with physical and mental disabilities, people with AIDS and victims of domestic violence. The company also renovated a third building nearby that is now home to a physical therapy clinic.

Gutowski's wide-ranging community support includes donating printing to nonprofit groups, spending one Sunday afternoon a month preparing lunches at a soup kitchen, coaching youth sports teams, funding scholarships and building projects at local Catholic high schools and serving on the boards of several community organizations.

Medium: Edmund T. Ahee Jewelry Company, Grosse Pointe Woods; Bettejean Ahee, Chief Executive Officer

This family business sponsors the annual "Capuchin Souper Summer Celebration" benefiting the Capuchin Soup Kitchen and Community Center in Detroit. For 20 years the company has underwritten the entire cost of the fundraiser, which includes entertainment by a dozen live bands and a raffle of jewelry prizes worth several thousand dollars. Funds raised to date, totaling some $3.5 million, have provided more than two million hot meals for the needy, as well as clothing, counseling, housing, education and recreation.

Edmund T. Ahee Jewelry has also contributed to community organizations such as St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Grosse Pointe Public Schools, Henry Ford Hospital "Shoot for the Cure," Toys for Tots and the American Red Cross. The company donates several hundred jewelry gifts each year to charities throughout metro Detroit.

Large: Kmart Corporation, Troy; Chuck Conaway, Chairman and CEO

For 17 consecutive years Kmart Corp. has been the first-place team in March of Dimes WalkAmerica, raising more than $35 million to fight birth defects. Michigan Kmart volunteers raised more than $289,000 this year through local walks, store events and "selling" paper sneakers to customers. These funds support programs such as Healthy Baby Services in Wayne and Oakland counties, which transports some 3,000 pregnant women and mothers with new babies to clinics for regular health checkups.

Kmart also provided supplies for the relief effort after September's terrorist attacks, promotes enrollment in state Child Health Insurance Programs, donates a portion of purchases to the K-12 school of the customer's choice through the School Spirit card and supported a traveling Smithsonian exhibit on African-American sacred music.

The Michigan Retailers Association is the unified voice of retailing in Michigan and the nation's largest state trade association of general merchandise retailers. MRA's more than 5,500 retail business members operate more than 12,000 stores across the state.

2001 Michigan Centennial Retailers announced

LANSING -- The Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) today recognized 20 Michigan Centennial Retailers -- retail businesses that have been in operation for 100 years or more.

"For businesses to survive and thrive despite the dramatic changes of the past century is a remarkable achievement," said MRA Chairman and CEO Larry Meyer. "It's fitting to celebrate their enduring contributions to their communities in Michigan."

Centennial Retailers were honored today at the Fourth Annual Michigan Retailer of the Year Awards luncheon, held at MSU's new James B. Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing. Each retailer received a bronze plaque and a certificate.

Arms Brothers, a men's clothing store in Milford, was the oldest business honored, as well as the oldest discovered to date in the Michigan Centennial Retailer program. The store was founded in 1836 by Ansley Arms and Jabesh Mead and is currently owned and operated by Thomas Motley.

The full list of Michigan Centennial Retailers honored this year is found below. In 2000, the first year of the program, 17 other Centennial Retailers were recognized.

The Association plans to present awards annually to additional Centennial Retailers. To notify MRA of a retail business that has been in operation for 100 years or more, contact Retha Lachance at 800.366.3699 or rlachance@retailers.com.

The Michigan Retailers Association is the unified voice of retailing in Michigan and the nation's largest state trade association of general merchandise retailers. MRA's more than 5,500 retail business members operate more than 12,000 stores across the state.

2001 Michigan Centennial Retailers

LaLonde Shoes, Alpena
Founded 1899 by Napolean LaLonde and J.W. Doyle
Owner: James Masters

Masters Shoes, Alpena
Founded 1879 by George Masters and F.C. Folkerts
Owner: James Masters

Buckley's Shoes, Bad Axe
Founded 1894 by Spencer Blakely
Owners: Robert and Barbara Buckley

Corbishley's, Bad Axe (menswear)
Founded 1876 by Charles Corbishley
Owner: Charles R. Corbishley

W.B. Hayden & Sons Inc., Cassopolis (hardware)
Founded 1885 by W.B. Hayden
Owners: James, Patricia and Douglas Hayden

Westbrook True Value Hardware, Croswell
Founded 1888
Owners: Goodwin, Paul and Rick Westbrook

Dickinson True Value Hardware, Fennville
Founded 1876 by Leonard Dickinson
Owner: Robert Zumbrink

Klingman Furniture Co., Grand Rapids
Founded 1896 by Philip Klingman
Owner: Harold Victor

Homer Monumental Works, Homer (cemetery monuments)
Founded 1889 by Abraham Garlinghouse
Owners: John and Nancy St. John

Haug's Jewelry & Collectibles, Houghton
Founded 1885 by Matt Haug
Owners: Darrell Guitar and Darlene Comfort

Powers Clothing, Jonesville
Founded 1890 by David Powers
Owners: David Pope and Paul Powers

Acorn-Gilmore Bros. Inc., Kalamazoo (women's clothing)
Founded 1881 by John Gilmore
Owners: Martha and Ray Parfet, Jr.

McKee Monument & Mercantile, Marshall (antiques, cemetery monuments)
Founded 1901 by John McKee
Owner: David McKee

Arms Brothers, Milford (menswear)
Founded 1836 by Ansley Arms and Jabesh Mead
Owner: Thomas Motley

Yaeger's Shoes, Inc., Monroe
Founded 1846 by Emmanuel Yaeger
Owner: Michael Yaeger

Hill's Sunnyside Florist Inc., Owosso
Founded 1894 by John Schleider
Owner: Donna Hill

Bauer's Jewelry, Saginaw
Founded 1891 by C.F. Bauer
Owners: Steven and Michael Schultz

Votruba Leather Goods Co., Traverse City
Founded 1874 by Frank Votruba
Owners: Kerry and Martha Glaesmer

Atkins' Hardware and Furniture Store, Vassar
Founded 1882 by Daniel Atkins
Owners: Robert and Albert Atkins

Dekker's Jewelry Store, Zeeland
Founded 1882 by Cornelius Dekker
Owner: Gary Van Kampen

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