New home for Ideation Inc.

Ideation Inc., Ann Arbor, a provider of consumer catalogs to the retail gift industry, has relocated its offices to a new 10,800 square-foot headquarters on Huron Parkway in Ann Arbor. The new state-of-the-art location is home to the company’s marketing, sales, finance and administration departments, as well as the company’s new showroom.

Three Michigan businesses contributed to projects that won awards from the National Association of Store Fixture Manufacturers in the 33rd annual Retail Design Awards. Merrell Performance Footwear, a retailer in Rockford, Amstore Corp., a store fixture manufacturer in Coopersville, and JGA, a design firm in Southfield, received awards at the March 22 event in Las Vegas.

At a ceremony held in Wal-Mart’s westside Lansing store, company officials and store associates presented Governor Jennifer Granholm with a $400,000 check for Michigan’s READY early-learning program. The contribution will purchase 40,000 READY Kits for parents of infants in at-risk families, according to the governor. The Read, Educate, And Develop Youth program was begun in 1998.

RePlay Sports, a used sports equipment store in Lansing, co-sponsored the Second Annual Mid-Winter Singing Festival, along with the City of East Lansing and the Ten Pound Fiddle Coffeehouse.

The unique event is the brainchild of RePlay Sports owner Sally Potter. It features 25 free singing workshops, a free children’s concert and two evening “Community Sing” events where the audience joins local and regional folk musicians in song.

Gary and Diane Durow, owners of The Wooden Skate, an estate jewelry store in Okemos, have opened The Wedding Ring Store, a specialty store that exclusively carries diamond engagement rings and wedding bands. The new business is adjacent to The Wooden Skate, but will be distinct in its image, advertising and branding.

Sears, Roebuck and Co. will add appliances to all of its freestanding hardware stores. All 163 Sears Hardware stores will be renamed Sears Appliances & Hardware, as the Hoffman Estates retailer counters continued expansion of rivals Lowe’s and Home Depot. The retailer said appliances should be in most of hardware stores by the end of 2004.

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