Devotion to downtowns was retailer's legacy
by Larry Meyer
MRA Chairman and CEO

I first met Al Singer, former owner of Alan’s Shoes in Bay City, back in 1972 on the day I started at Michigan Retailers. From the beginning, I was struck with his unqualified dedication to downtowns. Over the years, I came to respect his integrity, enthusiasm and innovative mind.

Upon learning of his death this past March after a long battle with a bone marrow disease, I found I was one of many Michigan people who could easily recall Al, despite the fact that he semi-retired to Arizona almost a decade ago.

A few months ago I wrote about my belief that the reputation of a community depends on its downtown. Al really helped me understand this point.

And Al didn’t just talk the talk—he walked the walk. In their later years, he and his wife converted the second story of the downtown business into a beautiful apartment for themselves, showing how “cool” it could be to live downtown.

At Alan’s Shoes, the business his father passed down to him, he established a reputation for a wide assortment of sizes. Any financial manager today would tell him he had too much in inventory, but he became known for this niche.

He used catchy billboard ads to identify his store with a wide variety of sizes. I recall one that read: “One size doesn’t fit all. Come see us at Alan’s Shoes.” He also understood that to make such a niche work, you have to have exceptional customer service, another quality for which Alan’s Shoes became known.

A staunch Democrat, Al was a strong advocate for political action. He would tell me I was the only Republican he would ever vote for!

If we asked Al to call a legislator, he did, and he was sometimes our entrée to Democratic legislators. He helped us fight for inventory tax repeal and reasonable consumer protection that would be fair to both retailers and consumers.

But more important than the issues, he knew every one of his local legislators, and they respected him—regardless of their party—for his integrity and his unwavering commitment to his beliefs.

He also worked with Bay City’s DDA and Chamber, helping with the ongoing effort to transform Bay City’s primarily industrial waterfront to a beautifully redeveloped commercial center.

Al and Pat’s activism was not just local but global. Around the time President Nixon opened the door to trade with China, the Singers helped establish cultural exchanges with people there. They believed friendships and communication with people around the world could lead to peace.

An advocate of free trade, he knew it didn’t have to mean supporting sweatshops. Working with the National Shoe Retailers Association, he advocated for trade relationships for smaller stores in a collective way with vendors around the world.

A number of us in Michigan and Arizona will remember Al Singer with a smile. If you never knew Al, I hope you have the chance to know someone like him—someone whose passion is unwavering and who sometimes challenges you to look at your business, your town or your world a little differently.