New gift show planned for mid-Michigan area

Expo Promotions in Harbor Springs has announced a new gift show, to be held March 5-7, 2006, at the Lansing Center in downtown Lansing. The capital city was chosen for its easy accessibility for buyers from a three-state area.

Expo Promotions currently provides management to two established and successful trade shows, the Northern Michigan Gift Show and the Traverse City Hunting & Fishing Expo.

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The Ann Arbor Art Center has been nominated for the 2005 Top 100 Retailers of American Craft. More than 18,000 professional craft artists throughout the U.S. and Canada nominated over 700 galleries, retail stores and museum shops.

Criteria for selection included treating artists with courtesy and respect, paying on time, promoting and marketing American crafts, giving back time and energy to the craft community, mentoring emerging artists and maintaining an inventory that is at least 85 percent American craft.

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Becky Beauchine Kulka Diamonds and Fine Jewelry in Okemos was recognized by InStore, a national magazine for jewelry store owners, as the fifth coolest jewelry store in the nation for 2005. In the magazine’s fourth annual “America’s Coolest Stores” issue, a panel of experts in store design chose Kulka’s store and nine others from among over 100 nominated stores nationally.

The store’s coolest feature, according to the judges: a six-foot salt-water aquarium that helps keep children occupied while adults shop.

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MRA’s Larry Meyer was a speaker at the 12th Annual Lyle DeYoung Award Dinner, hosted by the Downtown Traverse City Association. Also in attendance were MRA board member W. Bruce Rogers, who received the award in 1994, and Pat DeYoung, wife of the late Lyle DeYoung, a longtime local businessman and strong advocate for downtown.

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Card and gift retailer Dayspring Gifts has moved from its original location in downtown Chelsea to the Pamida shopping center just south of downtown Chelsea.

The new store, which opened July 25, has less selling space than the old one (3,300 square feet, down from 5,000) and sports a brand new look and a new line of products. It remains a Hallmark Gold Crown store. A grand opening event is planned for September.

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