Tapper’s highlights ‘Precious Lives, Precious Metals’

At the grand opening of its new retail location at Twelve Oaks mall in Novi, Tapper’s Diamonds and Fine Jewelry launched “Precious Lives, Precious Metals,” a charitable initiative aimed at battling the spread of HIV/AIDS in South Africa and in Michigan through education and prevention programs.

Two non-profit organizations will benefit from the store’s fundraising efforts: The Midwest AIDS Prevention Project and YouthAIDS, an education and prevention initiative operating under the umbrella of Population Services International (PSI).

The inspiration behind Precious Lives, Precious Metals comes from South Africa’s devastating HIV/AIDS pandemic, said owners Howard and Steven Tapper. Twelve percent of platinum miners die each year from AIDS.

“How can we not feel a responsibility to the community that works to provide the raw materials used in the jewelry we sell to our customers every day?” asks Steven Tapper.

The grand opening was just the beginning of Tapper’s Diamonds and Fine Jewelry’s 30th anniversary year-long celebration.

Mieras Family Shoes in Grand Rapids celebrated its 85th anniversary in October with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its Leonard Street store, followed by two weeks of sales. Current owner Susan Joyce is the granddaughter of founder John Mieras, who started the business in 1922 by buying another shoe business that began in 1910.

Susan’s children and grandchildren make up the fourth and fifth generations of the family to work for the family business, which includes two other locations: Mieras Work & Comfort Shoes in Wyoming and the Red Wing Shoe Store in Grand Rapids.

Waterside Marketplace, located in Chesterfield Township, held its grand opening on October 30. It features several national retailers, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, Old Navy, Bed Bath & Beyond, TJ Maxx, Deb Shop, Justice, ULTA Salon & Cosmetics, and Dressbarn.

JC Penney has started construction for an expected opening in March 2008. As many as 13 additional tenants are expected to be announced in the coming months. When completed, the center will comprise more than 500,000 square feet of sales floor space and be home to 25 national and local retailers and restaurants.

Walker-based Meijer unveiled a redesigned concept store in Cascade in October, featuring expanded product lines and more choices in organic and fresh foods. The layout is designed to create small boutique-like settings within the store, store officials said.

A cooking station with professional chefs; comfortable European-style seating in the book department; an expanded wine and beer department with a full-time wine steward—these ideas and more are being tested in the concept store, known as Meijer at Cascade. “Input from customers will tell us how this is working and whether to move some elements into our other stores,” said Meijer President Mark Murray.