-- Small Category (annual sales under $2 million): Saturn Booksellers,
Gaylord
-- Medium (annual sales of $2-20 million): Playmakers, Inc., Okemos
-- Large (annual sales above $20 million): Target Corporation,
Minneapolis, Minnesota
"The Retailer of the Year Awards provide the opportunity to honor the best
of the best," said Larry Meyer, chairman and CEO of the Michigan Retailers
Association, which founded the awards program and co-sponsors it with the
Michigan Press Association. "The award recipients represent the thousands
of retailers across the state who make a difference in their communities
through their countless charitable and volunteer activities."
Recipients are selected by an independent panel of community leaders: Nancy
Barker, retired vice president, Northwood University; Rick Blanchard,
assistant business editor, The Detroit News; Jan Hayhow, former board chair
of Michigan Retailers Association; Sandra Katt, Grand Haven manager of
community affairs; Michael MacLaren, executive director, Michigan Press
Association; Claude Martin, Winkelman Professor Emeritus of Retail
Marketing, University of Michigan; David Scott, new media manager, CBS
Radio's WVMV; Brenda Sternquist, professor of retailing, Michigan State
University; and Dennis Toffolo, director, Oakland County Community and
Economic Development.
The 2007 Michigan Retailer of the Year recipients:
Saturn Booksellers, Gaylord / Jill Miner, Owner
Saturn Booksellers is helping instill a love of books in the children of
the Gaylord area and increasing literacy in the community. In addition to
hosting many author events in the store itself, owner Jill Miner arranges
for children's authors and illustrators to come to the area's elementary
schools -- in Gaylord and the surrounding small communities of Mancelona
and Vanderbilt. Miner brings children's authors to local schools each year
and makes certain that the program will reach as many children as possible
by bussing in children from nearby schools. Saturn Booksellers' author
events get young people excited about reading, which is the foundation of a
good education. In addition, the programs help young people learn to view
writers and illustrators as real people with careers to which they, too,
might aspire.
With the same belief in the transformative power of literacy, Saturn
Booksellers donated $5,000 in books this year to "Books to Africa," an
international nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the lives
of Africans through books and education.
In addition, the bookstore donates to numerous local community events and
causes. It also serves as a ticket outlet, at no charge, for any group in
town needing to sell tickets, from spaghetti suppers and pancake breakfasts
to community theater, concerts and school events.
Playmakers, Inc., Okemos / Curt Munson, Owner
Playmakers, Inc. has been instrumental in bringing several national health
and fitness-related programs to the Lansing area, including the Feelin'
Good Mileage Club & Michigan Mile Walk/Run. For seven weeks each spring,
children in kindergarten through sixth grade walk or run laps during lunch
or recess, earning incentives for various milestones and learning the habit
of physical activity as a way to feel good and stay healthy. Back in 1997
Playmakers collaborated with Sparrow Hospital to launch the program in
Lansing. Today, schools in eight mid-Michigan counties are invited to
participate. In 2007, 126 schools participated, making the program
available to more than 40,000 kids at no cost to the parent or the school.
The program culminates in the Michigan Mile Run/Walk at Lugnuts Stadium.
Funds raised from the Michigan Mile benefit the Children's Miracle Network.
But the primary focus of the program is to increase the physical activity
of children, by getting them walking or running on a regular basis.
In addition, through sponsorship of numerous run/walk events, Playmakers
has helped raise money for Special Olympics Michigan Area 8, the Capital
Area Humane Society, Ele's Place, the MSU Museum, Impression 5 Museum and
other local and national nonprofits.
Target Corporation, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Target is renowned for its generous contributions to the communities where
its stores are located. Since its inception in 1962, Target has made it
part of its mission to contribute 5 percent of its annual income to
programs that serve the community. In 2007 that means more than $3 million
every week goes to education, arts, and family and social services
initiatives. In addition, Target team members volunteer hundreds of
thousands of hours of their time and talent in their communities.
In Michigan, Target's charitable commitment takes many forms, including
Target Harmony in the Parks, Michigan Reads! and Take Charge of Education.
For "Target Harmony in the Parks" the retailer has partnered with the
Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Metropark system to offer many families
an opportunity to explore the Metroparks system and see the DSO perform for
free. The program has reached more than 150,000 people over the last three
years. Target is also the sole sponsor of Michigan Reads! -- a program that
promotes the benefits of reading early and often to preschoolers and
increases awareness and usage of Michigan's public libraries. Take Charge
of Education is Target's national program that supports schools by allowing
Target shoppers to designate a school to which Target will donate 1 percent
of every purchase. Schools in Detroit and its surrounding communities have
received more than $6 million through the program over the past 10 years.
Target also has given generously to Michigan Retailers Foundation's
scholarship program. To date, Target and Detroit District Team Leader Joe
Swanson (an MRA board member) have contributed more than $30,000 and
endowed three annual scholarships.
Through the marketing of its community activities, Target reaches out to
its customers. It doesn't just encourage them to shop Target, it moves them
to take ownership of the commitment to social responsibility, and it leads
by example.
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 nearly 5,500 retail business members operate
more than 12,000 stores across the state.
Contact Information: Contact: Amy Buttery 517.372.5656