Okemos, MI—Becky Beauchine Kulka, owner of Becky Beauchine Kulka Diamonds and Fine Jewelry, believes in supporting hometown retailers. As a board member of the Michigan Retailers Association, she was instrumental in helping to develop and launch a year-long, statewide “Buy Nearby” campaign in Michigan, that her store will be part of. The campaign logo and a promotional image are shown at top of page.
“Buy Nearby” is a branded campaign sponsored by the association that encourages shoppers to buy in stores or order online only from Michigan retailers. Any Michigan retailer can participate simply by posting a “Buy Nearby” poster in their window and tying their promotions and specials to the campaign. Posters are available for download and printing from the “Buy Nearby” website, along with tips for getting the most out of the campaign.
“Retail sales are responsible—directly or indirectly—for 18% of Michigan’s gross domestic product,” explains Beauchine Kulka. “Approximately one half of every dollar spent at a Michigan store goes back into the local economy. Over 850,000 jobs in this state depend directly on retail sales.”
The ongoing initiative officially launched October 5 with “Get Caught Blue Handed” day, a reference to the campaign’s blue state-shaped logo. Shoppers were caught “blue-handed” in photos or videos by storeowners, video crews, or even shoppers themselves whenever they made a purchase at a Michigan store. The visuals were then posted on the “Buy Nearby” Facebook page.
Beauchine Kulka explains how “Buy Nearby” is different from the already-established Small Business Saturday. “Unlike the nationwide event, this campaign focuses solely on Michigan, and on more than just small businesses. It also includes Michigan branches of large multi-state and national chains. The two campaigns, in fact, are designed to complement each other. Everybody in Michigan benefits, including its consumers.” For more information, call (517) 347-4000.
