2006 Retailers of the Year honoredEmotion and gratitude were on display when two retailers were named 2006 Michigan Retailer of the Year award winners at a luncheon on October 12 in Lansing. This year’s recipients—Becky Beauchine Kulka, owner of Becky Beauchine Kulka Diamonds and Fine Jewelry in Okemos, and Kate Alsobrooks, owner of Terra Stella in Grand Rapids—were visibly moved as they accepted their awards. Both thanked their families and staffs for helping to “make it all possible.”
The awards are given annually to retailers who demonstrate outstanding community involvement. Awards are given in categories based on annual sales volume. An independent panel composed of leaders in business, government, higher education, non-profit organizations and the news media selects the recipients. “Community service, volunteer-ism and charitable giving are often relegated to the background of our lives, so it’s good to celebrate the best among many generous people.” said MRA Chair and CEO Larry Meyer. “And we know that as we shine a spotlight on a few exceptional retailers, there are hundreds of others who are also doing their part to improve the world or their corner of it.” Emcee Adela Uchida, news anchor on WILX Channel 10 in Lansing, spoke of the recent surge in celebrity giving that has been in the news, from Brad Pitt to business tycoon Warren Buffet. “But those are just the headline stories, notable because they involve celebrities or huge sums,” said Uchida. “The true picture of charitable giving and community involvement emerges from the hundreds of thousands of smaller gifts of money, time, goods, ideas, talent that accumulate and compound to transform our world, one community—sometimes just one person—at a time.” Also honored at the luncheon were five retailers who have been in business for 100 years or more. They joined MRA’s list of Michigan Centennial Retailers and are profiled on the facing page. The awards program, now in its ninth year, is cosponsored by the Michigan Press Association, which represents 300 daily and weekly newspapers in Michigan. Becky Beauchine Kulka Becky Beauchine Kulka’s jewelry store was honored last year as the fifth “coolest” jewelry store in the U.S. by InStore magazine. The judges cited the eye-catching purple décor and an exotic tropical fish tank. However, a big part of what makes the business remarkable is the intense community involvement of its dynamic owner. For years Becky Beauchine Kulka has been a tireless force in the Junior League of Lansing, helping it raise funds and awareness so that it can have a larger impact in its work to support greater Lansing’s women and children at risk. She also serves on the Ingham Regional Healthcare Foundation’s Volunteer Board of Trustees. In her role with the Foundation, she has chaired the Foundation’s Festival of Trees Committee and been integral to its Spring Gala event. She will serve as co-chair of 2007 Gala event. Kulka’s store has donated jewelry and gift cards valued at over $150,000 to over 150 events and organizations, including Race for the Cure, the Meridian Township Fire Works, Okemos Public Schools, the Retired Michigan State Police annual event and many others. “But the real spirit of Kulka’s contribution to her community is evident through her interactions with it,” said Uchida. “After hearing her speak at a membership meeting of Inforum, a professional women’s organization, the women in attendance felt inspired, saying she made them believe they, too, could achieve their goals.” “When Girl Scout troops toured her store after hours and listened to Becky speak about starting a business, they saw a role model who is open and confident and welcoming. And like any good mentor she involved them—one group helped write a Mother’s Day radio commercial for the store, Uchida added.” Becky Beauchine Kulka Diamonds and Fine Jewelry deserves the Michigan Retailers of the Year award not just because of its attractive atmosphere or its professional sales staff, but because its owner shows unbounded dedication to her customers and community. Terra Stella Opened in September 2004, Terra Stella makes a positive impact on Grand Rapids by reaching out to and celebrating the various communities within the city. The store’s annual Dia De Los Muertos celebration and community ofrenda, in support of the local Hispanic community, is an example. In celebration of the new Chinese Year of the Dog, the store helped raise funds for two canine-centered organizations: Paws with a Cause and the Humane Society’s Hurricane Katrina dog-rescue mission. Other fundraising efforts helped Safe Haven Ministries, an organization that supports battered women and their children. An executive at the Grand Rapids’ Eastown Business Association describes owner Kate Alsobrooks as “the type of business owner who harkens back to a time when stores were run by people deeply involved in the community.… Her store is a place where people gather not just to buy, but to share, become aware of ideas and events that affect our world, or get a little personal advice.” This past summer, the store participated in “The Red Thread Project,” which involved hundreds of volunteer knitters joining forces to create a unique work of art featuring thousands of hand-made hats. The hats were attached to a knitted red thread more than a quarter-mile long and became the centerpiece of a public performance involving hundreds of community members wearing the connected hats. The hats were then donated to local nonprofit organizations for distribution to people with cancer. Each hat included a personal story for the cancer patient. The project, which originated in Memphis, was organized in Grand Rapids by two of the city’s key arts organizations. But Terra Stella’s involvement was unique in several ways. The shop designed and sponsored the creation of the world’s largest hat loom and the world’s largest knitted hat. The loom was built by a group of talented, urban at-risk students at a local public high school, and the Paul Bunyan-sized hat was knitted by another group of talented students, this one from the public alternative high school. Terra Stella’s participation in The Red Thread Project is just one example among many of its commitment to the diverse community of Grand Rapids and the greater worldwide community. Photos by John Rocco. |
