Local First group gets creative
with card promotion

Think Dexter First, a business organization in Dexter that promotes using local businesses, has grown tremendously since launching its new promotion, the Think Dexter First card. Launched in early April with 24 businesses, more than 100 businesses are scheduled to be participating by June, said Mary Pierce, head of Think Dexter First and a member of the Dexter Area Chamber of Commerce, which founded the local group.

Participating Dexter-area businesses offer cardholders a special discount or offer, and the Athletic Booster Club of Dexter sells the cards as a fundraiser. Participating businesses receive advertising in connection with the program, a window cling, counter sign and other marketing tools.

Instead of a list of offers and discounts, the card lists a website where a current list of the businesses and their offers can be found.

Winglemire Furniture, a family-owned store in downtown Holly, is celebrating 150 years of business throughout 2008. Current owner Don Winglemire spoke about the 150th anniversary at the Holly Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting April 25. All of Don’s children—Lynn, John, Penny and Richard—are involved in the family business, the sixth generation of Winglemires to do so. Winglemire Furniture is the main sponsor of the Sights, Sounds and Tastes of Holly event August 2.

The Fairlane Green retail redevelopment in Allen Park has received the 11th Annual Phoenix Award, a national recognition given to redevelopment projects which stand out for innovative clean-up techniques, impact on a community and cooperation among businesses and government agencies. A panel of environmental clean-up specialists selected the recipient.

A former clay mine and industrial waste landfill, the site was redeveloped in 2006 by a group of organizations led by Ford Motor Co. subsidiary Ford Land. The 234-acre landfill has been redeveloped into a $150-million campus including retail space and a park.

“It shows that you can change the quality of life, revitalize these communities and really turn things around,” said Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, who attended the awards event at Cobo Center.

On April 4, Art Van Elslander, chairman and founder of Art Van Furniture, was presented with the Distinguished Belgian-American Citizen Award by the Consul General of Belgium in New York, Mrs. Renilde Loeckx-Drozdiak. The award calls out Van Elslander as an outstanding citizen of the State of Michigan and a credit to his Belgian-American heritage. Proceeds of the event support the Detroit van Gazette, the only Belgian newspaper in America.

This June, the western side of Livonia Mall will be demolished in preparation for redevelopment. Sears remains the sole anchor of the 35-year-old mall at Seven Mile and Middle Belt. Livonia Mall spokesman Michael Layne said developers have expressed interest in the site. Both big box and smaller stores will be targeted for the redevelopment.

Wal-Mart and Target have both announced expansions of their discount prescription programs. Wal-Mart will expand its program to offer 90-day supplies for $10 and lower the price of more than 1,000 over-the-counter drugs. Target will reduce prices on prescription and over-the-counter drugs by expanding its assortment of $4 prescriptions, offering 90-day supplies for $10 and selling over-the-counter medications for $4 or less