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  • Lily Beery applies yogurt-based frosting to dog treats as Oscar patrols the bakery area at D.O.G. Bakery in Traverse City. Record-Eagle/JAN-MICHAEL STUMP

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November 28, 2010

Push on to shop state's downtowns

By Vanessa McCray vmccray@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Karry Barolo's D.O.G. Bakery is a favorite among local pet lovers.

Her shop already is stocked with freshly baked, festively decorated holiday dog treats. Customers stop by to pick up Christmas trees in red and green, "naughty" and "nice" bones, and sprinkled snowmen for their four-legged pals.

Barolo, who co-owns the recently expanded bakery and store on West Front Street, appreciates local residents' support. In return, she uses local honey, eggs, blueberries and cherry products as ingredients.

"I feel it's important," Barolo said. "It's a win-win for everyone, and we're lucky to live in a community where we have so many locally made products available."

A statewide group of small, local and downtown business boosters challenged Michigan residents to complete 75 percent of their holiday shopping this season in the state's downtown areas. They contend supporting local businesses props up the local economy.

A 2008 study in Grand Rapids found that $68 of every $100 spent in a local business stayed in the community, versus $43 for every $100 spent at a national chain or non-local business, said Joe Borgstrom, of the Michigan Main Street Center at the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. The Main Street Center is among the statewide agencies who issued the ShopMIDowntown Holiday Challenge.

Borgstrom said local businesses support not just employees but also other local companies such as newspapers, accountants and contractors. Local owners also are likely to live in the area and pay property taxes as well as patronize other local businesses, he said.

"There's a lot more spin-off," he said.

In Traverse City, the Downtown Traverse City Association offers gift certificates redeemable at almost all of the boutiques, restaurants and businesses located downtown. The certificates are popular company gifts to their employees, said DTCA Marketing Director Colleen Paveglio.

In six years, the amount of certificates sold has grown from about $80,000 to last year's tally of $192,000, she said.

"A lot of people are just thankful that it's a way of giving, but also it's a great way to promote local business. Your gift is also a gift," she said.

Paveglio hopes to crack the $200,000 mark this year in gift certificate sales and said 40 percent to 50 percent are sold in December.

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