West Bloomfield, MI. (DEC.9, 2016) – The Midwest Independent Retailers Association (MIRA) applauded the House passing Senate Bill 853 on Thursday, December 1st. SB 853 would prevent local governments from banning or setting fees for containers like bags, cups, bottles or packaging. If signed by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, the bill would take effect 90…
Roughly 87% of Michigan retailers did not sell tobacco to youth under 18 this year, marking the 16th consecutive year vendors have been in compliance with the federal minimum rate of 80%, the Office of Recovery Oriented Systems of Care reported (OROSC). The 2016 rate represents a 2.8% improvement from last year. The OROSC conducted…
By Paula Gardner // MLive Michigan’s packaged liquor sales reached a new plateau in 2015, topping the $1 billion mark in wholesale purchases by retailers. Leading the pack were chain stores – notably Meijer Inc., based near Grand Rapids – which now account for 15 percent of wholesale liquor buys across the state. Sales of packaged liquor, which is…
West Bloomfield, MI (September 21, 2016) — Did you know that the Food industry directly supports 198,000 full and part-time jobs along with an additional 75,000 indirect jobs? The food industry also contributes a gross total of $24.8 billion to Michigan’s economy through its direct sales, indirect economic impact on other industries and employment. These…
West Bloomfield, MI (September 19, 2016) – The Midwest Independent Retailers Association (MIRA) continues its support of the We Card Program by ensuring that its members do not sell controlled substances to minors. This support was recognized by the governors of Michigan, Ohio and Illinois in their proclamations, which are given for service that increase…
By Dan Papineau // MIRA Director, Government Relations Recently a pair of State Representatives introduced two separate but significantly similar pieces of legislation to combat the installation of skimmers in fuel dispensers. While this may seem like well-intentioned legislation, MIRA has major concerns. “Skimmers” are devices placed by criminals inside a fuel dispenser’s credit card…
By Dan Papineau The first municipality to increase the legal age to buy tobacco products in Michigan did so last week. On August 4th the Ann Arbor City Council voted 9-2 to increase the smoking age to 21 years old. Beginning January 1st 2017, any retailer within the city limits of Ann Arbor will be…
West Bloomfield, MI (July 1, 2016) — When Harvey L. Weisberg served as the Chairman of the AFD in 1969 he was quoted as saying, “One of the main reasons for tremendous progress made by the AFD is that the association has been quick to accept the challenge of change taking place in our respective…
Students Encouraged to Connect and Continue Their Education Beyond the Classroom at 8th Annual Scholarship Luncheon MIRA Foundation’s Joseph D. Sarafa Scholarship Program invests more than $700,000 in tomorrow’s leaders since 1999 West Bloomfield, Mich. (June 29, 2016) — The 8th Annual Joseph D. Sarafa Scholarship luncheon was held at the Detroit Athletic Club (DAC)…
Dan Papineau 10:32 p.m. EDT June 19, 2016 (DETROIT NEWS) – Many will remember the May 1996 “Seinfeld” episode where Kramer and Newman crafted a plan to return empty bottles and cans bought in New York to Michigan to receive our state’s 10-cent deposit. Targeted because Michigan has the highest bottle deposit rate in the…