Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Websites urge "buy Michigan"

13. January 2005 • Murph
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The Detroit Free Press points to a pair of websites, started in the last few months, that want to help consumers find Michigan-made goods and services.

“The idea really hit me with the announcement of the Greenville Electrolux plant closing” in early 2004, Ryan Anderson said, admitting he didn’t know refrigerators were made in Michigan. “That, and being employed in the auto industry, you realize how easily people can lose their jobs these days.”

After Electrolux AB’s announcement, Anderson, 32, made a conscious decision to buy Michigan-made products whenever possible to help keep jobs here. Alas, he didn’t find much on the Web at the time, which spurred the idea for his company.

Anderson’s site is BuyMichiganProducts.com, listing companies and specific products from many of them. The other site, MichiganMall.com, appears to be a more general directory of businesses.



  1. Hello,

    Thanks for including our website in your posting. You must really be paying attention because that was a small article in the freep, but thanks all the same. I’ll take some time to check out your site as well.

    take it easy,
    Ryan Anderson
    BuyMichiganProducts.com
       —Ryan Anderson    Jan. 14 '05 - 12:04AM    #
  2. Check those ‘leet referal log skills. Welcome, Ryan. Yes, I am a total news junkie, and a total buy-local zealot, so I couldn’t possibly pass this by.

    As long as I’m at it, I oughta mention the Ann Arbor Living Economy Network as another local business group, or Lisa will kick me.
       —Murph    Jan. 14 '05 - 12:44AM    #
  3. Of course I wouldn’t kick you Murph – we at LEN are a kinder, gentler business organization. Er, something like that.

    Actually, in addition to keeping Michiganians in business, buying from local companies helps our economy indirectly: for every dollar spent at locally-owned businesses, 2 to 3 times the money goes back into the local economy than if spent at national/multi-national companies. I admire a lot of what Granholm has done, but I wish somebody would let her on to this research so that she can put our economic development money towards something more effective than paying big companies lots of money to locate here…
       —Lisa    Jan. 15 '05 - 02:55PM    #
  4. The University of Michigan is making it harder for Michigan to have consumers. They are planning on shipping more jobs across the ocean.

    University of Michigan Health System shops overseas for clerical work
       —Mark    Jan. 15 '05 - 04:37PM    #