State leaders are asking Michigan residents to beat lines and avoid crowds by shopping at local small businesses on Black Friday.
The Michigan Economic Development Corp. is encouraging shopping, eating and traveling locally through a new “Support Local” campaign in order to make sure small businesses make it through the winter.
One in five jobs in Michigan are in the retail industry, according to the Michigan Retailers Association.
It says that in 2017, Michigan residents spent $18.5 billion on out-of-state retailers.
If residents switched one in every 10 out-of-state purchases to local stores, the state would increase by $1.2 billion in economic activity, which could create 10,600 new jobs.
