From the cramped office in the back of her Grosse Pointe Woods boutique, Michelle Valentine is redefining home shopping in Michigan. 

          The St. Clair Shores resident, who owns L’Vogue nail and clothing boutique on Mack Avenue, recently kicked off her creation: the Michigan Shopping Network. The cable television program is shown in six Oakland county cities and offers merchandise solely from retailers in Michigan.

           “I came up with the idea by owning my own store,” Valentine said. “This is the only show where local retailers can reach local people.”

           The Michigan Shopping Network, part of L’Vogue Productions Inc., is what Valentine calls interactive television. Viewers call stores directly, rather than a warehouse in some other part of the country, to order merchandise they see on the program.

           “If you like that bracelet, you’re calling the store,” she said, adding that it encourages people to visit the actual stores.

           The program is produced through Booth Communications in Birmingham. The show has potential audience of 23,000 in Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Birmingham,  Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms and Franklin. The median annual income of the audience is $73,275.

           Retailers do not have to be located within the network’s viewing range to be considered for advertising, Valentine said. In fact, she encourages retailers from all over the state to participate.

           “We’re trying to stimulate the Michigan economy by promoting retail in Michigan,” she said. 

          John Patrick of Booth communications said Valentine’s program is the first of its kind for Booth, and it is the only local shopping network he knows of in the area.

           “I think the show is ideal. There is no other outlet (like it) for local businesses,” said Patrick, the show’s production manager.

           Valentine and her crew have taped the half-hour pilot of the show, which currently airs at 6:30p.m. Tuesdays and as one of Booth’s six non-stop rotating programs on weekends. Valentine hosts the show, introducing the retailers and their products.

           “I think it’s real close to what she wanted, but like anything else, there’s work that needs to be done,” Patrick said.

           “She’s got to build up a following, like any show,” he added.

           A date has not yet been set to tape subsequent programs, but soon Valentine hopes to get on a schedule of taping a new show each week. She set up the program to showcase four non-competing retailers, giving them five-minute segments to do with what they want.

          “We own 30 minutes of air time, so we sell 30 minutes of air time,” she said. Valentine charges $1,300 for a five-minute spot.

          “If they can’t afford to be on the show, they can buy a commercial.”

           Commercials, sold in minimum packages of five, run $150 for 30 seconds – more if L’Vogue Productions also produces the spot.

           Valentine asks potential advertisers to fill out a questionnaire answering certain things like the business’ return policy, what credit cards it takes and what, if any action, it will take if a customer receives a product that has been damaged during shipping. 

          “If it’s a store I don’t feel would represent us well, I don’t want it,” Valentine said.

           “I’m trying to promote upscale, quality merchandise because what’s on the show is a direct reflection on my company.”

           The Michigan Shopping Network is not limited just to the display of merchandise. If a company or an individual wants to promote a service, or even if, say, a band wants to promote itself, Valentine said she’ll accommodate. 

          “It’s basically endless,” she said.