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Calling all Michigan-based authors

The Buy Michigan Now Festival is returning to Downtown Northville Aug 4-6, 2023. In keeping with tradition, the event offers Michigan-based authors an opportunity to sign and sell books. Traditionally, over the course of the weekend, 25-30,000 people attend this upbeat celebration of Buy Michigan Week. BMNFest Writers selected to participate will be provided with a sheltered

Calling all Michigan-based authors2023-07-05T11:48:03-04:00

Birth and growth of Meijer and its superstores

If you live in Michigan, you have most likely heard the Meijer name. The company pioneered the modern supercenter concept in 1962, but the beginnings are much humbler than that. It all started in June of 1934 when founder Hendrick Meijer opened a small grocery store in Greenville and the company grew from there. Hendrick Meijer's Early

Birth and growth of Meijer and its superstores2023-07-05T08:31:03-04:00

What to know to enjoy Detroit’s Grand Prix weekend

While the roar of engines could be heard faintly on Woodward when cars made the circle on Belle Isle, it’s been three decades since the sound echoed between the skyscrapers of the city. This year, Grand Prix racing returns to the downtown streets June 2-4. Here’s what you need to know to enjoy Detroit’s Grand Prix weekend.

What to know to enjoy Detroit’s Grand Prix weekend2023-06-01T16:45:06-04:00

Melrose Township Becomes Michigan’s 5th Monarch City USA

Earlier this month, Melrose Township (Walloon Lake) was named a Monarch City USA – just the fifth such community in Michigan and the fourth in northern Michigan. It joined Highland, Boyne City, Kalkaska and Elk Rapids. These communities pledge to provide environments and native areas for pollinator plants to grow wild, thus feeding and protecting monarchs and

Melrose Township Becomes Michigan’s 5th Monarch City USA2023-05-31T18:58:47-04:00

The blind date that built an empire

Consumers in all 50 states and 18 international markets know the convenience of Little Caesar’s Hot-n-Ready pizzas. I personally can make a meal out of their Crazy Bread. It was quite interesting to me to find out that this famed chain all started with a blind date. Mike Ilitch was born in 1929, in Detroit, to Macedonian

The blind date that built an empire2023-05-01T13:18:28-04:00

Make a stop in Depot Town

Despite being home to Eastern Michigan University, Willow Run Airport, and a readily recognizable water tower, Ypsilanti often lives in the shadow of neighboring Ann Arbor. Yet, there is much to see and do, especially when you make a stop in Depot Town. Named for the train station that was once the primary focus of the area,

Make a stop in Depot Town2023-05-01T13:13:20-04:00

Our 6 favorite finds at Making It In Michigan show

On the surface, the MSU Product Center’s annual Making It In Michigan conference and trade show may seem like an event that is just for people with agricultural-based businesses to attend. Yet, the trade show is actually one of the state’s best kept secrets for foodies and entrepreneurs of any ilk. Where else can you get a

Our 6 favorite finds at Making It In Michigan show2023-05-01T13:07:56-04:00

Vote for your 2023 Hatch Detroit final four

What do you get when you combine entrepreneurial ingenuity, capital investment, and a public eager to support new endeavors? The answer is Hatch Detroit. The competition recently announced its Top 10 semi-finalists, and now it’s your turn to weigh in and help determine which new brick and mortar business you most want to see added to the

Vote for your 2023 Hatch Detroit final four2023-04-06T16:29:22-04:00

The man who invented Vernors Ginger Ale

If you live in Michigan, or anywhere else in the Midwest for that matter, you’ve likely tasted a Vernors Ginger Ale. It is considered Michigan’s #1 cold medicine and is great when heated and mixed with lemon juice for sore throats and coughs. It is also known to cure the occasional queasy stomach. The inventor of this

The man who invented Vernors Ginger Ale2023-04-06T15:24:05-04:00

5 beer releases that will make you ready for spring

Snow is melting. Waterfalls are thawing. Maple sap is flowing. These are all among the many joys of springtime in Michigan. As the weather warms many beer drinkers find their tastes moving away from the brown ales, stouts, and porters of winter and toward the wheat and fruit that transitions us into summer. These 5 delectable spring

5 beer releases that will make you ready for spring2023-04-07T11:56:17-04:00

Best places to celebrate St. Patrick’s in Michigan

It’s unlikely that you’ll spot any actual leprechauns, or even stumble across a four-leaved clover, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in our state. In fact, it was once a single day commemorating the arrival of St Patrick and Christianity to Ireland on March 17. However, now it has

Best places to celebrate St. Patrick’s in Michigan2023-03-06T17:08:54-05:00

Springtime fun in Frankenmuth

Once upon a time, Frankenmuth was a relatively ordinary little hamlet in Saginaw County that had been founded by German settlers. That is, until local businessman William “Tiny” Zehnder had an idea. He wanted to add atmosphere to what was then Fischer’s Hotel, by adding Bavarian Architecture. The idea took hold in the late 1950s, and before

Springtime fun in Frankenmuth2023-03-06T19:35:16-05:00

Kellogg family feud

I would be willing to bet that almost everyone has heard of Kellogg's, and also that many know it all began in Battle Creek, Michigan. As for the story of how this business came to be, not so much so.  It is a story of bullying, jealousy, and sibling rivalry between the Kellogg brothers, John and Will. 

Kellogg family feud2023-03-02T09:38:56-05:00

Detroit becomes the Arsenal of Democracy

From the Great Lakes State, Wolverine State, and The Mitten to Motor City and Motown, the state of Michigan and the city of Detroit have a plethora of nicknames. However, there is one that I had never heard of before. During World War II, Detroit was called the Arsenal of Democracy. Once you really think about the

Detroit becomes the Arsenal of Democracy2023-02-02T17:47:17-05:00

Ulysses S. Grant residing in Michigan

Living here we all know that Michigan winters can be brutal. Even in recent history, we had the polar vortex of 2019. As I sit here writing, we are expecting a generational storm this Christmas. As a history teacher, I know that former president Ulysses S. Grant lived in Michigan for three years and had to deal

Ulysses S. Grant residing in Michigan2023-01-30T11:43:08-05:00

The past and preservation of Pictured Rocks

.“We go along the coast, most delightful and wonderful. Nature has made it pleasant to the eye, the spirit and the belly.” French fur trader and explorer Pierre Esprit Raddison wrote those words in his journal as he traveled through what is now Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  What he was seeing, was our beloved Pictured Rocks. These formations

The past and preservation of Pictured Rocks2022-10-07T08:26:06-04:00

What to expect at the new Detroit Auto Show

There is no question, the automotive industry has really changed in recent decades. New vehicle releases used to only take place in the fall, but now they can happen virtually any time. Gas-powered vehicles are rapidly on the path to extinction to make room for electric vehicles. Advancements in technology have changed everything from how we get

What to expect at the new Detroit Auto Show2022-09-09T16:22:02-04:00

A history of Mackinac ferries

Ask most anyone in Michigan what the number one tourist destination in the state is and they’ll likely answer “Mackinac Island.”  The Straits of Mackinac and surrounding areas are beautiful no matter the time of year. It's been a popular place to travel since humans inhabited the Great Lakes region. The mainland northwest of the island, St.

A history of Mackinac ferries2022-09-09T12:31:35-04:00

Floating Citadel joins Detroit cityscape

A striking new piece of art now adorns Detroit’s cityscape. It is the result of an extensive search that started when the convention building was called TCF Center, and ended after it became Huntington Place. The outdoor sculpture highlights the main circle drive near the entrance. Called Floating Citadel, it is the inspiration of local artist Scott

Floating Citadel joins Detroit cityscape2022-09-09T12:30:17-04:00

Michigan Author Showcase at BMNFest

AUTHORS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR   FRIDAY 4pm-8pm on Wing Street: Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw, Carol Trembath, Gail Kuhnlein, Shutta Crum, Cathy Collison, and Janet Ruth Heller. 4pm-8pm on Main Street: Jon David and Kama Shell SATURDAY 10am-8pm on Wing Street: Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw, Amy Nielander, Pria Dee, Andrea Kurth, Kathleen Vincenz, and Angela Shinozaki 10am-3pm on Main Street:

Michigan Author Showcase at BMNFest2024-08-01T20:18:17-04:00
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