Development News

Portable Feast re-opens in Old Town

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

The Portable Feast fed Old Towners from 2002 through 2009, and after a few years of trying something new, owner Sharon Hind decided it was time to revive her old business, in the exact same space.

"I wanted to get back to doing my own thing and my creativeness instead of working for somebody else," says Hind. "And this area is a cool area. I have a lot of friends here who have been really supportive."

Just like the former Portable Feast, the new business, serves light breakfast and lunch fare for dine-in or take away. Hind's reopening took place last week with salads, soups, wraps and more.

"The menu is similar," Hind says. "There are some old favorites and new items. I'm still doing breakfast, lunch and casual catering. I'm thinking of opening into evening as well."

Source: Sharon Hind, Portable Feast
Writer: Natalie Burg, Development News Editor

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Jefferson Street Salon opens, creates three Grand Ledge jobs

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

When her employer closed its doors in September, hairstylist DeAnn DeChelbor wasn't about to walk away from the clients she'd been taking care of for 11 years.

"We have the best the clientele," says DeChelbor. "We're like a family because we've know them for so long. They're like our family, and we didn't want to lose them."

The day after leaving Fantastic Sam's, she started looking for a location to start her own shop, and in December, she and partners Jennifer Temple and Andrea Graeber opened the doors of Jefferson Street Salon in Grand Ledge.

The 1,200 square foot salon supports the three stylists with room to add up to three more in the future. Eventually, DeChelbor says, she would like to hire a massage therapist as well.

According to DeChelbor, the goal of the Jefferson Street Salon is to offer high quality hair services at a lower cost than other area salons.

Source: DeAnn DeChelbor, Jefferson Street Salon
Writer: Natalie Burg, Development News Editor

Have a development news story? Send Natalie an email here.

Zoobie's Old Town Tavern to be revived, create 15 jobs

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Sam Short and partners Aaron Matthews and Alan Hooper first purchased the long-vacant Zoobie's building in Old Town, it was with an eye on another development project.

"Originally, it was a means to an end," Short says. "We were looking to redevelop the Temple, and Zoobie's had a liquor license that was mobile. We had purchased it with the intention of moving it over."

Instead, that liquor license is staying put and will be a part of the re-opening of the bar under its former name: Zoobie's Old Town Tavern. The 1,500 square foot space is now under renovation, including plans for a new roof.

"We're looking to work with some of the great historic elements of the building," says Short. "It has a great 50s-era feel. We don't want to do anything kitschy, but we want to work some neat 50s design elements into it."

No opening date has yet been set, but Short expects the new Zoobie's to open in late spring or early summer of this year. The bar will feature craft beer and boutiq wine and well made, craft cocktails and will employ approximately 15 workers. No plans are yet made for the second floor, but Short says eventually expanding the bar into a restaurant or developing residential units in the space are possibilities.

Source: Sam Short, Zoobie's Old Town Tavern
Writer Natalie Burg, Development News Editor

Have a development news story? Send Natalie an email here.

New family bakery brings Italian pastries, five jobs to Mason

Roseanne Sherwood, Nana's Sweet Treats Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Mornings are coming pretty early these days for Roseanne and Tom Sherwood. The Mason couple has been arriving at their new bakery, Nana's Sweet Treats between three and four in the morning. But they're not complaining.

"It's been very good," says Roseanne Sherwood. "We've been quite busy. We've been getting a lot of orders for cakes and cupcakes."

Sherwood began her baking career in her own kitchen, utilizing the state’s cottage food laws to produce goodies for customers on order. On Dec. 8, however, the husband and wife team moved their operations into a 2,500 square foot location on Cedar Street.

"It's a great location because most people have to go right by here to get up town," Sherwood says.

Nana's Sweet Treats was named for Sherwood's mother, and specializes in both American and Italian pastries, such as cinnamon rolls and cannoli. Everything, says Sherwood, is made completely from scratch.

The new bakery celebrated its grand opening earlier this month. In addition to Roseanne and Tom Sherwood, Nana's Sweet Treats also employs three part time employees.

The Sweet Cake quadruples space in new Williamston location

Shayna Bennett, The Sweet Cake Wednesday, January 23, 2013

A little Portland bakery is getting a big boost in visibility next month as it moves to a storefront on Grand River in Williamston, more than quadrupling its space.

“I don’t have a storefront now,” says owner of The Sweet Cake, Shayna Bennett. “This was a great opportunity.”

Bennett began her cake business out of her Portland home in 2008 and quickly moved into a small commercial location in 2009. Since that time, demand for her unique, made-from-scratch cakes has been on the rise, outgrowing her 300 square foot spot.

“I offer a lot of very unusually decorated, very personal cakes,” Bennett says. “I do a lot of the carved cakes like you see on TV. I plan to offer, in the very near future, gourmet cupcakes.”

Opening in early February in Downtown Williamston, The Sweet Cake will enjoy 1,400 square feet of space. Bennett plans to have a display up in the front of the store by the first of the month, in time for the local Ice Sculpture event.

Bennett hopes The Sweet Cake will continue to grow in its new location, and would like to add a staff in the future.

J.S. Peck Real Estate opens in Okemos, creates two jobs

Jeffery Peck, J.S. Peck Real Estate Wednesday, January 23, 2013

According to Jeffery Peck, his new Okemos agency, J.S. Peck Real Estate is more than just an ordinary real estate business.

“I was a private mortgage banker for 20 years,” says Peck. “I also do seminars for people with houses going into foreclosure and short sale. I let them know they don’t have to give up hope for the American dream.”

The 1,200 square foot office opening in October, offering credit counseling and help for those who may not believe they are candidates for homeownership.

“I think the biggest misconception people have is they think they can’t afford a home,” Peck says. “I’ll work with them for as long as need be to get approved. Then we’ll go shopping for houses.”

J.S. Peck Real Estate celebrated their grand opening in December. Peck currently employs a staff of two and plans to expand his location in the future. He would also like to open between three and four more offices over the next few years, including an additional Lansing-area location.

New Okemos bike to aims for community envolvement, to create up to 12 jobs

Michael Reuter, American Cycle & Fitness Wednesday, January 23, 2013

American Cycle and Fitness may be new the Lansing area when it opens on Grand River in Okemos next month, but the brand is anything but new to Michigan. The store first opened in 1938 in Grosse Pointe and has grown into a six-locations throughout Southeast Michigan. Very soon, they’ll expand into the Lansing area.

“We have six locations [in Metro Detroit],” says Michael Reuter, CEO of American Cycle & Fitness. “There isn’t a growth potential for us without taking market share from our other stores. Outside of Detroit, the Lansing are has been a possibility for us for years.”

That possibility will become a reality in February when American Cycle and Fitness opens near Playmakers. The proximity is no coincidence. Reuter and his partners have worked with Playmakers frequently in the past, and liken their commitment to community health and participation to Lansing’s legendary running store.

“Those guys do business like we do business,” he says. “We’re excited to be close to them here. We really want to earn that reputation as well.”

According to Reuter, American Cycle and Fitness will carry cycling equipment for biker enthusiasts of all ages and experience.

“We make cycling fun for everyone,” Reuter says. “We have a bike for you if you’re eight or 80, or any age.”

The 7,200 square foot store will employ between eight and 12 employees upon opening, joining the company wide staff total that grows to around 100 during their peak season. A grand opening is planned for April 5.

Grand Ledge Nana-n-Paws expands to 10 acrea property with eight employees

Patty Lance, Nana-n-Paws Doggy Daycare Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Patty Lance knows dogs. She’s been training them for 33 years, and after a few negative experiences with boarding facilities, began taking care of other people’s dogs in her home the way she felt they should be cared for.

“I don’t like outdoor runs because dogs can escape. I don’t like leaving them unsupervised, because anything could happen,” says Lance. “I don’t like dogs in cages. I wanted it to be more like a home environment, instead of an institution of steel and cement.”

Her client list outgrew her home, leading Lance to open Nana-n-Paws Doggie Daycare in Grand Ledge in September. The facility includes a 9,300 square foot main building and 5,000 square foot training and rental facility on 10 acres.

“We also have an 11,000 square foot outdoor play area where and they are never unsupervised,” Lance says. “We have a bedroom and a kitchen here for staff to spend the night. Nine times out of ten we fall asleep with dogs in our beds.”

Nana-n-Paws Doggie Daycare offers boarding facilities with separate rooms for older dogs, small dogs, large dogs who love to roughhouse and those with more timid personalities. The facility also has a retail store, grooming services, dog training and some veterinary services.

“I just really love dogs,” says Lance, “and I don’t want them to be scared, I don’t want their feelings hurt. I want them to feel like they’re at home.”

Lance hopes to continue to grow in her new location, with such plans as adding a dog park to her property, coordinating adoption days with area rescue organizations. Eight employees currently work at Nana-n-Paws.

Local owners open area's third Culver's in Eastwood Towne Center

Jay Laing, Culver's Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Lansing just can’t seem to get enough of Culver’s, the fast food franchise famous for its frozen custard. Holt residents Jay Laing and Scott Berman have now opened their first, but the area’s third Culver’s restaurant in Eastwood Towne Center.

“We looked at a variety of concepts, and Culver’s was the best fit for us,” says Laing. “It’s really proven to be successful over the past several years.”

The 4,300 square foot restaurant is one of the first few Culver’s in the nation with an updated floor plan that gives customers and employees more room. The restaurant holds 108 diners, and currently employs about 60 workers. Even more diners will be welcome when the weather allows them to open their patio.

“We went to great lengths to make the patio an appealing place,” Laing says.

The new Culver’s opened last week after breaking ground in July. Laing says the business plans to be active in the community, including events and partnerships within Eastwood Towne Center.

Opie's Pizza to open, create 11 jobs on Chandler Road

Paul De Leon, Opie's Pizza Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Paul De Leon could be opening an authentic Mexican restaurant in Wisconsin right now, but thanks to a chance meeting while shopping for a truck to take him there, his plans changed.

“The sales guy had a long experience with pizza,” says De Leon. “He had a really good pizza recipe, and he asked me if I was interested in opening a restaurant with him.”

That’s how De Leon and Bill Grantham began their working relationship, which will result in the opening of Opie’s Pizza on Chandler Road in Bath Township later this month.

“We’re about 96 percent ready,” De Leon says. “We had to make a pizza place out of a room with just four walls. We had to make the kitchen and dining room and bathrooms. It was a lot of work.”

De Leon and Grantham hope all that work will be worthwhile when they open their doors on January 23. The 1,800 square foot restaurant will include a full bar and will employ 11 workers upon opening.

The business partners hope to expand Opie’s Pizza into a franchise, beginning with future locations in Old Town and Grand Ledge.

Twisted Fiber Art expands into Mason space, doubles staff

Anne Bohl, Twisted Fiber Art Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Until recently, Twisted Fiber Art, was a bit of a secret in Mason. Operating for seven years in founder Meg Campbell-Crawley’s home. Though Campbell-Crawley’s unique, hand-dyed yarns have gained a worldwide following, the growing operation was hardly visible at all locally.

All of that changed when she and partner Anne Bohl officially outgrew their space and opened in a 2,000 square foot studio and retail space in Downtown Mason in 2012.

“We weren’t looking for a retail spot,” says Bohl, “but we came in and talked to the woman who owns the space, and it was great for us. We have triple the space we had before, and people have really enjoyed it. The yarn is a real tactile thing, and they’ve wanted to touch it.”

As it turns out, the retail space was a great boon to the business. Since their move, Twisted Fiber Art has nearly doubled their staff, now employing nine workers, and fans of their yarn have traveled from miles around to see the unusual product.

“We start with really nice yarn,” Bohl says of Twisted Fiber Art’s unique appeal. “Meg’s eye for color is just really, really special. Each skein is dyed by hand and with care.

Bohl explains that the yarn differs from other products because their colors are not variegated, but striped, creating a different color-changing effect.

“You can’t even tell the color is changing.,” she says. “It creates something that is just a show stopper.”

According to Bohl, she and Campbell-Crawley will continue to focus on slow, steady growth in their new location. The shop will soon add knitting lessons to their business, giving novice knitters the chance to learn how to do more and better knitting with their popular product.

The independent bookstore returns to Holt with The Bookshelf

Laura Murphy, The Bookshelf Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Some may believe the era of the independent bookstore is ending, but Laura Murphy isn’t buying it. When Bargain Books in Holt closed after Murphy managed the store for seven year, she wasn’t ready to give up on the concept – or the customers.

“I enjoy the people who shopped there,” Murphy says. “The customers are just great. I've done a lot of retail in my day, and they're the best customers.”

That’s why Murphy opened The Bookshelf on Cedar in Holt in 2012. The approximately 2,300 square foot store offers fiction, children’s literature, textbooks, special orders and more. Murphy says that so far, her hunch that an independent bookstore could still survive seems to be true.

“Every day I get new customer in, and it gets better every day,” she says. “I didn't expect to make any money in the first year…but we did.”

Murphy hopes The Bookshelf will continue to grow so she can hire employees, and potentially open another store in the Lansing area.

Grand Ledge's Design Rides triples size with new shop, expands staff

John Williams, Design Rides Wednesday, January 09, 2013

It was only by chance that John Williams moved his business Design Rides from Ionia to Grand Ledge in 2008 after his former landlord sold the building that house it. It turned out to be a great move for the auto detailing and customization business, which has doubled in volume since arriving in Grand Ledge.

Design Rides grew so much, in fact, that they recently celebrated the opening of their new, larger location on East Saginaw.

“We have a big clientele now,” says Williams. “I think it’s our dedication to making it right. We always make sure that everything is correct.”

They’ll have a lot more room to exercise their attention to detail. The new, 2,800-square foot location is more than three times the size of the former Design Rides shop.

“We’re going to start offering more services,” says Williams. “We’ll be able to start offering spray-on bed lining, custom fiberglass work, fiberglass tops, and offering lift kits.”

Additionally, he says, Design Rides will be able to start working their way through a waiting list of customers that extends out of state. The growing business now has a staff for four full- and two part-time employees, two of which have been added over that last year. Williams expects to add two more full time staffers in the near future.

Facials & More to open in Downtown Williamston

Cheryl Selph, Facials & More Wednesday, January 09, 2013

After seven years of working as an aesthetician for a variety of spas and medical offices, Williamston native Cheryl Selph will be bringing her talents home with the new Facials & More, slated to open in February.

“Most of my background is in medical skin care with medical-grade chemical peels and skin care products,” says Selph. “I decided if I'm going to open something, it's got to be medical grade. It has to be something people can't go out and buy over the counter.”

Facials & More will open in a 450 square foot office on Grand River in Williamston. Selph will offer chemical peels, laser hair removal, detox body wraps and skin rejuvenations. Selph will be working in association with a Novi-based doctor for all medical procedures.

“It's a pretty busy little plaza,” Selph says of her location. “It's not huge, but I wanted to start out where it's affordable.”

Selph hopes to open Facials & More in early February with the help of her daughter, who will work in the office as well. Eventually, Selph hopes to grow her business into a franchise.

Grand Ledge Auto to celebrate ribbon cutting

Hugh McNichol, Grand Ledge Auto Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Grand Ledge drivers have a new option for serving their vehicles. Everett High School grade Hugh McNichol began his career in automotive repair as a mechanic in the army reserves. After attending LCC for automotive technology and serving in Iraq, the local man returned to the Lansing area to continue his career.

McNichol’s Grand Ledge Auto will celebrate their opening earlier this year with a ribbon cutting on December 17. The four-bay auto shop is located at at 854 West Jefferson.

“I do diagnostics, engine repair, brakes, suspension, air conditioning and hybrids,” says McNichol.

The only things McNichol doesn’t do, he says, are tires and bodywork. The ASE certified automotive technician says he plans to continue to develop his skills in his new business.

“I’d like to one day to do electric conversions on gas vehicles,” McNichols says.

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