Development News

Williamston home brew store opens, adds two jobs

Mary Reed, Home Brew Depot Wednesday, November 14, 2012

One day, explains Mary Reed of Williamston, her husband came home with an idea.

“Since Michigan Brewing Company went out, and we knew they did a good business with home brew supplies, and they were in Webberville and we’re right here in Williamston,” she says, it only made sense that a market still existed for a home brew supply store in their area.

“We started checking things out and we had great support from the local community here about dong it,” Reed says. “That really cinched it for us that we were going to do it.”

The result is the now open Home Brew Depot on Grand River in Downtown Williamston. The 400 square foot business sells equipment and ingredients kits for home brewing beer, as well as ingredients for making wine, liquor and soda.

The Home Brew Depot opened near the end of September and celebrated their grand opening last weekend. The store currently employs both Reed and her husband Bill Reed. The pair hopes to grow their staff over the next year.

Sign-A-Rama opens in 1,700 sq ft Okemos location

Dale Kohlsmith, Sign-A-Rama Wednesday, November 07, 2012

The economic downturn was tough on sign and graphic companies, leaving a hole in the Lansing market for a locally owned but nationally franchised sign company. After 20 years in the education and training industry Dale Kohlsmith paired that local need with his own dream to operate his own business, opening Sign-A-Rama on West Grand River in Okemos.

“All of the other stores had gone down in the area,” Kohlsmith says. “There are a lot of independent sign companies here, but not many formal franchise models. What differentiates us is that we are locally owned and operated, so we can provide the customer service of a local shop, but have the global resources of a corporation.”

The 1,700 square foot business opened in July and currently employs a staff of four. Kohlsmith plans to place a focus on utilizing vendors of American-made products, which a particular focus on Michigan-made goods.

“At least 90 percent of our products are made in the US,” says Kohlsmith. “We’re also very focused on being eco-friendly.”

As the new Sign-A-Rama continues to grow in Okemos, Kohlsmith plans to branch out into specialty markets, such as vehicle wraps.

Aerospace manufacturer opens in 19,000 sq ft Mason space, adds nine jobs

Matthew Rudd, Apex Wednesday, November 07, 2012

New aerospace manufacturer, APEX Precision Solutions, Inc., announced the opening of a 19,000 square foot facility near Mason last week. The company, which launched in the spring of this year, was started by a team of manufacturing executives from the medical device industry.

“We’ve been in operation, really since July of the facility,” says Matthew Rudd, President and CEO of APEX. “We’re operational now and taking orders.”

APEX specializes in machined parts and fixtures for the aerospace industry and related fields. The company plans to create 25 to 35 new jobs over the next two years.

“Our initial goal here is get the certifications that will allow us to enter into more component manufacturing,” says Rudd. “We plan on growing in the markets that we’re currently service, but we’ll be able to go a little deeper.”

APEX currently employs a staff of nine. Investment in their new facility was made assisted by Lansing Economic Area Partnership, the Small Business Technology Development Center, the Lansing Regional SmartZone and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Barfly Ventures to revive Lansing Brewing Company, add 50 jobs

Mark Sellers, Barfly Ventures Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Lansing Brewing Company closed its doors in 1914 when local prohibition laws were passed. It took 99 years, but Barfly Ventures of Grand Rapids will revive the historic downtown business, opening their own Lansing Brewing Company in the summer of 2013.

“We have really strong ties as a company and as a family to East Lansing,” says Barfly Ventures owner Mark Sellers. “I got a call from Pat Gillespie about doing something in his building, and that got me thinking about doing one thing in Lansing and one in East Lansing.”

Lansing Brewing Company is now taking shape in an approximately 6,000 square foot space in The Gillespie Group’s Stadium District development on Michigan Avenue. The bar and restaurant will brew their own beer and have a full food menu.

Barfly Ventures is also developing a bar in East Lansing called HopCat. Sellers says the Lansing area was an ideal location to expand his Grand Rapids-based operation because his project manager lives in East Lansing, and the distance is short enough for him to remain active in the businesses.

“I feel I need to be present at my bars,” says Sellers. “I don’t like to be an absentee bar owner.”

Lansing Brewing Company will employ approximately 50 workers and is scheduled to open in the late summer of 2013.

New Mason facility spurs growth, 12 new jobs for Capital Steel

Dustin Preston, Capital Steel Wednesday, October 31, 2012

A new facility and growing staff has Lansing-based Capital Steel receiving recognition at the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Regional Growth Awards. The steel bars and wire company recently expanded with a $2 million redevelopment project in Mason, creating a space large enough to process steel on site.

“The market share we’ve gotten has allowed us to broaden our infrastructure to process the steel here in our facility instead of sending out it,” says Capital Steel President Dustin Preston, who owns the company with his wife. “We’re really keeping our ear to what the market is asking for. We’re so flexible with what we can do and add now.”

The new 120,000 square foot facility has allowed the Capital Steel staff to grow by approximately 12 employees over the last year, bringing the total staff to 55 workers. That’s a significant number, compared to the three to four employees Preston began with when he started the company in 2001.

“We’ve really put together a great team,” says Preston. “We’ve been able to pull from a very talented group of people in the Lansing area.”

Grand Rapids' HopCat to open East Lansing location, create 50 jobs

Mark Sellers, Barfly Ventures Wednesday, October 31, 2012

A popular Grand Rapids nightlife spot will open in the upcoming multi-use development that will, upon completion, be Downtown East Lansing’s tallest building.

HopCat, will be a bar and restaurant specializing in carrying a wide variety of microbrews, with a focus on Michigan craft beer, just like the original location in Grand Rapids. The forthcoming local version of the venue, explains owner Mark Sellers, will have even more beer options.

“We’ll have 100 beers on tap,” he says, “which is twice as many as we have in Grand Rapids.”

That won’t be the only difference between the two HopCat locations. The 6,000 square foot East Lansing bar will have a different layout, décor and menu.

“I never wanted to be someone who owns a chain,” Sellers says. “I purposely want this to look and feel a little different.”

Sellers hopes to open the East Lansing HopCat, which will be located on the ground floor of The Residences on Ann St., in the late summer of 2013. The business will employ approximately 50 workers.

New same-day therapy practice opens in East Lansing, adds six jobs

Leslie Auld, Therapy Today Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Though she had been in private practice for 14 years, Leslie Auld, LMSW, ACSW felt there was something missing from her psychotherapy services.

“I wanted to be able to offer same-day appointments to people,” says Auld. “I feel like that need is largely unmet. There is a lot of research to support that if you get help right away, the outcome is better.”

Her new office in East Lansing, Therapy Today, offers just that. Auld’s staff are able to see both regular psychotherapy clients and appointments made that day. Auld is currently operating with one office employee and one other therapist but will soon add an additional four therapists to her staff.

“It’s a really beautiful location,” Auld says. “It’s perfect for a therapy practice because it was built for that. We’re right near Creative Wellness, and there is a yoga studio right next door. It feels like a healing community area.”

Therapy Today opened its Abbott Road location on September 5. Auld hope to one day open additional Therapy Today offices in other cities.

New fish fry market offers fresh food to Eastside, creates three jobs

Eddie Zeineh, East Side Fish Fry Wednesday, October 24, 2012

If the new East Side Fish Fry market could have two words to describe itself, they would be “fresh and clean.”

“We’re the cleanest fish fry in town,” says co-owner Eddie Zeineh. “I wanted to produce a fresh fish market where people can come and get healthy foods.”

The Kalamazoo Street market opened on the Eastside in July and also offers catering, grocery items and has a grill for grilling chicken, steak and fish. East Side Fishy Fry is particularly proud of its ability to accept EBT cards.

“With EBT you can sometimes only get packaged foods,” say Zeineh. “You’ll get processed foods like potato chips and pop. We’re able to supply them with good, wholesome, healthy food at a good price.”

The 2,500 square foot market hopes to add delivery services in the future. The business currently employs three workers.

Vortex Midwest opens Williamston office, adding up to three jobs

Cory Anderson, Vortex Midwest Wednesday, October 24, 2012

If you’re a frequent visitor to playgrounds in Michigan, you’ve probably noticed a trend spreading throughout the state: splashpads.

“Splashpads have been a hot item,” says Cory Anderson, owner and general manager of Williamston’s new Vortex Midwest office. “We have over 115 splashpads in Michigan and over 350 in the Midwest.”

Though affiliated with Montreal-based Vortex Aquatic Structures International, the new local business is owned and operated by Anderson and provides service and customer support to those many splashpads.

Andreson opened the business out of his home in January of 2012, and it quickly grew to the point of needing staff and office space. Four months ago, Vortex Midwest officially opened it’s Grand River location in Williamston. Anderson currently has one staff member is looking to quickly add two more.

“I moved in, and the landowner was very nice and gave me the possibility of expanding into more space,” says Anderson of the 600 square foot office and 1,500 square feet of storage space he currently occupies, “and it looks like I’m going to be needing it sooner than later. Things are just kind of booming.”

New Grand Ledge studio adds "Sugar and Spice" to fitness, creates eight jobs

Amber Carter, Sugar and Spice Fitness Boutique Wednesday, October 17, 2012

According to Amber Carter, some women want a traditional workout, and others want something a little spicier. At Carter’s new Downtown Grand Ledge studio, Sugar & Spice Fitness Boutique, there’s something for women of either taste.

“It really focuses on woman empowerment,” Carter says. “It doesn’t matter about your body size, you will be celebrated at our studio. We want people to feel sexy.”

Sugar and Spice Fitness Boutique offers the typical workout classes, such as yoga and pilates, as well as alternative programs, including burlesque, pole fitness, belly dancing, among others.

“We’d like it to just be a positive place for women in the community,” says Carter. “We teach confidence as a means for fitness.”

The new studio opened about three months ago in a 2,000 square foot location on North Bridge Street in Grand Ledge. Sugar and Spice employs eight instructors. Carter plans to open a second studio in Lansing in about a year.

ACC Natural Healing brings seven wellness practioners to downtown

Karen Kraft, ACC Natural Healing and Wellness Solutions Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Talk about finding a silver lining: Though Karen Kraft was already somewhat nutrition-minded and a certified massage therapist in addition to her work in the non-profit sector, it wasn’t until multiple diagnoses of Hodgkin’s lymphoma that she really began to focus more on both.

“It was a catalyst for me to get into that even more,” Kraft says. “While I was in the hospital at U of M, I wrote a business plan.”

A few years and a career change later, Kraft brought her business plan to life with the opening of ACC Natural Healing and Wellness Solutions on Ionia Street in Downtown Lansing in August.

“It’s a beautiful old Victorian house,” says Kraft. “It has such a warm, welcoming energy to it.”

ACC services include massage, acupuncture, reflexology, reiki and more by Kraft’s seven practitioners, and offers discounts for area firefighters and Cooley Law School students. ACC also recently began hosting free lunchtime mediation sessions in their downtown location.

The 2,800 square foot business opened August. The space includes a large, open space on the third floor utilized for group meetings, tai chi, guest speakers and more. As ACC continues to grow, Kraft hopes to widen her product inventory, as well as begin a fundraising system to help clients with multiple therapy needs to receive the most comprehensive care.

The Swap Meet opens in 2,000 sq ft Michigan Ave space, creates three jobs

Jeff Smith, The Swap Meet Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Jeff Smith spent a long time checking out all of the pawnshops in the Lansing area, and thought he could create something a little different for local buyers and sellers. So far, he’s feeling pretty good about the hypothesis. He first opened The Swap Meet eight months ago on South MLK, and he has already expanded into a new location on Michigan Avenue.

“I don’t like dealing with things that sit around and don’t sell,” he says. “The fast flip is the best thing you can do in this business.”

The new 2,000 square foot location more than doubles the space of the original Swap Meet spot. In addition to focusing on a quick turnaround of his inventory, Smith only buys and sells electronics, with a special focus on video games.

“I try to offer people a little better price for things,” Smith says. “I don’t say, ‘I’ll give you five bucks for that,’ and then sell if for a hundred. I try to do right by people.”

The Swap Meet opened on Michigan Avenue last week. The business currently employs Smith, along with two partners. Eventually, Smith says, he would like to expand upon The Swap Meet’s partnership with Cellular and Gaming Repair by growing into a joint location.

Michigan Avenue home brew shop opens on Eastside, creates two jobs

Todd Branstner, Capital City Homebrew Supply Wednesday, October 17, 2012

After working as a builder and auto mechanic, Todd Branstner found a love for retail about a decade ago. When the closing of Webberville’s Michigan Brewing Company left a void in the local market in one of his other areas of interest – home brewing supplies – he decided it was time to go out on his own as a retailer.

“The world of beer is huge,” Branstner says. “You can find pretty much anything on the market these days. Anything you want to do with beer, you can do. It’s a very exciting hobby to have.”

Capital City Homebrew Supply opened on Michigan Avenue in mid-September. Branster and one employee operate the 650 square foot business that is conveniently located right in Branster’s neighborhood.

“I’ve been on the Eastside for at least 20 years now,” he says. “I think the neighborhood has a lot of entrepreneurial spirit.”

As Capital City Homebrew Supply continues to grow, Branster hopes to expand the business into additional locations.

Four partners open indoor gardening supplier on Northside

Patrick Mosholder, Greener Planet Gardening Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Indoor gardeners have a new source for their gardening supplies on North East Street in Lansing.

“There are no garden supply stores in North Lansing,” says Patrick Mosholder of the new Greener Planet Gardening, “ and there are a lot of gardeners out here.”

Greener Planet Gardening opened its doors on October 1. The 2,500 square foot store offers supplies and nutrients and will eventually grow vegetables right in the store. According to Mosholder, the group of four partners looks forward to getting into the perennial supply market as well.

“Our goal is to keep our overhead extremely low and pass the savings on to our customers,” Mosholder says. “This is a business where you have a lot of repeat customers and we’ll work to help them succeed."

Once Greener Planet Gardening’s first location is established in Lansing. The partners plan to open additional stores, possibly in Illinois or Ohio.

Sin 2 Skin Tattoos to open third location, create six jobs

Sam Perez, Sin 2 Skin Tattoos Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Just a year and a half after opening their first location on Cedar Street, Sin 2 Skin Tattoos has added a location in Brighton, and is now planning the opening of their second Lansing shop on West Saginaw.

“The opportunity just came about,” says Sam Perez, brother of the growing business’ owner, Diane Raeder. “A friend owned the barber shop next door, and he knew the spot was opening up, and it seemed like a good idea.”

The new, 1,100 square foot location will employ two receptionists, three tattoo artists and a piercer, according to Perez. He hopes the new location will open in January of next year. The key to the company’s growth, he says, is the way they treat their customers.

“We have great practices and great customer service,” says Perez. “We stand behind all of our work.”

Perez says their plan is to continue growing Sin 2 Skin Tattoos into a franchise and to open up to seven locations.

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