Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
Grand Rapids Named Nation’s Best Beer City
Grand Rapids was recognized as Best Beer City in the U.S. according to a national reader’s choice award in USA TODAY. This is the third consecutive year that the city ranked No. 1 in this category.
“Cheers to our area brewers who, once again, earned Grand Rapids top honors in a head-to-head competition with the greatest beer cities in the country,” says Doug Small, president and CEO of Experience Grand Rapids. “This is a strong testament to our community’s breweries who consistently pour their passion and extraordinary craftsmanship into the work they do for our local community and visitors.”
Readers from across the country voted Grand Rapids No. 1 among 20 finalists that had been selected by a panel of beer experts. Philadelphia, Indianapolis, San Diego, Asheville, N.C., Milwaukee, Tampa, Chicago, Atlanta, and Minneapolis rounded out the top 10.
To celebrate, Experience Grand Rapids is inviting craft beer lovers to become a Beer City Brewsader on an upcoming visit to the city. Members check in using the Beer City Brewsader app when they visit any of more than 40 participating Grand Rapids area breweries. After eight check-ins, beer fans become official Brewsaders and earn a collectable t-shirt and beer enthusiast bragging rights. Members can earn their way to becoming an ‘Ultimate Brewsader’ for access to special offers from select breweries throughout the area.
“We’re encouraging every craft beer lover to celebrate with Beer City Brewsaders from around the world and experience why we’ve been ranked the nation’s Best Beer City for three years in a row,” says Small.
For more information, visit here.
Meillie Coffee Opens Sunday along Woodward Avenue in Ferndale
Meillie Coffee, an innovative new addition to the Ferndale coffee scene, is set to open its doors on Sunday, Aug. 13, at 22965 Woodward Ave. (north of Nine Mile Road) in a shared location with existing tenant Treat Dreams.
Rooted in a commitment to equity, sustainability, and the celebration of global coffee and tea traditions, Meillie Coffee seeks to transform the typical coffee experience into a journey of discovery and conscious consumption.
Miellie is the romanticized phonetic spelling of the Chinese word for beautiful. The word also is close to the French word for best.
The menu features unique drinks and foods curated from across the globe, from the bustling streets of São Paulo to the tranquil gardens of Kyoto.
Selections include Moroccan coffee along with Viennese Einspänner, Hong Kong “Love Bird,” Vietnamese Coffee, Brazilian Style Latte, and Korean Dalgona. Other offerings include several teas such as Hong Kong Milk Tea, London Fog, and organic varietals (black, green, and herbal), along with cappuccino, latte, espresso, Americano, and Meillie Coffee.
Food items include Spanish Basque Cheese Cake, Brazilian Cheese Bread, Impossible Sausage Roll, Taiyaki, and Polish Angel Wings.
“We’re excited to bring the diverse flavors of world coffee and tea traditions to the vibrant Ferndale community,” says Jocelyn Chen, founder of Meillie Coffee. “More than that, we’re committed to creating a positive impact on both our local community and the world at large.”
Meillie states it is committed to environmental sustainability and will use eco-friendly packaging, source from sustainably made coffee brewers, and compost leftover coffee grinds and tea leaves.
At the opening event on Aug. 13, Meillie will offer a complimentary cup of a signature drink to the first five customers every day during that week. The team also will be on hand to share stories about the unique origins and flavor profiles of its selections.
Starting on Sunday, Miellie Coffee will be open 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday thru Friday, and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Oakland County’s Reports ARPA Spending
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter has released the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Annual Report for 2023, detailing how Oakland County is investing $244 million ARPA dollars from the federal government into the community.
As required by ARPA, Oakland County presented its Recovery Plan Performance Report for the period ending June 30. The county has designated nearly $146.5 million of the ARPA funds for residents, businesses, schools, and nonprofit organizations and has delivered more than $60.5 million to recipients to date.
County executive administration, in partnership with the Board of Commissioners (BOC), is funding projects that reflect Oakland County’s mission, vision and values while addressing the most significant challenges facing residents with a special focus on mental health, housing and economic hardships affecting both businesses and families. Among the most significant ARPA investments are:
- $40 million dedicated to increasing the reach of mental health services for children and adults.
- $18 million appropriated to Phase II of the Business Forward Initiative including $2.5 million directed at Small Business Recovery and Resilience grants, and $500,000 for Business Community Navigators.
- $15 million assigned to Project Diamond Phase II to build on the successful distribution of 3-D printers to local manufacturers and build a network of Industry 4.0 companies.
- $15 million to make critical investments in the county park system and enhance opportunities in underserved areas.
- $5.5 million divided among 29 senior centers across the county to improve and expand their services and facilities.
- $5 million was directed at 30 programs supporting missed learning opportunities and social and emotional development of children 0 to 18 years old.
- $5 million dedicated to the Housing Trust Fund that will increase access to rental and/or home ownership for families living below the Federal Poverty Level.
When deciding how, when, and where to invest ARPA funding, county leaders used the Strategic Framework with the goal to strengthen programs and services that were meeting the needs of residents before the pandemic. All funds must have an awardee by Dec. 31, 2024, and be spent by Dec. 31, 2026. The county is on track to meet these deadlines.
To read in more detail about the ARPA-invested programs, services, and initiatives, visit here.
Report: Ann Arbor Among Nation’s Leaders in Coworking Close to Home
More than one-fifth of the zip codes in Ann Arbor were home to coworking spaces, thereby placing the metro second in the smaller population bracket, according to a report by coworkingcafe.com.
Specifically, four Ann Arbor zip codes out of a total of 19 made it more likely for residents to find a flexible work solution to their remote or hybrid needs without having to travel a long distance.
A solid stock of coworking spaces could be found northwest of the University of Michigan, which is good news for working students or graduates,” the report states. “Even so, the metro area also boasted flex workspaces in the south close to the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport.”
To view the full report, visit here.
313 Presents the 2023-24 Fox Theatre Series Presented by Comerica Bank
The 2023-24 Fox Theatre Series presented by Comerica Bank, produced by 313 Presents, will offer Broadway musicals, interactive stage shows, and treasured holiday favorites when the curtain opens Oct. 19.
The first production is “The Price is Right” Live, and will be followed by six holiday productions to celebrate the season including classics Dr. Seuss’ “How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical” and the “Nutcracker Magic of Christmas Ballet.”
Other standout shows include the new production of the hit musical “On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan,” an inspiring true story about heart, heritage, and two people who believed in their talent — and each other. Fan-favorites “Rain – A Tribute to the Beatles” and “Bluey’s Big Play” return to the Fox stage. Finally, the Fox Theatre welcomes Broadway hit “Annie” for five performances to close out the season.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Aug. 11.
For more information, visit here. Subscription packages and group tickets of 10 or more are on sale now at 313Presents.com or by calling 313 Presents Groups Sales at 313-471-3099.
American Heart Association to Host Detroit Heart Ball at The Henry Ford
The Southfield-based American Heart Association is planning its annual Detroit Heart Ball that will take place between 6:30 p.m.-midnight on Nov. 11 at The Henry Ford Museum on American Innovation in Dearborn.
“Together, we are relentlessly focused on the heart of our community,” say the event’s organizers. “Through the Heart of Detroit Heart Ball campaign, we celebrate our collective success in driving change, funding science and improving behaviors — no matter where, or how, we gather. That means taking our efforts beyond the ballroom, working every day to help every heart.”
The event will consist of a social hour, private museum access, silent auction, a program of speakers, a live auction, the Open Your Heart Moment, a live band, and an after party.
For more information, to volunteer, and to buy tickets, visit here.
Wayne State Students’ Report Designed to Boost Detroit’s Heidelberg Project
Urban planning students at Wayne State University in Detroit are mapping out the future of an iconic piece of local artwork with an eye on also preserving its ties to the city’s past.
As a wrap-up to their graduate capstone course, students in the university’s Master of Urban Planning (MUP) program, overseen by the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, recently gathered at the Hunt Street Station on Detroit’s east side to deliver a final planning report aimed at helping to ensure the longevity of the Heidelberg Project.
In the report, which was presented to Heidelberg staff and community leaders, students offered a host of environmentally friendly recommendations for the art project that would increase foot traffic at Heidelberg, enhance the staff’s resource capacity and enable the redesigned location to support more programming.
The report caps a weeks-long joint effort between the staff that oversees the colorful, sprawling art installation and MUP students to provide the Heidelberg Project, which is undergoing a transformation, with a fresh framework for fostering change and promoting its mission. The evolution of the Heidelberg Project — a collection of colorfully painted and quirkily decorated abandoned homes and vacant lots along Detroit’s Heidelberg Street — was announced to media five years ago by its creator, artist Tyree Guyton, who said he would slowly dismantle the installation to make way for an as-yet-undetermined “Heidelberg 3.0.”
“I am happy for our students, and I hope they learned a lot about what it is like to work in a professional planning environment,” says Rayman Mohamed, chair of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, who teaches the capstone course. “(Capstone courses) give students an opportunity to implement what they learned in the classroom in a real-world environment with a real-world client. Also, our classes draw a lot of contexts from Detroit to teach students; capstones in Detroit are a way to give back to the communities that we learn so much from.”
Over this summer, the Heidelberg Project staff and the graduate students from the Department of Urban Studies worked together to consider design proposals for the installation’s properties that would better help the Heidelberg Project team foster community change as the project evolves. The Heidelberg Project began in 1986 when Guyton, in response to the blight spreading throughout his east-side neighborhood, began painting abandoned homes with bright colors and polka dots and festooning them with found objects such as sneakers and stuffed animals.
Although Guyton’s work drew the ire of multiple mayoral administrations — both Coleman A. Young and Dennis Archer demolished portions of the Heidelberg Project at various times — the artist continued to paint more houses and decorate more lots. The Heidelberg Project now attracts scores of visitors every year.
WSU students worked closely with Jessica Brooke Williams, a Master of Urban Planning alumna and interim executive director of the Heidelberg Project, throughout the three-month project to understand the background, objectives, and aspirations of the organization. They also met with staff members to better understand the organization. Throughout the course, the students conducted numerous site visits to The Heidelberg Project to consider how the present and potential future spaces could benefit the project and its residents.
