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.
Laurel Park Place in Livonia Announces New Store Openings
Laurel Park Place in Livonia has announced that it is welcoming three new stores to its retail portfolio this summer — LA7, John John’s World, and Dhaba Indian Kitchen.
LA7, which sells leggings and activewear, plans to open in early July. John John’s World, a pizza family fun center, is opening in mid-July as is Dhaba Indian Kitchen.
Other recent openings at Laurel Park Place include:
- Kanva Creates, offering painting classes for ages 10 to adult.
- Haul Lit Dealz, selling small appliances and home décor.
- Bella Dew Boutique, a Women’s Clothing Boutique.
- Takers Gaming Vault, offering pay to play gaming consoles and computers.
“It’s an exciting time for Laurel Park Place,” says Adam Hodges, general manager of the complex. “These new stores are great additions to the already outstanding line up of retail offerings at Laurel Park Place.”
JPMorgan Chase Announces $2M+ to Support Underserved Small Businesses in Detroit
JPMorgan Chase today announced a new $2 million commitment of philanthropic capital to nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing support for underserved small businesses in Detroit.
This support expands upon the firm’s long-standing commitment to business growth and revitalization in Detroit and reflects both new and renewed commitments to six nonprofit organizations serving underserved small businesses in the city.
The commitments include:
- $750,000 commitment to Detroit Development Fund (DDF). This grant continues the firm’s support of DDF’s Entrepreneurs of Color Fund, a program launched seven years ago to support the growth and development of Detroit-based businesses owned and operated by underserved entrepreneurs.
- $400,000 commitment to TechTown Detroit. This commitment will support and help expand TechTown Detroit’s four small business technical assistance programs. Such assistance will include one-on-one business coaching, Business Boot Camps, strategy sessions, and alumni engagement.
- $400,000 commitment to Accounting Aid Society (AAS). This grant provides support to AAS’s program that assists underserved entrepreneurs across Detroit, Wayne County, and Oakland County in developing stronger financial acumen through tax services and small business technical assistance.
- $400,000 commitment to The Working World. This commitment will support education and training for Detroit-based business support organizations, succession planning assistance for retiring or exiting business owners, and will facilitate financing for ownership conversions in industries such as child care.
- $300,000 commitment to Black Leaders Detroit (BLD). This grant provides capacity support to BLD to help scale its program that provides no-interest and recovery-focused loans for diverse social and community driven projects that are owned and led by minority entrepreneurs. The loans may be used for funding working capital, equipment purchases or rentals and to support a growth or expansion plan.
- $200,000 commitment to Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance (MDBBA). The commitment will support MDBBA’s program that provides resources and technical assistance to small minority-owned businesses in Detroit to grow and scale their enterprises. Through a culturally relevant framework, MDBBA will offer financial technical assistance, back-office support, and coaching on building and navigating relationships with lenders and funders.
“We are very thankful for the funding and partnership provided by JPMorgan Chase,” says Deborah L Jones, COO of the Detroit Development Fund. “Together we are committed to making a tremendous impact in underserved communities and in the lives of families throughout the city of Detroit.”
JPMorgan Chase says it also plans to hire more than 500 small business bankers over the next two years to provide more support to small business owners across the country, including in Detroit, where Chase expects to increase its business banking team by more than 20 percent.
Andiamo Restaurants Introduce New Menu Options with Modern Flair
The Joe Vicari Restaurant Group (JVRG) in Warren says it’s introducing new menu items at all five of its Andiamo metro Detroit restaurant locations.
The new menu items compliment a host of signature dishes that will remain on the menu. The newest menu items have been curated by JVRG Certified Master Chef Daniel Scannell and Chef Jim Oppat.
The revitalization comes from the inspiration of Scannell, one of only 72 master chefs in the country, and evolving trends in the culinary world. The menu was created based on culinary knowledge, technique, experiences, research, and evolving trends. This new menu gives guests the opportunity to experience Daniel’s new, fresh, and modern Italian fare, or enjoy some of their favorite authentic signature Andiamo dishes that they have loved for years.
“The menu includes new items that people in metro Detroit haven’t seen before; from the taste to the presentation, we are giving them something new and different,” says Joe Vicari, founder and CEO of JVRG. “Guests will be presented with a more modern interpretation of the classics with attention to the finer points of cooking, roasting, sautéing, braising, seasoning, and plating all while using only the finest meats, fish, and seasonal produce.”
The menu changes began in October of 2022 at the Andiamo Bloomfield Hills location and have since rolled out to the remaining four locations, Andiamo Fenton, Andiamo Detroit Riverfront, Andiamo Livonia, and Andiamo Warren. Scannell has customized dishes for each location to meet the customer appeal.
“The development of each new item was a lengthy process. Items were critiqued and tweaked until we were sure they were ready to be presented to customers accustomed to the highest quality standards we present at a Joe Vicari restaurant,” says Scannell.
New menu items vary by location but include the following dishes.
Antipasti
Lumache e Polenta (Escargot & Polenta)
Peperoni Ripieni Di Agnello (Lamb Stuffed Peppers)
Carciofi alla Giudia (Fried Artichoke Hearts)
Salumi e Formaggi (Meats & Cheeses)
Involtini di Melanzane (Eggplant Rolls)
Zucchini Friti
Vongole Al Forno* (Federal Hill Style Stuffed Clams)
Melanzane Arrosto* (Roasted Eggplant)
Soups and Salads
Minestrone alla Milanese (Italian Vegetable Soup)
Stracciatella alla Romana (Italian Egg Soup)
Insalata di Cesare (Little Gem Caesar Salad)
Insalata di Bastoncini di Manzo Italiano (Italian Beef Stick Salad)
Zuppa di Cipolle Bianche* (White Onion Soup)
Burrata di Bufala* (Buffalo Buratta & Calabrese Hot Honey)
Beef/Chicken/Duck/Pork/Veal
Costolette di Malate (Pan Fried Pork Chop)
Costolette di Agnello (Pan Fried Lamb Chops)
Vitello Alla Milanese (Veal Cutlet)
Pollo al Francese (Chicken in the Style of France)
Pollo al Limone e Rosmarino (Lemon Rosemary Chicken)
Braciola di Vitello alla Milanese (Breaded Veal Chops)
Anatra Arrosto* (Maple Leaf Farms Duck)
Saltimbocca di Vitello* (Veal Scallopini)
Seasonal Plates
Speziato Gamberoni con Bottarga di Tonno (Spicy Shrimp with Pasta & Essence of Tuna Roe)
Rapini & Salsiccia (Sauteed Broccoli Rabe & Sausage)
Vitello alla Cacciatora (Cacciatore of Veal with Pasta)
Pollo ai Cinque Peperoni (Five Pepper Chicken)
Gamberoni con Bottarga di Tonno (Pasta with Shrimp and Essence of Tuna Roe)
Costine Brasate Con Strozzapreti* (Braised Short Ribs of Beef with Strozzapreti Pasta)
Ragu di Vitello Bianco* (Braised White Veal Sauce with Pasta)
Pollo ai Cinque Peperoni* (Five Pepper Chicken)
Handcrafted Homemade Pastas
Ravioli di Stagione* (Seasonal Ravioli)
Gnocchi con Gamberoni* (Hand Crafted Potato Gnocchi with Roasted Shrimp)
Seafood
Capesante di Saronno (Chef’s Spiced Seared Diver Scallops)
Salmon Apulia en Fata Paper (Salmon Influenced from the Coast of Puglia)
Salmon Grigliato (Grilled Salmon)
Tristan de Cunha Cods di Aragosta Sud Africana (Tristan Island South African Lobster Tail)
Dover Sole Veronica (Dover Sole with Lemon Butter Sauce)
Meriuzzo alla Milanese (Potato Crusted Cod)
Aragosta alla Hoffa (Jimmy Hoffa Style Lobster)
Linguine al Sugo di Vongole Rosse o Bianche (Linguini with Red or White Clam Sauce)
Pesce Bianco alla Siciliana (Sicilian Style Whitefish)
Sides
Risotto Nero Italiano Venere (Mushrooms)
Rapini (Broccoli Rabe)
Zucchini Friti (Fried Zucchini)
Fungi Selcatici (Seasonal Forest Mushrooms)
For more information, visit vicarirestaurants.com.
DMC Neurocritical Care Fellowship Becomes First Accredited Training Program in Michigan
Detroit Medical Center Neurocritical Care’s Neurocritical Care Fellowship training program recently received accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the first in the state of Michigan.
“Neurocritical care is not just about the brain, it’s about the body,” says neurologist Dr. Wazim Mohamed, director of DMC’s Neurocritical Care Fellowship program.
DMC provides care for patients suffering the worst traumatic brain injuries (TBI), strokes, brain hemorrhage, spinal cord injuries, and neuromuscular disorders.
Fellows – doctors focusing on specialized training – have come to one of the busiest Level 1 Trauma centers in the United States to learn from the neurologists and intensive care specialists at DMC. The two-year Neurocritical Care Fellowship program, a combination of clinical experience, research, and lecture run in conjunction with the Wayne State University School of Medicine Neurology Department, has supported that intense training at DMC for the past 15 years.
“This accreditation recognizes the Detroit Medical Center’s commitment to providing exceptional education and training opportunities to its fellows,” says Brittany Lavis, CEO of the DMC. “DMC’s experts provide the community with high-level care when they need it most.”
For more information, visit here.
Auburn Hills’ Whisker Donates $100K to Sponsor Cat Adoptions
Whisker, the Auburn Hills-based maker of Litter-Robot, announced a new partnership with Best Friends Animal Society, a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters by 2025.
As part of the partnership, Whisker has committed $100,000 to the organization in cash and product. A portion of this commitment will cover all cat and kitten adoption fees throughout the month of June to open space in shelters and support Best Friends Animal Society in getting more cats and kittens into loving homes during kitten season, the time of year when unspayed female cats have most of their kittens, which generally stretches from May through November.
“Our mission of making life with pets endlessly better aligns deeply with Best Friends’ vision of making all shelters no-kill shelters by 2025 — enhancing the lives of pets everywhere, and their parents,” says Jacob Zuppke, president and CEO of Whisker. “The care of our cats is at the forefront of everything we do, and we are thrilled to partner with Best Friends Animal Society to support the organization’s mission to provide a safe and healthy environment for rescue pets as they await their forever homes.”
Through this donation, Whisker will actively change the way volunteers interact with the shelter cats by modernizing the litter box experience, relieving the burden of manual clean-up and allowing the volunteers to spend more time serving animals and the community. Best Friends Animal Society will be able to utilize Litter-Robot 4 and Whisker app among additional features to better care for its rescue cats.
For more information, visit whisker.com.
The Community House in Birmingham Announces Classical Brunch Series
The Community House in Birmingham announced its upcoming Classical Brunch Series, featuring three events — June 11, Oct. 15, and Nov. 19.
This series will combine a meal with live classical music in an intimate and acoustically perfect setting. Audiences will enjoy a woodwind quintet, a string trio, and a harp and cello duo.
To foster a deeper connection between the performers and audience members, the musicians will participate in interactive discussions following each event. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with the artists to gain a deeper understanding of the music, the instruments, and the performer’s creative process.
“We are thrilled to present the Classical Brunch Series at The Community House,” says Chris Smude, senior vice president of The Community House Foundation. “The series offers a rare opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal while being serenaded by exceptionally talented musicians. The added element of audience discussion will make this an interactive and enriching experience for all who attend.”
For ticket information, visit communityhouse.com.
Children’s Hospital of Michigan kicks off Cereal Drive to benefit Gleaners
Children’s Hospital of Michigan’s Professional Nurse Council and Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan are kicking off the 14th annual Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive.
The Cereal Drive is taking place both virtually and in person at Children’s Hospital of Michigan locations June 2-9. Additional sponsors include WNIC 100.3-FM and iHeart Media.
“This community effort provides children with a consistent daily meal over summer recess — an important way to support children’s health,” says Archie Drake CEO of Children’s Hospital of Michigan. “We don’t want to just treat children when they are sick. We want to be part of the community effort to keep children healthy, too. And we know a healthy diet plays an important part.”
For information on where to donate or to donate online, visit here.
Judson Center’s Child Safe Michigan Plans Legends of Tomorrow Fundraising Gala
Judson Center affiliate Child Safe Michigan will conduct its annual Legends of Tomorrow fundraising gala at 6 p.m. June 9 at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac.
The event benefits Child Safe Michigan’s foster care, adoption, and mentoring services for neglected and abused children in southeast Michigan. The money raised helps to provide these children with safe homes and hope for the future.
The evening will feature a strolling dinner, silent and live auctions, a raffle, a formal program, and an afterglow with dancing and entertainment provided by Nuclassica. Auction items include packages for the Country Music Awards, a photographic safari, and NASCAR.
Learn more at judsoncenter.org.
Traverse City to Host Party Between the Lines Labor Day Weekend
A new Labor Day Weekend music event will be taking place in Traverse City this year — Party Between the Lines — Sept. 2-3 at Turtle Creek Stadium.
The lineup will include Nelly and Ashanti on Sept. 2, and REO Speedwagon and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts on Sept. 3.
Tickets go on sale June 9 at 9 a.m. and are priced from $60-$400.
Visit here for more information and to purchase tickets.
