Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies, including updates about the COVID-19 pandemic. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
Rivertown Market to Open Oct. 6 in Detroit’s East Jefferson Corridor
Rivertown Market, the new neighborhood market by Grand Rapids-based Meijer, is slated to open Oct. 6 in Detroit’s East Jefferson Corridor.
The market is focused on bringing a mix of local, fresh food, and value to customers in the region, and marks the retailer’s second small format store in metro Detroit. It’s the retailer’s fourth market in Michigan, following the openings of Bridge Street Market in August 2018, Woodward Corner Market in January 2020, and Capital City Market in October 2020.
“I grew up in this town and am very proud to be back with a great team in place to ensure Rivertown Market provides a unique shopping experience to customers in the city of Detroit,” says Marcus Reliford, manager of the Rivertown Market. “We are excited to open our doors, be a good neighbor and work every day to have the best products on our shelves.”
The 42,000-square-foot market will feature a vast assortment of fresh and prepared foods, including bakery items, fresh meat, and deli offerings; ae well as Meijer and national brand products at low prices. It also will carry an estimated 2,000 local, artisan items, including Pizzaman Pizza, Bon Bon Bon, MexiBake Bakery, Crystal Eikcaj Skincare, and Crown of a Woman. It will have Great Lakes Coffee, which specializes in nitro brews and low/medium roasts, and an extensive beer, wine, and liquor counter.
Rivertown Market will feature open-air elements, a design inspired by local culture in the city’s East Jefferson Corridor, and three garage-style doors that open to an outdoor fresh produce and floral area in warmer months. Additionally, local artists Desiree Kelly and Cameron Jenkins painted a mural of vibrantly colored produce on the side of the market near its parking lot entrance.
Kurtis Kitchen & Bath Opening Showroom in Ann Arbor
Kurtis Kitchen & Bath, headquartered in Livonia, announced Monday it will open its fifth location in the region, a showroom in Ann Arbor showroom at Washtenaw Avenue and Huron Parkway.
“We are glad to be returning to the Ann Arbor area after 13 years so homeowners can see cabinets, look at finishes and view the selection of countertop materials at our new conveniently-located showroom,” says Renee Colohan, director of marketing for Kurtis Kitchen & Bath. “All of our showrooms are designed to focus on upgrading or reinventing an existing space in the home.”
The showroom features many kitchen and bathroom displays with an array of cabinetry brands including KraftMaid, Wellborn, and UltraCraft, in addition to countertop materials including quartz, granite, solid surfaces, and laminate. Homeowners have a vast selection of door styles, types of wood, and finish in traditional, contemporary, and modern design possibilities.
Kurtis’ design staff are available to answer questions and offer assistance in selecting the right cabinetry for anywhere in the home. These design consultants help with idea concepts, layouts, and plans for updating a current space or planning for new construction.
“Our expansion in Ann Arbor provides easier access for homeowners to Kurtis Kitchen & Bath and recognizes the growing strength of the remodeling market in southeastern Michigan,” says Colohan. “Our goal is to provide kitchen and bathroom remodeling to fit every need and budget. We have completed over 400,000 kitchens and baths in our over 50-year history.”
For more information, visit here.
Michigan Craft Beverage Council Now Accepting 2022 Research Grant Proposals
The Michigan Craft Beverage Council in Lansing is accepting 2022 research grant proposals with a maximum grant award of $40,000. Proposals must be received no later than 3 p.m. on Oct. 25.
While any research topic will be accepted, the council has identified the following funding priorities: climate change impacts affecting Michigan’s craft beverage agricultural supply chain, crop quality analysis; new varieties for hops, fruit, barley, grain, or other agricultural inputs used in craft beverage production; and sustainable wastewater discharge best practices.
A full list of the MCBC’s research priorities and evaluation criteria are available online.
All proposals will be reviewed by a Joint Evaluation Committee in December with funding decisions expected in January 2022. Approved projects can commence after grantees receive notification of the award.
Proposals must be received via email at MDARD-CraftBev@Michigan.gov. Proposals received after 3 p.m. On Oct. 25 will not be considered. Click here to view the application and grant guidelines, as well as past projects funded by the council.
New Skin Cancer Surgical Facility Opens in Bingham Farms
The Northwest Dermatology Group and Covet Med Spa have joined forces to open a 6,800- square-foot full-service dermatology and skin health practice in Bingham Farms.
Located at 32270 Telegraph Road, the new facility features a specially designed surgical suite to perform Mohs micrographic surgery, the leading healthy tissue-sparing treatment for skin cancer removal.
The dermatology practice now has 12 exam rooms and three procedure rooms. Covet Med Spa can accommodate more cosmetic clients in its consultation and treatment suites.
“Every element in my vision for our new facility was implemented to offer exceptional patient care and a superior client experience,” says Dr. Emily Levin, co-owner of Northwest Dermatology Group. “Nothing is more satisfying for me than our patients’ appreciation when we resolve their medical issues and enhance their physical appearance, which in turn improves their self-confidence and positive mindset.”
Covet Med Spa clients can select from more than a dozen noninvasive and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures and injectables using technology based on science and research. Cosmetic treatments for anti-aging, hair restoration, fat reduction, and more are performed by board-certified dermatologists and medical estheticians.
To make an appointment at Northwest Dermatology Group, call 248-353-0880 or visit nw-derm.com. To make an appointment at Covet Med Spa, call 248-353-3286 or visit covetmedspa.com.
New Book Explores Publishing Family’s Treatment of Racial Issues
A new book, “Reason vs. Racism: A Newspaper Family, Race and Justice,” by Michigan resident Jack Lessenberry, explores one of America’s last remaining newspaper families and its century-plus long struggles with racial issues.
The Block family, which today publishes newspapers in Toledo and Pittsburgh but once had papers in many other cities, asked Lessenberry to take a deep and comprehensive look into their company’s record on race and granted him carte blanche.
Lessenberry reveals stories such as that of Tom Lee, a poor Black laborer in the deep South who saved the lives of more than 30 white people in Memphis in 1925. Company founder Paul Block praised him in his Memphis newspaper and took him to meet President Calvin Coolidge and was promptly run out of town by irate white racists.
Ray Sprigle of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette went to see a Ku Klux Klan leader in 1937 to get proof that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black was a member of the Klan. That story resulted in a Pulitzer Prize.
Lessenberry has been a writer for many national and regional publications, including Vanity Fair, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Boston Globe. He is a contributing editor and columnist for the Toledo Blade, and occasionally other newspapers, and is the co-author of the book, “The People’s Lawyer, The Life and Times of Frank J. Kelley, the Nation’s Longest-Serving Attorney General,” published by Wayne State University Press.
For more information, visit here.
JVS Human Services Offers Information on Renting a Home
JVS Human Services in Southfield is offering a series of four, free virtual classes for Michigan families who rent their home and need to understand their rights.
The Lunch and Learn: Rentership Series, which will run from Sept. 23 through Dec. 22, was prompted by calls to the agency from metro Detroiters requesting assistance because they were unable to pay their rent due to job loss or other circumstances during the pandemic.
The need for these resources has only increased since the government ceased the rent moratorium, which was aiding impacted individuals in maintaining their rentals during the pandemic, according to JVS. All classes are virtual will take place from 1-2 p.m. and will be conducted via Microsoft Office Teams. Participants can register by emailing financialhelp@jvshumanservices.org or by calling 248-233-4299.
Gleaners and Weingartz ‘Mow Down Hunger’ to Raise 1M Meals
Gleaners Community Food Bank and Weingartz are partnering on the 12th annual Mow Down Hunger campaign, which runs Sept. 13-Oct. 12. Its goal is to provide 1 million meals to help the more than more than 300,000 children in southeast Michigan who are food insecure.
These children rely on free or reduced-cost breakfasts and lunches at school to provide two of their three daily meals. Many have had their educations disrupted during the continued COVID-19 pandemic, so it’s important to make sure children also have nutritious food when they are not in school so hunger doesn’t get in the way of learning.
Weingartz, a Michigan-based retailer of outdoor power equipment, will match donations dollar-for-dollar up to 1 million meals. With the Weingartz match, each dollar donated to Gleaners provides six nutritious meals to hungry children in southeast Michigan.
“We know kids and families have a lot to worry about this school year with so much continued uncertainty, but with help from our community, hunger won’t be among them,” says Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners. “Every child deserves to know where their next meal is coming from every day. We are so grateful for the support of Weingartz and our community to make sure students and their families get the nutritious meals they need at this incredibly important time.”
Gleaners is working with school districts to employ a variety of distribution models to meet their needs and provide the nutritious food kids and their families deserve.
School Food Mobile pantries, for example, provide nutritious, healthy food to students and families at schools and Head Start programs through more than 60 distribution sites. During every visit, Gleaners supplies 75-100 families with enough fresh milk, fruit, and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein to supplement each family for a month.
For more information and to donate to the campaign, visit here.
Monetary donations also will be accepted at all Weingartz stores to benefit food security programs across the state, including areas served by Gleaners’ statewide food bank partners Food Gatherers in Ann Arbor and Feeding America West Michigan in Grand Rapids. Visit here to view hours and locations.
