Small Business

Keeping it in the family: Local orchards thrive in West Michigan

It's fall in West Michigan, and local orchards are packed. Find out who's growing that apple you're eating, and how they're innovating into the next generation. In a region where agriculture is big business, Lauren Carlson reports on how a few family-owned operations are weathering the seasons.

Cool Jobs: Rob Wanhatalo, craft brewer

West Michigan, we know you love to raise a glass of local craft beer, but have you ever wondered what, exactly, a brewer does all day at work? We found out. (Hint: It's more than just drinking beer.) Just in time for this week's American Homebrewers Association conference descending on Beer City, USA, Stephanie Doublestein finds out what Mitten Brewing Company's Rob Wanhatalo does to turn fermented grain into that pint in your hand.

Lakeshore to Detroit: What 1,300 downtown professionals are learning from Detroit this week

When the Grand Haven DDA heads to the Main Street conference in Detroit this week, they're bringing their downtown savvy to share with place-makers from across the country. Natalie Burg shares some hard numbers on why downtown revitalization is good business, no matter where you live in Michigan.

#30Days30Dollars Challenge spotlights Black-owned businesses

Business owners behind Grand Rapids' #30Days30Dollars Challenge believe that supporting Black-owned businesses is good policy for the whole city. Halfway through this month's challenge, John Wiegand checks in to see how the initiative is transforming communities -- and how the hashtag is trending.

RapidChat: Bing Goei

Bing Goei holds a new title, Director of the Office for New Americans, but he's still focused on his life's work of promoting and supporting small business and racial equity. When Bing immigrated to the United States at age 11, he expected to find the "cowboys and Indians" he'd enjoyed on TV, but instead found the American dream. Read on for his perspectives on minority-owned businesses, neighborhood investment, and the value of diversity.

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RapidChat: Marlee Grace

RapidChat is a bi-weekly glimpse into the life and work of an interesting local. This week we highlight Marlee Grace, a maker and entrepreneur who encourages connections within her community through workshops, handmade products, and conversation at her shop on Division Ave., Have Company. Read on to learn more about Marlee's Eastown-living, shop-keeping, yoga-teaching lifestyle.

Kitten Flower Boutique moves the needle on local piercing culture

Steven De Polo wondered what a new neighborhood boutique called Kitten Flower sold. Was it kittens? Flowers? He ventures inside to get the scoop and finds a charming couple who sacrificed their shoes to open the boutique of their dreams.

Small Businesses As Third Places Experience Growth

How many places do you have? If you're not sure, here's a recommendation: three. In this special report, we'll discover small businesses throughout Michigan that serve as "third places" for their communities, and are growing because of it.