September 19, 2016
Better late than never for retailer
Moosejaw Mountaineering leadership acknowledges it might have taken a bit too long to establish a retail presence in Grand Rapids. The Madison Heights-based retailer opened its Grand Rapids “pop-up” store Sept. 19, following nearly six years of on-and-off searching, said Nick Rau, Moosejaw director of retail. The “pop-up” store will be at Klingman Lofts, 410 […]
Letter: Let energy proposals go dark
Editor: Please contact your state legislators and inform them you “strongly suggest” they vote “no” on a package of energy bills (SB 437, SB 438) reported out of the Senate Energy & Technology Committee and currently before the full Michigan Senate. They further the monopoly the big electric utilities have enjoyed since competition was reduced […]
Don’t just listen and learn — take action and do
Salespeople already know everything — the problem is they just don’t do it. And sales is not about “knowing” — sales is about “doing.” I was speaking with a friend of mine recently, and he said he saw Jim Rohn’s seminar ten years ago and still listens to all his recordings. As we talked, he […]
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Change Ups: Reimer recognized as ‘best of the best’
Laurie Reimer was named one of the top 10 general managers in The Wendy’s Co.’s global restaurant system for 2016. Reimer is general manager at the Comstock Park Wendy’s at 4694 W. River Road operated by Meritage Hospitality Group, a Wendy’s franchise. Reimer was recognized as one of the “best of the best” during festivities […]
Summer doldrums keep economy on incremental pace
Summer’s end hopefully will bring better economic news. According to our latest survey of the West Michigan economy conducted during the last two weeks of August, New Orders, our index of business improvement, remained positive but backtracked to plus 6 from plus 10. In a similar move, the Production index tapered to plus 6, down […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds KLINGENBERG, Karter J. et al, Firstbank, Paris Park No. 3, Lot 648, $237,000 REED, William G. et al, Sun West Mortgage Co., Princeton Estates No. 14, Lot 569, $222,510 SMITH, Andrew et al, MMS Mortgage Services, Grand Rapids Twp., 23-7-11, $230,000 FOUCH, Matthew F. et […]
Street Talk: Beer tax support falls flat
Brewers in Grand Rapids can’t be happy. State Rep. Tom Hooker, R-Byron Center, introduced a bill that would increase tax on beer to five cents per 12-ounce serving, if approved. It’s an increase of more than 200 percent on the current tax, part of a major taxation on the industry. Hooker said the tax would […]
MET allows parents, students to lock in current tuition rates
With college costs rising annually, there’s a way to lock in a tuition price at this year’s rate for a potential student still more than a decade from college. With College Savings Month coming to a close at the end of September, it marks the end of this year’s open enrollment period for the Michigan […]
Ottawa County acquires land next to North Ottawa Dunes
Ottawa County is adding property to further establish its “green infrastructure.” The Ottawa County Parks Board of Commissioners approved an agreement last week to acquire 80 acres of the privately owned “Brill Property,” as an addition to the North Ottawa Dunes. The property is surrounded by the North Ottawa Dunes on three sides and is […]
Agency produces digital marketing program
A digital marketing agency wants to empower local business professionals with the confidence needed to execute a successful digital marketing plan. Mindscape in Grand Rapids is running its first Create and Execute Program this month under its new Training and Consulting Division. Pete Brand, Mindscape CEO, said the Create and Execute Program is an eight-week […]
DK Security hires former GR police chief Belk as VP
The nation’s seemingly growing unrest has led to growth for Grand Rapids security firm DK Security, which recently added former Grand Rapids Chief of Police Kevin Belk to its leadership team. Belk was appointed last week as senior vice president of DK Security, including the direct supervision of the company’s Armed Operations Division and special […]
Restaurant pairs French cuisine, cider
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) Paul Vander Heide is confident the best meal in Grand Rapids on Sept. 27 will be at Vander Mill. It will be the second cider dinner held at the company’s Grand Rapids location, 505 Ball Ave. NE, which opened this spring, but Vander Mill’s owner said there have been […]
Five steps to take before a recall
If it seems like you are hearing about more recalls these days, it’s because you are. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, automakers recalled a record 51 million cars last year, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission announces an average of at least one consumer product recall every day. During the past few […]
Retirement strategies for the family business owner
Which type of business owner are you? 1. “I plan to stay at the helm of my business until I drop,” or 2. “I’ll work hard now, so I can enjoy life in retirement.” If you identify with either of these, you know where you stand. Many business owners, however, have difficulty thinking about long-range […]
National M&A leader coming to Grand Rapids
A national leader in mergers and acquisitions is coming to Grand Rapids this week to speak to the Western Michigan chapter of the Association of Corporate Growth. Kevin Short, the managing partner and CEO of St. Louis-based Clayton Capital Partners, will be on hand Sept. 21 for ACG Western Michigan’s September Breakfast. Short will present […]
Gilmore’s entrepreneur effort was one of downtown’s biggest risks, most successful efforts
Greg (and John) Gilmore’s announcement of Live Nation’s House of Blues agreement to partner in the $16 million 20 Monroe Live entertainment venue is significant development news, but one also must pause to pay tribute to one of Grand Rapids’ most tenacious businessmen. Gilmore’s risk of building The Big Old Building, a multi-level, multi-entertainment venue […]
Initiative looks to aid ITT exiles
Earlier this month, as millions of students across the nation loaded up bookbags for the first day of classes, more than 40,000 ITT Technical Institute students and 8,000 faculty members were left with nowhere to go. The for-profit technical institute abruptly shuttered its 130 campuses across the country Sept. 6, amid a slew of federal […]
Firm turns to child care stipend
A local manufacturer is hoping a new child care reimbursement program will help it attract and retain workers. Advanced Packaging, a manufacturer of corrugated products in Grand Rapids, announced come Jan. 1, it will begin offering up to $2,000 in child care reimbursements to all of its full-time employees with dependents under the age of […]
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Top ‘Company to Watch’ looks to disrupt industry
One of Michigan’s 50 Companies to Watch in 2016 is looking to disrupt the powder-coating industry with its technology and triple bottom line focus. J.T. Weis, owner of Abcor Industries in Holland, said his company is one of only a few in the United States that has figured out how to effectively powder coat wood, […]
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Corporate center fills ahead of schedule
Colliers International West Michigan last year established a goal of filling out the Grand Rapids Corporate Center in 24 months. Instead, the real estate broker, led by Trent Wieringa and John Kuiper, helped the center jump from 35 percent occupancy to 95 percent in approximately 12 months. Bloomfield Hills-based real estate firm JBD Acquisition Corp. […]
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Inside Track: Brewing up a career
For a while, Joseph Infante was in line to be a geologist, based on a suggestion by his older brother of an easy class at Michigan State University. He was giving up on years of dreams of becoming a doctor, mostly because biochemistry and microbiology were not in line with the way Infante’s brain works. […]
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One-stop entertainment complex coming to GR
Greg Gilmore’s 20-year concert venue vision is coming to life and, by early 2017, will offer a one-stop entertainment complex. Last week, Gilmore unveiled the plans for the $16 million “20 Monroe Live” entertainment venue currently under construction and Gilmore Collection’s partnership with Live Nation’s House of Blues division, one of the nation’s largest music […]
