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Berkley ranks in nation’s top 50 suburbs

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Arts & Culture

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November 20, 2014

Among other factors, good-quality schools and a short commuting time means the Oakland County city of Berkley is a place you'll want to nest, according to an analysis from MSN.com. Excerpt: "After examining data on nearly 300 suburbs, we put together a list of the 50 best suburbs in America. For this list, we considered suburbs with populations between 5,000 and 100,000 within 40 kilometers of the nearest metropolitan area... A suburb of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area, Berkley benefits from a low poverty rate (2.7%) and good public schools. Folks in Berkley spend an average of 21.8 minutes commuting to work." More here. 

Emagine Entertainment to open luxury movie theater in Macomb Co.

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Arts & Culture

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November 20, 2014

Troy-based Emagine Entertainment is opening its first movie theater in Macomb County in December, bringing movie-goers a new upscale and luxurious experience that comes with amenities galore. The opening of a theater on 23 Mile Road near Hayes in Macomb Township will bring to eight the company's number of metro Detroit theaters. A theater is also in the works for downtown Birmingham. The new Emagine Macomb is being built inside a closed Kroger grocery store that will be transformed into nine theaters, a restaurant and bar with onyx countertop and seating areas with sofas, high-top tables, chairs and stone fireplaces for a living-room feel. When it opens Dec. 19, visitors will find full-service and comfort amenities not found in older theaters. There will be 100-percent reserved seating in power recliners and service by a chef from the Ironwood Grill in Plymouth. A full-service bar, a self-serve soda fountain and dessert bar, and gourmet popcorn healthy snacks for kids will be part of the theater. It will have nine auditoriums with floor-to-ceiling screens and seating that provides a good view from any spot. Source: Dawn Kelly, spokesperson, Emagine Entertainment Writer: Kim North Shine

Jet-setting firm Broadsword cultivates consulting work in backyard

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Community Development

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November 20, 2014

When the economy went south, Broadsword branched out. The tech consulting company had once relied on the local automotive and manufacturing industries, but added work with the federal government, specifically the U.S. Dept. of Defense. Today the Livonia-based firm company is looking to flesh out its local work. Broadsword has watched its revenue jump 30 percent over the last year, mostly by expanding its customer base outside of Metro Detroit. "It was mostly new customers," says Jeff Dalton, president of Broadsword. "We're starting to expand our work with our existing customers." Broadsword specializes in leveraging Agile and Lean methods to drive up performance engineering using its AgileCMMI methodology and collaborative consulting and coaching solutions. Some of its clients include Rockwell Collins, NASA, Boeing, Chrysler, Compuware and L-3 Communications. The company currently employs 10 people. It has hired two over the last year, including senior- and junior-level consultants. It it currently looking to hire two more consultants. Source: Jeff Dalton, president of Broadsword Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Small Favors opening specialty shop in Grosse Pointe’s Village

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Community Development

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November 20, 2014

Grosse Pointe's Village business district is getting another tenant in a specialty gift shop, Small Favors, an arrival that will almost completely fill the three-block area along Kercheval Avenue. A year ago the stretch that is considered the Grosse Pointes's downtown area was pocked by numerous vacant storefronts. "The Village is on the cusp of a rebirth, and it's so exciting to be a part of it," says Kasey Malley, who co-owns Small Favors with Betsy Enders. Small Favors started in the basement of Malley's home in 2003, mostly selling specialty party favors. Within a few years the business had moved into a warehouse-type building with room to assemble party supplies and corporate gift baskets and such. Five years ago they opened a retail gift shop on Mack Avenue. Earlier this year, they decided to move from their approximately 500-square-foot square foot store to a 1,500-square-foot space in the same block of Kercheval where a Borders bookstore and Ace Hardware once operated. Now there is a recently opened massage business, a dance studio, a Calico Corners fabric store and a shoe store, The Shoe Tree. St.John Medical center offices and a Scott Shuptrine furniture store are on the way. "We didn't do as well as we could have on Mack. We had limited parking on the street and no parking lot," Malley says. "People would go out of their way to come to us. They're loyal, but there just was not enough traffic." A build-out of the new Small Favors space is underway and will have "a great look with an industrial feel" with an open ceiling, exposed duct work and polished concrete floors, says Malley. Opening day is expected to come in February. The current location remains open with holiday merchandise already out. While the new store, which is near the city's Santa's Village, is under construction there will be holiday pop-up shops selling Small Favors favorites. Other local Grosse Pointe business owners such as Ethel's Edibles's Jill Bommarito, and belt, belt buckle and specialty monogrammed item designer Kristen Henchel will join the pop-ups. Small Favors is stocked with carefully selected merchandise found mostly by Enders and Malley on their annual trips to America's Mart in Atlanta. There they seek out new businesses and products that are unique. "We don't want anything you'll find in Target or Bed, Bath & Beyond…We don't want mass market.We're trying to keep that boutique-y small town, smaller feel," Malley says. Small Favors regulars also come for the selection of favorite preppy brands such as Scout, high-quality candles and body products and unusual toys. The move to the Village takes Malley back to the days "of what the Village used to be. It was small, independent businesses. That's what we've been missing. People want to go to the Village and shop around, get a coffee and stroll in and out. I think we're getting back to that and it's an exciting time."

Detroit region’s economy most high-powered in Michigan

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Community Development

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November 13, 2014

Despite past setbacks, southeast Michigan is still the state's significant economic engine – and that's not likely to change. Excerpt: “The southeast side is going to be the center for economic activity for many years,” said George Erickcek, an analyst for the Kalamazoo-based Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. “It is going to be a long time before the west side of the state matches the east side of the state.... The Detroit region’s share of the state economy has dropped, however, from 54.7 percent in 2001 to 52 percent in 2013. And the area’s GDP last year is 8 percent below its peak in 2005. But the Detroit-area’s most critical business sectors are gradually clawing back, with health care emerging as a vital new area of growth." More here. 

Ghost tours add life to Pontiac’s redevelopment

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Arts & Culture

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November 13, 2014

At The Artist Lounge in downtown Pontiac, take a ghost tour along with your painting class. Excerpt:  "The Artist Lounge, which moved into 31 N. Saginaw about a year ago and has locations in Grosse Pointe Woods and Madison Heights, is part of what more than 50 private investors plan as a $40 million to $50 million revitalization of the historic but underutilized downtown area. Fournier said that’s part of what drew her to open a new location in Pontiac in the first place: the opportunity to help rebuild a downtrodden downtown. The ghost tours are just a small part of that, she said." More here. 

SE Michigan firms dominate Accelerate Michigan competition

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Economic Development

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November 13, 2014

Eleven startups took home cash prizes at last week's Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition and each one of them is based in southeast Michigan. While Ann Arbor-based firms took home the lion's share of the winnings, companies based in Metro Detroit also won some of the category awards worth $25,000 apiece. Those winners included Wixom-based SurClean (Product and Service category), Plymouth-based Beet Analytics Technology (Manufacturing), and Detroit-based Inventev (Advanced Transportation). Ann Arbor-based firms SkySpecs (drone technology) and Cribspot (online platform for off-campus housing) took the top two spots worth $500,000 and $100,000, respectively. Ann Arbor startups also took six of the nine category wins. More info on those here. Accelerate Michigan is an annual business plan competition held in downtown Detroit. It aims to promote and grow the cream of the crop of startups based in Michigan or looking to move to the Great Lakes state. Its $1 million in prize money and services also serves as a motivational tool to push startups closer to investment and commercialization. "It's a very good learning process," says David Wang, CEO of Beet Analytics Technology. "I have never prepared so much for a 10-minute pitch process." Beet Analytics Technology provides diagnostic and analytical tools that accelerate problem solving in complex manufacturing and automation operations. Its software improves problem identification and reduces production downtime so the user can optimize productivity gains. SurClean is developing a laser-based technology that replaces the harmful chemicals, media blasting, and other abrasives typically used in the removal of paint and other coatings from aircraft, vessels, and bridges undergoing maintenance. Its technology uses a laser beam to disintegrate and remove paint and other coatings like rust from substrate in a cost-effective, safe, energy-efficient and earth-friendly way. Inventev is creating a hybrid-electric system for commercial trucks. The technology is a new transmission architecture that allows electric machines to operate other aspects of the trucks, such as the hydraulic lift. That way the truck's diesel engines don't need to idle while they dump their load. Source: David Wang, CEO of Beet Analytics Technology Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Nation to soon enjoy a piece of Achatz pie

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Community Development

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November 13, 2014

The rest of the country will soon be treated to one of Michigan's famous desserts: Achatz fruit pies. The company is known for sourcing most of its ingredients from local farms. Excerpt: "The Achatz Handmade Pie Co. has sold its franchise rights to a Florida firm, which expects to establish 150 locations across the United States in the next five years. The much-loved brand, founded 21 years ago in Armada, makes its natural desserts in Chesterfield Township... The award-winning pies have been showcased on "The Rachael Ray Show," "The Today Show" and "Good Morning America Weekend as well as in "Bon Appétit" and "Food & Wine" magazines." More here. 

Harman Industries building $45 million complex in Novi

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Economic Development

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November 13, 2014

Novi will be home to a new $45 million complex that will consolidate several facilities operated by Harman International Industries. Harman manufacturers audio and infotainment systems for consumer, professional and automotive uses.    The company will invest $45 million in the Novi facility will and hire 150 new employees to work there. Source: city of Novi Writer: Kim North Shine

Soothsayer Analytics launches out of Livonia

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General

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November 13, 2014

A new analytics startup is launching out of Livonia, and it's looking to start making a name for itself as the company that can translate the effectiveness of cutting-edge algorithms into everyday English. Soothsayer Analytics likes to describe itself as a data science and machine-learning startup. It aims to use machine learning and statistical techniques to find hidden insights and patterns from complex and unstructured data. The 3-month-old company currently has a core team of six employees and nine advisors, along with some help from overseas universities. It is also in the process of hiring another employee. "We have some really respected people in a variety of different fields," says Christopher Dole, partner of Soothsayer Analytics. "We expect to do some really exciting work." Some of the projects in the pipeline include a technology that will be able to forecast which college football players will make the transition to the NFL, and which team each individual player would do best with. It’s also working on a mathematical model that will help predict things like stroke or heart attack. Soothsayer Analytics is hosting a conference at 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 14. It will feature a two-hour presentation by Murthy Kolluru that aims to demystify data science. The idea is to provide business leaders with a deeper understanding of the subject by emphasizing intuition instead of the math behind some cutting-edge algorithms and concepts like machine learning. The event will be held at 21000 W. 10 Mile Road in Southfield in Room M336. For information click here. Source: Christopher Dole, partner of Soothsayer Analytics Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.