The Grow Michigan investment fund has deployed a little more than half of its $60 million after making a handful of new loans to close out last year. “I think we will be fully invested by the end of 2015,” says Russell Youngdahl, Jr. CEO of Grow Michigan. “We are not in a hurry to […]
A new pet spa and boutique celebrated its grand opening in downtown Plymouth Britt's Bow Wow Boutique & Spa at 550 Forest Ave. also provides doggie day care, and since it's official opening a few months the furry clientele has continued to build. The new business moved into a closed yarn shop after major renovations were completed to add tubs, showers, grooming areas and retail space. It is located in the Westchester Square shopping and office development and is next door, ideally, to Three Dog Bakery. Source: Plymouth Downtown Development Authority Writer: Kim North Shine
Back in 2012 Metromode ran a two-part story on metro Detroit's up and coming restaurant scene and the chefs who were striving to make a name for themselves. So, where are these culinary young guns now? As it turns out, each and every one has not only delivered on their promise but exceeded expectations.
Attracting young, professional talent from outside the state can be tough for metro Detroit firms looking to hire the best and the brightest. Lifestyle is as important as job fit. That means overcoming the negative perceptions non-Michiganders have about a state many have never visited.
PHASIQ is gearing up to make a number of steps toward commercializing its research lab technology in 2015. "The technology has progressed a lot since last fall," says Shuichi Takayama, co-founder of PHASIQ. "We're currently working on scaling up our production." The University of Michigan spinout provides a diagnostic platform for detecting protein biomarkers in biological samples. Its custom arrays can be used by pharmaceutical companies for drug and biomarker discovery, and advancing personalized medicine. You can check out a video describing the technology here. The Plymouth-based startup that calls the Michigan Life Science and Innovation Center home has expanded its core team to three people after adding a technical support person. They have leveraged a $150,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to further develop the technology, which is currently being used by researchers at the University of Michigan. "It's much more user friendly with fewer steps," Takayama says. PHASIQ is currently going for a few more SBIR grants to further development. The team hopes to begin ramping up production of its lab equipment in 2015. Source: Shuichi Takayama, co-founder of PHASIQ Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
Downtown Plymouth will be attracting a new kind of customer with the opening of Blaze-Thru Comics. The store at 470 Forest Ave. opens Nov. 21 and with it will come fans who see the owner, Josh Bonno, as one of the state's most knowledgeable comic book purveyors and the store, as one Facebook fan put it, as "a cathedral of comics." Blaze-Thru gives comic book lovers, whether seeking work of national artist or independents, another option in metro Detroit, Michigan and even the Midwest region. Warp 9 opened in downtown Clawson earlier this month and Green Brain Comics in Dearborn, a thriving business known across the state, moved to a larger location at 13936 Michigan Avenue in downtown Dearborn, along with its building neighbor, Stormy Records. The comic book stores are more than places to buy comic books and related paraphernalia. They're also the site of comic festivals, book signings, classes and general celebration of the art of comics. Source: Blaze-Thru Writer: Kim North Shine
The heaters came first. Then the thick, warm chair cushions. The glass door walls that went in earlier this year gave Stella's Black Dog Tavern in downtown Plymouth a true year-round patio, something more and more restaurants are seeing as a necessity as customers seek an al fresco meal whether the weather is optimal or not. Next up for Stella's Black Dog is an outdoor fireplace. It goes in this week and will be a focal point of a sold-out seating celebration Nov. 20. The date coincides with the one-year anniversary of owner Bob Ostendorf purchasing the restaurant and bar. "The patio just keeps evolving. The first thing we did was make the patio bigger. We added the cover, and the heaters were great, but not enough for temperatures under 30, " says general manager Rose Drys. "With the glass door walls and the fireplace, the lights that will be up for Christmas and the snowfall, it will be so beautiful. It will be like you're sitting out in the snowfall." The restaurant was the first, or among the first, in downtown Plymouth to have a winter patio, she says, and the only one to have a cover for rain. "It's crazy not to use the space. It is an extension of our dining room," she says. "It more than doubles our occupancy. It's imperative we make it part of our dining room." Source: Rose Drys, general manager, Stella's Black Dog Tavern Writer: Kim North Shine
Beet Analytics Technology was already on a significant growth spurt. Now it has a win at last week's Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition to add to that momentum. The Plymouth-based tech firm won the Manufacturing category of the Accelerate Michigan competition, putting $25,000 in seeding capital toward its growth plans. The 3-year-old manufacturing software startup plans to use the prize money toward further developing its platform and acquiring more hardware for it. "We are prepared for another leap forward," says David Wang, CEO of Beet Analytics Technology. "We have had a lot of interest." Beet Analytics Technology is developing 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. The company has landed a couple of contracts with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) from around the world and now claims to have landed contracts or is in talks to sign with half of the 10 largest OEMs in the world. It has hired seven people over the last year, expanding its staff to a dozen employees. This activity led it to give the Accelerate Michigan competition a try this year. The annual business plan competition is Michigan's pre-eminent contest for startups, awarding $1 million in seed capital and services each year. The top prize is for $500,000. Wang and his team left the competition impressed with what they saw. "I was amazed by how many quality entrepreneurs there are in Michigan," Wang says. "I was happy to meet all of them." Source: David Wang, CEO of Beet Analytics Technology Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
The owners of downtown Plymouth's newest breakfast and lunch spot are setting out to show that healthy, organic food does not equal bland or mean sacrifice. Bill Fryer and son Steve, along with Chef Ryan McKeon, are already seeing their La Strovia Health Food Cafe catch on with locals who are coming for omelets, crepes, salads, wraps and more. The food served at La Strovia is made with fresh ingredients and comes from local companies as much as possible. There are vegan and vegetarian items and a juice and smoothie bar. La Strovia opened in mid-September at 581 Forest Ave. "The hope is to teach consumers that a healthy meal can be just as delicious as traditional meals served by everyday restaurants and grills," says Fryer. La Strovia, which comes from a Polish expression for To Your Health, has a busy grab-and-go case as well as a dining room and juice bar. The cafe is folding in other healthy approaches by hosting yoga weekly and offering meal specials on yoga nights. Source: Bill Fryer, co-owner, La Strovia Health Food Cafe Writer: Kim North Shine
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