There’s a lot of buzz lately about small business. Start-ups, entrepreneurs, artisans – how many of them really know how demanding starting one’s own business is, or that they have to stay flexible, that they may have to adjust their original plans? Staying flexible and responsive to customer feedback demands staying alert to how customers…
Dr. Velonda Anderson’s life-long passion for fitness, healthy food, disease prevention, and children’s health has led her down some unexpected paths. Velonda is a professor of nutrition, an author of a nutritional foods cookbook, a nutrition speaker, a program manager for the Detroit Health Department, and a Northwest Detroit Farmers’ Market vendor. She’s also known…
Among the hustle and bustle of the Northwest Detroit Farmers’ Market, you may have heard a young man ask, “Do you have a dog?” He’s pretty persistent with his question because he’s pretty serious about successfully selling his home made dog treats. This earnest vendor is Samme Hejka, and his business is Samme’s Special Dog…
A good way to learn about someone is to check out the titles on their bookshelves. Charles McGee’s crowded bookshelves have titles like Chinese Cooking. Metal Working, Picasso, Ancient Egyptian History, and Gardening. In short, Charles’ interests vary widely and he has been curious his entire life. A life-long study has been how nature, the…
73 years ago, when John Hanson moved to North Rosedale Park, things looked a little different in the neighborhood. Mr. Hanson remembers Contra Dancing at the Clubhouse – also known as the Community House – and walking just a few short blocks to local Cooke Elementary. He was six years old when he moved into…
When she was four years old, Trudie Strale contracted polio and spent the next several summers on Harsens Island in a cast. Her grandfather and father were Tiger fans and often listened to the games on the radio. “I learned to love baseball too,” Trudie says. Her lifelong devotion to the Tigers proves this. It…
Consul General of Japan Dr. Kazuyuki Katayama and his wife Mrs. Yukari Katayama presented long-time Grandmont Rosedale resident Rose Love with the Consul General Commendation at the 55th anniversary of Detroit-Toyota Sister-City Relations Reception last August. As the Executive Director since 1989, Rose coordinates the Detroit-Toyota exchange program for high school students. Based on a…
Fourteen years ago, when Bonnie Halloran’s two girls were about 5 or 6 years old, Bonnie was teaching anthropology, trying to piece together a living as a member of the adjunct faculty at four different schools. As if the travel to the different schools, working with the different school systems, keeping on top of class…
Alexander Jones’ business, United Horizons, was outgrowing his home office and he needed a larger space to meet clients and to have meetings with his employees. He also needed wifi, a copier, and having a kitchenette would be nice too. Alexander chose the Grand River WorkPlace, 19120 Grand River, as his new place to do…
Joseph Braxton, or “JB” as most people call him, bought the building at 18230 Grand River in 2008. The economy that closed the Ford dealership where JB was an electrical technician had more trouble in store for JB: JB paid the bills on his new building without being able to open it because it took…