Business & Economy

Walled Lake’s only drive-up burger joint almost never happened

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A week before Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued the first stay-at-home order of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tim Sessions and his son, Jake Sessions, happened to be teaming up to buy the lakeside building that is now known as Big Dip Burgers. Tim Sessions said that after holding his head down for a week because of the shutdown, not being able to find contractors to work on the building, which needed a ton of work. Sessions decided to start working on it himself considering he had a background in construction. “I told myself, wait a minute, this is what I do,” Sessions said. “So I come in and start cleaning it.

Business & Economy

Chicken wing franchise owner not worried about competition

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Ray Abdallah isn’t worried about the competition between chicken wing restaurants. Abdallah, the franchise owner of Commerce Township’s first chicken wing restaurant, Wing Snob, said the area is big enough for multiple chicken wing spots, referring to a Wingstop that opened up a mile down the road from his store. “I don’t think it’s going to take anything away from me or take anything away from them, the community is too big,” said Abdallah, who is in his first year of franchising this location. “They need more places to open and more businesses in here from so many different directions.”


Ray Abdallah on his journey to becoming a franchise owner of Wing Snob. With over 43,000 residents, Commerce Township continues to add new businesses in the area.

Article

Local cider mill opens its attractions

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Long Family Orchard, Farm & Cider Mill in Commerce Township opened its play area for the first time last weekend, according to its Facebook page, allowing visitors to start a new tradition, while continuing an old one, eating donuts and cider. Love for cider

Vittorio Vassilev, a Commerce resident, is a loyal customer. “I have been going to Long’s cider mill since I was 6 years old,” Vassilev said. “The donuts and cider (are) what I come for, it is one of the best feelings and you know it’s fall once they have those two things together.”

“The consistency of loyal customers returning every year is one of the reasons the Long family keeps their business running,” said Bobby Long. “To see the joys on the customers’ faces,” Bobby said.

choir

Taste of Okemos celebrates 20 years

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Upon entering the cafeteria, the smells of chicken, pizza and wings filled the air. These smells are sponsored by the many restaurants in town that volunteered to cater the Taste of Okemos event at Okemos High School for the Okemos Choir. On Oct. 12, around 16 booths were lined up around the cafeteria. In the middle there were decorated tables where people can sit.

Arts & Entertainment

Expo highlights the power of women-owned businesses

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Food and women came together for a weekend of networking, empowerment and laughter. Women business owners participated in the Great Food Expo and Ultimate Women Expo in Chicago at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center on Oct. 5 and 6, 2019. The two expos were combined and allowed attendees to network and show off their companies. Activities highlighted the importance of women in business, with guest speakers including celebrity chef Anne Burrell, actress Keke Palmer, and Grammy winner Kandi Burruss.

News

Meridian Township, start your engines! Entertainment complex opens in Meridian Mall

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The sounds of screeching tires and revving engines are the first things you hear when you enter the new go-kart entertainment space, High Caliber Karting, in Meridian Mall. A group of racers speeds around the corner on the blue track. High Caliber Karting isn’t your average go-kart racing experience. This indoor entertainment space is home to one of the largest arcades in Meridian Township, axe throwing, pocket soccer, two full motion virtual reality equipped racing simulators, two high-speed go-kart tracks and so much more! On Sept.

Agriculture

Clean Plates at State weighs in on food waste

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It’s dinner time at Case Hall on the Michigan State University campus. Students have endless options of food items at the nine on campus cafeterias. “I had the honey chicken with rice and brussel sprouts, mozzarella sticks and cantaloupe,” senior, Ellen Dipietro, said. “I ate it all”

Elizabeth Lytle, a department aid at the residential housing services on campus, doesn’t care what’s on the menu. She wants to know what’s on the plates after dinner.

business

Subway on Grand River ends $5 footlong promotion

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Subway’s CEO announced that in September, franchises will have the option to either keep or get rid of the famous $5 footlong deal. According to the company, it is cutting into slim margins and not profiting for the company. In a college town, you may except students to be upset with the deal being gone, and even Subway employees like Jasmine Hannett. “I feel they should definitely bring it back because kids are on a budget,” Hannet said. “More business…more customer service, and I love making subs.”