Category Archives: Locally Owned Business

Big Business vs. Small Business…. who’s right?

By Mark | February 28, 2013

Today, in response to an interview that I’d posted recently with the founders of the Ypsi/Arbor small business support group Small & Mighty, a reader by the name of KJC posted a link to an article titled “Small is not Beautiful,” implying, I think it’s pretty clear, that many of us are misguided in our [...]

Also posted in Economics, Local Business, Mark's Life, Observations, Uncategorized | Tagged BALLE, business, cooperatives, Dug Song, health insurance, Jean Henry, KJC, Michael Shuman, Seva, Small and Mighty, Starbucks, The Shop Around the Corner, You've Got Mail, Zingerman's | 38 Comments

Having won the title of World’s Best Comic Book Store, Ann Arbor’s Vault of Midnight plots global domination

By Mark | February 25, 2013

After years of shopping at Ann Arbor’s much-beloved comic book shop Vault of Midnight, I finally had the occasion a few weeks ago, at an event hosted by Concentrate Media, to meet the store’s founder Curtis Sullivan. What started as a friendly conversation on the current state of Ann Arbor retail quickly escalated into an [...]

Also posted in Ann Arbor, Art and Culture, Local Business, Pop Culture, Retail, Uncategorized | Tagged Ann Arbor Skate Park, Art Prize, Batman, Comic Book Men, comic books, comics, Conan, Concentrate Media, Curtis Sullivan, Doctor Strange, Elizabeth Sullivan, entrepreneurism, entrepreneurship, Eye of Agamotto, games, Grand Rapids, graphic novels, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, Jim Ottaviani, Kevin Smith, Ming Chen, Morrison Restaurants, Norm Harris, retail in Ann Arbor, Ruby Tuesdays, Steve Fodale, superheroes, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, toys, Vault of Midnight, vinyl figures, Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award | 18 Comments

Ann Arbor’s vegan food cart The Lunch Room to evolve into a brick-and-mortar Kerrytown restaurant

By Mark | February 5, 2013

Yesterday, the owners of Ann Arbor’s favorite vegan food cart, The Lunch Room, formally announced that they would be following in the footsteps of Eat, and making the transition from seasonal outdoor vendor to year-round brick and mortar. Following is my interview with Phillis Engelbert, who, together with Joel Panozzo, owns The Lunch Room. MARK: [...]

Also posted in Ann Arbor, entrepreneurism, Food, Local Business, Uncategorized | Tagged Andy Sell, EAT, food carts, Foraging Florist, fortune telling, fried chicken, Homegrown Smoker, Joel Panozzo, local economy, local food, local food production, Mark's Carts, meat, Michigan Peaceworks, omnivore, Phillis Engelbert, Portland, Portobello, seitan, Synecdoche, tarot cards, The Lunch Room, Traverse City, vegan, vegetarian, Washtenaw County Public Health Department, Washtenaw Food Hub | 13 Comments

Michael Shuman… there’s a local business revolution on the horizon, and we can make it happen

By Mark | February 3, 2013

Last week, I had the opportunity to spend a day with economist and author Michael Shuman. Shuman, for those of you who aren’t familiar with his work, is probably our nation’s foremost authority on the importance of cultivating, supporting and investing in local businesses. The stated purpose of his visit to Ann Arbor, which was [...]

Also posted in Economics, Local Business, Michigan, Uncategorized | Tagged Amy Cortese, Austin, banks, Book People, Borders, business attraction, business retention, Colgate-Palmolive, crowdfunding, Daryl Issa, economic development, Economics, Google, investing, IRA, local investing, locavesting, Michael Shuman, Mission Markets, Oregon, SEC, Securities and Exchange Commission, self-dircted IRA, self-directed IRA, smart growth, startup investing, tax abatements, Tom’s of Maine, triple bottom line, walkability, Washtenaw County Economic Development, Washtenaw County Office of Community & Economic Development | 29 Comments

David Landrum on the launch of Two James…. the first distillery in Detroit since Prohibition

By Mark | January 31, 2013

As you may have heard, a new distillery will soon be opening in the Corktown section of Detroit, not too far from where our friend Lisa Waud will be opening the new flower shop I told you about a few days ago. From what I’m told, it will be the first legal distillery to operate [...]