Mark Maynard | Grand Rapids

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 [...]

Posted in Ann Arbor, Art and Culture, Local Business, Locally Owned Business, Pop Culture, Retail, Uncategorized | Also 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, 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

Ted McClelland on fleeing “Michissippi” and why we’ll never be able to keep our brightest young people from Chicago

By Mark | December 24, 2012

Here on the site last week, I twice invoked an article that had appeared on Salon.con entitled Right-to-work bill: Michigan just gives up. Well, the second time I did so, the author of the piece, Ted McClelland, left a comment. And, from there, a short email exchange ensued, resulting in the following interview. I hope [...]

Posted in Michigan, Observations, Uncategorized | Also tagged American Railway Union, Amway, and Hopes of America's Industrial Heartland, brain drain, Brian Dickerson, Caught in the Middle, Chicago, Edward McClelland, exit interviews, fiscal cliff, globalization, Hard Times, interviews, Lansing, MEDC, Michael Finney, Michigan Democratic Party, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan State, Michissippi, Next: Young American Writers on the New Generation, Niowave, Nothin' But Blue Skies: The Heyday, Obama, Renaissance Center, Richard C. Longworth, Richard Marx, Rick Snyder, right-to-work, Salon, Ted McClelland, UAW, United Auto Workers, University of Michigan, Young Mr. Obama: Chicago and the Making of a Black President | 16 Comments

Grand Rapids shows us how economic development is done right… home-grown food entrepreneurship over dollar stores

By Mark | November 18, 2012

A few months ago, when I was in Grand Rapids, attending the annual BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies) conference, I had the occasion to hear a speech given by the city’s Mayor, George Heartwell. I can’t find my notes at the moment, but I seem to recall that, buried somewhere in the long [...]

Posted in Economics, entrepreneurism, Environment, Michigan, Sustainability, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged Amway, Ave Maria, BALLE, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, David Frey, economic development, false equivalence, farmers market, food entrepreneurship, food hubs, Grand Action, hope, infrastructure, local food, local food production, national chains, Tom Monaghan, Water Street, Water Street Redevelopment Project | 41 Comments

Ben Cohen on Occupy, independent business networks, and defacing currency to save our Democracy

By Mark | May 19, 2012

I had the opportunity yesterday, at the BALLE conference, to hear ice cream magnate Ben Cohen, of Ben and Jerry’s fame, talking about the point of intersection where the local business movement, Occupy Wall Street and the campaign to “get the money out of politics” converge. Here’s video of his presentation, during which he unveils [...]

Posted in Economics, entrepreneurism, Marketing, Uncategorized | Also tagged Affordable Care Act, BALLE, Ben and Jerry's, Ben Cohen, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, campaign finance reform, corporate takeover of politics, currency, defacing currency, dollar bills, get the money out of Washington, health care reform, ice cream, Mark's big ideas, Move to Amend, Obamacare, Occupy Wall Street, single-payer system | 13 Comments

Zingerman’s co-founder Paul Saginaw on the importance of robust local business ecosystems, the upcoming BALLE conference in Grand Rapids, and the meaning of “real prosperity”

By Mark | April 22, 2012

For the first time ever, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) will be holding its national, annual conference for independently owned, socially responsible businesses, here, in Michigan. The meeting, which is being called Real Prosperity Starts Here, is scheduled to take place in Grand Rapids this May, and, as of right now, I’m [...]

Posted in Corporate Crime, Detroit, Economics, entrepreneurism, Environment, Food, Ideas, Local Business, Locally Owned Business, Michigan, Sustainability, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged American Expres, Appalachian Harvest Network, BALLE, Burlington, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, buy local, Community Food Enterprise, cool local initiatives, crowdfunding, farming, food hubs, healthy food access, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Intervale Food Hub, Kellogg Foundation, local, local economy, Local First, Localist, localwashing, Michael Shuman, national chains, Paul Saginaw, prosperity, re-localization, Rodger Bowser, Rust Belt, Shift Your Shopping, Stacy Mitchell, tobacco, Vermont, Wal-Mart, Wallace Center at Winrock International, Water Street, Zingerman's, Zingerman's Community of Businesses | 17 Comments

Tag Archives: Grand Rapids

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

Ted McClelland on fleeing “Michissippi” and why we’ll never be able to keep our brightest young people from Chicago

Grand Rapids shows us how economic development is done right… home-grown food entrepreneurship over dollar stores

Ben Cohen on Occupy, independent business networks, and defacing currency to save our Democracy

Zingerman’s co-founder Paul Saginaw on the importance of robust local business ecosystems, the upcoming BALLE conference in Grand Rapids, and the meaning of “real prosperity”

Connect

Recent Comments

Elsewhere

Arts and Culture

Friends

Information, News & Politics

Organizations

SE Michigan Blogs

Special Projects

Ypsi Living

Search