Cops and Doughnuts

by Amanda Wisswell, Vision Mid Michigan

Cops and Doughnuts in Clare, Mich. is a made-from-scratch bakery owned by the Clare police force. And, this bakery is known by more than just the locals. The cop-owned shop has started a nationwide craze.
Clare City Bakery has passed through several owners since the Foss family opened it in 1896. More than 100 years later, [...]

Social Media Club fosters new media conversations with free events

by Kristen Pelkki, Vision Mid Michigan

Social media has become a part of our day-to-day lives whether we like it or not. It began as a trend to keep in touch with friends and family, but has now evolved into a landscape composed of business, strategy and tactics.
Now mid-Michigan residents can learn from each other and the powerful tools of social [...]

Mechanic goes the distance for local dealership

by Jake May, Vision Mid Michigan

The Krapohl name has been a staple in Mount Pleasant for 60 years, ever since Harold and Robert Krapohl started a Ford dealership downtown in 1950, and only one employee has been there since its start.
Mount Pleasant resident Jim Cole, 76, started working for Krapohl while attending Mount Pleasant High School. He was the first [...]

Scenes from a beloved small-town diner

by Libby March for Vision Mid Michigan

This is the first in a series of multimedia features exploring the stories of creative people doing extraordinary things in mid-Michigan. Know someone who fits the bill? Leave us a comment and let us know who we should feature next.

The grumble of brewing coffee mingles with a low hum of conversation, punctuated by the occasional [...]

Local business owners optimistic following holiday sales

by Rachel Esterline, Vision Mid Michigan

Cathy Smith, owner of Basketree in Mount Pleasant, said people were more aware of shopping local during this past holiday season and holiday business was up from last year.
Her experience echoes that of other retailers both locally and nationally following better-than-expected sales that some say point to signs of an economic recovery. According to the [...]

Playing with clay

by Cynthia J. Drake, Vision Mid Michigan

Adults don’t have many opportunities to play these days. The kind of play that involves rolling up your sleeves, getting dirty and laughing at yourself just doesn’t happen as spontaneously as it used to.
Enter Space Studios, a veritable clay playground in Midland for adults and kids alike.
I first discovered Space Studios on a date night [...]

Our 2010 retail wish list

Santa brought a lot of nice surprises for us under the tree last week, but we can’t help but add a few more items to the wish list when we think about the year ahead. We asked mid-Michigan residents to name their most desired new shops and restaurants. Here’s what they had to say:
“We need [...]

Mid-Michigan looks to renewable energy to power out of economic slump

by Theresa Roach, Vision Mid Michigan

Mid-Michigan has the potential to become a world leader in producing renewable energy sources, according to a recent report. And local leaders in business, government and education are already latching onto that potential as a way to right the economy.
Research conducted by Western Carolina University’s Institute for the Economy and the Future found that mid-Michigan [...]

Head of the glass

by Sarah Chuby, Vision Mid Michigan

Kim Kowalski’s got the cure for what “ales” ya.

The man behind the microbrews from Mount Pleasant Brewing Company, 614 W. Pickard St., has been making beer for more than 15 years.

Just Hired: Laura Ruhle

by Rachel M. Esterline, Vision Mid Michigan

Lux Funeral Home’s newest staff member has returned back to her roots.
Having lived in the Mount Pleasant area in junior high, Laura Ruhle finally came home last July when she started working at the Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home, offering preneed and aftercare support. Prior to her new position, Ruhle was working at the [...]