Yoopers sure are fickle. Just when you thought pasties were our favorite ethnic fare, or maybe cudighi… it seems Indian cuisine is what we’ve been longing for.
Introducing Marquette Masala Co., the town’s newest concessionaire of what might be our most desired cultural food. After announcing their opening a couple weeks ago, social media reaction was swift and intense. And now the wait is over.
With their first day, yesterday, under their belts, the guys at Marquette Masala Co. are looking forward to satisfying the local itch for the taste of India… whatever that is. (I’ve never been there.)
Co-owners and good friends Kyle Christian and Jacob Taylor, seen above, are tapping their experience in the food and hospitality industries to bring something unique to the area.
A Taste for It
Apparently the spicy delicacies are a favorite of the partners. “We started talking to a lot of people over the summer, and gauging interest, and it just seemed like Indian Food was missing and wanted in Marquette,” says Taylor. “We were familiar with the cuisine, and it just started from there.”
Taylor and his wife already own and operate Superior Pops; a new mobile handcrafted popsicle vendor that debuted this summer at the Marquette Farmer’s Markets among other events. So they’re familiar with the local gastro cravings.
One question that comes up about offerings from places other than here is always… “Is it authentic?” Taylor explains… “We are locals, but I would say it’s authentic. We use traditional ingredients, and traditional methods. We don’t cheap out on product, and want our dishes to be enjoyable and authentic.”
Order Info
It’s not a dine-in restaurant, so you’ve got to know the ordering process.
“For the first 3 weeks we will only be taking orders through DoorDash. Customers will be able to order pickup (with no fees), or delivery. No need to have the DoorDash app – you can visit MarquetteMasala.com which will re-route you to ordering thru DoorDash as well.”
Right now, they’re strictly a seasonal business, open from October 1st thru April 30th. Their hours are Thursday 4-8, Friday 11-8, and Saturday 4-8.
So where are they? “We are located at 1310 S. Front St. in the same building that houses Pak Ratz Thrift Store and The Women’s Center, among other businesses,” Taylor says. “Our entrance is on the south side of the building, and we will have a sign with arrows by the road, as well as outside our door, and a sign on the door itself.”
Shouldn’t be that hard to find. Maybe just follow your nose.
Is a Dime Worth Your Time?
You know those bags of returnables you’ve got taking up space in your basement or garage? You’ve been meaning to take them back, but… is it really worth the effort?
Apparently a lot of people don’t think it is. According to recent reports, the return rate is down to 70%, a decrease of 18% since 2019, and well below the almost 100% rate of return at the program’s peak in 1993.
According to the Facebook site, History of Michigan, when Michigan’s Bottle and Can Return Deposit program launched in 1977, the cost of a Faygo, a Michigan favorite, was approximately 20 cents plus a 10-cent deposit. You paid 30 cents but were incentivized to return the can or bottle to receive a third of your money back. In 2025, that same Red Pop costs 89 cents plus a 10-cent deposit, representing just 10% of your initial investment.
What Happened?
Some of the drop is being blamed on the pandemic, when return centers were closed down. Once people got out of the habit, they never came back.
Geez… it was just a few weeks ago when we talked about the penny and how its value was almost negligible. Now it’s the dime?
Different approaches to the issue are being considered… like hiking the rate to 20 cents. But who wants that? The best solution may be to drop the return program altogether and just dump the returnables in your recycling cart.
Back in ’77 community recycling programs were in their infancy, if they existed at all. So a lot of cans and bottles ended up by the side of the road. Today, those would just be recycled. And your trips to the return center would no longer be necessary.
Local Impact
According to Dan Parvu, Store Director at Marquette’s MarketPlace Foods, return rates vary across their U.P. stores. Last year their Houghton location actually saw an increase in returns, while Marquette was down 10%. I’m not sure how to explain that, and I don’t plan on hanging around any return centers to survey users.
I would think stores wouldn’t mind ending the program. Parvu says, “Our current machines are over 10 years old and reaching the end of their life so we are purchasing all new machines in early 2026 at an expense of roughly $200,000.” And then there’s the space and man hours dedicated to making sure you get your dime back.
One downside? Unclaimed returns run into the tens of millions each year. A small portion of that is given to the Michigan State Police to enforce the law. The remaining 75% is sent to environmental cleanups and 25% to retailers. So that money, some of which appears to be put to good use, would no longer be available.
My vote? Let’s recycle ‘em. It’s no longer worth the time… or the dime.
RATI Update
Word is the Presque Isle Pavilion will not be used as a site for Room at the Inn’s Warming Center overflow. Apparently their numbers are currently under capacity, so, for now, there is no need for an auxiliary location. Crisis averted.
Carrying the Mail… and Your Packages
You know how cold you get just walking to your car? Well, our mail carriers walk a heck of a lot further than that. And during this Christmas season, package delivery from all those online orders means they’re spending more time out there than usual.
I’ve been told that even though packages are piling up, no extra staff is being brought on to help the cause. That means your regular carrier is working later than ever trying to get your orders to your home as soon as possible.
It also means, not all packages will arrive when you hope them to. But don’t blame your carrier. In fact, if anything, give your carrier an extra thank you for their commitment to this valuable service. And make sure your walkways are clear and safe. Unlike that TV ad… when they fall, they have to get up. Let’s not make it any harder than it has to be.