A SURVEY OF businesses just conducted by Marquette's Downtown Development Authority presents some concerning statistics. No, you could call them alarming. Question: If the COVID-19 business disruption continues, how long would it be before you're in danger of closing permanently? Answer: 27% say 1-2 ... Continue Reading
UP Businesses Big and Small: Getting Help but Facing the Unknown
IT'S DIFFICULT TO find anybody in the Upper Peninsula--individuals, businesses, institutions, or non profits--who hasn't been crippled economically by the COVID-19 shutdown. The big boys have gotten most of the headlines. Namely... Cleveland Cliffs, with 700 workers soon to be laid for two months because of reduced ... Continue Reading
From Tacos to Books, and from NMU to Border Grill
WEEK NUMBER ONE in Mike Walker's new life. "I'm loving it," he says. "For the last few weeks, I hadn't been sleeping very well because I've been worried about the change in my life, the new job. But actually now, over these last few days, I've been sleeping really well." Walker, of course, is the guy who ran the ... Continue Reading
It’s Adios for Dia de los Tacos
WELL, IT'S NOT goodbye quite yet, fortunately. But yes, Mike Walker, one of Marquette's food truck pioneers, will be shutting down his much loved food truck, Dia de los Tacos, at the end of the summer. He's already started his 100 day Farewell Tour. Some of Dia's fans would contend that the loss of Walker and his food ... Continue Reading
More Music, More Coffee, a Mea Culpa, Fewer Books, Many More Apartments, A New Tech Launch, More National Praise, and How Not to Do Business
EXPECT TO HEAR more music on Third Street later this month. A new music store, Yooptone Music, offering instruments for sale and rent, repairs and lessons, hopes to open its doors in the Village Shopping Center on November 20th. That's the space currently occupied by the Sara Cambensy headquarters. If you're saying to ... Continue Reading