The Candied Yam
Jessica Tyson is involved. She’s involved in her community, her partnerships, her church, her family, and – at the center - her business. The Candied Yam is beloved in Grand…
Millie’s Farms
A loan to Millie’s Farms, a woman-owned family farm in Big Prairie Township near Newaygo, put Northern Initiatives over the $100 million mark in loans made since its founding 30…
Buck’s Port Hope Diner
The 217 residents of Port Hope are grateful. “Thank you for investing in our town.” “You’ve changed my business by opening yours.” “You put Port Hope on the map.” Buck’s…
Americana Manufacturing
For Ben Logan, school was often a struggle. Dyslexia made traditional learning challenging, and he spent much of his time watching cartoons in a special education classroom or sneaking into…
Fox and Hen Vineyards
Wil Malski was pretty excited when he planted his first grapes in 2014. The heartbreak was equally strong when he had to rip them out five years later. It turned…
Four Leaf Brewing
The whistle of trains mixes with the clop-clop of horses pulling buggies in downtown Clare. Outside of Four Leaf Brewing, it also mixes with the sound of Irish music. Amy…
Applecore General Store
Activity comes in waves in the Les Cheneaux region. There’s the summer onslaught, because who wouldn’t want to spend time in an area surrounded by woods, water, and islands? There’s…
Smith Truck Body
Curtis Smith is sure of one thing: There will always be garbage. Smith has worked nearly a decade in waste hauling and recycling. He opened his own custom truck business,…
Blossom Bird Bubble Tea
Kaila and Daniel Ball, newly married during the pandemic, had dreams of something fresh, away from metro Detroit. “We had plans to move to Oregon,” Daniel said. “The Pacific Northwest…
