Local Business

OWOSSO — The city has dismissed its court case against the owner of the Matthews Building — which claims multiple ordinance violations — in exchange for the owner’s promise to complete specific work on the condemned building, 300 W. Main St., by specific dates.

DURAND — Durand’s South Oak Street railroad crossing will undergo reconstruction, thanks to a grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).

OWOSSO — When you’ve been in the auto repair business for 72 years, you see a lot of things.

OWOSSO — After several months of updating the facade and interior of 122 N. Washington St., Dr. Andrew DeMeritt and his wife Andrea have officially relocated their optometry practice to the downtown site.

OWOSSO — Kylie Hollis of St Johns has joined the staff of the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce as a full-time member engagement specialist.

CHESANING — The Chesaning Village Council voted 5-2 Tuesday to approve marijuana facility licenses for new companies at 9982 and 9726 W. Peet Road after several months of public dialogue concerning the industry in the village.

DURAND — Acknowledging widespread community rumors regarding a proposed multi-billion-dollar steel plant in the Durand area, Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership President/CEO Justin Horvath informed the Durand City Council Tuesday that Project Tim is still very much alive.

DURAND — Lynne’s restaurant in downtown Durand is offering comfort food and affordable prices during a pandemic — just what people need right now, the owners say.

OWOSSO — Community leaders are hoping people will shop local on Small Business Saturday, in person or online.

OWOSSO — Billy Singh, owner of Kings Corner and McNeil Street Markets, presented a check for $700 to Patrice Martin, interim executive director of the Shiawassee Humane Society.

OWOSSO — Itsa Deli Thing, 202 W. Main St., is giving away free meals to the public on Thanksgiving, due to the COVID-19-related lockdown that will likely keep many families apart for the holiday.

CHESANING — Riverfront Grille is expanding its offerings from its longtime restaurant and bar fare to include specialty coffee drinks.

MORRICE — After years of planning, a proposed condominium development along South Morrice Road has finally received the go-ahead.

SHIAWASSEE COUNTY — A lifelong Shiawassee County resident has been tapped to lead the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce.

LANSING — State officials this week said the unemployment rate in Shiawassee County dipped substantially for the fifth straight month as businesses continue slowly recovering from pandemic-related shutdowns in March and April.

OWOSSO — After being shut down for more than five months due to COVID-19 safety restrictions, gyms throughout the state re-opened in early September and in the Owosso area, more than a month after the re-opening, gyms still look and operate differently than before.

CORUNNA — Andrew Hudson has been named October Employee of the Month for Corunna Public Schools.

OWOSSO — Work got underway this week to remove marble cladding and refurbish the exterior of the Fifth Third Bank building at the corner of Exchange and Washington streets.

OWOSSO — A woman with close ties to the area and impressive credentials has been named the campus director of Baker College of Owosso.

LAINGSBURG — Kevin Dennis remembers as growing up on the family farm just outside Laingsburg, looking at the year “1920” on the barn and thinking 2020 was “a million years away.”

OWOSSO — Andrews Hooper Pavlik has announce the promotion of Jaclyn A. Birchmeier to a senior accountant in the firm’s Owosso office.

WOODHULL TWP. — Feighner Boat Lifts and Docks is returning to its roots as a business.

OWOSSO — The idea behind MiLi’s Boutique, newly opened at 221 N. Washington St., is to offer clothing for women of all ages at affordable prices.

OWOSSO — Local taco enthusiasts have a new and unique option when it comes to their favorite food — with a Korean flair — courtesy of Joel and Cassy McGuire, who just rolled out JD’s Junction taco truck.

CHESANING — Members of the Chesaning Chamber of Commerce board of directors celebrated the opening of Top Coat Nail Studio, 805 W. Broad St., this week.

OWOSSO — The before-and-after pictures are startling: A former eyesore has been transformed into a sharp building and courtyard.

CHESANING — The future of two proposed marijuana grow facilities along Peet Road is now unclear after the Chesaning Village Council voted 6-1 Tuesday to place a moratorium on marijuana license applications until drainage and odor issues within the village are resolved.

Mark Devereaux, co-founder and CEO of the new Stelvio Equity Group, said his “aha moment” came when he saw his 401(k) pension fund decline in value after the stock market took a dip in the late 1990s.

OWOSSO — In the wake of the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision Friday that stripped Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of the ability to use a 1945 law to issue executive orders, Owosso barber Karl Manke’s lawyer issued a statement demanding the state end criminal and civil actions against the barber.

CALEDONIA TWP. — The former Art Van Furniture location is anticipated to reopen Oct. 9 as a Big Sandy Superstore, offering furniture and home decor, according to franchisee Tom Lynch.

LANSING — More than five dozen Shiawassee County businesses and nonprofits this week were awarded “restart” money from the Michigan Small Business Restart Program in response to costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

LANSING — State officials this week said unemployment in Shiawassee County dropped for the fourth straight month, but remains well above pre-COVID-19 levels.

OWOSSO — Attention pizza lovers: Hungry Howie’s is officially open for business in downtown Owosso.

OWOSSO — Thanks to the generosity of Ovid business owners, Owosso VFW Post 9455 will be able to build a second veterans memorial wall.

OWOSSO TWP. — D’Mar Banquet and Conference Center is permanently closing its doors this weekend due to financial hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Facebook post from owner Dianne Rodgers.

CORUNNA — A rezoning request to accommodate a mini-storage development in Perry Township was granted Thursday by the Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners, despite widespread opposition from township officials and area residents.

CORUNNA — Driver Alan Maike wasn’t pleased that his vacation got interrupted by his boss at Davis Cartage trucking company, who called him and his wife Sylvia Maike back to Corunna.

SHIAWASSEE COUNTY — Local entrepreneurs soon will get a chance to obtain help growing their food businesses with an upcoming “Shark Tank”-type contest.

OWOSSO — Movie theaters were conspicuously absent from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s latest executive order allowing various businesses to reopen amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving companies such as NCG Cinemas unsure when they will be allowed to resume operations.