7 minute read
ON THE TOWN
Red Ginger
Traverse City Restaurant Week Feb 21st-March 6th
Kim and Pete Costanza
Brian and Erica Mohr with Tom and Teri Gorsline
Mike Nizzi and Megan Madion
Ross, Karen, Kathy and Shawn
ON THE
TOWN #TCRW
Celebrating Traverse City Restaurant week! Feb 21st-March 6th. They tagged and shared and here they are in our magazine pages!
The Good Bowl restaurant’s Chef Tony and Soon Hagerty perfecting their TCRW menu. Bountiful Blessings at Aerie Amy Staffan and family at Harrington’s By The Bay
Beauty Crew: Stephanie Lynn, Amy Bradt, Whitney McCartney, Jamie Neiger, Emily Henning and Kendra Rummel.
Concha Kaye and Fred Allen at Forrest - A Food Studio Jason and Christina Stewart at Slate Chris Washburn at Forrest - A Food Studio
THE BENEFIT OF BEING NIMBLE
An Innovator’s Ability to Rise to the Top During a Pandemic
The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic have forced many businesses to adapt and innovate, and TentCraft is no exception. The Traverse City-based company, which specializes in outdoor marketing and advertising, saw its orders slow down in the early stages of the pandemic. With concerts and sporting events being canceled, the demand for high-quality tents and flags dried up. But as people and businesses shifted their way of doing things, so did TentCraft. Matt Bulloch, TentCraft’s owner, saw the needs changing. Schools, care facilities, restaurants – they all needed to be outside and they needed larger tents. And because TentCraft has prioritized manufacturing their own goods, they were one of the few companies able to provide the bigger tents to give the market what it needed: easy to set up tents for testing, screening, and healthcare. And when healthcare systems were overrun and setting up treatment facilities in convention centers and high school gyms, TentCraft’s ability to swiftly customize allowed them to develop indoor partitions to create makeshift rooms. As a business owner, Bulloch thrives on coming to work each day and focusing on the area of business that most needs his attention. Every day at TentCraft is different and he prefers it that way. And if he can have some fun along the way, even better. By striving to continuously improve, Bulloch has led TentCraft to find success despite the unexpected challenges. This passion for manufacturing and improving systems, technology, and processes is the root of perhaps Matt’s next grand adventure: reviving specialty manufacturing companies with time-tested best practices to continue the legacy those businesses were founded upon.
“Because TentCraft manufactured their products in house, they were able to turn on a dime and try new things. Being able to innovate was the catalyst to TentCraft finding success during this unpredictable year. ‘A requirement of business is that it has to be appropriately capitalized,’ says Matt. ‘Capital is required to execute good ideas. You need capital to continue to invest, to pay people, and have some cushion, even when the world is crazy, and things are rapidly changing.’ When larger banks have let Matt down, West Shore Bank has earned Matt’s trust, first by helping TentCraft secure funds through the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program, and now as a banking partner, sounding board, and financial advisor. The sky is the limit for Matt Bulloch, a trusted businessman with no shortage of good ideas. West Shore Bank proudly delivers personalized service and expertise to its business clients. Our clients are not just numbers to us. Each business owner is an integral piece of the business community that makes Traverse City such a vibrant place to live. We care about local business because we are a local business.”
Ryan Popa
AVP, Commercial Loan Officer ryanp@westshorebank.com
lifesgrandadventure.com
ON THE TOWN
West End Tavern
Traverse City Restaurant Week Feb 21st-March 6th
Gary and Ginny Smith
Caroline Bullock and Pete Peterson Kendall Phillips and Cindy Daniel Emily Smith and Brian Parkham
Kyle Ascione and Patrick Ellis
Pepe Nero
Traverse City Restaurant Week Feb 21st-March 6th
ON THE TOWN
BAYLIFE BOOST
“I love photography because it allows me to capture memories, moments, and feelings that I share with the world and those around me.” —Andrew Theophilus
Andrew Theophilus
Going for Gold
Big congratulations to Andrew Theophilus, a Traverse City Central High School senior, for earning a top regional award in photography in the 2021 West Central Michigan Scholastic Art & Writing Competition. His work, titled “Depression Obsession,” will be sent to New York for national judging. If selected, the piece will be exhibited as a national award winner. He was also was recognized for two silver key awards.
Ski-Tastic
It was a challenge with COVID-19 restrictions, but the ski race season at Hickory Hills was not canceled. All the kids raced with heart and “normal” felt so good. Yay! Thanks to committed volunteers and donated support from our community, the Grand Traverse Ski Club still brought home the Welborn Championship Trophy from Boyne Highlands. Special thanks to businesses who donated to GTSC when Teri Gorsline and her daughter Teags reached out:
TBA Credit Union, Fox Grand Traverse, WTCM, Schulz Orthodontics, Bonek Insurance, Dan Brady, Ann Bollinger, Terry Beia, Peg Jonkhoff, Cathy
O’Connor, the Byl Family, Jayne Mohr and Cal Carr. We couldn’t have done it without you!
Teaghan Gorsline and Bridget Raven holding the Welborn Trophy for their winning team GTSC.
Dynamic Duo
Award winners Karen and Darrin Brege
Kudos to Traverse City locals Karen and Darrin Brege on being the first duo to be awarded the Michigan Reading Association’s prestigious Gwen Frostic Award for 2021. This award goes to people who have had a powerful influence in literacy for students, teachers, and administrators alike in Michigan. Karen is a children’s author and Darrin is an illustrator. To date, they we have 15 children’s books published. “We are both former comedians and we believe in literacy and laughter,” Karen said. Visit their web site at
