517 Magazine - April 2023

Bobcat Bonnie’s heads to Lansing

A Q&A with Deborah and David Burgdorf of Burgdorf’s Winery in Haslett

Dimes Brewhouse brings a draw to Dimondale

On the Record with Kerry Goodsir from Joe’s on Jolly

MIKE LUTHER AND TEAM WINE AND DINE DEWITT AND FAR BEYOND

publisher’s

A Toast to Food and Friendship in Greater Lansing

B

eyond sustenance, food is a transformational experience in life. We need it to survive as individuals, but it also nourishesus as a collective by bringing us closer.

It is the nucleus that draws people in to congregate, communicate, celebrate and commiserate. It is something that both highlights the culture of a people or region as well as performs as the fuel to start conversations and spark discussion and debate because it is best served as a shared experience. I love to read the posts of the social media page Lansing Foodies. People connect by sharing stories, giving recommendations and highlighting the many opportunities to try something new.

Consider your childhood, and it is likely that some of your most cherished recollections involve the extended family gathered around the dining table talking, laughing, maybe even playfully arguing over a holiday feast or another communal event.

In adulthood, food can be the centerpiece in friendships — the binder that brings people back together to catch up on the latest happenings and the plans for the future, as well as reflect on mutual experiences of days long since passed.

These common experiences take place thousands of times each day across Greater Lansing, reminding us that we are universally connected as social beings at our core. As fragile and vulnerable as we may be as individuals, those connections help unite us under this blanket of shared humanity.

Mid-Michigan sets the table for these events to occur every day because there are so many wonderful — and wonderfully varied — food and drink offerings throughout the region. The proprietors who run these businesses have opened the world up to local residents, giving us the privilege of experiencing a cosmopolitan outlook as we engage and interact with one another. We’re celebrating these people and places in this edition of 517 Magazine because they give us all the excuse to come together.

More than simply an opportunity to eat, food gives us the pause and the patience to open ourselves to others and receive others in kind without distraction. Can’t do that at the movies. Can’t do that at a concert or in the box seats at the theater.

Food is community at its essence. It is best enjoyed in company and companionship.

I’ll drink to that. Cheers!

517 Business and Life, Volume 5, Issue 3, April 2023.

517 Business and Life (USPS#020-807) is published monthly by M3 Group at 221 W. Saginaw St., Lansing, MI 48933. Periodicals postage paid at Lansing, Michigan.

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Managing Editor Mary Gajda mary@m3group.biz

Creative Visionary

Publisher Tiffany Dowling tiffany@m3group.bizKathryn Aspin kathryn@m3group.biz

Lead Editor

Christopher Nagy

Contributors

Rich Adams Teece Aronin

Susan Combs

Kyle Dowling

Mary Gajda

Christine MacIntyre Metro Melik

Christopher Nagy

Omar Sofradzija

Graphic Designers

Audrey Spring Chad Hussle

Kameron Chauvez

Account Executives

Megan Fleming megan@m3group.biz

Melissa DeMott melissa@m3group.biz

Austin Pabian austin@m3group.biz

Photographers

Mary Gajda Metro Melik

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Burrata with delicata squash, salsa macha

BROWNDOGAT THESHUFFLE

Ice cream, burgers, boozy shakes and a brown dog named Flash

The Lansing Shuffleboard and Social Club is now open with restaurants including Browndog Creamery, Yeti Kitchen, Kin Thai, Irie Smoke Shack, Osteria Vegana and more coming.

Browndog stands out for its burgers and boozy shakes like the Salty Sailor and Mocha Under the Influence. The burger menu includes spicy bacon, the BDOG and classic smash burgers — as well as pulled pork tacos, grilled cheese and, yes, ice cream. Owners Brian Scherle and Paul Gabriel, the creators behind Browndog, bring enthusiasm and experience to the menu — as well as heart.

A sidenote: Browndog is real and his name is Flash, Scherle and Gabriel’s rescued Boston terrier.

“In 2009 Paul’s family opened Stuart’s of Novi, a seasonal soft-serve shop named after his first rescue dog, Stuart,” Scherle explained.

Stuart began appearing in parades and events, quickly becoming “the most famous dog in Novi,” which was fine until Flash was adopted and became jealous of Stuart. With a new store in the works, it was only natural to name it after Flash.

Through several unsuccessful renditions of names using “Flash,” the owners had to start thinking differently. So, Browndog was born. The rest, as they say, is history.

Manager Lucas Fleming

A snapshot of local business news affecting the 517

SPEAK-EASY FEATURES FOOD, VARIED ENTERTAINMENT

BY RICH ADAMS

Pssst. Hey buddy. Know where I can find a speak-easy?

No need to whisper. The GOAT on Grand River speak-easy is a new East Lansing restaurant serving up varied entertainment, small plates and larger plates. It is located where Cosmos and Punk Taco used to be, 1351 E. Grand River Ave., just west of Hagadorn Road.

One thing you will need, however, is a password. The GOAT on Grand River speak-easy allows entrance to those who have the password, which will be on the restaurant’s website and is occasionally changed.

“We know there isn’t another restaurant like ours in East Lansing, or even Lansing. The GOAT stands for the ‘greatest of all time,’ and we plan on living up to that,” said Chief Operating Officer Mel Spencley. “Our speak-easy will be top-shelf products with leather furniture and feel like you stepped back in time. It will always be an experience you’ll want to share with family and friends.”

Spencley said the speak-easy will bring a variety of talent to perform, including Michigan State University jazz band graduates performing several nights a week and monthly murder-mystery dinners. Also planned are drag queen bingo and brunch, karaoke, trivia night, comedians, magicians, and more.

In addition to tapas and platters, the food can be served as one item or as a flight of different eats.

“Our flights of food is sure to be a huge hit. We give you an opportunity to try a few small samplings of different dishes, prepared by our very own chef Dustie (Morrell),” Spencley explained. “No longer do you need to pick that one item and order the same old thing. We give you the opportunity to sample new and unique dishes.”

Spencley said the eatery is shooting for a spring opening. Planned hours include 11 a.m. to midnight Wednesday and Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. weekends. It will be closed Monday and Tuesday for private parties.

Photo by Kayla Turpin Photography

BOBCAT BONNIE’S HEADS TO LANSING

BY TEECE ARONIN

A growing name is getting its claws into the Greater Lansing restaurant scene and giving mid-Michigan diners something new to sink their teeth into.

Rustic, cozy Bobcat Bonnie’s is coming to Lansing, most likely at the end of this summer. Bobcat Bonnie’s will share the former Clara’s Lansing Station restaurant space in the historic Union Depot, 637 E. Michigan Ave., with Starbucks. The Lansing location of Bobcat Bonnie’s will extend the chain’s total storefronts to seven.

“We offer a seasonally changing menu that has a lot of fun items, some that are more adventurous, some more common and some that are vegan,” said owner Matt Buskard.

Attractions at Bobcat Bonnie’s include happy hour, trivia nights and brunch.

“Our goal was to bring in a business that would complement Starbucks’ early-morning-to-evening energy with a midday-to-lateevening experience, and Bobcat Bonnie’s will do just that,” said Pat Gillespie, president and CEO of Gillespie Group, a residential and commercial developer working on the project. “We are excited for the energy and creativity Matt Buskard and his team at Bobcat Bonnie’s will bring to the Stadium District with their food, drink and experience.”

By the same token, Buskard, is thrilled to have Gillespie Group in his corner.

“We are so thankful to have found partners who support us and support our similar values, which are to build up a strong community and to give back,” he said. “Whether that’s you coming in to celebrate a life event or us coming out to support a neighborhood cause … our focus is on people.”

GREEK RESTAURANT OPENS IN WILLIAMSTON

BY RICH ADAMS

Niko’s Taverna, a new Greek-inspired restaurant, is now open in Williamston.

The restaurant is what the owner describes as a GreekAmerican, family-friendly, full-service restaurant and sports bar.

“We will offer Greek street food, regional entrees, old classics from my family and an American gastropub as well,” said Nick Gavrilides, operating member of the Gavrilides Management Co., which also runs the Soup Spoon Cafe and Urban Cup in Lansing.

The restaurant is on the site of The Bistro, 151 S. Putnam St., which the company operated before it closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID and the regulations and closures kind of killed The Bistro, and it came to a decision whether to sell our liquor license and sell the property and get out of Williamston or try to get something different going,” Gavrilides said. “We decided to reinvest and go this direction.”

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, but the sports bar could be more flexible.

“If there’s a game on and people are watching it and want to stick around until it’s over, we will probably keep the bar open until it ends,” he said.

There is an arcade with pinball, a crane machine and more for the kids. And children don’t have to be in their Sunday best to dine at Niko’s.“If your kids are dirty from soccer practice, bring them over,” Gavrilides said. “It’s not a problem.”

Photo by Stephanie Murray Makeovers

LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR BRINGS COMBAT KARTING TO LANSING

Opening One Business to Execute Another

Jordan Munster, CEO and President of High Caliber Karting & Entertainment, burst onto the Lansing entrepreneur scene in 2019 and has been racking awards up left and right since opening the entertainment facility located in the Meridian Mall. But the real reason he opened High Caliber may surprise you. Munsters opened the indoor action park to work on his own little pet project that has turned into the next evolutionary step of gokart racing: Combat Karting.

“Our intention at High Caliber has always been to create our own immersive entertainment offerings for our facility,” stated Munsters. “Combat Karting started off in my backyard with my future management team with BB guns, balloons and go-karts. We had such a fun time trying to recreate something similar to Mario Kart in real life, that it eventually led to us opening up High Caliber Karting & Entertainment with activities we fully vetted, loved and believed in.”

Munsters structured the two companies in the light of Apple. Apple is a manufacturer but has its own stores that showcase the company’s products. After all, Combat Karting is a software system that is upgrading the current status of go-karting, a pastime loved by the last four generations. The Combat Karting

team has been working diligently for the last three years to create a program that can then be used in future go-kart facilities, similar to Apple products being sold in Apple Stores and eventually all retailers.

That’s why High Caliber Karting & Entertainment is excited to offer Combat Karting as an exclusive activity to the Lansing public right now. In a few years, it may be across the world as the best-known go-karting adventure, but the capital of Michigan gets to take it for a spin around the race track right now.

Combat Karting is a combination of virtual reality games and real-life go-kart racing. It offers racers a visual aid with its Heads Up Display on the hood of the kart, immersive speakers on the headrest, and sci-fi weaponry that slows down opponents in front of them with state-of-the-art lasers, giving the racer a real-life Mario Kart experience. There are only so many words to describe Combat Karting, it is just something one needs to experience for themselves, which the lucky Lansing public gets to do first at High Caliber Karting & Entertainment.

Visit HIGHCALIBERKARTING.COM or scan the QR code to learn more about this new offering.

Jordan Munster inside a Combat Karting Kart with developer John Ronk with Manufacturing and Design Engineering.

LANSING LOCAVORES

FIVE RESTAURANTS THAT USE LOCALLY SOURCED INGREDIENTS

BY 517 STAFF

It’s more than just delicious. Frequenting restaurants that use locally sourced food also is a sound decision for the environment (less travel, which reduces greenhouse gases and the carbon footprint) and promotes area farmers and producers as well as sustainable agriculture. Here are five local dining establishment that use locally sourced ingredients on their menus.

RED HAVEN

Located at 4480 S. Hagadorn Road in Okemos, this farm-totable event and pop-up dining experience offers seasonal cooking classes as well as a range of private dinners and customized events for groups of all sizes and celebrations of any special occasion. eatredhaven.com

SOUP SPOON CAFÉ

This popular spot at 1419 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing has something for everyone, whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner. Patrons can enjoy 12 draft microbrews focused on Michigan as well as boutique wines and, of course, house-made soups. soupspooncafe.com

TANNIN

The scratch kitchen at 1620 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing specializes in contemporary and creative Italian cuisine. It also complements everything from its handmade pastas to the charcuterie with local produce from a variety of community vendors. tannineatery.com

PEOPLE’S KITCHEN

Great food, great service and an inspiring atmosphere is why People’s Kitchen, 2722 E. Michigan Ave., is one of Lansing’s go-to spots for business meetings, engagement parties, a night out or a special occasion. The business also hit the road last year with a food truck. eatpeoples.com

TANTAY

Owner and chef José Aste brings a taste of South America to Lansing with vegan and non-vegan Peruvian fare at 1615 E. Kalamazoo St. Inspired by his deep-rooted love for family, friends and Peru, “Tantay” in Quechua means “To come together.” tantaylansing.com

DOUBLED OUR BUSINESS”

NO PLACE LIKE

MIKE LUTHER AND TEAM

WINE AND DINE DEWITT AND FAR BEYOND

BY OMAR SOFRADZIJA

or mid-Michigan restauranteur Mike Luther, there’s no place like home.

“Lansing is a great place to own a business,” he said of his Bridge Street Social restaurant at 107 S. Bridge St. in DeWitt. “We attract visitors from all over the country (and) world due to the state government and MSU, while also maintaining a charming small-town feel.

“We feel we are both part of a smaller community in DeWitt, while also creating a larger community that pulls from many areas across the state,” Luther added.

Bridge Street Social opened in 2016 to fulfill Luther’s desire to enhance the dining and wine culture in the Greater Lansing area. To that end, Bridge Street offers more than 100 wines by the glass, which Luther said, “as far as I’m aware is one of — if not the — largest selection in the state, so there’s definitely something for everyone.

“We have what we feel is the best wine list, even extending to our beverage program as a whole, in the Lansing area,” he said. “We push the boundaries on food at times but generally offer relatively simple, thoughtful options that fit the Lansing vibe extremely well.”

In 2022, Bridge Street earned Wine Spectator magazine’s Award of Excellence, which is given to the creators of thoughtfully chosen wine lists containing both quality and diverse selections that are comparable with the food menu’s stye and pricing.

Bridge Street has also sponsored eight wine professionals who earned designations from the Court of Master Sommeliers during their employment there, including four who have gone on to become certified sommeliers with the court, according to Luther.

“We are proud of our educational push with our staff, and what we like to call the democratization of wine to the Lansing market,” Luther said. “Wine can sometimes seem unapproachable, and we really try to make it easy to understand and enjoy with our team.”

In fact, Luther said it’s the team that makes it all come together at Bridge Street.

“I am very fortunate to have found so many special people to work and learn with, and the family of the community that shares and supports us in this journey together,” he said.

That sharing and support extends beyond the local community.

“We have hosted several dinners with prestigious winemakers, which is an incredible opportunity for many community members who are into that sort of thing, like we are,” Luther said. “We’ve also created a club — BSS Wine Fam — that offers a quarterly subscription for four specialized wines hand-selected from our certified sommelier, which includes information about the storied wines as well as recipes to pair with to make for an amazing dinner party or just a special treat for yourself at home.”

Luther wasn’t always a restauranteur. He pivoted to the hospitality industry after a successful two-decade run as a commercial banker in Greater Lansing.

“I got burned out and frustrated from the constant mergers in that world,” he said. “I had always dabbled in cooking, but it was just a hobby. So, after some consideration, in 2013 we purchased a restaurant — which we no longer own — and what had been a hobby for me became a career.

“I once told myself as we got into the restaurant business that I would never find myself in the kitchen cooking. But it is now what I do daily, and sort of can’t imagine

Mike Luther working behind the bar

not doing it,” Luther added. “My only advice would be that you need to love what you do in this industry. It needs to be your passion — and, over everything, hospitality must come first.”

At times, the work has been challenging.

“Outside of COVID, the challenge mostly has been to break out of the ‘wine bar’ moniker. We offer much more than wine. We strive constantly to be more than that,” he said. “We have many guests whose first inclination isn’t wine at all, but they still love us. And that is much of what we strive for. Hospitality is first for us, always.

“I tell the staff all the time that we are in the hospitality business, and with that we try to offer an experience during your time with us,” Luther said.

As for the future, Luther plans to push to keep expanding the offerings at Bridge Street.

“Keep them fresh and new but also familiar, while striving to be the best in hospitality this market has to offer,” he said. “We have some new and exciting ideas that we are currently working on, so stay tuned for great things to come in the not-so-distant future.”

hospitality must come first.

My only advice would be that you need to love what you do in this industry. It needs to be your passion — and, over everything,

Smoked meatloaf with brisket, bacon, barbecue gravy and mashed yukons, and Texas toast

Mahi-mahi with pasilla chili, black garlic, avocado and crispy rice

PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 517 REGION

Bakken Named Talent Development Manager at Chamber

The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce has hired Sarah Bakken for the newly created position of talent development manager. In her position, Bakken is responsible for coordination and communication between the ATHENA WIN board; ATHENA Powerlink board; ATHENA Leadership Award; Leadership Lansing; diversity, equity and inclusion strategies; and the Lansing chamber events, membership and marketing teams.

“Our members have told us time and time again that talent is one of their main issues they want the chamber to work on,” said Steve Japinga, the chamber’s senior vice president of public affairs. “We have listened and made sure our budget priorities continued to match the need of our members, and we are bringing on a talent development manager to our team to specifically work on this issue for our members.”

Bakken has over 15 years of experience working in technology, hospitality and nonprofit organizations.

Tool Tech Acquires Cameron Tool

Ohio-based Tool Tech LLC announced the recent acquisition of Cameron Tool Corp. of Lansing.

Cameron Tool’s 100,000-squarefoot facility and 85 employees will complement Tool Tech’s current tool-anddie manufacturing and services, enhancing the capabilities offered to both companies’ existing and new customers.

“On behalf of the entire Cameron Tool team, we are excited about joining forces with Tool Tech going forward. The resources of our united platform will open new doors for the combined business, providing significant new opportunities for all of our employees,” said Tracy Selden, president of Cameron Tool.

Crissman Promoted in Health Care at Christman Co.

Brian Crissman has been named The Christman Co.’s vice president of health care services, dedicated to leading and expanding the market segment that accounts for approximately 30% of Christman’s revenue.

“It is a great honor to recognize Brian’s dedication and hard work,” said Steve

Roznowski, president and CEO for The Christman Co. “His understanding of current health care trends, ability to develop relationships and focus on delivering exceptional client services to this important market made Brian a perfect fit for this critical role at Christman.”

During Crissman’s 26-year career at Christman, he has led some of the company’s most iconic health care projects. Particularly, through his leadership at Spectrum Health (now Corewell Health), in west Michigan, Crissman has managed the successful completion of hundreds of millions of dollars in new construction and expansion projects.

Dykema Elects Local Member

Dykema, a national law firm, announced that its executive board elected 10 new members to the firm, including a local name — Lansing’s Kyle M. Asher. Asher helps clients — which include some of the country’s largest automakers, universities and insurers — with pressing appeals, class actions and regulatory matters. In his litigation practice, he has drafted dozens of appellate briefs and presented oral argument before the Michigan Court of Appeals on multiple occasions.

Brian Crissman

Before joining Dykema, he served as a law clerk to Judge Robert Holmes Bell at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.

Gallagher, Flintoff & Klein Promote Members

Gallagher, Flintoff & Klein

PLC announced that Lisa M. Wentworth has been named a principal of the firm and Nicholas S. Kline has been promoted to director.

Wentworth has over 23 years of public accounting experience at both large international and local firms and has been with GFK for over 10 years. Her areas of expertise include tax compliance and consulting for large family-owned businesses and their owners, tax planning, financial accounting, and business advisory services.

Kline has nine years of public accounting experience, and he works in the firm’s accounting and tax practice providing consulting and tax services to closely held and family-owned businesses and their owners. He joined GFK in 2019, after working at a large regional CPA firm.

MABA Names New President

The Meridian Area Business Association welcomed Chaz Carrillo as incoming MABA president for 2023.

Carrillo, an MABA board member since 2016, remains committed to growing MABA presence through support

of initiatives that help solidify this area’s economy and encourage partnership among local merchants.

“At MABA, we plan to continue our legacy of connection and communication between businesses and local township offices to make our area a prime spot to do business in the region,” said Carrillo.

ACEC/Michigan Hires Deputy Director

The American Council of Engineering Companies/Michigan announced that Mark McRobie has joined as deputy director. McRobie will assist ACEC/Michigan with achieving its strategic goals and will play a key role in major initiatives, including workforce development, water/wastewater, government affairs and the promotion of qualifications-based selection.

His 14-year career has been spent in the AEC industry working for consulting firms with a primary focus on transportation and water resources, working in roles including business development, marketing and human resources.

Liberty Title Expands Team

Liberty Title, a title insurance and closing company with 12 locations, has added Amanda Dakroub as an account executive.

As part of her role, Dakroub identifies qualified mortgage buyers and sells them on the attributes that make Liberty Title stand out.

“I am passionate about helping people, and I want to be a resource for our audience so they can experience streamlined, seamless transactions,” Dakroub said. “Homebuyers, in particular, can find real

estate transactions difficult and sometimes overwhelming to navigate. My job is to provide them with a positive experience so that they feel comfortable working with and trusting our team.”

MSUFCU Donates $50,000 to WKAR Public Media

MSU Federal Credit Union awarded $50,000 to WKAR Public Media to support the station’s communitywide educational initiatives. The donation was presented at WKAR’s annual PBS KIDS Day event Jan. 28, where hundreds of families gathered to participate in educational activities hosted by partners from communities throughout mid-Michigan.

“We are proud to sponsor WKAR’s educational initiatives, including the WKAR Reading Kit project that provides over 10,000 books to children and families,” said April Clobes, MSUFCU president and CEO. “We’re pleased to partner with WKAR to ensure that all children in our community have access to high-quality educational programming.”

The donation will enable WKAR’s education department to host community pop-up events and procure more literacy tools and books to be distributed to children and families throughout mid-Michigan. In addition, the donation will assist WKAR in hosting more virtual education workshops and trainings for educators and families.

“This gift from MSUFCU will allow us to support the educational needs of the community in ways that will have a lasting and positive impact on children and their families,” said Shawn Turner, general manager of WKAR. “Thanks to the generosity of MSUFCU, we are able to put resources in place to benefit parents, educators and children across mid-Michigan. It’s the kind of work that really matters to everyone here at WKAR.”

Nicholas S. Kline

Lisa M. Wentworth

Chaz Carrillo

RECHARGING FOR GREATER PRODUCTIVITY

BY SUSAN COMBS

During a recent lunch with a former colleague who is also a longtime executive vice president of human resources, she mentioned that she was proactively starting to look at the bank of vacation time accumulated by the organization’s employees.

She was going to start reaching out to those with lots of accrued time to really encourage them to start taking time off. She knew that taking regular breaks to pause and refresh is one way to stave off burnout and, thus, help retain valuable talent.

By pausing and refreshing, we can actually be more productive. Regular breaks throughout the day, the month and the year offer us a chance to replenish our energy reserves. Here are some ideas to consider.

DAILY

• Practice time-boxing. This means starting and ending your meetings on time. If more time is needed for discussion and decisions, set another meeting instead of letting the current one overflow.

• If possible, change one-hour meetings to 50 minutes. Give people the break to stretch, to move, to hydrate and to clear their mind before jumping into the next meeting.

• Now that the weather is improving, get outside for a walk every day.

MONTHLY

• Look to schedule something fun each month — a concert, a trip to see a friend, explore a new city, play that golf course you’ve always wanted to play. It will give you something to look forward to each month.

ANNUALLY

• Take your vacation time. This is a benefit for your well-being, so please, use it. When my parents lived on a lake, my dad used to take a “vertical” week of vacation. He took off all the Fridays in August so that they could spend more summer days on the water.

• With hybrid work options available to many, use it to your advantage. In the summer, one friend works in the office Tuesday through Thursday and uses her remote days Fridays and Mondays to be able to spend more time at her cottage. Start now to think about and build out an awesome summer, one where you can pause and refresh. You will feel much better if you take the time off to recharge.

LEARNING TO THRIVE:

HOW BUSINESS IS DONE AT LANSING’S COLLEGE

BY ANDY BRENT

Communities thrive on business and good work. In order for good work to be available, communities must be able to field the requirements of business operations. It is for this reason that community colleges are important for business development – they ensure that businesses will have qualified people to hire.

At Lansing Community College (LCC), business has never been better.

In 2022, the former Business and Economics Department officially rebranded to become the School of Business at LCC. This change brings cohesion to a department that was, at one time, divided between more than six individual areas. By combining LCC’s programs in Accounting, Business, Insurance & Risk Management, Management and Leadership, Economics and Marketing, the college intends to develop an educational community dedicated to meeting the needs of businesses in mid-Michigan.

School of Business Director Jeremy Davis understands creating a business-oriented career community will be beneficial to students and local businesses alike.

“The School of Business will prepare students in a couple of important ways,” Davis said. “First, for the student who is interested in getting right into the workforce, we offer 11 applied associate degrees. These degrees are designed to give students the education along with the skills necessary to be successful. These skills are ones that our community partners have told us they are looking for in the next generation of professionals.

“Second, we have partnered with several four-year institutions to make the transition into a bachelor’s degree program as easy as possible,” Davis continued. “Working with the schools individually, we have created enhanced degree pathways, where a student can earn up to 90 credit hours at LCC and transfer directly into the four-year institution’s business programs.”

Before LCC made these important renovations to its business program, the aforementioned areas were all independent of one another. In order to improve business education for students, the college created a block of common classes providing all business-adjacent majors a core set of classes to prepare them for a career. This led to the exploration of rebranding options for the department.

In addition to fulfilling the needs of local businesses, LCC’s dedicated School of Business for students can be a point of distinction and help with student recruitment. As students who are interested in business careers start their search, they see four-year colleges and some two-year colleges list their business programs using terms like “College of Business” or “School of Business.” LCC’s new program raises its estimation among students, and at the same time, readies students for careers that benefit the businesses they serve.

School of Business and Faculty Member Mary Stucko was instrumental in beginning the Insurance and Risk Management Program at LCC, and works closely with students and local business partners. She understands how important it is for students to learn business for the real world.

“Our business programs stand out because we are integrated in the business community, working with our business partners to learn what skills they are requiring from our LCC students,” Stucko said. “We are continually improving our program to best meet the needs of the ever-changing business environment.”

LCC’s commitment to business development goes beyond the undergraduate classroom. At LCC’s West Campus, the Business and Community Institute and Small Business Development Center serve local businesses.

LCC’s Business and Community Institute (BCI) utilizes mobile, sustainable training to provide businesses with innovation solutions and operational synergy. Its customized programs are designed to create and retain jobs across the Greater Lansing region and provide local businesses with the means of controlling their own employee development. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) teaches sustainable practices and strategies to entrepreneurs and local business leaders through detailed analysis and strategy. The two offices are held within LCC’s Community Education and Workforce Development Division (CEWD).

Local insurance provider The Eric King Agency (EKA), depends upon the SBDC to grow his business.

“I’ve been working with SBDC, and we talked about the growth plan, we’ve talked about loans, things I wouldn’t have thought about,” the EKA reported. “I never thought I needed a commercial loan. I didn’t think I was looking to expand or do anything like that. But I’m listening to SBDC talk about things we can do, and he made sense. The very first thing I do when someone asks me or says to me, they want to start a small business, or ‘I want to be like you,’ I give them the link to the SBDC website and just tell them that’s the way you want to get started.”

Dean of LCC Community and Workforce Development Bo Garcia sees BCI and the SBDC as important drivers of the regional economy.

“Through the CEWD, LCC helps stimulate our regional economy in numerous and diverse ways,” Garcia said. “The SBDC delivers no-cost consulting and training to individuals starting up, expanding, or under crisis management and turn-around conditions.

“BCI delivers accelerated, customized, multi-industry corporate training, coaching and consulting to large regional industry partners,” Garcia continued. “The BCI delivers services across various industries and diverse areas including but not limited to, quality, IT, manufacturing, healthcare and more.”

LCC’s CEWD has, to date, helped more than 6,000 individuals acquire or improve business and workforce skillsets through dynamic trainings. Ultimately, this progress enhances mid-Michigan’s competitive advantage and grows the regional economy.

In the wake of pandemic quarantine, business dynamics are more important than ever. To discover what the BCI at LCC can do for your business, visit LCC.edu/bci. For information about the SBDC, visit lcc.edu/SBDC. To enroll in classes at LCC’s new School of Business, visit lcc.edu/schoolofbusiness.

Photography by Kevin Fowler

“I give them the link to the SBDC website and just tell them that’s the way you want to get started.”

A BRIEF LOOK AT STATE AND NATIONAL NEWS AFFECTING OUR REGION

NONALCOHOLIC OPTIONS INCREASE WITH DEMAND

BY CHRISTINE MCINTYRE

More and more people are celebrating good times by going without.

Nonalcoholic beverage sales in the U.S. stood at $395 million as of August 2022, according to NielsenIQ, showing a year-on-year growth of more than 20%. Previously, alcohol was the highlight of social gatherings, but the tides are changing as nonalcoholic beverage trends are on the rise resulting from a growing wellness movement, inspiring people from various ages and stages of their lives to make healthy changes, including what they consume. Additionally, younger Gen Z consumers are less interested in alcohol consumption.

Nonalcoholic beer leads the market with a worth of $328.6 million, taking up 85.3% of nonalcoholic beverage sales. As nonalcoholic drink sales increase, traditional alcohol drink sales decrease. However, according to research, 82% of nonalcoholic drink buyers still purchase alcoholic drinks. Nonalcoholic beer, wine and spirits account for only 0.47% of total alcohol sales in the United States., but the percentage share continues to grow steadily. Additionally, nonalcoholic beverage choices are increasing as companies tap into the potential of a growing market.

“The nonalcoholic market has a passionate customer base that is very appreciative to have lots of options,” said Eric Briggeman, vice president of brewing operations at Michiganbased Two Roots Brewing Co.

Briggeman said the ingredients in the nonalcoholic craft beer — water, malted barley or wheat, hops and yeast — are the four traditional ingredients in regular beer. The production of nonalcoholic beer at Two Roots entails producing fully fermented beer followed by removing alcohol with state-of-theart equipment.

“While this is an expensive process, we feel that this method produces nonalcoholic beer that tastes most like traditional beer.

… Gone are the days of only having a couple of mass-produced options from the world’s largest breweries. The nonalcoholic beer scene reminds me of how the regular craft beer scene was back in the mid- to late ’90s — lots of options and lots of buzz, no pun intended,” said Briggeman.

J.W. Wiseman is the CEO and co-founder of New York-based Curious Elixirs, which he founded in 2015. Curious Elixirs offers a fun way to be booze-free through cocktails featuring delicious, complex flavors that help support the body.

“More and more people are waking up to the idea that life can be fun with less alcohol,” he said. “As a result, we’ve seen some of the best restaurants and bars in the world carry Curious or create nonalcoholic beverages to cater to booze-free drinkers.”

ORGANIC FARMING BLOSSOMS INTO BOOMING INDUSTRY

BY CHRISTINE MCINTYRE

Once a niche market, organic farming has grown into something much bigger — a billion-dollar industry.

In 2021, organic sales surpassed $63 billion. In early 2022, there were 45,830 certified organic businesses worldwide. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing in organic agriculture, as it is becoming an increasingly important part of American agriculture.

“Organic production allows producers to demand a premium in the marketplace and take home a greater share of the food dollar,” according to a USDA spokesperson.

One of the critical components in the market’s success is supporting farmers in their transition to organic production as they navigate technical, cultural and market shifts during the first few years of organic certification. The Transition to Organic Partnership Program, or TOPP, is one of the key components of the Organic Transition Initiative launched as part of the USDA’s food system transformation.

Over five years, TOPP is investing up to $100 million in cooperative agreements with nonprofit organizations that will partner with others to provide technical assistance and wraparound support to transitioning farmers.

“The organic community is known for strong local collaboration and providing farmer-to-farmer support,” USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny

Lester Moffitt said. “TOPP will build on this spirit while bringing organic to new communities of farmers and consumers.”

Michigan State University’s Organic Farmer Training Program offers an immersive, hands-on farming experience that teaches participants sustainable practices and gives visionaries a plan for their future organic farming business. The program’s educational programs manager, Katie Brandt, said that the transition to organics occurs for several reasons.

“On the farmers’ side, some farmers are looking at organic to save the family farm in light of the long-term farming crisis,” she said. “As younger generations take over the millions of acres transitioning from the older-generation farmers, sometimes they want to shift to more sustainable practices, whether certified organics, conservation tillage, regenerative practices or rotational grazing.”

Other times, the transition to organic farming is economical.

“The transition period of three years can be hard for a farm because you’re doing new practices, getting new equipment and sourcing new supplies, but you’re not getting the benefit of higher prices for your goods,” Brandt said. “However, after those three years, farmers see profitability improve.”

In addition, environmental concerns such as water quality, climate and human health can attract farmers to organic agriculture.

NAVIGATING THE NICHE

ON THE RECORD WITH KERRY GOODSIR FROM JOE’S ON JOLLY

BY MARY GAJDA

Finding a niche in a market that is needed has always been a gift that Joe Goodsir had.

You may recognize Goodsir as an owner at Rick’s American Cafe’, The Riviera Cafe, Harrison Roadhouse, Roadhouse Pub, Beggar’s Banquet and The Nuthouse. Yet he always wanted to open his own high-end restaurant where patrons could enjoy a little jazz with after-dinner drinks like in the big cities. That’s when Joe and Kerry Goodsir brought Capital Prime Steak & Seafood to life.

“I worked alongside doing the design and decor from the interiors to the plates and glassware,” Kerry Goodsir said. “I also oversaw all aspects of the marketing, advertising and in-house promotions. … We wrote the menu and worked with our culinarytrained executive chef to make the food come to life and become the well-loved fine-dining establishment it is today.”

Recently, the two brought another niche to life with Joe’s on Jolly, a neighborhood gathering place with high-end pub food and sports on the big screens.

“We wanted Joe’s on Jolly to be along the lines of the ‘Cheers’ mentality, where people can come and meet with the community and connect with people they know,” Kerry said.

Joe’s on Jolly brings a unique blend of vintage and industrial to its design — along with a sizeable bar; upper dining with booths; community tables; and roll-up garage doors that open to a front patio with tables, TVs, soft seating and a separate game room with even more seating.

Kerry takes pride in the back patio, known as “Joe’s Backyard,” which opens to an outside bar and includes a firepit and a grass turf area to play large-scale yard games or host a band.

The restaurant’s three culinary-trained sous chefs have completed the Goodsirs’ vision with an enticing variety of menu items from waygu beef burgers to Neapolitan pizza, rice bowls, salads and everything in between.

Though they have built up staff, Joe’s on Jolly is still hiring. The couple knows staff retention is key and strive to build a familylike unit.

“We truly care about our employees and stand behind and support them by giving them everything they need to do their job, which ultimately leads them to be successful and Joe’s on Jolly to be a well-run restaurant,” Kerry said.

That includes the Michigan State University students who work there.

“This has been a devastating time for the community, as well as our employees,” Kerry said. “The night of the mass shooting, many employees that lived on campus were at work and were unable to return home. Joe and I actually offered if anyone needed a place to stay that night that they could come stay at our home. … Many employees had a very difficult time immediately following the incident. … Our management comforted and supported our employees the best they were able through conversations and lots of hugs. Though no one will ever forget the unthinkable acts that happened on Feb. 13, we stand alongside the MSU community and the families affected.”

In the end, Joe and Kerry Goodsir’s wish for the community is that “everyone can live in peace with mutual respect for one another, while enjoying fun times meeting old and new friends in our establishment.”

The Joe's on Jolly crew assemble for a photo during the Grand Opening.

When and why did you start Burgdorf’s Winery?

We opened in the spring of 2005. I was in my late 40s and Dave in his early 50s, and we saw that retirement was just around the corner. We both like to stay active, so we took Dave’s hobby and turned it into a small business.

How did your backgrounds play into the formation of the business?

Dave worked for the USDA as a plant materials specialist and grew up on a small farm in west-central Illinois. I was a fermentation microbiologist at Michigan Biotechnology Institute for about 15 years in East Lansing. We decided, with our experience and background, that a winery would be a good match.

You basically started the operation in your garage. How has it grown over the years?

We did start the business in our threecar garage, just the two of us as a home business. We very quickly found that we needed more room and the ability to hire help, so we applied for a special use through the township. The process took a couple years, but we managed to get the approval to expand in 2008. We now have a nice facility to produce the wine and still use the threecar garage as our tasting room.

You take pride in being a locally sourced winery. Why is that important to you?

CELEBRATION OF THE GRAPE

A Q&A WITH DEBORAH AND DAVID BURGDORF OF BURGDORF’S WINERY IN HASLETT

BY CHRISTOPHER NAGY

It’s important to us to source fruit from Michigan to call ourselves a true Michigan winery. When you go to a winery, the expectation is that the fruit is grown locally, and the wine is produced by that winery. This is not always the case. We are planning to launch, in the near future, a designation called “Truly Michigan,” which would designate wineries that produce their own wine from 100% Michigan-sourced fruit.

Your wines have won numerous awards. Does one stand out for you?

It’s tough to pick just one wine. Of course, we’re proud of the ones that win gold medals. To list a few: We have dry, red wines named after our grandchildren, FAYE, Finlay and Fischer; a dry Un-Oaked Chardonnay; a bourbon barreled dry red, Chambourcin grape we call Spartan Reserve; and a blend of fruit wines called Berried Treasure.

How do you separate yourself from others in your industry?

For one, we have a female winemaker, or vintner, and owner. Also, as stated before, we pride ourselves in making unique wines. … All of our wines are Truly Michigan, produced on site at our winery from 100% Michigan-grown fruit. We also pride ourselves in great customer service.

What is the most-common comment you hear from your customers?

“We love coming to your place and love all your wines.” “There wasn’t one wine we didn’t enjoy.” “Your winery is very welcoming, comfortable and relaxing.” … We also get great compliments on our staff. We wouldn’t be a successful winery without our employees’ help and dedication.

KIDS IN CRISIS: Anxiety And How You Can Help

As I write this, we are amidst a post-trauma response from a collection of horrific experiences threatening young people in our community. The added stress and fear among children and adults have significantly increased our anxiety. Meanwhile, it was already ranked as the #1 most common mental illness in the US. According to the NIH, nearly one in three adolescents (13-18) will experience an anxiety disorder. This data combined with the doubling rate of hospital admissions for suicidal teens has me a little freaked out.

Anxiety is a normal emotion and one we all rely on for survival. It helps us prepare for challenges and avoid potentially threatening or dangerous situations. But when anxiety begins to keep us from experiencing the everyday joys in our lives, it is considered a disorder. As a significant health threat, it often contributes to irritability, anger, abnormal reactions to everyday stressors, and depression.

Some of the more common symptoms among children include concentration problems, sleep disturbances, bad dreams, appetite changes, frequent fidgeting, expressing constant worry, or uncontrolled outbursts. You might also see unexplainable physical symptoms such as stomachaches, headaches, shortness of breath, chest pain, gagging, or vomiting. It is our job to recognize and acknowledge these behavior changes among our children and keep our blinders off. Chalking it up to a “bad day” or a “typical teenager” can be dangerous.

Anxiety is one of the most contagious emotions we experience. One flare can ignite a bonfire among a group. And an anxious adult can easily trigger a child’s anxiety. So, if you suffer from it, keep seeking healthy ways to manage it such as improved sleep quality, meditation, breathwork, therapy, exercise, and exploring nature.

Next, encourage your child to evaluate their friend circle. Ask about the qualities that raise their vibe as well as those that activate anxiety. Also help them find ways to minimize their use of social media, as it regularly stimulates feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and isolation.

If you have concerns, contact your child’s teacher, school counselor, or trusted healthcare professional to steer you and your child in the right direction for professional help. If you’re catching early signs, medication should not be the first-line treatment.

It’s true that antidepressants are frequently prescribed as first-line therapy for pediatric anxiety disorders, and now that marijuana is considered a viable treatment for anxiety, I see many parents who view weed as an acceptable treatment choice for their teens and young adults. There is reliable evidence that the brain continues to develop into the early twenties, and using cannabis can have a permanent negative effect on brain development. If you are using weed or alcohol to quell your own anxiety, just know that you are modeling how to rely on a drug instead of less invasive, more effective coping mechanisms.

By now you know that I’m not a big fan of our quick-to-medicate approach to most conditions. Meds usually quell the symptoms instead of helping at the root cause level. Fixing problems at the root cause level is usually less invasive and an all-around better solution.

We have a lot of work to do to emanate kindness and eradicate violence. It won’t happen overnight but remember…every single act of kindness matters!

Read more on this and other contemporary pediatric health concerns in Brave Parent! Raising Healthy, Happy Kids (against all odds) in Today’s World.

Dr. Susan Maples is a dentist in Holt. She is also a speaker, health educator, and author of “BlabberMouth! 77 Secrets Only Your Mouth Can Tell You to Live a Healthier, Happier, Sexier Life” and “Brave Parent: Raising Healthy, Happy Kids (Against All Odds) in Today’s World.” Reach her at Susan@DrSusanMaples.com

SERVEUPSOMELOVE TORESTAURANTS

Food is the epicenter of many a relationship. We go on first dates at restaurants. We have interviews, network, celebrate and share personal connection — all while grabbing a bite to eat. As we learned during the pandemic, we really don’t function well without our favorite food destinations.

They, in turn, don’t function well without us. While the restaurant industry has made a post-pandemic comeback, it still suffers from lack of staffing, among other problems. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of January 2023 the restaurant labor force is still over 450,000 jobs below pre-pandemic levels. Add on food inflation and economic uncertainty, and you’ve got a real issue.

What can we, the customer, do about it?

• Give a little grace.

• Plan on spending a little extra time when you go out for a meal.

• Treat your waitress, waiter and bartender well.

What can restaurants work on?

• Prioritizing managers in hiring and retention.

• Better employee training.

• Adjusting hours for sustainability.

• Hiring campaigns and employee referral programs.

In the meantime, keep showing your favorite local restaurants lots of love.

KEEP ON TRUCKIN’

GOOD TRUCKIN’ DINER IS WORTH PULLING OVER FOR

STORY AND PHOTOS

BY METRO MELIK

Nestled in a nook in a once almost-forgotten block of South Washington Avenue in REO Town is a little oasis of deliciousness.

What began in 2017 as a truck serving yummy truckin’ food is now a diner that serves breakfast with a twist. However, it’s not just breakfast that’s twisted. According to one guest, “I could eat their tacos every day. Hot, cold, it doesn’t matter.”

Nick Sinicropi, the owner of Good Truckin’ Diner and a lifelong Lansing resident, concurred that the tacos at his establishment are definitely worth a try.

Good Truckin’ is a quaint old-fashioned-style flat-grill diner with a nouveau zest and 26 seats inside plus a few on the bar rail and 16 patio seats in the shadow of the Lansing Board of Water and Lights stacks. Although Good Truckin’ Diner sits within an eclectic mix of businesses, the restaurant has snuck in a wonderfully unexpected varied menu of enticing selections.

Here’s a little secret: There are many gluten-free and vegan choices. What’s cool about Good Truckin’ Diner is that those options are not in another section. They’re woven into the menu. The pancakes are vegan. The waffles are gluten-free. The sour cream and mayonnaise-based stuff are also vegan.

“It’s all about being inclusive. We want to have a little something for everybody,” Sinicropi said.

When asked how the diner has made it through the years, Sinicropi noted that he’s “just happy that when I drive by here or come into the restaurant, people are still coming. It’s the people. They make me smile.”

It’s all about being inclusive. We want to have a little something for everybody.

The Mona's omelet with Applewood bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and cheddar cheese topped with hollandaise.

IT’SFIVEO’CLOCK SOMEWHERE

5 READS FOR THE MIXOLOGIST IN YOU

BY 517 STAFF

You like to entertain, but maybe foie gras and bouillabaisse aren’t your cup of tea. Instead, consider wowing your guests with your Tom Cruise-like skills behind the bar with five great reads for the mixologist in you. Just do us a favor and don’t jump on any couches.

“THE JOY OF MIXOLOGY: THE CONSUMMATE GUIDE TO THE BARTENDER’S CRAFT” by Gary Regan offers a revised and updated hardcover edition that makes a fantastic gift for both home and professional bartenders alike. Regan’s book, referred to as the bartender’s bible, offers a system for categorizing drinks that makes it easy to remember recipes.

“LIQUID INTELLIGENCE: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF THE PERFECT COCKTAIL” by Dave Arnold takes a more scientific approach to mixology. The book gives tips for preparing drinks through a problem-solving approach and helps the reader refine their skills by understanding how temperature, sugar acidity, carbonation, clarifying and infusion, to name a few, can make a cocktail go from sweet to sublime.

In “COCKTAIL CODEX: FUNDAMENTALS, FORMULAS, EVOLUTIONS,” co-authors Nick Fauchald, Alex Day and David

Kaplin maintain that there are only six root cocktails, and they offer a simplified approach to mastering them. Once you learn the basics of the old fashioned, daiquiri, martini, sidecar, whisky highball and flip, you’ll crack the cocktail codex and understand that much like the Six Degrees of Separation (or Kevin Bacon), you’ll be able to trace all drinks back to the original six.

“THE DRUNKEN BOTANIST” by Amy Stewart has been called the “essential, New York Times-bestselling guide to botany and booze.” Stewart takes the reader through a wide array of plants, fruits and even fungi that have been used to create alcohol over hundreds of years. The book is more an evolution-of-beverages book than a recipe book, but the gardener in us is here for it.

Finally, for a contemporary take, try “TIKI: MODERN TROPICAL COCKTAILS” by Shannon Mustipher.

If you’ve taken a cruise or gone to a tiki bar, this refreshing manual on tiki is a great resource for those ready to try their hand at mixing drinks using Caribbean rums. You’ll also find out a tiki drink can be more sophisticated than one might think.

*Always be responsible, please don’t drink and drive.

Dimes Brewhouse brings a draw to Dimondale

BY CHRISTOPHER NAGY

f you’ve ever driven through Dimondale and thought there must be something in the water around the tiny Eaton County village, you’re only half right.

Actually, something isn’t in the water — at least that’s the case for those who pull over at 145 Bridge St. to stop at Dimes Brewhouse. And if you do happen to belly up to the bar, you won’t be alone. Brewer and co-owner Chad Rogers opened the establishment with his wife, Michelle, at the edge of the downtown strip in December 2017, and it quickly became a popular destination for craft beer aficionados from throughout the region and beyond.

“Pretty much anything that you can ferment we make here in-house. We can’t bring in other people’s product and sell it because our license doesn’t allow us to do that,” Rogers said. “One thing that’s somewhat unique is that we use reverse osmosis water to build all of our beers from, so it kind of gives us a blank slate in terms of a water profile. Then we can add different minerals to replicate other water profiles throughout the world.

“Typically, something like an Irish stout that’s made over in Dublin, Ireland, has a different water profile than what we have here in the ground,” he continued. “We can mimic that water profile by using reverse osmosis water and then building it up from there. That gives us kind of a unique take on the process.”

If that sounds a bit science-y, it should. That’s what Dimes Brewhouse is all about, from Michelle’s science-themed art on the walls and the periodic table of beers to the beakers used as glasses for reward members of the Mad Chemist Club.

“From the outside, it doesn’t look like much; but once you get in here and you see the environment and the art on the walls, you see the scientific theme,” Rogers said. “We moved back to the area in 2014, and this building was for sale. It used to be a flower shop. We were going back and forth over a coffee shop or a brewery, and we went with the brewery route. That’s where it started. I had been involved in home brewing for five or six years, so I already had an itch to brew.

And, Michelle and I, our backgrounds are in chemical engineering, and we both had a desire to work with the equipment. The two things just made sense together.

“There are two primary approaches you can take to brewing: the art and then the science,” he added. “We take the science approach, and that’s just based on our backgrounds.”

If that’s the case, then the rear of the building might just as well be called the laboratory since it’s where Rogers and staff concoct the four flagship beers and 16 rotating products Dimes serves in addition to the food offerings that have been available since a kitchen was added in 2020.

From the work of area artists displayed and for sale on the walls to the cozy front of the house, there is a private and personal appeal to Dimes Brewhouse. The building itself is only roughly 1,000 square feet, and the taproom takes up about half that space. The front and back

patios allow occupancy to creep up near 100 patrons, and Rogers said there are also some options to increase seating out back in the future. However, other than that, the footprint of Dimes is pretty maxed out. Not that that’s a bad thing.

“It’s intimate, and that’s something that people also enjoy. The lighting is soft. It just provides kind of an intimate environment to hang out with friends and enjoy good beer and good food,” Rogers said. “It’s the location. We can service Dimondale, the surrounding communities. We’re close, and I think that’s a real advantage. People have a home hub that they can go to. That’s kind of what we’re filling.”

Yet, as is the case with all the best secrets, word tends to get around soon enough. That’s not a bad thing, either, Rogers noted. It’s bringing a new demographic to the village tucked off the beaten path, allowing new faces to explore all the charm Dimondale has to offer.

“In the beginning, it was kind of like my wife and I were building this up. Now that it’s somewhat established, I think what kind of brings me the most satisfaction is seeing all the people who meet each other in here, new connections being made,” Rogers said. “In those five years, people have made friends here that they never would have met before. You can’t really put a price on that. When someone says, ‘Oh, man, I met my fiancée at Dimes, and now we’re married. And we just love that place.’ That makes me feel awesome. That’s what we were going for.

“As a business owner, you obviously want the business to be successful; but with a small business like this, it’s more than about just making money. You have to create a place, an environment, that your patrons enjoy and can feel comfortable in. I think we’ve been able to provide that.”

YOURMOTHER WASRIGHT

KITCHEN HACKS YOU WISH YOU TRIED SOONER

BY 517 STAFF

Mom was right, but we were too busy judging. We’ve decided to make things right by sharing the kitchen hacks Mom told us about that our younger, more stubborn selves denied. Now, we live by these hacks and annoy our own offspring with them.

For example, why was there a piece of store-bought white bread in the Tupperware with your favorite cookies? Turns out Mom wasn’t being absent minded. This simple hack keeps cookies soft. The cookies absorb moisture from the bread.

Why did Mom always wrap the end of a banana with plastic wrap? It helps give bananas a longer shelf life by blocking ethylene gas release.

How about the old cooking spray on the cheese grater trick? We ignored it. Using a spray like Pam wasn’t meant to make cheese easier to grate — it’s meant for super-easy clean up.

The key to easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs? Add vinegar to water when boiling the eggs. It helps the egg whites separate from the shell.

Longing for avocado toast, but your avocado isn’t ripe? Put the avocado in a bag with an apple or even a banana. The ethylene gas will trigger it to ripen a couple days sooner. Just make sure that banana doesn’t have the plastic wrap we mentioned earlier applied.

An ironing board, sans cover, as a cooling rack? You’re kidding, right, Mom? She wasn’t. If you have a tight kitchen space, an ironing board with parchment paper laid on top is a great way to cool a huge batch of chocolate chip cookies.

How did Mom always get a clean slice on her famous cherry cheesecake? Indeed, she was a magical unicorn, but her trick in this instance was simply dipping the knife blade in hot water, wiping it and cutting, and repeating the process every time.

ANEWTWIST

ONBREAKFAST

THE INCREDIBLE, EDIBLE, BAKED AVOCADO WITH EGG

BY MARY GAJDA

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 4 avocados, halved with the seed removed

• 8 large eggs

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Freshly chopped chives

DIRECTIONS:

Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice avocados in half and remove the pits.

Scoop out the flesh of the avocados, creating a dip in each one, place on a baking sheet.

Keeping the yolk intact, slide into each center of each avocado.

Season to taste.

Bake until eggs have set but are still slightly runny, about 15 minutes.

Garnish with chives, or see our options for extras.

EGGstraordinary Options:

You can try all sorts of garnishes, from bacon bits to tiny chopped peppers, herbs, tomatoes or even your favorite cheese.

Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.

By Deidre Davis, MSU Federal Credit Union’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Helping children establish positive money management habits early will start them on the path to becoming financially savvy adults. Whether you have children of your own or children in your life you want to support, you can play a role in teaching the next generation how to make sound financial decisions. Here are some ways to start.

If the child in your life doesn’t already have a savings account, it’s a great idea to open one. From there, you can teach them the fundamentals of saving money through the practice of creating savings goals.

You can encourage them to set a goal of saving a certain amount of money each week. For instance, they could save $2 each week, reaching more

than $100 in a year. Plus, by putting these funds into a dividend earning savings accounts, they will earn more throughout the year. Make money managemen t an early prac tice.

Allow children to make deposits, withdraw money, and purchase items using funds in their accounts to put their new saving skills into practice. This will not only teach basic money management skills but will also give them a sense of ownership and control over their earnings.

C hoose an accoun t t ha t can grow wit h your child.

The Credit Union offers youth accounts that provide the tools and resources to start the savings process and make learning financial

basics fun and interactive. There are five youth account levels:

• Sweet Pea (0-2 years)

• Dollar Dog (3-6 years)

• Cyber Saver (7-10 years)

• Money Club (11-13 years)

• CU Succeed (14-17 years)

After opening an account, youth account members receive a free gift and can participate in contests, special events, and enjoy access to free gaming apps. In addition, all youth account members have access to an online Youth Store, and receive one virtual coin for every $10 deposited into their accounts. They can then redeem these coins for a variety of gifts and prizes in the MSUFCU Youth Store. For more information, visit msufcu.org or stop by a branch today.

AN INVITING SPACE FOR A TROUBLING TIME

LOAVES AND FISHES PROVIDES HELP FOR THE HOMELESS IN LANSING

BY KYLE DOWLING

Loaves and Fishes is an emergency overnight shelter and transitional housing program in Lansing’s downtown area. It serves eight to nine men and four women nightly, providing meals and a safe, warm place to sleep.

The organization also provides supportive services such as case management and referrals to other services. It is open 365 days a year, helping people with a hot meal and a warm bed.

“People are homeless for various reasons,” said interim Executive Director Sallie Campbell. “We are there for anybody who needs it, as long as we have the room.”

The shelter is open from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m., and guests can stay up to 30 days. Things like laundry, toiletries and phones are there for guests to use, along with bus tokens for transportation. Meals are served at breakfast and dinner. Sack lunches are available if needed.

“We have many people that will donate meals,” said Campbell. “They make fantastic meals for our guests, like they were their own family. We appreciate everyone who donates their time or items.”

Luke’s House and Zacchaeus House are transitional homes to help people move to more permanent housing and become self-

sufficient. Zacchaeus House offers women with children a safe space to get back on their feet, while Luke’s House serves single men.

Loaves and Fishes staff is a fantastic group of individuals, some of whom have been homeless themselves. Dorothy Moore, a current guest advocate and previous board member at Loaves and Fishes, was once in that position herself with her three children. Knowing the struggle that people face and the problems the system presents firsthand, she is better able to serve the guests and help them through their difficult periods.

“There’s no look to being homeless,” said Oliver Gram, the staff assistant at Loaves and Fishes. “You never know who’s going through a tough time.”

If you’re looking to volunteer, Loaves and Fishes is always looking for people to lend a hand — whether it’s providing dinner, blankets or on-site assistance.

“We’re always looking for help,” said Campbell. “We can always use volunteers anytime during the day. Even if you just show up, we’ll have something you can help with.”

Visit loavesandfisheslansing.org for more details.

Raise a Glass at Jackson Field

BEERFEST AT THE BALLPARK

April 22

The eighth annual Beerfest at the Ballpark runs from 3-8 p.m., with a special VIP entry at 2 p.m. The event is an outdoor festival with 300-plus craft beers from more than 65 Michigan breweries in addition to ciders, meads, spirits and wine, live music, and food. The event is hosted in the heart of downtown Lansing at Jackson Field. For more information, visit beerfestattheballpark.com.

THIS MONTH’S EVENTS

Editor’s note: Please call event venues directly to make sure times and dates haven’t changed due to cancellations and postponements related to COVID-19.

Capital City Film Festival 2023

April 5

The $50 all-access pass to the Capital City Film Festival includes entry to all film screenings, concerts, special events and parties. The $100 patron pass includes entry to all film screenings, concerts, special events and parties, plus unlimited free popcorn throughout the festival. This includes a $40 tax-deductible contribution. Email info@capitalcityfilmfest.com or call 517-483-4058 with questions. For more information, visit capitalcityfilmfest.com

Hippity Hop 5K

April 8

Clean off those bunny ears and running shoes and get ready for the 2023 Hippity Hop 5K. The seventh annual event will take place at Potter Park Zoo. All registered participants get free entry into the zoo. The race will have an open start time from 11-11:15 a.m. For more information, visit runsignup.com/Race/MI/Lansing/ HippityHop5K.

2023 Easter EGGstravaganza At Venue One Eleven

April 8

Follow our friends at 517living.com for other upcoming events in the region.

Join Venue One Eleven for an Easter EGGstravaganza with bounce houses, games, kids’ crafts, vendors and food. Teresa Mead Photography will have $10 spring photos available. All tickets include food and nonalcoholic beverages. For more information, visit eventbrite.com/e/2023-easter-eggstravaganza-atvenue-one-eleven-tickets-524954983487?aff=ebds sbdestsearch.

Drag Me To Ellison

April 16

Join Ellison Brewing Co. for a spectacular performance showcasing some of the best entertainers from all over the Midwest and more. The following is included with ticket purchase: unlimited brunch buffet, special performances and two drink tickets. For more information, visit eventbrite.com/e/drag-me-to-ellisontickets-534005634227?aff=ebdssbdestsearch.

Pinwheels for Prevention

April 18

Join Children Trust Michigan on the steps of the Michigan Capitol to listen to special speakers, enjoy entertainment and plant a pinwheel garden downtown. For more information, visit childrentrustmichigan.com.

Kaleidoscope: The Habibi Dancers

Annual Spring Show

April 22

The Habibi’s welcome Irina Akulenko as guest artist to the 2023 Annual Dance Concert and Workshops. Akulenko is a New York-based performer, teacher and choreographer, with a burning passion for arts of all genres. For more information, visit eventbrite.com/e/ kaleidoscope-the-habibi-dancers-annual-springshow-tickets-511139450857?aff=ebdssbdestsearch.

WRAP UP

Lansing Cinco de Mayo Crawl: May 5-6

Celebration is upon us again with Lansing Cinco de Mayo — and that means the annual Lansing Cinco de Mayo weekend bar crawl. Come prepared to take back tasty tacos and keep that Lansing tequila flowing all day long. The party continues May 6 in case you missed it the first time. For information, visit pubcrawls.com/official-cincode-mayo-bar-crawl-lansing/

FOOD FOR FUN

Four feasts to enjoy in the area this spring and summer

BY KYLE DOWLING

ArtFeast: August 19

Nothing pairs better with food than art. ArtFeast is back in Old Town, welcoming more than 100 artists and an eclectic assortment of food trucks from around the state for a one-day art festival on Turner Street. This is the festival to see some emerging artists as well as established artists from around the region. Old Town has much to explore with 30-plus unique boutique shops, five art galleries and 10 restaurants.

Art, Beer & Wine Festival: June 10

The Ella Sharp Museum is hosting the 18th annual Art, Beer & Wine Festival presented by County National Bank from 2-8 pm. June 10. The festival hosts Michigan wineries, breweries, cider mills and distillers for one of Jackson’s largest tasting events of the year. Along with local food vendors, the museum hosts local artisans and entertainers for a day full of great tastes, music and

Olive Burger Festival: June 24

Nobody can say no to a good burger, and Lansing Foodies is putting on Michigan’s first-ever Olive Burger Festival. The Olive Burger Festival takes place at Jackson Field in Lansing on June 24. Be sure to bring the whole family to sample more than a dozen olive burgers with live music and activities.