SECOND SHIFT

Retirees are finding jobs— and a sense of belonging—while saving the day for small-town businesses.

by EMILY TYRA

photos by DAVE WEIDNER

You might notice a small posse of women of a certain age out and about in Cadillac. They meet to walk in the mornings, shop for cruise-wear together, watch each other’s cats, co-host a community book club in a nearby greenhouse. They even throw Cadillac’s biggest tea party every spring.

They live in town or the surrounding lake and farm country—one in the shadow of Caberfae Peaks, another in Boon, one out in Luther in the next county over. But, truly, these farflung neighbors may not have found this close-knit friendship if it weren’t for a singular thread: They all work at Horizon Books Cadillac.

The bookstore has been an anchor in town for 31 years. Manager Tereesa Arn says the Cadillac store’s steady success in recent years is due in part to a silver bullet: “I hire reliable retirees who are friendly, extraordinary, flexible and don’t require a living wage,” she shares. “All of my staff except myself and a soon-to-be retiring teacher fit these criteria—six retirees in total.”

It’s no secret Northern Michigan’s small towns and vacation communities are desperately seeking employees, a longstanding dilemma exacerbated by the pandemic and by the stark lack of workforce housing. Arn says that her cohorts at Horizon Books in Traverse City tell her that hiring locals 55 and up as part-time staff is a model “they’d love to emulate, if people would come forward.” enjoy their ‘free time’ for a while before they get bored. There is only so much golf and gardening that one can do before they miss … the routine.”

The hope is with enough people stepping into these roles, even for a few days a week, the region’s robust retiree population could have the potential to help flip the script on the local labor narrative.

A multigenerational workforce may not be a total stretch in thinking. As Forbes reported last fall, while more than 2 million people retired nationally during the first 18 months of the pandemic than was otherwise expected, they now appear to be heading back to work. Forbes described this trend as “quiet returning”—a generational slant rhyme on the term “quiet quitting,” which Gen Z popularized via TikTok videos that shared the art of doing just enough at a job without letting it take over your life.

Forbes analysts note that retirees are quietly returning for more than money. While survey data from Joblist indicated a certain number of those quietly returning to work were doing so because they needed the money or feared inflation was eroding their retirement nest egg, the largest percent of retirees returning to work said they were simply in need of something fulfilling to do.

Barefoot adds, “These folks are the cream of the crop, they have the experience and expertise, but may not want to necessarily engage fully back into the workforce.”

Instead, she notes, they typically look into volunteering at a nonprofit organization. “In Benzie’s case: Benzie Area Christian Neighbors, Oliver Art Center, Benzie Senior Resources and the Benzie Historical Museum are often flooded with senior volunteers; plus, all of the church quilt bees and other engagements at their houses of worship.”

But what can happen if some retirees consider—in addition to their volunteer roles—working at small local businesses, supporting their entrepreneurial neighbors within the quaint villages they love?

As Arn has discovered, to her delight, it’s the potential for a symbiotic relationship where everyone’s needs are being met.

“They are incredible employees,” she says of her senior dream team at Horizon Books Cadillac. “Resilient. It’s amazing the details they pick up and do without asking.”

Three have experience as librarians, one has experience in the restaurant business, still another is a retired police officer from the Chicago Police Department.

That’s Laura Henry, who moved to downtown Cadillac from downtown Chicago 12 years ago. After renovating her 120-year-old house, Henry started volunteering at the local elementary library, launching a “Reading Rivalry” competition for kids in Cadillac. Arn recognized Henry’s pluck and quickly hired her.

Having a seasoned cop sharing her knowledge is a boon: “We’re downtown and open late; there are real-world situations that crop up and they can handle those,” Arn notes, adding, “When you’re hired on, not only are you helping customers, you’re also doing the computer system, you’re a barista, you’re a janitor.”

She says her senior staff bring flexibility in scheduling, as none of them work full time.

“Everyone is really good at taking care of everyone else,” explains Carla Choponis, of their willingness to cover for coworkers. Choponis previously worked in Pine River Schools in the computer lab and the library. “This was just a perfect place for a retirement job, two or three days a week.”

The benefits for Choponis are concrete. “I live way out in the country, so it’s nice to come in and see people. The more you keep busy, the better you’re going to be health-wise.”

What’s more, the bookstore gig still allows for a rich, full life says Vlasta Bovee, who lives near the ski hill Caberfae Peaks. The store’s only octogenarian employee moved from Colorado

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