Grayling: The Little City that Could Part 2 in Northern Express’ Small Towns on the Rise series
By Ross Boissoneau Grayling’s crossroads location has been a blessing and a curse. Located at the junction of I-75, M-72, US 127, and M-93, the small city at the center of northern Lower Michigan is a convenient stopping point on the way to many places. Yet it’s also that fact that has contributed to its transient nature. “Historically it’s the gateway to the north, a great place to pull off and shop and eat,” says Jillian Tremonti, the interim director for Grayling Main Street. Which is fine, but not enough to make Grayling a place to go, rather than just a place go through. The city’s storied history, natural resources, and the famed AuSable River Canoe Marathon have kept Grayling on the map since its logging and new-highway heydays, but in recent years, a spate of new and improved businesses, a slowly revitalizing downtown, a commitment to developing art and culture, and a growing effort to capitalize on the area’s outdoor recreation opportunities are giving passersby reason to stop and stay awhile. GAINING TRACTION Tremonti says the city is on the rebound. What’s happened? A few things. Erich Podjaske, the city’s economic development director, says embracing Michigan’s Main
Street program has helped spur growth. “It was really the catalyst,” he says of the program developed by the Michigan. Economic Development Corporation. While the population of both Crawford County and Grayling has dropped slightly in the last decade, Podjaske says a housing study done through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) showed Grayling is in need of hundreds of housing units. Two large housing projects are on the horizon, one a 42-unit development and the other a 108-unit project which was just approved. Both are scheduled to break ground this spring and be completed within 12 to 18 months. Podjaske also points to the ARAUCO particleboard facility outside town, which opened in 2019, as a sign of the town’s renewed economic vitality. He says other smaller companies have since opened as offshoots. In the city itself, he says three new small retail shops and a restaurant have opened, and Ray’s BBQ, Blues, and Brews recently opened on the river as well. He admits Grayling isn’t “there” yet. A former hotel/restaurant downtown remains vacant, but he says the 10,000 square foot building is attracting interest. “It’s a big lift,” he says, but he’s hopeful the continued growth
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of the city will spur someone to take on the challenge of resuscitating the property. There’s also been renewed emphasis on arts and culture and one, two, three new brewpubs in the last decade. The first was helped by AuSable Artisan Village. It combines a retail gallery with more than 40 artists, arts workshops for all ages and skill levels, and a stage and concert venue. Established in 2010 in the longvacant Ben Franklin building, the AuSable Artisan Village is in large part the vision of local artist Terry Dickinson, who is also the incoming president of the nonprofit. The Village’s mission: to initiate and support art and creative activities that enrich lives and fuel cultural and economic development of the Grayling community and region. Add to that the affiliated Main Branch Gallery, which Tremonti describes as a highend art and sculpture gallery. It features nature-inspired works of original art, limited edition Giclee reproductions, jewelry, pottery and sculptures in wood and bronze. Another element has been the emergence of those three breweries: Paddle Hard Brewing, Dead Bear Brewing Company, and Rolling Oak Brewing Company have added to the area’s appeal singly, and together have provided a huge boost. So how does a small community like
Grayling support three breweries? Tremonti says they each have their individual personality and entertainment offerings, live music, comedians, and more. Paddle Hard and Dead Bear are full restaurants; Rolling Oak has its own proprietary food truck. As the breweries give the town a shot in the arm, the town is responding in kind. In July, Grayling launched its Brew Avenue social district. A social district is a designated area where patrons can carry their open alcoholic beverages in public spaces. The rationale behind such a district stems in part from the social distancing prevalent during the pandemic, as it provides a means for spacing among patrons, who can also enjoy their beverages while walking between stops. PAST & PRESENT Of course, a town can’t live by art and beer alone. So while Grayling has worked to offer more, Tremonti says the city continues to showcase its history. Its Crawford County Historical Museum, which is located in the downtown’s restored railroad depot, looks back at the area’s lumbering history. It offers guests the opportunity to explore an old caboose, a military building dedicated to Camp Grayling and local ex-military personnel, a trapper’s cabin, and an oldfashioned fire station.
