JACKSON COUNTY, MI – From the Jackson College Foundation selling a building that housed a college campus to a thriving downtown Jackson social district, there is a lot going on in the Jackson area.
Here’s some recent Jackson-area business news you might have missed.
Get a taste of Hawaiian, Island cuisine at Ben’s Island Grindz
Ben Snyder and his girlfriend Holly Lippmann had a dream of starting a food truck offering something Jackson didn’t have.
They remembered their previous travels to places like Hawaii, Mexico and Costa Rica. After eating their way through the islands and countries, they realized island food might be the answer. So they started Ben’s Island Grindz.
Their most popular dish to date is the poke bowl, which is similar to a salad bowl with sashimi-grade raw tuna, fresh vegetables and rice with a sesame soy-based marinade. Homemade wonton crackers are sold with it.
Read the full story here.
Stay sober, but still enjoy a drink at Zero Bar & Lounge in Jackson
Zero Bar & Lounge was created by friends and co-workers Josnelly Aponte-Martinez and Sandy Yeager. Aponte-Martinez had been sober for about two years, and was sharing this journey on social media by recommending non-alcoholic options people could still drink while socializing.
Yeager had come up with the idea to start a bar cart after seeing some in her niece’s wedding photos. Yeager had also been watching Aponte-Martinez’s posts about sobriety on social media and decided to reach out to her with an idea to combine their passions.
The dry bar cart took off from there. The two operated out of a tent for the last year but hosted an official grand opening for the bar cart in May.
They focus on making non-alcoholic drinks that people staying sober can enjoy. The experience is for adults 21 and older who don’t want to just drink juices or sodas at parties and events.
Read the full story here.
It’s famous for tomato soup but there’s much more at Clark Lake’s Beach Bar
Warm weather and lake days have arrived at Clark Lake, and the Beach Bar & Restaurant is ready for another summer season.
The Clark Lake restaurant has been a popular spot residents have enjoyed since 1946. There’s great food, live music and summer vibes, says Lexi Collins, general manager and daughter of owner John Collins.
People may stop by the Beach Bar because it’s right on the water, but they also come for the food. The restaurant is known for its fresh, no-fried-food menu, including a range of soups, sandwiches and pizza.
The tomato soup is legendary at the restaurant and comes from an old family recipe. The creamy, bisque-like soup is loved by everyone, and a few have even tried to come up with their own copycat recipe.
Read the full story here.
Businesses are loving Jackson’s downtown social district, and many others are looking to join
The social district officially began on St. Patrick’s Day – Friday, March 17. Since then, downtown Jackson streets have been busy with residents using this new feature, former Jackson Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Coyn Speiser said.
Nine restaurants have since joined the social district, with others on the way to receive approval. While Jackson was “late to the dance,” DDA officials said it was encouraging people to stay downtown and walk to and from restaurants, Speiser said.
Even though it took two years to launch, the social district was worth the wait, said Kevin Craft, co-owner of Ogma Brewing Co., 129 E. Michigan Ave.
“I think the biggest benefit of the social district, at least for us, is when the events are going on downtown,” Craft said. “Like the car show, it was huge for us because I think we get maybe 500 cups every drop off, and we blew through those in no time.”
Read the full story here.
Jackson College sells closed Maher Campus to grow Jackson-based business
Jackson College has closed its Maher Campus and its foundation has sold the 25-acre property to a Jackson-based business.
The WJ Maher campus at 3000 Blake Road, south of I-94, was sold to Automated Logistics Systems as of Saturday, June 3. The Jackson College Foundation purchased the building in 2012 and the college leased space there for classrooms, hoping to draw students .
In-person classes were halted at the Maher campus during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not resumed since, Jackson College Chief Operating Officer Cindy Allen wrote in an email.
“Enrollment at the college remains very strong but more students are hybrid or remote since COVID and classroom space wasn’t needed there,” Allen said. “The foundation board decided it was time to sell the property.”
The property, including the building, is now owned by Jackson-based Automated Logistics Systems, a transportation broker business. The business has outgrown that 12,000-square-foot building, prompting the move to the 42,000-square-foot former Maher Campus.
Read the full story here.
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