Tag: Small Business
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It’s Wine Time on the Old Mission Peninsula! Northern Michigan is home to numerous wineries and wine regions to visit, one of my favorites areas is Old Mission, which is home to the Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail- this region has 13 wineries to visit. Located on the Old Mission Peninsula, which is the peninsula of land that jets out between Traverse City’s two bays, East Bay & West Bay. All of these wineries are minutes from downtown Traverse City, obviously, the further you drive out on the peninsula, the further they are. Don’t fret, the drive down Center Road is fast and has spectacular views! You will fall in love with the scenery, the wine, and the people.
On a side note, there are multiple roadside farm stands filled with apples, pumpkins, honey, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Selection changes with the season and is always fresh! There are many wine tours and shuttle busses to hire to make the wine tasting experience enjoyable and safe. Here is a link to the Traverse City Tourism list of wine tours/busses. Read below for a few of my favorite wine stops on Old Mission Peninsula:
Mari Vineyards: The very first winery you will hit driving down Center Road on Old Mission is Mari Vineyards and I am a big fan! The winery itself is gorgeous with breathtaking views, great service, and makes a pretty good red wine for Michigan. After a tasting, grab a glass and sit outside!
Bonobo Winery: Restoration Hardware meets breathtaking views at this not to be missed winery. They offer tasting, tours, small plates, outdoor seating, a relaxing atmosphere, and views for days. Take a picture next to their enormous wall mural of a Bonobo for an Instagram worthy pic.
2 Lads Winery: Bold, modern, delicious. A bit of a drive, but worth it! If you can squeeze in a stop here, you will not be sorry.
Bowers Harbor Vineyards: On the top of my must-visit list is Bowers Harbor Vineyards, the entire location is gorgeous and inviting! You can make a reservation to sit outside in the summer or attend one of their many outdoor events and dinners throughout the year. 
Brys Estate Vineyards: This winery has a great deck for outdoor tasting and cozy inside space for winter tastings. Upon entering the driveway, turn left for the winery, turn right for Brys “Secret Garden”, with blueberry picking, u-pick flowers, and lavender themed gift shop.
Chateau Chantal: This is a classic Old Mission Peninsula winery, simply driving up to the building will bring excitement! Beyond its beauty, there is so much to love about Chateau Chantal, it has a huge patio, extensive tasting menu, wine dinners, a B & B, and fun events throughout the year.
If possible, try to fit in a few more stops at these wineries on Old Mission Peninsula: Chateau Grand Traverse, Black Star Farms, Hawthorne Vineyards, Peninsula Cellars, Tabone Vineyards. Here is a link to a map of Old Mission Wine Trail and exact locations of where to find each stop. Open year-round, these gorgeous wineries are fun to visit any time of the year. Plan ahead and keep in mind that some locations charge a tasting fee and/or need reservations. Due to Covid many of these wineries have different restrictions and procedures than previous, so check out their websites for the latest info!
For those looking to add a food stop to their wine trail experience, pop into one of my favorite restaurants for a pint of beer at Jolly Pumpkin. For the beer enthusiast, I always order the award-winning ORO de Calabaza, try it out, and tell me what you think! If the Jolly Pumpkin is too busy (Saturday afternoons are crazy sometimes) a few other good spots are Old Mission Tavern, Mission Table, Bad Dog Deli,and Old Mission General Store. 
Looking for something a little fancier? Make a reservation at The Boathouse, which overlooks West Grand Traverse Bay and serves up oysters, steak, and the most delicious asparagus in town!
If you are looking for unique wine country lodging try these Old Mission Peninsula inns: Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery, Chateau Chantal, The Inn at Chateau Grand Traverse,Grey Hare Inn, Neahtawanta Inn, andOld Mission Inn. Other recommended locations to stay in downtown Traverse City are Hotel Indigo, The Park Place Hotel, or find a rental on VRBO (there are a lot of great spots for large groups!)
Inspire us with your Northern Michigan INVENTION!
Meet: Brittany Luea
Inventor. Entrepreneur. Architect. Owner of ComenityMED, LLC.
Meet Brittany Luea: Inventor, entrepreneur, architect, and owner of ComenityMED, LLC
Brittany Luea is looking out for females across the country with her latest invention, silicone foot supports. Sounds glamorous, right! Well, she invented these foot pads to make your yearly woman’s visit a little bit more comfortable. Find out more about the details of her story and process in the interview below. In addition to her impressive professional endeavors, she is a wife, a mom, and a dog mom of two. She always makes time for yoga, loves to read, and is an avid volunteer in the community.
Brittany, what is your 30 second elevator story of who you are and what you do: I’m always fascinated by the question, “What do you do?” By trade, I’m an architect, but recently shifted gears to focus on co-founding comenityMED®, an innovative medical accessories company aimed at Pursuing Patient Comfort. comenityMED® manufactures patent pending Resilient® Professional Foot Supports for exam table stirrups that provide patient comfort and are easily sterilized between patients.
What makes you passionate about your product? I’m passionate about our product because it solves a simple but broad reaching problem in healthcare. Often times, medicine is not associated with comfort. Our products offer an alternative to traditional medical design that focus more on ergonomics. I love to make things and solve problems and by teaming up with a physician, we’re able to utilize our skills in medicine and design to provide innovative medical solutions.
How did you develop your idea? It’s kind of a funny story, but it all started with a simple dinner conversation. My friend, Autumn Bridger DO, shared an idea she had for exam table stirrup covers and we spent the evening brainstorming about materials and how it could work. I was excited that she wanted to team up with me to make it happen! Although it took a few years to bring it from concept to product, we knew that evening what we wanted it to be. We utilized 3d modeling and printing for a few of our prototypes, then eventually made a steel mold that we now use for our finished silicone products. 
What is it like to run a small business out of Northern Michigan? I love it! I absolutely love living in Northern Michigan. Our products are available online and our distribution center is here in town. The best of both worlds!
Tell us about what you are looking forward to in the future. I’m looking forward to life after the pandemic. It’s been a great time to reflect and consider what direction we want to take going forward as a business. Based on the success of our first product, we know that our idea of providing serializable medical equipment that focuses on Pursuing Patient Comfort is here to stay!
How do you balance family and running a small business? It’s definitely a balancing act. My primary focus is always my family, but I’ve set up my work life in a way that allows me
to enjoy the benefits of both.
How have you handled the current pandemic and Michigan Stay-at-Home orders? During the pandemic, my partner, Autumn, and I raised money to help provide over 700 masks for our community. Juliette at Posh in Traverse City helped to sew the majority of these (she deserves tons of credit here!) along with my business partner, Autumn. I gathered materials locally and along with Autumn, worked on fundraising. A team effort with great results!
Brittany Luea is a licensed Architect in the State of Michigan. She received her Master of Architecture with Distinction as well as her Bachelor of Science in Architecture from The University of Michigan. Brittany loves all things creative and innovative. Find more information about her Traverse City based company, ComenityMED, LLC on their website: www.comenitymed.com Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @comenitymed
As we prepare for autumn weather we are starting to think more about sweaters, knits, and soft pants… Well, Up North ladies, I think I have found your new favorite store! With fall coming in strong, Northern Michigan style gals have found their newest calling at Haven Boutique- a clothing market found in the Village at Grand Traverse Commonswhich is located in the Old State Hospital buildings in Traverse City, Michigan. Filled with casual clothing, perfect for Up North living. You can also find affordable necklaces, bags, earrings, and other adorable accessories that make perfect gifts. Owners Erin and Aaron Simon have created a space that is inviting and makes me want to purchase one of everything! She is the adorable lady standing behind the counter in the opening picture. Check out the images from my last trip and see for yourself…
HAVEN: A Clothing Market
800 Cottage view Dr, Suite 20 Traverse City, MI
231-735-8813 www.havenclothingtc.com
I found these great leather earrings for under $10 and LOTS of other fun surprises at one of my favorite shops in Traverse City- Westbay Handmade. The store carries goods from over 100 Michigan artists and makers at Westbay Handmade- located next to The Goodbowl Eatery and Yen Yoga on Front Street. One of my TOP PICKS from this store is a set of my board books! Find all four titles in their children’s section. They also have great home items, men’s gifts, beauty, yoga mat bags, handmade face masks and feature talented local artists work- You won’t find some of these artists anywhere else!!! Take a tour of the store and watch the owner, Kat, on her YouTube channel- Here she shows off some of her creative DIY projects and cool products at the store. The inventory is constantly changing and once the pandemic is over they also offer classes! Thanks for shopping small #supportlocal
West Bay Handmade, LLC
326 E. Front St. Traverse City, MI 231-252-8482
Find hip leather earrings for under $10 at Westbay Handmade Shop on Front Street in Traverse City, Mi.
The huge selection changes every week!
<- Find Kristy’s baby board books at Westbay Handmade Shop! Pick up all 4 for your next baby shower! Each book is priced at only $7.95 – What a great gift!
Men’s gifts too!
West Bay Handmade, LLC
326 E. Front St. Traverse City, MI 49684
231-252-8482
www.westbayhandmade.com
Take a drive up Center Road on Old Mission Peninsula to visit Edmundson Orchard, a sweet u-pick raspberry farm with ripe berries ready for picking! It’s about 3/4 of the way up the peninsula, and you will see the sign on the road (see picture). Drive up the dirt road to find rows of yummy raspberries ripe for the picking! I visited the second week in July 2020 and the berries were just starting to ripen. There were more than enough to pick however it was clear that they will be in season for at least a few more weeks. The farm is open from 10 am to 4 pm- Remember to bring cash, a small bucket is $4 and a larger $7. They do not use pesticides, so if you happen to sneak a taste while picking you will be safe! I also love that this is a local farm owned and operated by local families. Supporting local is one of my top missions in this blog, so it always feels good to visit local farms and experience food straight from the earth. Freshly picked berries are DELICIOUS and even better when locally grown. Happy Picking 🙂
Did you know you can find loads of summer fun at Don Orr Sk N’ Beach Haus in TC? It has way more than just snow skis…
Those of us who spend our winters in Northern Michigan know Don Orr as a great place to purchase ski apparel and equipment, but it is way more than just a winter destination…During summer months Don Orr turns into a tiki bar boutique filled with beach gear, apparel, swimsuits floats, sandals, sunglasses, and so much more! The locally owned store has a good selection of life jackets and sunglasses (see pictures below) and sell my favorite brand of sunscreen: Sun Bum! They have a great selection of local apparel brands including M-22, Love, My Michigan Roots and 45th Parallel. Visiting from out of town? You can rent a huge yellow lily pad for hours of fun to play on the water! Take it to a beach or show it on the back of a boat for floating fun in the middle of the lake. Head to their website and sign up for their emails for 10% off a shopping trip www.donorrskihaus.com Or visit in person —> Don Orr Ski N’ Beach Haus: 890 Munson Ave, Traverse City, MI 49686 (see map below)
Inflatables & Swim Goggles
Native, Maui Jim, and Forecast brand Sunglasses
Beach Toys & Accessories
890 Munson Ave, Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 946-8810 www.donorrskihaus.com
Need to feel the burn? Looking for a unique workout in Traverse City (and beyond), try Modus 45! For those of you who prefer a home workout, or are stuck inside during a quarantine, try Modus 45’s new Wedge Kit: Barre In A Bag. I tried it and am impressed! My mini muscles are still feeling it, and I like it. I have been working out at home with @modus45 and @madionmegan using her NEW at home wedge kit. I just launched last weekend, it comes with a ball, strap, wedge, mat, and super-cool bag. If you purchase now you get a free month subscription to Modus online classes- go to their website to order with free home delivery 🚚 @modus45#workout #stayfit#stayhealthy
MEGAN MADION, Founder of Modus 45 and creator of The Barre In A Bag Wedge Kit, is a force in the fitness industry… Watch her intro video below to see how her at-home Wedge Kit is will kick your butt! Check out www.modus45.com for more information. Modus 45- 144 Hall Street • Warehouse Market Bldg. • Suite 103
