Cannabis lounge coming to Bay City, Kokomo’s reopens as Press Play 989 and more business news

May 23, 2023 · MLive

From a new cannabis consumption lounge coming to downtown Bay City to a family fun center that just reopened in Saginaw County, here’s some recent business news you might have missed:

Little Pastry Shop bringing freshly-baked cinnamon rolls and pies to City Market

Little Pastry Shop is bringing fresh baked goods to downtown Bay City’s City Market.

The new bakery specializes in its best-selling cinnamon rolls, scones, such as customer favorites: lemon and tart cherry almond, personal pies and other sweet treats.

Bakery owner Maria Otto had a soft opening in early May and is officially opening her doors Wednesday, May 10.

“It felt so good,” the baker said of the community’s warm welcome. “We had a lot of people come in and grab a cinnamon roll.”

Otto’s pies were another big hit.

“I make these five-inch pies that people just love,” she said. “They’re perfect for one or two people.”

Read the full story here.

Ascension St. Mary’s establishes women’s heart disease clinic in Saginaw

Ascension St. Mary’s has a new health clinic in Saginaw providing cardiovascular care specifically for women.

The clinic’s goal is to help women who are at risk, or currently have heart disease, achieve and maintain optimal heart health, according to an Ascension St. Mary’s news release. The heart institute has designed an evaluation and care model to specifically address the unique ways heart disease presents and manifests itself in women of all ages.

“We have created Ascension St. Mary’s Women’s Heart Clinic to give this important health care issue the attention and support it deserves and to ensure that women of all ages get the most appropriate heart care for their individual needs,” Dr. Nishtha Sareen, medical director of the Ascension Michigan women’s heart health program, said in a statement.

Read the full story here.

Coven brings New Orleans flavors to Bay City’s former VNO on Midland Street

Midland Street’s former VNO Wine Warehouse and New Age Restaurant has a new name, concept and a New Orleans-inspired menu.

Chris LaRocque, who purchased the business from Greg and Peggy Kimbrue last year, lived in New Orleans for nearly a decade and wanted to create a restaurant that embodied the community’s spirit.

“I fell in love with the New Orleans’ culture, and it wasn’t even about the food,” said LaRoque, who went to the Louisiana city on vacation and decided to stay. “It was about the celebration of life. New Orleans, that’s all it is: a celebration of life, and everyone comes together.”

The restaurant’s name, Coven, reflects that sense of community and togetherness.

“This place can be a gathering where we come together,” he said.

Read the full story here.

Kokomo’s Family Fun Center reopening as Press Play 989 in Saginaw

Saginaw County’s Kokomo’s Family Fun Center, which has been closed for renovations in recent months, is reopening with a new look and a new name.

The 8-acre indoor/outdoor fun center will begin a multi-day grand opening celebration Thursday, May 11, with a ribbon-cutting and ticketed VIP events benefitting area nonprofits, including Motherly Intercession, CAN Council, Midland Soccer Club and Mustard Seed Shelter. The grand opening celebration will continue Friday, May 12, through Sunday, May 14, with entertainment, a DJ and the chance to win prizes.

A soft opening takes place from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 10, according to Press Play 989′s Facebook page.

“It’s an honor to be able to start our Press Play 989 adventure on such an exciting note, benefitting four amazing local charities that do so much to serve the community,” Cory Sandrock, CEO of Chicago-based Memorable Experiences Group, which owns the fun center, said in a statement.

Read the full story here.

Mid-Michigan company recalls ready-to-eat pork rinds produced without federal inspection

Freeland-based Mitten Gourmet LLC is recalling approximately 1,137 pounds of ready-to-eat pork rind products that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection, officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Wednesday, May 10.

The flavored pork rind products were produced between Sept. 9, 2021, and May 5, 2023, according to the USDA FSIS. These products were shipped to retail locations nationwide and do not bear the USDA mark of inspection because Mitten Gourmet LLC is not a federally-inspected establishment, according to FSIS officials. Government officials discovered the problem during routine surveillance activities.

Read the full story here.

Downtown Saginaw’s SVRC hosting 2023 Think Spring Makers Market

The 2023 Think Spring Makers Market will take place Saturday, May 20, at downtown Saginaw’s SVRC Marketplace, 203 S. Washington Ave.

The event featuring dozens of vendors will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside the marketplace, which is home to a variety of small local retailers and restaurants, such as Falafel Hut Middle Eastern Cuisine, Purple Sage Bead Store, Cob King, El Farolito Taqueria & Catering, Kreole Queenz and others.

“Join us for our annual ‘Think Spring Maker’s Market!’ event! It’s a day of supporting small at over 60 small businesses,” reads the Facebook event page. “The Boardroom will be offering a cash bar to ‘Sip & Shop’ with mimosa specials, special ‘wake me up’ coffee, cold brews and more.”

Read the full story here.

Remedy Room aims to become first weed consumption lounge in Bay City

Downtown Bay City retailer Remedy Room is planning to open a consumption lounge next door to its Washington Avenue store that will be a “cannabis destination” in mid-Michigan.

“We’re moving full steam ahead,” said Director of Operations Spence Anderson. “Our plan all along has been to open a lounge.”

Remedy Room, 712 Washington Ave. in downtown Bay City, is a cannabis retailer. The company also has a location in California and others under construction there. When it opens, Remedy Room’s new cannabis consumption lounge in Bay City will offer cornhole, arcade games, golf simulators, a stage for live music and stand-up comedy, sports on TV, a place to socialize and private event space. It won’t serve food, but customers may be able to have takeout delivered from area restaurants.

Read the full story.

Siblings honor mother’s memory with custom hat business

Cynthia LaTammi Donald loved hats and expressing herself through fashion. She also loved people, and people loved her.

“Stylish — flashy from head to toe.” That’s how her daughter, Keata Little, remembers her best. “Her personality was everything.”

“She could wear anything and look nice,” Little’s brother, Winston Little, added. “She always dressed nice.”

Donald, a Saginaw native with a “joyful” spirit who loved spending time with her family, her grandchildren, dressing up and cooking, died in January, a few months after receiving a cancer diagnosis and a week after her 59th birthday.

Read the full story here.

Gymnastics center offers ‘ninja’ classes for kids inspired by TV show, weekly summer camps

There’s a gymnastics center in Saginaw County offering gymnastics classes for kids of all ages, cheerleading, summer camps and “ninja” classes inspired by a TV show.

“It’s like ‘American Ninja Warrior’ like you see on TV,” Owner/Head Coach Tony Mason said of the center’s popular ninja/parkour classes. “We do fun obstacle courses and timed trials.”

Mason, who is also an elementary school physical education teacher, opened Showtime Gymnastics, 6285 Bay Road in Saginaw County’s Kochville Township, last fall.

“I’ve coached gymnastics now for over 20 years, and I’ve worked with kids my whole life,” Mason said. “It was finally time for us to start our own program.”

Mason, who previously offered gymnastics classes at Center Courts and Sherwood Elementary School in Saginaw Township, said opening his own gymnastics center has been an exciting opportunity.

“It’s been awesome,” he said. “We were super excited to be able to finally get a permanent location and offer more classes and a better facility.”

Read the full story here.

Bay City’s only Baskin-Robbins is back in business

Mid-Michigan’s last remaining Baskin-Robbins has new owners and is once again serving customers on Euclid Avenue in Bay City.

The ice cream shop, located at 801 N. Euclid Ave., closed in December and reopened for business Saturday, May 13. The new owners said customers are glad to have Baskin-Robbins back open and serving ice cream and its iconic ice cream cakes.

“Saturday, when we opened to the public, we were slammed,” said Lauren Fortin, who owns the business with her partner, Stephen Thibeault, and his father and step-mother, Robert and Bridget Thibeault. “Everybody was very, very happy to see it reopened.”

Stephen Thibeault added, “There hasn’t been a day we haven’t had lines out the door.” (Full Story)

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