East Lansing Info (https://eastlansinginfo.news/series/spendlocal/)
Supporting local businesses means supporting your neighbors. It also helps the municipal economy, contributing to the tax base that supports local schools, parks, transportation systems, and more.
Sarah Spohn | Kick off the arrival of the holiday season and wintry weather with Green Friday and Winter Glow. Sarah Spohn brings the details on the two events this weekend.
Sarah Spohn | Do you want to make sure your gifts arrive on time? Do you like having a vibrant downtown? Do you want to support your neighbors? ELi’s Sarah Spohn has some advice this Black Friday: Spend locally!
Sarah Spohn | Are you heading to the East Lansing Farmers’ Market today? Sarah Spohn provides the scoop on Sweet Potato Delights and its owner and founder, Velonda Anderson.
Sarah Spohn | After visiting a Clean Juice location elsewhere, Mary Hargrove immediately knew she wanted to open one of her own. What does the new place have to offer?
Alice Dreger | On Monday night (Aug. 30), East Lansing’s downtown will transform into a “Moonlight ExtravaGRANDza” with music, games, and deals directed at MSU students. What’s up?
Sarah Spohn | Quark! – a store that opened at 549 E. Grand River Ave., on Aug. 4, sells gifts “at the intersection of science, art and everyday.”
Sarah Spohn | ELi’s Sarah Spohn gives you the scoop on the return of the East Lansing Art Festival and other fun activities happening around town!
Alice Dreger | More places to relax outdoors, convenient pink parking spots, MSU disciplining problematic off-campus behavior, more people participating in government. Maybe the pandemic hasn’t been all bad?
Sarah Spohn | Poké Fresh is a new family-owned, fast-casual restaurant in downtown East Lansing. What did co-owner Kylie Bachuwa tell ELi’s Sarah Spohn about the restaurant?
Alice Dreger | We have NEWS on the Graduate Hotel’s rooftop bar, the MSUFCU downtown office building plans, entertainment activities downtown (including for kids), and food trucks. Read all about it, only at ELi.
Sarah Spohn | Constellation Cat Cafe is celebrating its 700th adoption! We share the news and a look back at Sarah Spohn’s 2020 piece on the cafe.
Sarah Spohn | Looking for a sense of community and empowerment? The Barre Code has been working hard to provide this to women in the area throughout the pandemic. Sarah Spohn reports.
Ann Nichols | Ann uncovers the breakfast options available at Pizza House. What does she recommend?
Ann Nichols | Ann makes the case that Lou and Harry’s lamb gyro is truly food fit for the gods. But what else do she and her partner-in-crime, Captain Carnivore, recommend?
Ann Nichols | Ann and the Captain explored Korean, Japanese, and Thai cuisine, all from one restaurant. What does Ann recommend?
Sarah Spohn | What’s new at Wild Birds Unlimited?
Sarah Spohn | East Lansing native Gina Mudrey speaks to Sarah Spohn about the grand opening of For Crêpe Sake. What does the owner recommend?
Emily Joan Elliott | Managing Editor Emily Joan Elliott reports on the virtual art classes she has taken through the MSU Broad Art Museum. Did she get a passing grade?
Sarah Spohn | East Lansing resident Rueben Hewitt is working to make healthy meals affordable and accessible through his business, MenuBubble. Sarah Spohn reports on how the service works and what motivated Hewitt to get it running.
Ann Nichols | Sansu offers more than just sushi, but even Captain Carnivore enjoyed their pescatarian offerings. Read on for Ann’s description of their delectable meals.
Alice Dreger | Visitors to the market will find a wide array of food, including pies, pastas and sauces, goats’ milk and cows’ milk cheeses, fresh eggs, jams, fancy cocktail mixes (just add liquor), and much more. Plus handmade winter hats and gloves, dresses, and aprons.
Brooklyn Peppo | Looking to enjoy what downtown East Lansing has to offer? Check out the Weekend Warriors project, which is funding through the Place Project. ELi’s Sarah Spohn reports.
Sarah Spohn | Massage & Wellness offers many spa and wellness services for pampering and promoting health and well-being. Their gift shop also allows you to bring these joys home. Sarah Spohn reports.
Sarah Spohn | Place your orders by Sunday night! Groovy Donuts will have apple, blueberry, cherry, chocolate cream, cream, custard, lemon, prune, raspberry, and un-filled paczki. Sarah Spohn spoke to Groovy Donuts’ owner to deliver this sweet report.
Sarah Spohn | Looking to celebrate this weekend? ELi’s Sarah Spohn brings you a variety of ideas from delicious takeout meals to sweet treats to painting to yoga.
Sarah Spohn | Residents will have the opportunity to buy from local vendors at the M.A.C. Ave. Garage on Feb. 14, Feb. 28, March 14, March 28, April 11, April 25, and May 9. Sarah Spohn reports on what to expect.
Sarah Spohn | Looking for that perfect Valentine’s gift? B/A Florist is offering flowers and more, but make sure to place your order sooner rather than later.
Sarah Spohn | The City has launched a series of projects to support local businesses, particularly downtown ones. Sarah Spohn reports on these efforts and how you can participate.
Ann Nichols | Ann Nichols explains her fondness for Baps, which predated the pandemic. Read on to find out about some of her favorite dishes, including one of the spiciest her husband ever encountered.
Andrew Graham | Area restaurant owners and managers are appealing to Gov. Whitmer, who is from East Lansing, to consider how to better mitigate the spread of Covid-19 without putting restaurants in dire financial straits.
Sarah Spohn | Creative Wellness has offered massage therapy and other services since 1990. They still are now, with safety precautions during the pandemic. Sarah Spohn reports.
Sarah Spohn | Grab your mats! Yoga State is offering a class through Zoom tonight, but you can also support the local business through it’s GoFundMe.
Andrew Graham | The City of East Lansing is trying to raise $50,000, to be matched through a grant, to bring people Downtown. It also wants people with downtown gift cards to use them sooner rather than later. Andrew Graham explains.
Andrew Graham | The two locally-owned bookstores will be collaborating to offer MSU students course materials this semester. Collegeville’s Tom Muth explains why.
Ann Nichols | For our continuing Spend Locally series, ELi’s Ann Nichols tries out Sparty’s Kabob on Trowbridge Road and declares the Iraqi cuisine “astonishing.” And, she reports, the prices are good, too.
Sarah Spohn | Pinball Pete’s has felt the impact of the pandemic and is looking for support through a GoFundMe page. Sarah Spohn reports.
Christopher A. Wardell | Peanut Barrel is serving up its traditional fare and some new dishes and drinks. Christopher A. Wardell reports.
Ann Nichols | In this Ann About Town, Ann shares her love of Black Cat Bistro, reflecting on happy memories and delicious meals. Plus, she provides details on some wonderful deals!
Andrew Graham | Need a bucket of your favorite pub fare? Crunchy’s is still open and serving the community.
Sarah Spohn | Want to try a sushi burrito or volcano ramen? Sarah Spohn recommends you drop by Mi Sushi & Noodles then!
Sarah Spohn | The Downtown Management Board just made spending locally a bit easier with their eGift Card Program. Sarah Spohn provides the details, including which stores are participating.
Emily Joan Elliott | How can you use your gift-giving dollars to focus on saving local businesses and jobs. We ask some of our community members for advice.
Sarah Spohn | Yum Yum Bento is run by husband and wife duo, Shan Shan Xu and Eddy Liang. Sarah Spohn reports on the Japanese, Korean, and Thai food the couple serves.
Sarah Spohn | Foods for Living offers Michigan-made products and great Christmas gift ideas. Sarah Spohn reports.
Ann Kammerer | Pizza House has always offered more than just pizza. The same is true during the pandemic. Ann Kammerer provides the details.
Christopher A. Wardell | Always in motion? Pining for the outdoors? Christopher A. Wardell tells you how you can put that experience on wheels.
Sarah Spohn | Grand Traverse Pie Company believes in the power of pie. Pie means a celebration of traditions, family, and comfort food. Sarah Spohn tells how the celebration continues through the pandemic.
Emily Joan Elliott | Want to support local families and local businesses at the same time? ELPS is putting out a call for donations of food and gift cards to local businesses to help some district families over winter break.
Sarah Spohn | Need a cold brew or some cool merch? Check out Ellison Brewing + Spirits in East Lansing. Sarah Spohn reports on what they have to offer.
Ann Kammerer | Los Tres Amigos is offering tasty dishes to-go for all, including vegetarian and vegan options and its signature margaritas.
Sarah Spohn | Red Cedar Spirits has your holly, your jolly, and all the spirits on the menu. Puns intended. Sarah Spohn explains.
Emily Joan Elliott | Art supplies, delights for writers, stocking-stuffers, and Spartan-branded everything. That’s why SBS makes a surprisingly great option for gift shopping.
Alice Dreger | Free delivery on all local grocery orders makes Campbell’s a great choice for staying safe and spending locally.
Alice Dreger | Gloves, hats, flannel shirts, long underwear, wool socks, backpacks, and way cool gear for social distancing . . . or camping. Find it all at Moosejaw in East Lansing.
Sarah Spohn | Have a sweet tooth? Sarah Spohn tells us about the grooviest place in town to fix that problem.
Sarah Spohn | Foster Coffee Company prides itself on using local products. Sarah Spohn explains what the shop offers patrons and the community.
Ann Kammerer | Looking for that perfect outfit or accessory? ELi’s Ann Kammerer tells you what you can find at Pitaya.
Sarah Spohn | Need a caffeine fix? ELi’s Sarah Spohn tells you what Blue Owl has to offer.
Sarah Spohn | Need to frame that favorite picture? Want unique art work from around the world? Find that and more at Saper Galleries and Custom Framing.
Christopher A. Wardell | Have a music lover in your life? Christopher A. Wardell tells us what you can for them find at Flat, Black & Circular.
Sarah Spohn | Searching for a gift for the bookworm in your life? Sarah Spohn brings you details on two local used book shops.
Alice Dreger | “I’m from the working class, and when you grow up with working class people, they never think of retiring,” said Richard Liscombe, owner of Footgear. But then came the pandemic.
Emily Joan Elliott | Know someone who is tired of staring at a computer screen? Pick up some supplies from Wild Birds Unlimited to so they can observe some feathered fauna as they take a screen break.
Heather Brothers | The Arts Commission heard presentations from some of those applying for Cultural Arts Grants and brainstormed ways to help local businesses. Heather Brothers reports.
Emily Joan Elliott | Black Friday is this week and local small business owners are reconsidering what the day might look like in 2020.
Alice Dreger and Emily Joan Elliott | It’s time to give up on the idea of the perfect gift and buy the gift that will save your local economy. Alice Dreger and Emily Joan Elliott explain why ELi is launching its new series “SPEND LOCALLY”!
Ann Nichols | In this Ann About Town, Ann explores what Seams and Woven Art – two local small businesses – have to offer. The answer: safe ways to buy a lot more than sewing and knitting supplies!
Sarah Spohn | Local musician Jonathan Townley released his first album yesterday. Sarah Spohn tells us what inspired him and where to find his music.
Sarah Spohn | Luke Hackney of RetroDuck has launched a new retro T-shirt line to promote pride in East Lansing while supporting local businesses and nonprofits. ELi’s Sarah Spohn provides the details.
Sarah Spohn | After months of delay, Georgio’s Gourmet Pizza will reopen a location on Grand River Ave. on Tuesday, Aug. 4. ELi’s Sarah Spohn brings the story.
Sarah Spohn | From expanding outdoor seating to making hand sanitizer, ELi’s Sarah Spohn describes how two local spots are contending with COVID-19.
Aaron Applebey | Managers of East Lansing restaurants and bars tell ELi they’re doing what they can to keep their employees and customers safe.
Christopher A. Wardell | Beloved East Lansing record store Flat, Black & Circular has reopened and is bringing relief and joy with fresh tunes. Chris Wardell brings the story of what’s been happening.
Amalia Medina | The weather is beautiful for strolling downtown, and lots of businesses are back open. ELi’s Amalia Medina reports.
Sarah Spohn | ELi’s Sarah Spohn talks with Foster Coffee co-owner Nicholas Pidek about how that company is managing reopening.
Ann Nichols | “It is really the grocery store in East Lansing that many of us have wanted for years. The owners are local, the service is excellent.”
Sarah Spohn | Here’s how you can help keep your favorite East Lansing-area coffee shops, restaurants, and bakeries alive!
Sarah Spohn | Ray Walsh has owned and operated Curious Book Shop for fifty years. He’s hoping the community will help his employees.
Ann Nichols | In her latest column, Ann Nichols explores the cooking options enabled by one farm-to-table restaurant’s inventive approach.
Last week’s “Ann About Town” column on Charlie Kang’s brought a heartwarming letter from Mr. Kang’s daughter, Yuni Yi. We share her note with you.
Noa Kuszai | In downtown East Lansing, Campbell’s Market Basket is keeping its shelves stocked with groceries. ELi’s Noa Kuszai files this report.
Alice Dreger | City Council met today to extend East Lansing’s State of Emergency. ELi’s Alice Dreger donned a mask to attend and report for you what happened.
Natalie Rose | There’s a new resource to help people in East Lansing figure out which restaurants are doing take-out and delivery. ELi’s Natalie Rose reports.
Alice Dreger | Even before Ingham County Health issued a new order, some East Lansing bars and restaurants were moving to help “flatten the curve.” All face grave economic uncertainty.
Ann Kammerer | Small business owners Hunter Seyfarth and Ken Campbell didn’t know each other when they attended East Lansing Public Schools. Seyfarth was four years older than Campbell — an eternity for a student. The two also lived in different neighborhoods, making the chance of an occasional encounter even more remote. But now as adults, the two “townies” find themselves in daily contact, fewer than 20 feet apart on East Lansing’s main drag. Seyfarth owns Evergreen Cycle and Repairs, a veteran retail mainstay on the city’s cycling scene.
Ann Nichols | Eli’s Ann Nichols has a yarn for you about a fiber arts store in East Lansing, and what makes it a community-within-a-community.
