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Annette Kingsbury By Annette Kingsbury By Michael Dwyer C.O.R.E Christine Lind Hage City Council City of Rochester clinton river Crittenton Dan Stickradt Dave Pruneau DDA dear crabby Downtown Rochester Grace Centers of Hope Heidi Morris Jayna Pyke L. Brooks Patterson Mayor Barnett Mayor Bryan Barnett Mayor Bryan K. Barnett Michael Dwyer Oakland County Oakland Township Oakland University OPC Paint Creek Center for the Arts paint creek trail Road Commission for Oakland County rochester Rochester Adams Rochester City Council Rochester College Rochester Community House Rochester Community Schools Rochester High School Rochester Hills Rochester Hills Fire Department Rochester Hills Museum Rochester Hills Public Library Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce Rochester Rotary Club Stoney Creek High School Stuart Bikson The Village of Rochester Hills
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Category: Local Business
Yappy Hour at the Royal Park
Written by Annette Kingsbury
Tuesday, 01 May 2012 15:11
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Gidget is available for adoption at MARL.

The Third Annual Yappy Hour, a benefit for the Michigan Animal Rescue League, will bring two- and four-footed friends to the Royal Park Hotel lawn on June 7 at 6:30 p.m.

Honorary Co-Chairs are Jim and Marge Hiller of Hiller’s Market. Their canine co-chairs are Lilly and Al. The evening includes a cocktail party with live music, a silent auction, photo opportunities and even a few surprises, all with your best friend by your side. Tickets are $65 per person. VIP Tickets are $100 per person and allow both humans and canines behind the velvet ropes to enjoy a premium experience, including passed champagne and signature desserts.

All proceeds benefit the animals of the Michigan Animal Rescue League. Founded in 1953 and located in Pontiac, MARL is a private, nonprofit organization that doesn’t euthanize unless injury, disease or temperament make other options impossible.

Don’t wait–Yappy Hour sold out last year. To order tickets, click here or call 248-335-9290. Visit michigananimalrescueleague.org for more information. Sponsorship opportunities are still available; contact Magee Humes at 248-778-5351 for information.

 
Rochester Made Beer Expands Production
Written by Michael Dwyer
Wednesday, 25 April 2012 22:52
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Demand for Fresh Michigan Beer

The Rochester Mills Beer Co. opened its doors in 1998 in the Western Knitting Mill building in Downtown Rochester. The historic red brick has become part of the logo the brewery still uses and offers patrons a sense of tradition, as well as character. Just two blocks east of Main Street, on Water Street, the brewery has lots of free parking, outdoor seating, and fresh-brewed, local beer.

Now into their 14th year of crafting good local flavors of beer, they have opened a huge production facility in Auburn Hills: 48,000 square feet of cutting edge beer-making technology. Rochester Mills Beer Co. beer will soon be available in restaurants and bars around town and across Michigan. They will also be producing some of their more popular brands in 16 oz. cans that will be available in stores.

Tom Vella, president of Hubert Distributors, stated, “With the opening of the Rochester Mills Brewery these exceptional local beers will now be widely and readily available throughout Oakland County and across Michigan. We are excited to be adding them to our offering. Fans of Rochester Mills beers should check the local beer section of their favorite store and should also ask the server at their local pub or restaurant if they are offering Rochester Mills beers. As new locations are added, updates will be posted on the Rochester Mills webpage and social media outlets.”

Why Cans and not Bottles?

A ribbon cutting held on April 20 showcased the new production brewery which welcomed industry people and media. This 50 barrel facility will soon be producing cans of Cornerstone IPA, Rochester Red Ale, and Milkshake Stout. Mike Plesz, president and founder, tells how “light can hurt beer,” even in colored glass bottles, and that cans are the way to go.

Brand new fermentation tanks and high-speed canning lines will allow the facility to produce 100,000 barrels per year. The building is large enough to increase to 200,000 barrels per year in the future. Plesz states, “This expansion is an investment in our future to make sure that they are ready to make as much beer as necessary to meet the demand.”

You’re Invited

A special public open house is scheduled for Saturday, May 12 from 1-5 p.m. and Rochester Mills “Mug Club” members may come an hour early at 12 noon. The tour is free and so are the samples. Keg beer will be on tap mid-May around town from the new production space. Then the first canned beer will start to roll out this summer.

Public tours will also be a regular feature of the facility once they are in the groove.

New Production Brewery
Rochester Mills Beer Co.
3275 Lapeer West Road (west of M24, just north of the I75 overpass)
Auburn Hills, MI

Visit their website for more info:  www.beercos.com

Restaurant and Brewery (Downtown Rochester)
Rochester Mills Beer Co.
400 Water Street
Rochester, MI 48307

Michael Dwyer is a freelance writer and travel columnist. Michael writes about happenings in the Rochester area, travels across Michigan and destinations around the world. Contact him at Michael@RochesterMedia.com

 
Main Street Survival
Written by Heidi Morris
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 21:57
1 Comment

The trucks are rumbling, the lampposts are down, and restless drivers are snaking their way around Rochester’s side streets. The reconstruction effort has wasted no time, and the street has quickly begun to be deconstructed first. There’s no doubt that when the project is complete, Rochester is in for a fresh visual appearance. What worries me, as an inch past block after block of heavy equipment, is the livelihood of our local independent merchants.

Without any prompting, my precocious six-year old voiced her concerns over how workers would get to their jobs on time. I conceded that she had just tipped the iceberg on the issues that arise in an undertaking this large. Workers may need to adjust their commute allowance, but additionally the community itself needs to embrace the music of jackhammers and the smell of dust if we want our storefronts to survive.

This won’t happen naturally. It requires for us to bravely and intentionally accommodate the time and effort to shop and eat downtown despite the construction. Until the construction is done, I’m vowing to shop or eat downtown at least once every week. For me, that embarrassingly is an increase, despite the fact I live in walking distance to Main Street. I feel convicted though to make this change now, as it is more important than ever.

I’m encouraging everyone I know to take up this challenge now to increase their frequenting of our wonderful small businesses. To encourage you, here’s a few ways I plan to start this week.

1. Kids gifts – We have a birthday party to attend Saturday. Froggy’s Toy Stop is our destination, as we have a special idea in mind already that we know they can fill.

2. Diet splurge – A month ago, I stopped in the new Holy Cannoli’s on a whim, and have not been able to get the craving for their decadent baklava out of my mind!

3. Oh, baby – Green Baby is my go-to place for special baby gifts, and it seems everyone I know is having a baby lately! I need to pick something up for a friend, something that will be the highest quality for her little one.

4. Raise a glass – On one of those amazing warm days, a friend and I stopped into Fieldstone Winery to see what it was like. I am so glad I did! I had no idea they can custom label wine bottles, a perfect gift idea for Mother’s day, and they also have some with local names, like Stoney Creek Sunset.

5. Eat up – We rarely eat out, because a few of us in our house are on restricted diets. But, I was impressed by Chomp and their gluten-free options the last time I ate there. And let me say, I had the best Gyro ever there. That’s saying a lot from a place that isn’t even Greek!

There are many, many other great places to stop in all through town, more than I have room to mention! Let’s keep the town as alive as ever, especially with some new places coming in even during all the chaos. We can make a big difference this summer, and our local merchants will appreciate it immensely!