Birmingham :
Featured Stories
Nicole Rupersburg
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Man does not live by gluten-free vegan cuisine alone. Some might argue that's not living at all. For all the love that's given to the how-green-is-my-garden folks, Metromode's Nicole Rupersburg feels it's time to give a big bloody hug to locals who want to put their incisors to good use.
Kim North Shine
Thursday, May 09, 2013
Houses are selling before they're listed. Buyers are getting into bidding wars. Sound familiar? No, it's not a return to the crazed real estate market of 2003... but a few metro Detroit communities are coming back with a vengeance. Why? Well, vibrant urban cores have a lot to do with it.
Kim North Shine
Thursday, February 28, 2013
There's little doubt that Michigan is the midwest's Horn Of Plenty. But how to wrangle all those delicious wines, ciders, jams, and treats from around the state into your pantry? The folks at Cherries & Grapes intend to make being a true-blue locavore as easy as a few clicks on your computer.
Nicole Rupersburg
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Metro Detroiters do not live by meat alone. For an increasing many, there must also be veggies, and nothing but. Metromode's Nicole Rupersburg offers up a guide to local restaurants devoted to vegetarian cuisine as well as places that include great meatless options.
Kim North Shine
Thursday, January 10, 2013
When you've been to the Super Bowl six times what else is there to do? For defensive tackle and Birmingham native Mike Lodish the answer was peanut brittle.
Nicole Rupersburg
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Metromode continues Nicole Rupersburg's two-part series on the region's new generation of restaurateurs and how they're changing Metro Detroit's dining landscape.
Nicole Rupersburg
Thursday, November 01, 2012
What's next for Metro Detroit eateries? Where can you find the best local dining scene? If you can't ask the guy who was just voted Michigan's "Chef Of The Year" who can you ask?
Patrick Dunn
Thursday, October 04, 2012
Let's face it, pumping gas is a drag. Not just the price, but the physical act of standing around watching the little LCD monitor add more debt to your credit card. Well, one man's boredom is another man's business opportunity. Enter GSTV, a successful Birmingham company that wants to put a TV at every gas pump.
Patrick Dunn
Thursday, July 26, 2012
The popularity of the drive-in movie theater may have faded but come summertime Metro Detroiters still seem to crave the experience of outdoor cinema. Metromode takes a quick tour of communities offering movie nights in their parks and downtowns.
Kim North Shine
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Sometimes entrepreneurial success is a matter of being in the right place at the right time and recognizing an opportunity when you see one. In the case of Cohiba's Beer Bones it meant letting the family dog chow down on some accidentally spilled home brewery ingredients.
Kim North Shine
Thursday, June 07, 2012
Anyone with kids knows that Legos are more than just a toy, they are a multi-colored, foot-impaling lifestyle... and the addiction of many a child. Meet Jonathan and Sarah Jacobs, the ultimate pushers. Realizing that kids need a makerspace of their own, the couple opened Birmingham's Robot Garage, a Lego and handmade robotics wonderland.
Nicole Rupersburg
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Every year lots of restaurants open in metro Detroit but few are able to distinguish themselves as dining destinations. What does it take to create an eatery that has its own sense of place? Metromode's Nicole Rupersburg chats with Hubert Yaro, co-owner of the iconoclastic Ronin and Commonwealth about the art of pioneering a stand-out business.
Metromode Staff
Thursday, March 08, 2012
Across the state, people are focusing on transportation initiatives to help move Michigan toward a vibrant, connected future. To accelerate that conversation, Transportation for Michigan will host the Michigan Transportation Odyssey, in which participants set off on a three-day voyage from Detroit Metro Airport to Traverse City using only Michigan’s transit systems. Metromode kicks things off with a speaker event on March 21st at The Reserve in Birmingham. Sign up now!
Natalie Burg
Thursday, March 01, 2012
Still unsure of the economic opportunities that accompany Metro Detroit's Arab-American melting pot? Well how does a $5.5-billion contract sound? For the rebuilding and development of Iraq it's only the tip of the iceberg, and our region is uniquely poised to be a part of that reconstruction. But economic gain is only one part of the equation. With reconstruction comes stability, and with stability comes peace. Think of it as building a better Michigan by building a better world.
Kim North Shine
Thursday, January 19, 2012
For decades national chains, the stores most American shop in, have set their sites on malls and shopping strips. But the times they are a-changing. Every year the focus and enthusiasm for downtown living and shopping grows. So, how do you integrate and accommodate national retail into a city's core? Metromode chats with Julie Fielder, Birmingham's go-to gal for putting stores into its downtown storefronts.
Tanya Muzumdar
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Ben Sharkey leads a truly 3D life. A designer at visualization tech firm Real Time Technology, he moonlights as a honey-smooth jazz vocalist. Okay, so he sings on the side, you say. Still, how many part time jazz singers do you know that boast YouTube fans in the hundreds of thousands?
Nicole Rupersburg
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Craft beers, heirloom produce, artisanal breads - not all foods are created equal. Now a network of local cafes are looking to get Metro Detroiters to reconsider that most sacred of beverages - the cup of Joe. Unconvinced? Consider this: Wine has 750 flavor profiles; coffee has 1500.
Dennis Archambault
Thursday, March 24, 2011
From the smokey cocktail parties of the '60s to the caffeine and Facebook fueled world of the Internet, advertising exec Marcie Brogan has seen it all. More importantly, she has embraced rather than resisted the inevitable changes in her industry. Metromode chats with her about the state of Metro Detroit's advertising firms -- past and present.
Kristin Lukowski
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Detroit was settled by the French and was once known as the Paris of the Midwest. So perhaps it's fitting that, mainly because of the automotive industry, there now exists a thriving French community in the metro area.
Jon Zemke
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Jon Citrin is not your everyday ordinary financial services guy. The 33-year-old entrepreneur has a distinctly next generation view of business that has grown his Birmingham-based office into a firm to watch. Metromode's Jon Zemke gets Citrin's opinions on building a business, creating successful internships, locating downtown, and evaluating Mick Jagger's economic acumen.
Jon Zemke
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Birmingham-based entrepreneur Melih Oztalay is an Internet veteran. As the founder of SmartFinds Internet Marketing he's witnessed and survived the roller coaster effects of the web-based economy. Jon Zemke chats with Oztalay about innovating, investing, and incentivizing entrepreneurship in Metro Detroit.
Jon Zemke
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Automobiles have done a lot of good for Michigan. But for Woodward Avenue, not so much. As the value of dense and vital downtowns becomes increasingly evident, leaders are rethinking the auto-only policies and practices of Metro Detoit's transportation spine.
Terry Parris Jr.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Downtown Birmingham's buttoned-up rep for professional offices and trendy boutiques only tells part of the story. Amidst the doctors, lawyers and financial consultants, Old Woodward's second story houses a little-seen collection of new economy businesses. From sports agents to "an incubator on steroids" Terry Parris Jr. uncovers the people you might not meet every day.
Michelle Martinez
Thursday, February 25, 2010
From Detroit to San Francisco and back again, Andrew Basile is rooting himself in Michigan in ways he never imaged. A successful lawyer, he's not only determined to bring Silicon Valley style-companies to the Motor City, he's established an incubator in Troy to make it happen. And as if that weren't enough, Basile has also become involved with evolving the Woodward Avenue corridor into a successful urban hub.
Tanya Muzumdar
Thursday, February 11, 2010
It's Metro Detroit's turn to wine (rather than whine). With Michigan now ranked 8th in the nation for wine production, wineries and wine bars are popping up around the region. Some are even winning medals. And that has inspired locals to get schooled in tasting and making their own. So, this weekend tip a glass to love... and the Mitten State.
Tanya Muzumdar
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Long after the high-voltage North American International Auto Show rolls up the red carpet, tourism remains a nearly $5 billion a year economic plug for Metro Detroit. Are visitors mapping out the region's praises or issuing their own travel advisories? Metromode takes a look from their vantage points.
Michelle Martinez
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Metro Detroit might want to look to the Basque region of Spain or Bologna, Italy for ideas on how to rejuvenate our local economy. Both communities have turned community-based enterprise into impressive long term successes.
Tanya Muzumdar
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Splitting her time between the Motor City suburbs and the Mile High City, Metromode's Tanya Muzumdar sees ideas and innovations ripe for importation. Maybe instead of going it alone, Metro Detroit should consider going West for some urban inspiration.
Tanya Muzumdar
Thursday, September 10, 2009
If you've never heard of transit-oriented development, it really needs a spot on your hot list. With a transit center planned for Birmingham and Troy, Metro Detroit is back to workin' on the railroad. But maybe the new D Train could take a lesson from the Santa Fe Express.
Jon Zemke
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Over a billion downloads can't be wrong! iPhone apps are the new gold rush of software development, turning backroom start-ups into overnight successes. And Metro Detroit is getting in on the action.
Terry Parris Jr.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
You don't have to go to New York City or Chicago to get top-of-the-world views. Urban professionals are rethinking the traditional big house, big yard template of living, and moving into downtown high rises. From Royal Oak to Birmingham to Ann Arbor, Metromode gives you a sense of what it means to be "movin' on up" in Metro Detroit.
Jon Zemke
Thursday, July 30, 2009
From households to businesses to city government, everyone is in belt-tightening mode. But if there's one thing Metromode believes, it's that necessity is the mother of invention. A few Metro Detroit communities have come up with innovative and inexpensive ways to revitalize their downtowns. Time to take notes!
Jeff Meyers
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Metro Detroit is big. Really big. And not all scenes are created equal. Finding the right restaurant, the right nightclub, even the right place to buy naughty underthings can be daunting. Metromode feels your pain. That's why we created our Insider Guides. Come on in and we'll explain it all to you.
Chris McCarus
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Michigan is not exactly known for its multi-culturalism, but in this Obama age, stereotypes can be broken. A jazz and pop master from the Ivory Coast is playing Dick Odow’s Pub in Birmingham Friday night. He also played in a 14 year old kid's basement in Birmingham this week. Michigan Now's Chris McCarus was there.
Lucy Ament
Thursday, December 11, 2008
While there's no shortage of big box multiplexes in Metro Detroit, the region also boasts a handful of vintage and offbeat movie houses that make a trip to the theater all the more magical. Not only do these venues offer a wider range of cinema, we at Metromode swear the popcorn tastes better.
Lucy Ament
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Most designers want to make bold statements, to put their signature on high profile projects. Brothers Erik and Israel Nordin of Detroit Design Center have more modest goals. They want to make their mark in the mundane, reinventing the functional design of components in residential and commercial spaces while bringing a new aesthetic to Metro Detroit.
Melinda Clynes
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Now that the waning days of summer are upon us, the opportunities to sip and sup by moonlight are dwindling. Metromode points you toward some of Metro Detroit's best patios, decks and balconies for outdoor drinking and dining.
Chris Handyside
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Despite the all-encompassing digital age, vinyl has gotten its groove back, filling a high-end niche that CDs and MP3s just can't seem to scratch. Metromode crunches the numbers, charts the trends and points you toward Metro Detroit's best (and still thriving) LP peddlers.
Jon Zemke
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Monday morning's big light rail announcement would mean great things for Metro Detroiters yearning for a transit alternative. If the plan comes to fruition, it would be boom time for the Woodward Corridor.
Melinda Clynes
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
No longer content to sup on artisanal wine, bread and cheese, SE Michigan's foodies have extended their quest for the authentic into the realm of desserts. From old world pastries to gourmet chocolates to high-falutin' cupcakes, Metro Detroit's sweet tooth has grown sophisticated. And a few smart cookies are cashing in on their cravings.
Lucy Ament
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Southeast Michigan's community art centers not only offer locals the opportunity to experience and express artistic inspiration but also to score a budding Monet or Picasso at bargain prices.
Jon Zemke
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Basho said, "Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home." Some Metro Detroiters are taking those words to heart and making their house the adventure.
Jon Zemke
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Southeast Michigan is replete with literary talent, drawing from the corridors of its hallowed halls of higher learning, the working class experiences on the shop floors and the rough edges of its gritty inner city.
Clare Pfeiffer Ramsey
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The
'D' brand isn't just about pulling in conventions and tourists. With
the D Brand Summit, branding gurus are showing us how the power of the
'D' can also attract more talent and business to the region.
Tanya Muzumdar
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Looking for a New Year's resolution? Whether it's teaching kids to write or maintaining park trails, volunteerism is changing Metro Detroit for the better. As anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has."
Jon Zemke
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Could Metro Detroit have its own version of Sand Hill or Research Triangle Park? Local business and political leaders along with Detroit Renaissance certainly think so. They see Woodward Avenue, with its cultural and educational institutions and string of developing downtowns as ground zero for a new economy sector dubbed, "The Creative Corridor."
Jon Zemke
Thursday, November 15, 2007
If you view mass transit as merely a means of getting from Point A to Point B or as a social service for those who can't afford to buy a car, think again. Mass transit attracts investment. Big investment. Community changing investment. The kind of investment that could revitalize not only Detroit but most of southeast Michigan.
Nancy Kaffer
Thursday, October 25, 2007
As Gen-Xers become homebuyers and baby boomers become empty nesters, seniors are reconsidering their suburban retirement options and choosing downtown living. These "ruppies" bring more than just money to urban neighborhoods, they also bring a commitment to getting involved.
Tanya Muzumdar
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Food, glorious food. What more could you ask for?
Amy E. Whitesall
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Job, schmob. Location is where it's at. More and more young professionals are settling into communities that match their lifestyle, then finding jobs that complete the picture.
Tanya C. Muzumdar
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Forget air conditioned movie theaters and malls. Why not beat the heat and burn a few calories while you're at it? Southeast Michigan is home to three world-class ice skating facilities, training both national champions and Olympic competitors.
Scott Paul Dunham
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Like American Idol, each year local startups strut their stuff at the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium, presenting in 'lightning round' pitch sessions for the attention of venture capital managers and angel investors. But support can mean more than just a quick infusion of cash, it can also spell success for Michigan's economy.
Melinda Clynes
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Music takes us out of the actual and whispers to us dim secrets that startle our wonder as to who we are." Clearly the man loved his polka. metromode offers up a Summer Music Festival guide worth singing about.
Maud Lyon
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Our guest blogger for this week is Maud Lyon. Maud is the founding director of the Cultural Alliance, and a consultant for numerous nonprofit organizations.Check back here each week day to read Maud's thoughts on the state of arts and culture in Michigan.
Michael Brennan
Thursday, June 07, 2007
United Way president Michael Brennan examines the importance of continued success over time in the fifth installment of his series on a Community of Progress.
Amy E. Whitesall
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Green and urban. More than a contradiction in terms, they're now a movement. Local architects and developers are starting to adopt 'bioregional' philosophy that asks: What does it take to build a sustainable city?
Tracy Koe Wick
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Our guest blogger for this week is Tracy Koe Wick. Tracy is Principal of The Kirkwood Group, a real estate consulting firm that markets and promotes new mid-rise and high-rise condominium and loft communities. Check back here each week day to read Tracy's thoughts on the emerging trend of Live/Work residences in suburban Detroit cities.
The United Way
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Mass transit is a hot topic at water coolers throughout southeast Michigan. United Way and Metromode are interested in your thoughts on our region’s transportation options.
Dan Gilmartin
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Dan Gilmartin is our guest blogger this week. He is the youngest executive director in the 108 year history of the Michigan Municipal League. Dan previously served as the League's deputy director and as an advocate in Lansing and in Washington, where he concentrated on transportation, land use and urban redevelopment. Check back here each week day to read Dan's thoughts on regionalism and how we can build the kind of community that attracts knowledge-based workers.
United Way
Thursday, May 17, 2007
While Metro Detroit has been identified as one of the most racially segregated regions in the nation, our growing diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Metromode, United Way, and New Detroit are interested in your thoughts on race relations in this community.
Jon Zemke
Thursday, May 17, 2007
"Conventional Wisdom is often wrong." Whether he's writing about abortion, crack dealers or penalty kicks in soccer, "Freakonomic's" author Steven Levitt raises eyebrows and blood pressures with his findings. After a recent lecture at WSU, the rogue economist trained his sights on the Mitten State.
Todd Palmer
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Todd Palmer is our guest blogger this week. Todd founded Diversified Industrial Staffing, a company that provides staffing for manufacturing, construction and logistics businesses, and Diversified PEOple, a professional employer organization for small businesses. He sits on the board of directors for the Detroit Chapter of Entrepreneur’s Organization, and is a recent graduate of the Birthing of Giants class held at MIT. Check back each week day to read Todd's thoughts on keeping, identifying and attracting talent.
Kimberly Chou
Thursday, May 10, 2007
As the buzz for biofuel grows, Michigan has the opportunity to capitalize on its rural and auto-based communities and emerge as a true innovator. Can a state historically dependent on mineral-based energy play a leading role in the national movement toward alternative fuels?
Brian Balasia
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Brian Balasia is our guest blogger this week. Brian founded
Digerati Solutions while an aerospace engineering student at U of M. He currently sits on the board of directors for the Detroit Regional Chamber, WIRED, and the U of M Alumni Society.
Check back here each week day to read Brian's thoughts on attracting talent to SE Michigan and nurturing innovation.
Jon Zemke
Thursday, May 03, 2007
The time has come for Michigan to make bold choices about how to transform its economy, communities and culture. metromode offers up a trio of initiatives and ideas that challenge conventional thinking and dare the state to think big.
Kelli B. Kavanaugh
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Food that travels 1500 miles to reach your table defies anyone's notion of "fresh." Isn't it time we traded in McDonald's for Old MacDonald?
Roger Gullickson
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Roger Gullickson is our guest blogger this week. Roger is the President and CEO of MVP Collaborative since 1996. He moved to Michigan in 1989 to head FTD's Marketing Group after an international career with Tenneco and Case Corporation.
Check back here each weekday to read Roger's thoughts on Michigan's need for renewal and how it can achieve it.
Tanya C. Muzumdar & Jeff Meyers
Thursday, April 19, 2007
If you've got two good legs, a few hours a week and a whole lot of willpower, SE Michigan has got pretty much everything you need to maintain a constant level of runner's high.
Dennis King
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Dennis King is our guest blogger this week. Dennis is President of American Institute of Architects, Michigan and Chairman and CEO of Harley Ellis Devereaux, an award-winning, full-service archittecture firm. Check back here each weekday to read Dennis' thoughts on National Architecture Week and how design and architecture have a profound impact on quality of life.
Michael J. Brennan
Thursday, April 05, 2007
To be a community of progress, the development of next generation civic leadership is a requirement of current leadership, says United Way for Southeastern Michigan president Michael J. Brennan.
Pavan Muzumdar
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Pavan Muzumdar is our guest blogger this week. Pavan is the CEO of MV Software Company and a coach for the Great Lakes Entrepreneurs Quest business plan competition.Check back here every weekday to read Pavan's thoughts about competing in the global marketplace.
Walter Wasacz
Thursday, March 29, 2007
From Parliament-Funkadelic to the Stooges to the entire stable of Motown artists to today's techno pioneers, metro Detroit isn't the next anything, it is a musical force of nature. Panelists at a recent MOCAD event waxed poetic about our region's reputation for revolutionary sound.
Jim Townsend
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Jim Townsend is our guest blogger this week. He is the executive director of the
Tourism Economic Development Council, serves on the Board of Directors of the
Michigan Suburbs Alliance, which he founded in 2002, and lives with his family in Royal Oak.
Check back here every weekday to read Jim's thoughts about branding our region.
Kurt Metzger
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Attracting and keeping talent here comes down to quality of life. United Way and metromode asked you what you thought of education, public safety, and arts and culture in SE Mich. Here are some of the first results from that survey.
Jon Zemke
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Professionals across Metro Detroit are ditching their cubicles and "Office Space" culture for cafes, coffee shops and libraries. All these 21st Century professionals need is a lap top, a Wi-Fi connection and a hot cup of Joe to make their way in Michigan's new knowledge-based economy.
Francis X. Arvan and Walter Wasacz
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Five S.E. Michigan architects discuss how the wood, steel, glass and concrete of our built environment reflect who we are, and where we are headed.
Lou Glazer
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Here's Post No. 4 from Lou Glazer, the president of Ann Arbor-based Michigan Future Inc., a think-tank that is a resource of ideas for how Michigan can and should reshape its economy. Check back daily for more of Glazer's thoughts.
Mike Ramsey
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Ann Arbor needs Detroit. Detroit needs Ann Arbor. As much as these places are their own communities, they need one another more than ever.
Doug Rothwell
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Metromode's guest blogger this week is Doug Rothwell, president of Detroit Renaissance. Here's what he has to say about transforming the region's economy.