Love Local Project; Clawson!
During these crazy times I couldn’t help but think of all the amazing men and women I knew that had put so much on the line and started their own business. Restaurants, retail, coffee shops, gyms, service based businesses, and many more. To be honest, I was feeling a little sad when I pondered what would be left standing. It’s naive to think that our delicate economy won’t be dramatically impacted by small businesses that are struggling through these difficult times. I’ve heard from many people on social media “that’s just the name of the game” or “they took a risk and they knew what was at stake.” I think we can all agree that when something as dramatic as this economic crisis happens, no one is safe. Even medical professionals are being laid off! So, small business owners are not the only ones taking a risk. I haven’t worked for corporate America since 2013 when my job was at stake because we were surprised by the pregnancy of our first daughter. And there seems to be a few misconceptions about what a small business actually is, so I thought I should share some interesting facts:
“The standard definition of a small business includes operations with up to $7 million in revenue or 500 employees, depending on the industry. And there are countless exceptions, with revenue thresholds set as high as $35.5 million, and employee counts as high as 1,500!”
“There are 30.2 million small businesses in this country, which comprise a whopping 99.9% of all United States businesses. As a note, we pulled this statistic from the SBA Office of Advocacy, which defines a small business as a firm with fewer than 500 employees.”
“Small businesses collectively represent one of the largest employers in the country, employing around 58.9 million people. That amounts to 47.5 percent of the private workforce, or nearly one in two people you know, according to Statistics of U.S. Business. Health care and social assistance represented the industries with the highest small business employment. They employed a collective 8,687,568 people at small businesses in 2015.” -Manasa Reddigari
After I did a little digging and learning that small business is more that just an etsy creator, I knew I wanted to do something to positively impact this very important aspect of my community.
Then, my dear friend Nicole Rall posted a live video on Facebook announcing an amazing idea. Nicole lives in Milford, MI. It’s a similar town as Clawson. Small and unique with a strong community behind it. Nicole is a photographer and proposed to photograph the businesses and their owners. It started as a way to support them through this difficult time and provide some publicity to the small town. When I heard her plans I immediately asked her if I could “steal her idea.” Nicole sweetened the deal even more and offered to photograph my little town, Clawson, with me! Very quickly we had a growing list of businesses who wanted to participate. If you aren’t familiar with Nicole’s skills, check out her website or follow her on Instagram.
We had a list of excited kick-ass small business owners and a beautiful afternoon to capture the 2.2 square miles of downtown Clawson. I asked each owner a few questions to shed light on what they have been doing to stay connected to the community, what services they have been offering, and how we could support them. Here is the result!
Clawson Makers Market now known as Cultivate Arts
“To keep our business open, we followed executive order and closed retail and started an online store for our 50+ Makers! We also used our space and resources to make over 5,000 PPE masks and surgical caps for medical, frontline and our community. All PPE is FREE to medical personnel, but we do now offer them to curbside walk in business for the community. The online store was such a success we have decided to keep it. But people always love to browse a great artist market, so we look forward to Executive Order that will allow us to reopen our inside Marketspace. Summer will bring outdoor art, produce, honey, eggs and flowers on Saturdays and Sundays as well as art classes and events. We celebrated out first year in business March 1st of this year, now are super excited to (re)acquaint June 1, 2020.”
“We have lent out over 5000 lbs of equipment! We continue to publish workouts via our mobile training app and also host nightly Zoom workouts with our assistant Coach Jess Roberts. Currently our facility is closed, when we reopen we plan to operate as normal by appointment only with capacity at 25% during the initial opening phase. Our members will have designated training zones to provide ample room to complete daily workouts and to receive instruction from their coach. We are stocked up on the necessary cleaning supplies and will be sticking to a regimented sanitation schedule daily. Members and potential new members can purchase class memberships, athletic strength training, personal training, or open gym services by contacting the club directly at motorcitybarbell@gmail.com. Motor City Barbell and Fitness Club has been Clawson's strongest growing gym since January 2017 (3.5 years). As the owner, I have been training in the Metro Detroit Area since April 2012 after departing the Marine Corps.”
Montage Grill - now know as Whiskey Taco Foxtrot
What are you currently doing to keep your business open?
“We've really been focused on keeping consistent hours during this time of inconsistency. My core team has been so supportive. They have been working every day open to close with me to ensure we are able to provide an overall great experience for our customers. This has forced us to be creative. At the onset of the stay at home order, we began accepting and matching donations for meals for first responders. This provided us the opportunity to engage the community in supporting those that are on the front lines every day and at the same time, show our appreciation. We have reached out to a few non-profits that have been receiving funds from the government to purchase carry out food for their clients and have set up weekly caterings that are both affordable for them and helpful for us. We've partnered up with Clawson PTOs to provide lunches for their teachers during teacher appreciation week. Overall being strong supportive community partners has helped us keep consistent business.”
How long have you been in business?
“Montage Grill has been open for about 3 years, We took over March 8th with plans to re-brand as Whiskey Taco Foxtrot. We've postponed this until we are able to start having guests in our restaurant but we are looking forward to celebrating our name change with this wonderful community.”
Vikki was a treat to meet; a real sweetheart and had so many kind things to say about her fellow business owners in downtown <3 She had this to share about her adorable boutique:
Through the shut down she has been hosting live sales on Facebook, and adding new inventory to Instagram and our website daily.
Pumachug purchased their current location, E. 14 mile Rd. in December of 2019. They put out a survey to the community to ask us what we wanted, and boy did they listen. Their menu includes many of the requests submitted in the survey like craft sandwiches, killer pizza, and healthy food options. Plenty of cocktails and beer to choose from as well! “We will have simple, approachable, affordable food - executed with high quality fresh ingredients. We have a thoughtful mix of beer, wine, and cocktails. Our restaurant is an awesome neighborhood spot for both a casual happy hour or a fun date night. We can't wait to serve you!”
You might be wondering where they got their unique name “Pumachug.” I had the same question when I had the honor of meeting Tyler and Andrea.
“In the 1800s, there was a sawmill (our corner) and a cider mill on the corners of 14 mile and Livernois. As people came through town, they dubbed the area "Pummachug and the corners" because of the pumma-chug-pumma-chug-pumma-chug sound of the two mills. It was a nickname before Clawson officially became a city. Variations include Pummachug, Pummychug, and our choice - Pumachug.”
You can follow them and check out their menu on Facebook and Instagram.
When we stopped by Woodpile BBQ Shack they were VERY busy so two of their stellar employees posed for us. Marian Vassallo and Melainah Alford. Aren’t they so cute?
Woodpile has been open and offering curbside throughout the shelter in place. They have this Clawson location, which provides outdoor seating, and a Madison Heights location. You can place an order with the Clawson location by calling (248) 565-8149
“Barbecue should be smoked and shared with family and friends, and Woodpile BBQ Shack believes in and practices nothing less. Our four owners have known each other and great food for years now, and are looking forward to sharing wonderful barbecue, comfort food, and ice cream with Metro Detroit and beyond.”
“Food transcends barriers and brings people together. Families become closer, acquaintances become friends, people become whole. Food is our culture, our center, our spirit. Join us in celebrating and sharing authentically traditional and uniquely creative recipes that will last in the memories of the people who matter most.”
White Wolf has been selling bulk goods such as flour and eggs and offering curbside of their delicious baked goods and drinks. Customers have been taking advantage of ordering through White Wolf’s online store and picking up curbside. Matcha latte, strawberry crepe cake, and cream pan pull apart bread are some of my personal favorites. But I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they will begin offering an assortment of sake, beer, and hard cider. Wooooh!
To stay up to date on all things delicious:
248-268-3349 info@whitewolfbakery.com or subscribe to their email list on www.whitewolfbakery.com
This has truly been a bright-spot in an otherwise confusing time. I feel blessed to be part of such a strong little community and have something I can do to support local, besides copious amounts of take-out. I hope this project brings a smile to your face, lifts your spirits, and inspires you to support Clawson and your local community. There were a few businesses that had wanted to participate that were not available during this because they were not open. I’ll likely have more to add in the future!
