MUNISING -- The business scene in Munising can somewhat be described as seasonal. Most of the profits earned in the city usually come from summer traffic.
Munising has a population of 2,500, but summer events can help the city reach a population of over four times that. This is why it's so important to be active in business, especially for the summer.
And this summer looks especially promising. They'll host a new event, Flanneljack Fest in July, to highlight lumberjack history.
Along with the festivities, there are plans for local businesses to be involved in the action.
Businesses will take the opportunity every other month to meet with each other.
"Yes, we have a business after hours coming up and that's going to be June 13 and that's going to go from 6 to 7:30 p.m.," said Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Kathy Reynolds. "It's going to be at the Garden Bay Winery and this helps, not only because they're a new business, to introduce them to the community, but also helps with networking with the local businesses and business owners and the people that work there."
The Downtown Development Authority was recently awarded $80,000 in facade grants. They plan to use the money to pay for aesthetic upgrades in the community. That includes new gateway and directory signs in the downtown area, and starting next week, they'll paint a large mural on the side of the Falling Rock.
With H-58 now open between Munising and Grand Marais, they're expecting more traffic through the area.
"From a city standpoint, it's really encouraging to see business owners step up, even in a depressed economic time," said Chamber of Commerce President Tom Dolaskie. "They get encouraged by the challenge."
Want a further sign of optimism in Munising? New businesses have opened up, including a cigarette rolling shop, a hot dog restaurant, and a winery.
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