Century-old Glen Lake Manor reopens its doors

From staff reports Nancy Wright is at it again. Four summers after she and Janet Niewold bid Le Bear Restaurant goodbye to make way for Dominic Moceri’s gigantic Le Bear Resort at the north end of Lake Street in Glen Arbor, Wright is charging onto the local scene once again. The 100-year-old Glen Lake Manor, […]

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Empire renews Breakfast at Tiffany’s

By Jane Greiner Sun contributor Breakfast will be just one of the features at the revamped Tiffany’s Café in Empire under the management of Ashlea Walter. The local community leader is giving the business a new lease on life after taking over from Dick Owen who ran the ice cream shop for the past 25 […]

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Maybings is Ripe in the Land of the Sleeping Bear

By Norm Wheeler Sun editor A colander of noodles floats in a pot of boiling water in the steamy corner of the kitchen. On the stovetop, savory bubbles pop through homemade Thai Peanut sauce. Sarah Jane Grierson says, “I’m just helping,” as she starts a batch of Sweet & Sour sauce from scratch. The weekend […]

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Dive into lovely lavender soaps on Lake Street

By Jacob Wheeler Sun editor Cookie Thatcher prefers to think of her blends of lavender soaps as “flavors,” and that makes her the new chemist in town. At her new shop, Bay Lavenders, next to Becky Thatcher Designs on Lake Street in Glen Arbor, she uses only essential oils, free of manmade perfumes, and mixes […]

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Frontier Construction LLC is Ripe in the Land of the Sleeping Bear

By Norm Wheeler Sun contributing editor Another chapter in the story of ambitious young locals starting up their own business features Joel Diotte, 33, Matt Diotte, 32, Jeff Cook, 32, and Pete Stern, 36: the Frontier Group LLC. Now affiliated with ICF Energy Star Homes, the Frontier Group is constructing a spec home in the […]

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Petoskey Pete’s skips into Arbor Light building

By Jacob Wheeler Sun editor Bubba and Roger Popa are learning all the knickknacks and intricacies of the old Arbor Light building. They own the clothing outfit called Petoskey Pete’s, which moved out of the Mercantile Building on M-22 over the winter and into Glen Arbor’s grand dame on Lake Street. A fixture in town […]

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Restaurant mogul Frank embraces Friendly Empire

By Pat Stinson Sun contributor New restaurant mogul, Frank Lerchen, couldn’t be more modest about his transition from general manager of two restaurant-taverns to owner of three local food service establishments in less than six months, here in the seasonally somnolent village of Empire. As Frank tells it, he was being groomed for ownership for […]

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Taghon’s New Garage is ripe in the Land of the Sleeping Bear

By Norm Wheeler Sun editor One of Empire’s longest running businesses just packed up and left its historic digs on the corner of M-22 and M-72. Taghon’s Auto Service Garage has been a fixture in the village of Empire since 1924 when Charles and Louise Taghon established a car repair shop on the current site […]

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Chamber takes show on road

By Jane Greiner Sun contributor The Glen Lake Chamber of Commerce has been stepping out in new directions. This year’s participation in the Leelanau Business Expo is just one example of how the chamber is looking for new ways to make itself useful and fun. At the Expo kickoff breakfast the chamber gave a lively, […]

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A Whale’s Story

Fine beer brewed from local landmark’s inspiration By Daniel Herd Sun contributor On a cooling fall day, the sharp wind catches hold of a few remaining gold leaves, tearing them from an oak that sits on the eastern slope of the whaleback. Covered with evergreens, the front of this dune is soon to turn white […]

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