Ethan Przekaza and Meg Doby’s boomerang home

From staff reports

One of Michigan’s most acute problems during the economic downturn over the past couple decades has been the state’s “brain drain” — the bleeding of young talent and native youth, who’ve left for greener pastures — Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Colorado.

It’s also a problem for Leelanau County, this tourist paradise whose year-round population grows older each year. Here in Glen Arbor, the average age, according to the 2010 census, is 63. Jobs in this seasonal economy are plentiful, but buying or renting a home, or land, is nearly impossible for a middle-class millennial who wants to stay in Glen Arbor, or return to the nest after testing the wider waters.

Benzie County natives Ethan Przekaza and Meg Doby — the latest in our occasional series on northern Michigan boomerangs — are exceptions to the rule. Earlier this year they moved back from Colorado, bought a house in nearby Beulah and landed work in March at Matt and Katy Wiesen’s Crystal River Outfitters in Glen Arbor. Ethan is a service supervisor at The Cyclery and Meg manages the M22 store. They are thrilled to be back and enjoying their lives together in one of the most beautiful places in the world.” We asked them why they “boomeranged” back, what they left behind, and what this region could do to attract young talent home.

Glen Arbor Sun: Why did you two return “home” to Glen Arbor/Beulah after leaving the area? And where had you been?

Ethan Przekaza: Meg and I returned to the area for numerous reasons, one of the biggest was after living away for many years and exploring other states we realized what a unique and special place northern Michigan is, especially for our lifestyle. We wanted to be able to purchase a house in this area and call it home. Another big factor was that we both still have strong connections with family and close friends in the area that we wanted to be closer to. Also for the last six years we lived in Denver which had no sense of community, we felt like we were just two people out of a million which makes it hard to make connections and feel like you’re more than just another face.

Sun: What did you miss most about this area while you were away?

Przekaza: I think the thing we missed the most was the lifestyle that northern Michigan offered for young people like us. We desired a better sense of community and a slightly slower pace of life than Denver could offer. Another thing we missed dearly was the abundance of water and the activities that it offers.

Sun: Did you have any second thoughts about returning here? What did you have to give up to move here?

Przekaza: We did have some second thoughts or at least strong concerns about moving back — one of the biggest being employment. We were coming from a big city with many opportunities for employment and moving to an area with very limited options. However the skills that we (acquired) at our jobs in Denver made us confident that we would be able to do (right) for ourselves. And once we made the connection with our friend Gretchen Schuman and the company she works for (Crystal River Outfitters) we almost had no concerns.

Sun: What kind of impact do you think you’ve been able to have, as young people, on the community?

Przekaza: It has been a busy few months since we arrived. I hope the impact we can have in the future will be to have a fresh perspective on the area and life in general and bring that into our community.

Sun: What could Glen Arbor, and Leelanau County in general, do to attract more talented young people back to this area?

Przekaza: I think one thing this area could do is continue to be open minded about change and growth which would provide more jobs for young people. Also I think it would be beneficial for the county to continue to develop its recreational options. This would provide sources of employment and draw in young skilled people from all over.