GTEC USA will resume its Crystal River culvert replacement work on June 15 at the crossing near the corner of M-22 and County Road 675, close to The Mill. This project will include removal of the existing culverts and replacement with a 65-foot steel bridge by the end of August. CR 675 will be closed to thru traffic from M-22 to S Westman Road, and rerouted for the duration of the project. Two previous Crystal River culvert projects were completed last year.
Our story series celebrating songs inspired by Leelanau County and the Sleeping Bear Dunes continues with Laura Hood’s “Eddy Up,” which the retired music teacher and Cedar resident first wrote for The Leelanau School’s graduating class of 2000. For the past 25 years, Hood has performed “Eddy Up” as the benediction music at the school’s graduation ceremony, sending the graduating seniors off into the big wide world, and giving the families and school community a moment to reflect on the growth and pride of such an important transition in life.
Jeff and Patty Brandt planned to retire to Glen Arbor. Jeff beat his wife to the punch, selling his business a couple years ago. He became a stay-at-home dad at their home in Connecticut, while Patty commuted to New York City. Then they found out Synchronicity was for sale. Goodbye retirement, hello art gallery. “I retired until I bought Synchronicity,” Jeff says with a laugh. The family had purchased a home on Big Glen but weren’t ready to commit to anything until they moved here. Then a friend told the Brandts that one of their favorite galleries was quietly for sale. “We knew we wanted than just a house. When the business came up, it was meant to be,” says Jeff.
When Tim Barr walked out of Art’s Tavern late on Saturday night, it represented the final time he closed Glen Arbor’s iconic establishment as its owner. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Barb and Paul Olson will officially become Art’s fourth owners since Prohibition. The storied venue will reopen on Wednesday. “The first question people have asked me is ‘Will you take credit cards?’ Nope. ‘Will you change anything?’ Nope,” Paul Olson told the Sun. Everything will remain: the pennants on the walls and ceiling, the Christmas decorations, the retractable pool table, the shot ski. All of it. It’s been so much fun to tell people who get Art’s that we’re buying it. The people who get the history, the special place it is. Art’s is an iconic restaurant. I just want to be its steward.” Read more about Art’s history and previous owners Tim Barr and Bonnie Nescot’s legacy in Glen Arbor.
Get ready to indulge during the 11th annual Glen Lake Restaurant Week. From casual bites to gourmet dining, participating locations will feature specials or a prix-fixe menu that highlight the best of the local culinary scene. Whether you’re craving comfort food, fresh ingredients, exquisite drinks, or an elevated dining experience, there’s something for every palate. Some may also offer breakfast, lunch and dinner specials in accordance with their own hours and offerings. For special menus and the full lineup of participating businesses, click here.
The Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District will host the fourth district-wide Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 19, at the M22 Glen Arbor store. The afternoon will be full of Easter activities with spring drink specials and Peep S’mores by the fires. The event will kick off at 12:30 pm with the Easter Bunny arriving via kayak on the river.
Longtime Glen Arbor custodian Leonard Ole Thoreson, passed away on March 15 at age 98. Thoreson was born on November 28, 1926, in Port Oneida (on the Thoreson Farm). As a young boy his father worked the fields with horses until he purchased the Ford Tractor that is on the farm today. A lifelong resident of Leelanau County, Thoreson served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a dedicated member of St. Philip Neri Catholic Church.
On Thursday, March 13, from 4 to 7pm, The Mill in Glen Arbor will once again offer live music. Partnering with Inn and Trail Gourmet, Detroit’s hottest indie-roots group, Jackamo, made up of Alison and Tessa Wiercioch on vocals and song writing, and Jimmy Showers, guitarist/song writer, will make their northern Michigan debut at The Mill.
Gather your friends and embark on a fun-filled Galentine’s Night in Glen Arbor on Friday, Feb. 7, from 4–7 pm. Enjoy a night of shopping, recreation, and special activities at participating businesses—whether you’re celebrating Galentine’s Day or simply looking for a fun night out.
Can a brilliant career be born from a moment of angst while hunched over a bathtub? If you’re Lissa Edwards, that’s a yes. “From the time I was cognizant of anything, I loved Glen Arbor. And I always knew I wanted to be a writer,” she says. Laughing, the proprietor of Glen Arbor Wines professes, “I often say I can write and I can pour wine; those are my only two skills. I have no others!” Nine months ago, Edwards retired from what is now called Traverse, Northern Michigan, where her career as a writer and editor spanned almost four decades. Throughout, Edwards mastered the ability of sussing out compelling stories where no one else was looking. Her ideas were virtually inexhaustible and her process uniquely her own—so much so that her colleagues coined the affectionate term “Lissariffic.”