RIP Tim Nichols, the longtime owner of Glen Arbor’s popular Riverfront Pizza, who passed away on May 6 at age 75. A memorial service will be held for Tim on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 2-4 pm at the Glen Lake Fire Hall.
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This summer means now. A sign reading “Opening this Summer” inside the window at Millie’s, the new pizza and ice cream restaurant on the footprint of the famed Riverfront Pizza, has been replaced by a new sign that reads “Grand Opening” and “Thursday to Sunday 12 pm to 8 pm.” Millie’s holds its grand opening on Thursday, Aug. 10, and features made-from-scratch “Roman Pizza al Taglio,” known for its semi-thick, light and fluffy interior and crispy exterior. Pizza slices, which cost $5 or $6 each, offer cheese, pepperoni, sausage and onion, or mushroom and roasted garlic. For dessert, Millie’s features ice cream in two flavors—cinnamon toast and dark cherry—crafted from a rich, custard base that uses cream, whole milk, sugar, salt and egg yolks. The restaurant is managed by Fernhaus Studio hospitality group, whose team also runs The Mill, another time-honored Glen Arbor landmark on the Crystal River, The Riverside in Leland, and Brew in Traverse City.
The Crystal River Outfitters Recreation District on Glen Arbor’s east end, which includes the M22 and Coastal retail stores, is attracting customers to its Strolling Lights Festival, which continues through New Year’s Day. According to Katy Wiesen, who owns the three businesses together with her husband Matt, the year ahead will yield a new building across M-22 in the vacant lot which previously housed Riverfront Pizza & Deli.
The business dynamic in Glen Arbor is in flux. A recent walk from one end of town to the other to ask “What’s the buzz?” took four hours because so much is happening. Both facts and rumors abound. And it’s the youthful energy of several newer business owners that is leading the transition.
Owners Tim and Sue Nichols began Riverfront Pizza in 1982, which has become the go-to eatery for locals and visitors alike. They pride themselves in creating delicious, homemade dishes with the abundance of fresh foods that the area has to offer. Come relax on our deck next to the clear waters of the Crystal River, relax, and enjoy a meal at Riverfront.
Sand in your sandwich is not a nuisance, but welcomed nostalgia. If you’re ready to pack your beach bags with too much food and drink, and slap down your territorial towel flags, here’s a breakdown of some of the best places to get stocked up for your next beach picnic in “the County.”
She didn’t want to become “the crazy cat lady collecting pets.” So Sue Nichols became a volunteer for AC Paw, a regional pet rescue. “There are too many (homeless) animals and it was making me crazy,” said Nichols, the owner of Riverfront Deli, 6281 W. River Road/ M-22 in Glen Arbor. “Just writing a check wasn’t enough anymore.”
If a tree could be a person, then the mulberry tree shading the grassy bank behind Riverfront Pizza & Specialties in Glen Arbor would be a kindly grandmother, offering shelter beneath her outstretched arms, inviting children to climb in her lap, and giving treats to her visitors — at least for a couple of weeks each year.
“M-22 is all about the northern Michigan lifestyle,” an excited Matt Wiesen says while standing behind the wine counter at his and wife Katy’s new apparel store and tasting room in Glen Arbor. “It’s about a glass of wine on the boat, beaches, bonfires and a laid-back attitude.”