Michigan Small Business Spotlight

Community Choice Awards

You voted. Here are your winners, one small business from every region, plus your favorite Michigan realtor.

Happy Sunday, Michigan.

Something special happened this week. You showed up, you voted, and the results are in. From the Upper Peninsula all the way down to the southeast corner, you picked five small businesses worth celebrating, one from each of our regions. You also crowned your favorite Michigan realtor, and that race wasn't even close.

One more thing before we dive in. We're now nearly 1,000 subscribers strong here in the newsletter, and that still amazes me. Thank you for being part of this. Now let's hand out the awards.

Your Community Choice Small Businesses

One winner from every region, chosen by you.

Southeast Michigan

Commerce Township

What started as a mother and daughter who simply loved shopping and decorating has grown into one of the most charming local shops around. Walk in and you'll find clothing, jewelry, purses, candles, and home decor, all handpicked with a real eye for the pieces that make you smile. Nothing here feels mass produced or chosen by some corporate buyer a thousand miles away. It's picked by two people who genuinely love this stuff and love helping you find something special. They've grown from one store into two, with locations in Commerce and Clarkston, which tells you everything about how much this community has embraced them. When you shop small like this, you're not just grabbing a gift or a new outfit, you're helping a family live out something they built together. Congratulations to the whole team. Now go treat yourself, you've earned it.

Visit It's So Cute →

West Michigan

Holton

Every small town needs a place like Craig's, and Holton is lucky to have one of the good ones. This is a true local hardware store, stocked with lumber, tools, and building supplies, and run by people who actually know what they're talking about. Ask a question here and you won't get a shrug and a pointed finger. You'll get someone who walks you to the right aisle, helps you think through the project, and sends you home with the right part the first time. That kind of service gets rarer every year, squeezed out by giant chains and self checkout lines. But at Craig's, neighbors still get treated like neighbors, and good advice still comes free with the purchase. If you've got a project this weekend, skip the big box and give your business to the folks who've earned it. Congratulations, Craig's. Holton clearly knows what it's got.

Visit Craig's Holton Hardware →

Mid-Michigan

Albion

Here's the one that truly surprised us. Full of Hope Artisan Creations didn't just win Mid-Michigan. This Albion maker pulled votes from every corner of the state, from the Upper Peninsula all the way down to the southeast. That kind of statewide love does not happen by accident. It happens when someone puts real heart into what they make and real care into the people they meet. The name says it all, Full of Hope, and clearly that spirit has reached a lot of Michiganders. We would love to see this one keep growing, so if you appreciate handmade and you like backing the small makers who pour themselves into their craft, this is a name worth knowing and following. Congratulations, Full of Hope. The whole state showed up for you, and that says something beautiful.

Reach Full of Hope →

Northern Michigan

Traverse City

There's something to be said for a business that does one thing and does it right. Traverse City Gutter Company is family owned and operated, and since 2020 they've been quietly protecting Northern Michigan homes from the one enemy most homeowners underestimate, water. Gutters aren't glamorous, but they're the difference between a dry basement and an expensive nightmare, and this crew handles professional installation with quality materials and the kind of honest, careful work that actually lasts. When you hire a local family business instead of some faceless outfit, you get someone who stands behind the job and still has to see you around town, and that accountability matters. If your gutters have seen better days, these are the folks to call. Congratulations to the whole family. Northern Michigan is in good hands.

Visit Traverse City Gutter Company →

Upper Peninsula

Iron River

Leave it to a Yooper to turn Upper Peninsula pride into something you can actually taste. CharYooperie, created by Kalee Hernandez of Iron River, builds Yooper inspired charcuterie gift boxes packed with iconic U.P. treats, think Sayklly's Yooper Bars and classic Trenary Toast, all arranged on an engraved bamboo board you get to keep. Every box is handcrafted right in the Upper Peninsula and shipped anywhere in the country, which means a homesick Yooper in any state can open their door to a little taste of home. It's a love letter to the U.P., and people have clearly fallen for it fast. This is exactly the kind of creative, heartfelt Michigan hustle we live to celebrate. Congratulations, CharYooperie. You've bottled up the U.P., and we're all here for it.

Visit CharYooperie →

Congratulations to all five of our winners, and thank you to every single person who voted. This right here is what we're all about. Real Michigan people betting on themselves, and a community that shows up for them.

Your Community Choice Favorite Realtor

Cummings McCraney Real Estate · Newberry

You didn't just pick a winner here, you picked a landslide. Marissa Metcalf ran away with your Best Realtor vote, and it's easy to see why. Based in Newberry and serving the Upper Peninsula, Marissa knows this land like the back of her hand, from wooded parcels and lakefront to that cabin up north you've been dreaming about. When this many people show up to vouch for someone, it tells you everything about how she treats the folks she works with. Congratulations, Marissa. The U.P. clearly loves you.

Connect with Marissa →

906-440-4534 · [email protected]

Before You Go

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That sponsor spot at the top of this newsletter is open. If you're a business that wants to reach thousands of engaged Michigan locals and be known as the champion who helps us tell these stories, this is your chance. We offer exclusive placement in your category, so only one business per category gets it. Reply to this email and let's talk before someone in your space claims it.

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Help us hit 1,000.

We're so close. If this newsletter ever made you smile or introduced you to a business you loved, forward it to one person who'd enjoy it too, or share our page. Be part of the community that gets us across the 1,000 line.

Thank you for reading, and for loving Michigan small business as much as we do. See you next Sunday.

Dave
Michigan Small Business Spotlight