Summer tourism isn’t solving the glut of rooms going unused in the biggest hotel market in the state. The city counts on business travelers and events to fill its rooms, and it could be years before it fully recovers.
Business Watch
Covering the intersection of business and policy, and informing Michigan employers and workers on the long road back from coronavirus. Our Michigan Economic Dashboard shows key metrics that show how the state is performing.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan’s food truck industry is growing. So is a company that builds them
Brick-and-mortar businesses struggled to adapt during the pandemic, but a self-taught builder in Southwest Detroit carved his niche in custom food truck design. He’s now on track for $1 million a year in sales.
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Expanded outdoor dining ‘here to stay’ in Michigan restaurants after COVID
Social districts created a lifeline for the industry in 2020. Now many new communities are looking at establishing the areas — including on city streets — to retain the downtown vitality created during the pandemic.
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Michigan’s licensed cannabis industry wants bigger piece of $3.2B market
New study shows that the marijuana marketplace “has unlimited economic potential for Michigan,” according to the trade group representing the regulated providers. They’re trying to ‘rein in’ illicit sales.
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Michigan unemployment agency resumes in-person office visits
Jobless workers waited more than a year for the chance to solve their unemployment issues in person. As of Thursday, they now can make appointments at 12 of the state’s offices for June 30 and beyond.
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Survey: 7 of 10 Michigan small businesses now expect to survive COVID-19
While most businesses are optimistic, two thirds also say that the pandemic is negatively affecting their business, according to a survey released this week by the Small Business Association of Michigan.
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‘These people want to work.’ When GM posts Flint jobs, people line up.
Michigan employers large and small say they can’t fill open positions. But General Motors still has lots of pull in a labor market where people remember the pay and stability of an auto job in GM factories.
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Michigan drops COVID-19 safety restrictions in most workplaces
Employers outside of health care settings now can choose whether to keep mask requirements, social distancing measures and plastic barriers to protect workers.
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Canadian border restrictions frustrate Michigan businesses and travelers
Border businesses and the state’s tourism industry suffer as COVID limits prevent Canadian visitors for another month at least. And state residents with the travel bug or property in Canada also can’t cross. One official said it could be Thanksgiving before the border opens.
Posted inBusiness Watch
A Michigan mall’s transformation: From Macy’s to self-storage
Storage units crammed with old couches and kitchenware are a long way from designer fashion. But as retail changes, so are the types of businesses that will survive in former anchor stores in the state’s malls.