New business in town...

Now that it is warming up and I see all the walkers out and about, I hope you can visit one of our newer business owners downtown. Jamal just had his grand opening of Back Door Cafe which is situated behind the Town & Country Bike Shop. He has been working his magic and changed the interior and the food selections. Saline is fortunate to have several great coffee shops downtown, this one is the newest espresso bar. Also he has great selection of lunch items like burgers and sandwiches, yummy desserts and pastries. Jamal intends the Back Door Cafe to be the family coffee drinker destination...there is lots of room including a small banquet facility next door (available by appointment). Stop by and say hello to one of our newest Saline business owners!

Apologies

Due to technological difficulties I have gotten behind on my goals here (my biggest fear when I considered setting up a blog). Please bear with me as we have a lot to talk about. Really delightful stores that have not been introduced yet. And some really amazing people....of course, that is what I love most about Saline, the people.

The Pineapple House celebrated its 25th anniversary in Saline last year. The reason they are still here is because they have beautiful merchandise and great service. When you walk in The Pineapple House you feel embraced. The products speak to you. Then, add to that the great service Joy and her staff give you. Joy, by trade, is an interior designer. And boy, has she done some amazing homes and showcase houses!
But as she raised her children in Saline, she also chose to participate in our community by being active on the Saline Chamber of Commerce. She served as the president a few years ago. And to this day she continues to actively participate in the efforts we make to improve our downtown.
Another reason that Saline is such a special place to be!

A Place to find Spring

When it is cold and snowy out like it is right now, I love going in Maureen's Designs. This flower shop is so cheery with beautiful flowers and growing things everywhere. The colors of the store remind me of summer and in these dog days of winter it is nice to have a place to get a break from the cold and gray. Maureen is so much fun and her work is exquisite. One of these days I am going to get a bunch of my girlfriends and go in for a training class on flower arranging. Stop by and buy yourself a sprig or two of spring...you deserve it!

Saline's Newest Business Downtown

The newest store downtown is quite a treat. The Resale Boutique has a great selection of clothes and accessories at a price that can't be beat. Owner Jamie Westcott is delightful and very happy to be settled in Saline. The store is quite cozy and she knows how to present her clothes. I think you will find shopping at The Resale Boutique a positive and memorable experience.

Downtown Icon

I've gotten a little behind on getting out my blog. I appreciate your patience with me while I try to get a system going.
The featured store today is very interesting because they are actually having a end of career closing sale, sort of strange for me to pick as our first retailer to talk about but....
I chose The Calico Cat because Marsha Duncan was one of our first retailers in Saline. She started in Manchester over 30 years ago and moved to Saline over 25 yrs ago to the store she is in today. Then she expanded to have 2 stores in Saline by doing an incredible job renovating the Methodist Church (she even used some of the church doors for her display cabinets!)
I love her store because you can find the most unique gifts there and she has a great selection of childrens books. The store she is in now (next to Benny's bakery) has a lot of Christmas collections, even pieces of the wooden German collectibles that I inherited from my grandmother!
We will so miss Marsha, Jim, the great gift selections and their wonderful stories and friendliness.
I hope you get a chance to stop in there before they are gone and visit this fabulous store.

Happy New Year, Saline!

For quite a while I have thought about starting this blog. I was hesitant to make the commitment, plus don't we all have information overload? But the ideas have been piling up and they deserve an audience, because Saline is a special place (Michigan too!). And then there is the new year resolution thing, not that I buy into that too much, but it does provide one with a little more focus.
There are so many things to share with you. Saline has had a lot of changes over the last few years and the state of Michigan has also. The one thing that is most important in reflection is what each of us contribute. Our community is full of amazing people, so is our state. Share your stories here. This month will be spent on local businesses. These folks are our neighbors, and they are battling the economy, internet competition, and the post holiday shopping blues. Keep them in mind when you shop...each dollar spent at a local business helps promote a unique sustainable Saline. Hope you come visit us in Saline in 2009!