Heather Rivard studied computer science and visual arts at
Yale University and graduated in May 2011. After graduation she decided to come back home to Owosso. “I decided to work for the commitment I have to the community and my understanding that this is where I want my work in American culture to start.” She is now the Director of the
Owosso Downtown Development Authority and the Main Street Manager.
Heather recommends the
Wrought Iron Grill, which serves a lot of local ingredients and has many Michigan beers on tap. They also host different events like wine tastings and hold a hop fest celebration in the summer. For a more casual vibe,
Capitol Bowl is a great bowling alley and pizza place.
Jumbo’s Bar and Restaurant is also a popular bar and grill with the locals. For late-night drinking and dancing,
Risto’s Bistro is the place to go for more of a club atmosphere.
As a craft beer lover, Heather also recommends a stop by a store called
Freddie’s, which has every Michigan-made beer they can get their hands on made. “It’s one of my favorite places to shop.” She also enjoys the seasonal
farmers’ market which runs May through October and also hosts entertainment and special events.
There are a number of different coffee shops in town that are great places to do homework and meet with friends, including
Guido’s Coffee Lounge,
Books and Beans (which is also a bookstore), the
Bake Shop & Coffee House (coffee and baked goods), and
Courtside Café. Another interesting spot in Owosso is the
Serene Bean, a community-run bistro serving lunch and coffee that is all volunteer-run (their menu is whatever they made that day).
For entertainment, the
NCG Theatre offers movies downtown and the Lebowski Theatre features continuous programming from the
Owosso Community Players. And on the first full weekend in June, the
Curwood Festival is a big fair with carnival rides.
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