Conversations are the cornerstone of a community. Much of a community’s progress can be attributed to conversations between its members, both private and public. While places for private conversations are plentiful, places that exist simply to encourage intentional public conversation and connection can be hard to come by. This is especially true for communities that are already small, in a world that is increasingly online.
Dylan Banagis became aware of this gap within the Mt. Pleasant community in such a way that he felt compelled to do something about it.
On this urge, he says, “We just saw a need for people to be encouraged to use their screens a little less and focus on being present a little more.”
What started as making outdoor-oriented clothing eventually developed into a brick-and-mortar store, with the opening of Banagis’s
Life Unplugged in 2024.
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Photo Credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. Pleasant
“I think opening the retail store downtown has had a positive impact on the community in the fact that it provides a place for people to come in and unplug for free,” Banagis says. “People can always count on a place with encouraging people, games, and a positive environment to whatever it is they do to unplug.”
Despite the business acumen necessary to open and operate a store, and the obvious good Life Unplugged accomplishes, Banagis remains humble about the positive effects of his impact, focusing the spotlight on the community instead.
“I don't like to be ‘proud’ of anything I do,” he says. “I just try to serve the community and my customers as best as I possibly can while making a living for my family.”
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Photo Courtesy Dylan BanagisDylan poses with his wife, Kara, and children Hadley and Collins.From the offset, Banagis has been clear that the Mt. Pleasant community is worth serving.
Originally from Grand Rapids, Banagis came to Mt. Pleasant to attend Central Michigan University over a decade ago. He never left, and now his family has its roots in Mt. Pleasant. Banagis stayed, in part, due to the culture of the community.
Banagis says his favorite part about Mt. Pleasant is “the amount of people we have that are willing to go above and beyond to serve one another and make this place a better place to live.”
Now, Banagis is a part of that same culture of service himself, and it is clear that he views Life Unplugged as equal parts business and service.
While Banagis’s acts of service are selfless, they are not without intent. Banagis aims to make the Mt. Pleasant community a more connected, involved place—starting with downtown.
Banagis is quick to speak on the merits of downtown Mt. Pleasant, saying, “What's special about Mt. Pleasant to us is the sense of closeness you get with downtown even though the population is rather mid-sized.”
However, he sees room for growth and improvement.
“We have seen lots of businesses downtown come together to plan events and activities for families to increase traffic downtown, which is currently a hidden gem in Mt. Pleasant. We would love for it to no longer be hidden,” he shares.
“I think we need to make downtown a place that is truly the ‘spot to be.’ Every town like Mt. Pleasant that thrives and grows has a thriving downtown,” explains Banagis. “We need to grow it into a place that is constantly having events and being flooded with people so businesses can afford to stay open late and serve more people.”
Banagis has been leading by example with Life Unplugged, following his own advice and paving the way for a more vibrant community.
Encouraging intentional connections and conversations at Life Unplugged has allowed Banagis to use his gifts for the betterment of his community. Yet, for a man whose business model is partially built on the intentional manufacturing of conversation, Banagis is no stranger to brevity. His words are concise and clear, and his message has been the same since day one.
“It’s a blessing [to work here],” he concludes. “We love this place and want to improve it as much as possible.”
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