Insider Guide: Amy Grossi

Amy Grossi, General Manager of the Bavarian Inn, grew up in Frankenmuth. She attended Michigan State University for undergrad and her MBA, then worked at an accounting firm in Royal Oak for a few years before returning home to help out at the Inn, which is her family’s business. “We have a family business creed that if you want to come back and work for the family business you have to work elsewhere first,” she explains. “I had no plans on coming back but figured I’d come help out [when they needed me to], then move on afterwards. I’ve been here 11 years now!”

As Michigan’s little Bavaria, Frankenmuth has year-round festivals and events that attract tourists from all over. Every January they celebrate Snowfest which draws in hundreds of thousands of people annually. There is also ‘80s Fest in April, Auto Fest in September, and their official Oktoberfest (which is actually sanctioned as an official Oktoberfest event by Germany). “It’s really starting to grow with younger generations,” she says of the city, which has previously maintained a reputation of being mostly for families and tourists. “There’s always new things happening,” Amy says. “Just last year a girl started a new country western festival. There’s always something going on every weekend in Frankenmuth!”

One of the local hotspots is called Tiffany’s, a place where the locals hang out and the biggest bar in town (a town of only about 4,000 year-round residents). For dining, both the Bavarian Inn and Zehnder’s are infamous for their chicken dinners and schnitzel (they serve very similar food but fans tend to be very loyal to one or the other). Each host a number of events in their restaurants. The Chamber of Commerce also puts on an event called “Wine and Stein,” in which all the local restaurants open up and provide beer, wine and food. “You make your way through town and eat your way through all the restaurants,” she explains. “There are 12-13 restaurants that participate. It can be dangerous but a lot of fun!”

There is also a lot of boutique shopping and quaint coffee shops in downtown Frankenmuth (and let’s not forget Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, which advertises on highway billboards as far south down I-75 as Florida). But for young professionals looking to engage with the community, there are a number of different ways to get involved with service organizations and give back to the community. “We have a large and very vibrant Jaycee chapter, two rotary clubs, the Lions … you meet so many people and really get involved in the community. It’s great when you live here and can have fun doing these things with other people your age.”