Yooptone Music to open in Marquette
A new music store is opening in Marquette to help fill the void left by the closing of longtime Third Street staple MacDonald's Music.
YoopTone Music will open November 20 in the Village Shopping Center, at 1015 N. Third Street in Marquette. It's owned by Jeff Krebs and Jake Kuhlman, both local musicians. A new sign went up on the building just this week, so it'll be exciting to see what the new store offers downtown Marquette.
Sushi restaurant to move to Marquette
Benri Sushi in Escanaba has announced its next business move will be to downtown Marquette.
Currently on Ludington Street in Escanaba, the well-rated sushi place teased the move on its Facebook page with a photo of the Masonic Square building in Marquette, to be its new location. The owners said they'll close the Escanaba location and be open on Washington Street in December of this year.
Benri Sushi offers delivery in Escanaba, but said they won't be doing that in Marquette until they're better established. That shouldn't take long if Marquette customers enjoy it as much as Escanaba folks have.
Menu items include salads, edamame, nigiri, sashimi, and a wide range of fresh-made-to-order maki rolls.
Invest UP has new executive director
The new economic development group Invest UP announced it has found an executive director.
Joan Kimball is the newly-appointed director of Invest UP, which is a privately funded initiative geared toward boosting the Upper Peninsula's economy through business attraction and development, talent development, recruitment and retention.
Kimball is originally from Laurium and graduated from Marquette Senior High School and Northern Michigan University. She has more than 20 years of business development experience, including a stint with Tripp Lite Manufacturing in the energy industry, and being part of the economic development team for the Government of Quebec.
"No matter how far I have traveled in my career, I've always had an affinity to the U.P.," Kimball says. "I am so pleased to be able to contribute my professional experience and knowledge to give back to a place that I credit for the success I've enjoyed in my career."
Superior Extrusion chosen for expansion funding
Marquette County company Superior Extrusion was approved for funding for an upcoming business expansion through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
The MEDC announced the project, which is expected to create 30 jobs in Forsyth Township, where Superior Extrusion is located in K.I. Sawyer. The performance-based grant is in the amount of $150,000 and will support a capital investment by the business of $10.5 million. That goes toward increasing the aluminum extruder's production through adding more building space, machinery and equipment to improve its capacity.
It's far from the first time this has taken place; over the last 20 years, Superior Extrusion has grown in leaps and bounds with past help from the state and local tax breaks as well.
Enstrom announces Pakistan deal
The Menominee-based defense company Enstrom Helicopter announced the sale of a number of their piston-powered 280FX helicopters to the country of Pakistan.
The deal was represented by Global Services and Solutions in Islamabad, Pakistan, whose general manager, Abdul Khaliq Awan, worked to develop a relationship between Enstrom and Pakistan. He says the relationship will hopefully continue, as Enstrom's products are well-suited to the country's needs.
"We feel the Enstrom 280FX is the best helicopter to operate in the difficult climate conditions of Pakistan," says Khaliq Awan.
Enstrom says it will deliver starting at the end of 2017 through early 2018. Global Services and Solutions will provide aviation support services for the government in Pakistan as an approved Enstrom representative.
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