The thing that makes a community unique is its locally owned businesses and restaurants. BLACK FRIDAY is a certain kind of experience if you like to battle crowds at the big box stores, but consider spending your money at a local business the next day...and the next...

A shopkeeper in Petoskey once said to me that "every one of these stores is someone's dream."  That really made an impact on me.  It's their livelihood, too.

So support our local, independently owned businesses this Christmas season.  They have cool stuff and you're helping our Michigan economy.