Chelsea

Chelsea bike shop outgrows bowling-alley space

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February 11, 2009

There are more two wheel options in Chelsea now. Or, at least, Aberdeen Bike & Fitness has more room now to ply their pedal-powered wares.Excerpt:After years of being somewhat hidden in the Chelsea Lanes bowling alley, Aberdeen Bike & Fitness has moved into part of the old Polly's grocery store space down the road.The bike and accessories shop is owned by Mike Casey and his wife, Lauren Gilbert. They opened in the new spot last month."We have more than doubled our showroom," said Casey, who has worked in the cycling business for nearly 30 years. "We outgrew our (former) space and our visibility there was always a little bit of an issue."Read the rest of the story here.

Magellan plans to begin work on Federal Screw Works in Chelsea

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Community Development

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February 11, 2009

The Federal Screw Works buildings in Chelsea are set to come down by the end of this winter or early this spring.Downtown Ann Arbor-based Magellan Properties are in the home stretch with city and state officials to finish the paperwork for the brownfield redevelopment. The firm hopes to have the buildings down and the shovels in the ground for a new group of commercial buildings by mid year. Right now all it needs is bureaucratic approval and a tenant for the project."We've been talking to some doctors about doing a surgery consulting office there," says John Langs, partner with Magellan Properties.Federal Screw Works started out as Chelsea Screw Works in 1913. At one time the industrial park just south of downtown on 500 S Main St. employed several hundred people. It closed in 2005. Magellan Properties has a long history of developing property in Chelsea. It has worked on the condos at Pierce Lake, Chelsea Shopping Center and Chelsea Community Hospital."We try to be the community developer in Chelsea," Langs says.Source: John Langs, partner with Magellan PropertiesWriter: Jon Zemke

Casting call for extras in Hilary Swank movie draws huge crowds to Chelsea

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Arts & Culture

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February 4, 2009

A Hollywood casting call was answered en masse for another movie to be shot in Washtenaw County.Excerpt:More than 1,000 people stood outside for hours in Chelsea Wednesday, all hoping to be cast as an extra in a feature film starring Hilary Swank.They passed the time chatting and stamping their feet in the cold, waiting for their turn to have a photo taken and to speak to casting directors for the movie "Betty Ann Waters."The movie is based on the true story of a mother who puts herself through law school to represent her brother, who was wrongfully convicted of murder.Read the rest of the story here.

Ann Arbor area workers earn among highest wages in state

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General

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January 14, 2009

Washtenaw County has always been known as a hub for new economy jobs, now word is getting out that it's also home to high new economy wages.Excerpt:If you're aiming to make money, the Ann Arbor area apparently is a good place to be.New federal wage data shows jobs in Washtenaw County are among the highest paying in the state. Employees in Washtenaw County earned an average of $58,479 last year, the fourth highest average compensation rate per job in Michigan, according to data released Monday from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.Read the rest of the story here.

Chelsea’s Servant Systems grows by designing software for franchises

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Economic Development

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January 7, 2009

There is a decent chance the clerks at your favorite local franchise can do their job thanks to Servant Systems.The Chelsea-based firm creates the software that franchises use to run their operations at both the store and corporate level. And it now provides these services for the likes of Domino's, Molly Maid and Mr. Router.Servant Systems started in 1991 and now employs eight people and the occasional independent contractor. The firm is in a holding pattern right now in regards to growth as it tries to take on a few more franchise customers."We hope to take on two more franchises this year," says Don DeSmith, president of Servant Systems. "If that happens we could add a person or two this year."It's part of the company's goal for steady, sustainable growth. It's trying to avoid rocketing success that can so quickly and easily turn into a shooting star.Source: Don DeSmith, president of Servant SystemsWriter: Jon Zemke

Dexter and Chelsea offer a great deal to shoppers

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Economic Development

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December 17, 2008

There's more than big-box shopping in Chelsea and Dexter this holiday season. Excerpt: There is a lot of talk about local shopping efforts and the benefits of keeping it local, but I think everyone should make sure to maintain a proper perspective on the issue. Too often in this business we hear arguments about what a community has to offer at the exclusion of all others. But the truth is this: each and every one of these communities has something unique to offer, whether it's to do with the character of the residents that you will have the pleasure of running into on "Main Street" or the products that the business community has to offer. For the purposes of this two-part holiday shopping series we're talking about Dexter and Chelsea. Never have two communities had so much in common. Read the rest of the story here.

Jeff Daniels to perform 11 ‘unplugged’ holiday shows

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Arts & Culture

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December 10, 2008

Jeff Daniels is plugging back into Chelsea this Holiday season with a series of unplugged shows. Excerpt: The Purple Rose Theatre Co. presents Jeff Daniels' one-man show "Onstage & Unplugged" for a limited 11-show engagement from Friday, Dec. 26, 2008, through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009. All performances will be at The Purple Rose Theatre Company, 137 Park Street, Chelsea. Daniels (executive director and PRTC founder) returns to the PRTC stage for the eighth time since 2001. A prolific songwriter as well as playwright, Daniels performs solo with blues guitar and an arsenal of songs that are alternately humorous and poignant. This year's lineup will feature new selections and crowd favorites from Daniels' critically acclaimed CDs. Read the rest of the story here.

Chelsea plans to redevelop downtown’s Longworth building

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Community Development

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December 3, 2008

The city of Chelsea is close to closing on the Longworth building in downtown. All city officials need to do is cross the t's and dot the i's in the last bit of paperwork for the $395,000 purchase."We expect to close on the property by the end of the year," says John Hanifan, city manager for Chelsea.The city wants to acquire the building so it can speed up its redevelopment. City leaders want to put out a request for proposals for the small commercial structure on Main Street just south of Jackson Street. The idea is to turn the vacant structure into the home of a business that will accentuate downtown."There is so much potential with Jackson Street that there is a great opportunity to do something with it," Hanifan says.The 11,800-square-foot industrial building served as the home to Longworth Plating Service. The structure is divided into three main sections of varying ages. The oldest section of the building dates back to the mid-1800s. Source: John Hanifan, city manager for ChelseaWriter: Jon Zemke

Chelsea’s International Discovery Sourcing Consultants grows to 9 people

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Entrepreneurship

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October 1, 2008

In the wake of disaster, some people stare into the abyss and see doom, others see opportunity. Mark Creswell saw opportunity when Pfizer closed its Ann Arbor campus early last year."There was a tremendous amount of talent displaced," Creswell says.That led him to create International Discovery Sourcing Consultants. The Chelsea-based company focuses on helping start-up companies get off the ground, especially bio-tech and pharmaceutical companies.IDSC started with Creswell as its sole employee 18 months ago and now employs nine people. The firm hopes to add another 15-18 people within the next two years and build new office space in downtown Chelsea to house them.IDSC's growth is attributed to its increasing number of clients. It started with just a handful and now has nearly 30, including the likes of Velcura Therapeutics. Yet more are expected in the near future.Source: Mark Creswell, president and CEO of International Discovery Sourcing ConsultantsWriter: Jon Zemke

Purple Rose Theatre and Chelsea District Library form partnership

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General

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September 24, 2008

The Purple Rose and the Chelsea District Library are about to become synonymous, and not just because of the hometown they share. Excerpt: Two great Chelsea institutions have come together with the announcement this week of a partnership between the Chelsea District Library and the Purple Rose Theatre Co. The local theatre will begin hosting programs and workshops in the library facility as early as this winter. Read the rest of the story here.