Dexter

Dexter to link up to Border To Border Trail

If all goes according to plan, Dexter will boast the first part of its Border to Border trail this fall.Most of the construction of the trail that is planned to span Washtenaw County has been focused in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area, but Dexter plans to build its first 800-foot segment this fall with a concrete path, bridge over Mill Creek, and elevated boardwalk, says Dexter community development manager Allison Bishop. Pending receipt of a Michigan Department of Natural Resources permit, the go-ahead will be given.Bishop hopes the trail will positively impact Dexter's economic development, as eventually it will connect to a subdivision with about 250 homes and no current direct walking access to downtown. "We think it's going to be a major trailhead for biking and walking," she says. "How great to go for a short walk, or a long walk, and then end up back downtown where you can go have dinner."The second phase, 400 feet of elevated boardwalk through floodplains and wetlands, is due to be constructed next summer. Eventually, it will connect to Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority hike-bike trails and Dexter's own Mill Creek Park, creating that area's own network of non-motorized trails."We're really improving access to the Mill Creek corridor," Bishop says. "It's currently not accessible to anyone for recreation."She's also hopeful the focus on parks will bring more of the boating community to the area -- Mill Creek park, especially. "It's going to start to become an activity and recreation hub for Dexter, and bring more people downtown," she says.The Border to Border Trail will span Washtenaw County, roughly following the Huron River for 35 miles.The Dexter portions of the trail are expected to cost right around $1 million; the village hopes to contribute its $450,000 in federal transportation funding, which could be available as early as next October. "We're happy about it and we want to support it," Bishop says.Source: Allison Bishop, community development manager for the village of DexterWriter: Kristin Lukowski

Dexter finishes downtown streetscape work along Mill Creek

The final touches are going into the downtown Dexter's streetscape project along Mill Creek. And by final touches, we mean the flowers will be in the planters this weekend.The village spent $831,000 over the last two years rebuilding one square block between Main, Broad, Jeffords and Forrest streets on the west side of downtown, overlooking Mill Creek. The upgrades include new streets, sewers, landscaping, sidewalks, lighting and other amenities.But the most visible changes are the pedestrian-friendly features, such as new landscaping and sidewalks overlooking the new Mill Creek greenway. It represents the first time the downtown had embraced its waterfront, an asset it has turned its back on for years. Now its capitalizing on it with this project and the still-in-development Mill Creek Park project."It's going to get even better when we finish that up," says Donna Dettling, village manager for Dexter. "It will really bring people to the creek."The current space features the new streetscape infrastructure overlooking a small green slope to the new rapidly running creek. The space was previously a bog area because of a century-old dam underneath the Dexter-Pinckney Road Bridge. That has now grown into a lush green space.Village leaders plan to cultivate it into a low-impact park area that connects the downtown, creek and new bridge. Construction on that will begin next fall when village workers regrade the area and then build out the park next year.The bulk of the work will be done next summer," says Allison Bishop, community development director of the village of DexterSource: Donna Dettling, village manager for Dexter and Allison Bishop, community development director of the village of DexterWriter: Jon Zemke

Dexter’s ReCellular grows into new markets and cultivates new customers

The last year or two have not been kind to General Motors, but the same can't be said for the GM of the cell phone recycling world - ReCellular.The Dexter-based firm is still recycling millions upon millions of cell phones, refurbishing them for a second life and keeping their toxic chemical innards out of landfills and water tables. The company recycled in excess of 5 million cell phones last year and looks to exceed that number again this year."We created this industry and we have remained on top," says Mike Newman, vice president of marketing for ReCellular. "Even though a vast majority of cell phones that are retired are left in someone's drawer and forgotten. We're trying to get them to recycle them."It is accomplishing that by reaching out directly to customers to recycle their phones. Before ReCellular relied on other businesses to collect them through donation drives. This year it has premiered SecureTradeIn.com, which offers cash for old cell phones.ReCellular refurbishes many of those phones and then sells them on the open market. Sometimes they end up in North American markets and sometimes they end up in other markets in the Third World."We're selling more phones then we have ever sold before," Newman says.That has forced the company to reconfigure its Dexter manufacturing space to accommodate at least one year of growth. Today the company employs several hundred people at its Dexter facilities. It has held its employee count steady over the last year and expects to next year, too, as the company focuses on creating efficiency and maximizing profits.Source: Mike Newman, vice president of marketing for ReCellularWriter: Jon Zemke

Women’s Exchange of Washtenaw wins SBA champion award

Women's Exchange of Washtenaw is making room on its shelf for a new award and room in its ranks for a new chapter or two.The U.S. Small Business Administration will present the non-profit's co-founders, Carrie Hensel and Debra Power, with the "U.S. Small Business Administration’s Michigan Women in Business Champion of the Year for 2010" award later this week. That will come as the duo make preparations to grow the organization across the state in the near future."We think we have found something very unique and special and we want to share it," Power says.Women's Exchange of Washtenaw was founded two years ago as a place for businesswomen to network and create new business opportunities, generate referrals and find work. It now has a database of 800 women who partake in the organization. Women's Exchange of Washtenaw is not a membership organization, which allows participants the freedom to pay as they go.Hensel and Powers have enjoyed quite a bit of success with this model, creating an open and engaging environment for entrepreneurs without a Y chromosome. They expect to try and spread this model into the Lansing market later this year.Women's Exchange of Washtenaw will host the Women's Exchange of Washtenaw Forum 10 on May 21 at Kensington Court, 610 Hilton Blvd in Ann Arbor. The all-day event will feature regional speakers, workshops, breakout sessions and networking activities to engage the business community and work through the common issues women business leaders face in their efforts to grow and improve their companies. The event costs $75 before May 1 and $95 after. For information, click here.Source: Debra Power, co-founder of Women's Exchange of WashtenawWriter: Jon Zemke

Detroit News profiles Dexter’s Jolly Pumpkin artisan ales and eats

Washtenaw County's bevy of microbrews and brewpubs continue to attract lots of glowing attention thanks to their finely crafted brews.Excerpt:Tucked into a cozy, unpretentious spot on Ann Arbor's main drag, the Jolly Pumpkin Café and Brewery has something for just about everyone in your group, whether you are a family with little ones, a group of college-age foodies or beer connoisseurs looking to mingle with friends. The menu at the two-level brewery is diverse and trendy with fresh, always-changing specials that cater to all tastes. Upstairs is a pub-type atmosphere that offers live music on the weekends. "Fantastic beer and great food," says patron James Gutierrez of Ann Arbor, who says he visits once a week. "I can come here for a beer with friends, but I can also bring my wife and kids and have dinner." Read the rest of the story here.

Washtenaw County invests $3M in trail network expansion

Dexter’s Good Harbor Golden Ale receives some golden press

Local beer is famous in these parts, but some brews in Dexter are gaining big-time mainstream attention. This time The New York Times is providing the recognition.Excerpt:The diversity of these beers also makes their appeal very personal. I mentioned a beer that reminded me of a lambic — that was the No. 4 beer of our top 10, the Good Harbor Golden Ale from Leelanau, brewed in Dexter, Mich. We loved this beer, but it has an unusual flavor that some may find off-putting at first. I recommend sticking with it, though, because once you begin to like these sorts of beers you can’t help but seek them out.Read the rest of the story here.

Renovation planned for old Dexter Pharmacy building

Dexter Pharmacy won't be coming back to downtown Dexter, but that doesn't mean something bigger and better won't replace it soon.The Schmid family, owners of a number of local pharmacies in the Dexter-Ann Arbor area, plans to consolidate its Dexter-area pharmacies into one new location on Dexter Road. In the mean time the old Dexter Pharmacy retail space is being cleaned up and prepared for a new tenant."We don't want to leave it as a boarded up building in downtown any longer than we have to," says Marni Schmid, director of operations for Dexter Pharmacy.The building at 8059 is being renovated on the exterior right now and is being prepared for an exterior renovation complete with brick façade and big windows. The 3,500-square-foot building has served as a pharmacy for its entire life. Originally it was McLeod's Pharmacy until the early 1980s when Marni Schmid's father Fred Schmid bought it.The family is now consolidating its Village and Dexter pharmacies to a 2-story building on Baker Road near Bates Elementary School. The stand-alone building comes complete with a drive-thru, the pharmacy on the ground floor and medical office space on the second floor. Work on that project began in December and should be finished by October.Source: Marni Schmid, director of operations for Dexter PharmacyWriter: Jon Zemke

Dexter prepares for 1st phase of Mill Creek Park project

The village of Dexter is making preparations for construction on the first phase of the Mill Creek Park project this summer.The village has roped in a $450,000 grant and is working out the permit process with the state so it can begin construction. Look for shovels to start digging into the ground in July."It's moving forward," says Donna Dettling, village manager for Dexter.The plan calls for a combination of urban park with recreational resources and natural areas filled with trees, shrubs and small woodland creatures. The concept is the work of Ann Arbor-based JJR. The first phase calls for working on the section by downtown between the Dexter-Pinckney Road bridge and the cemetery.The park will run alongside approximately one mile of the east bank of Mill Creek between Warrior Creek Park and Shield Road. It will be integrated into the city's proposed river walk, highlighting the section of Mill Creek that borders downtown.The idea behind the park is to open up the creek to more village residents and downtown patrons. Source: Donna Dettling, village manager for DexterWriter: Jon Zemke