Spotlight on Business from RECESSION to RECOVERY

ISSUE 33 VOLUME 1 August 16, 2010 www.thembng.com ADRESSING THE NEEDS OF MICHIGAN BUSINESS AS WE MOVE Spotlight on Business FROM RECESSION TO RECOVERY Welcome to the Michigan Business Networking Group's Spotlight on Business. Each week we will spotlight several Michigan Businesses to help them grow. As Michigan moves from recession to recovery it is important that we help each other during these tough times. Please take a moment to read each of these businesses’ stories and work to support them. Perhaps you may not need their services at this time, but a friend or neighbor may. Please be sure to add them to your contact lists. It’s All About the Woodward Dream Cruise This Detroit, MI Week in Detroit In This Issue It’s All About The Woodward Dream I love going to the Wood- Cruise This Week In Detroit page 1 ward Dream Cruise and More Tips On the Dream Cruise page 4 watching the classic cars drive up and down Dream Cruise Rolls into Larger Cele- bration Page 5 Woodward in downtown Pontiac but reaches far Seven Ways to Connect at a Network- across all the way too ing Event Page 7 Royal Oak, Ferndale, Look Younger, Thinner and More Vi- Birmingham, Bloomfield brant with Color page 9 Hills and more (see be- Reduce Risks with One Insurance low) It is a grand time Agent page 10 with different places to go eat, live music bands to hear and businesses trying to show off there cool newest stuff. Give to Charity and Guarantee Income Page 12 The Woodward Dream Cruise actually started as a small fundraiser to Employment Opportunities Page 13 raise money for a soccer field in Ferndale, Michigan. Spotlighted Businesses Page 18 In August 1995, Nelson House and a group of volunteers looked to relive and recreate the nostalgic heydays of the 50s and 60s, when youth, music and Motor City steel roamed Woodward Avenue, America's first high- way. That year, 250,000 people participated-nearly ten times the number expected. The rest, as they say, is history. (continued) The Michigan Business Networking Group (MBNG) www.thembng.com August 16, 2010 Today, the Woodward Dream Cruise is the world's largest one-day automotive event, drawing 1.5 million people and 40,000 classic cars each year from around the globe-from as far away as New Zealand, Aus- tralia, Japan and the former Soviet Union. North American cruisers from California, Georgia, Canada and all points in between caravan to Metro Detroit to participate in what has become, for many, an annual rite of summer. Drivin' from Drive-In to Drive- In Ted's, Totem Pole and The Varsity, Hollywood, Wigwam and Suzie Q's, and, of course, Big Boy. These old- time drive-ins and restaurants that dotted Woodward Avenue were the places to see and be seen during an era remem- bered perhaps most famously by Hollywood in American Graffiti and Happy Days. These locations were the turn- arounds, stopping points and social hangouts for the cruisers of the era. Ted's Drive Inn, Michigan's first near Square Lake Road in Bloomfield Hills, became a hangout and one of the avenue's most popular destina- tions. It had begun in 1934 as a lunch wagon/trailer and was known for "the world's largest hot dog," priced at 35 cents. The Totem Pole opened in Royal Oak in 1954 and featured a 16-foot totem pole hand carved by Ojibway chief White Wolf of St. Ignace. The restaurant introduced the "Teletray," a 2-way speaker through which customers could order the popular Big Chief Burger. At these locales and others, roller-skating waitresses sporting white bobby socks and serving trays deliv- ered hamburgers and milkshakes to duck tailed greasers in leather and beauty queens sporting class rings and letter jackets. The real attractions, though, were the cars. Hot rods and muscle cars. Convertibles and hard tops. Oversized tires and custom-painted flames. These marvels of machinery were cool and hot; street machines that cruised Woodward emanating vintage rock and roll from the AM radio coupled with the rumble of a big block V8. (continued) The Michigan Business Networking Group (MBNG) www.thembng.com August 16, 2010 The Motor City-The Automotive Heritage Continues GM, Ford and Chrysler-The Big Three-all have roots tied to Woodward Avenue. In the cruisin' era, urban legends grew that the Big Three tested their prototypes on Woodward. Famous nameplates such as Pontiac's GTO, Chrysler's Hemi cars, and Ford's Mustang variants. Such introductions continue to this day, including the latest iterations of the Mustang GT, Chevy Camaro and Dodge Charger; all have made their presence known at the Woodward Dream Cruise. Dedicated Volunteers, Supporters Taking place the third Saturday in August and now in its 16th year, the Woodward Dream Cruise is run and governed by WDC, Inc., a volunteer com- mittee that comprises a state-registered non- profit organization with 501 (c)(4) status. It consists of a board of directors and officers who represent and co- ordinate the efforts of the Cruise's nine host communities. The Dream Cruise re- mains a free event due to the support of a range of corporate sponsors, most signifi- cantly: MotorCity Ca- sino, the event's enter- tainment sponsor; EATON, General Motors and SMART. Significant Community, Economic Impact A market research study conducted after the 2007 event found that the Woodward Dream Cruise gener- ates more than $56 million each year for the Metro Detroit economy. The Cruise's economic impact to the region is more significant than any other major event in Michigan, recurring or otherwise; that in- cludes 2006 Super Bowl XL at Ford Field ($49.3 million), the 2005 MLB All-Star Game at Comerica Park ($42 million) or the 2006 Detroit Tigers post season run ($37.8 million). Nearly 100 area charities benefit from the sale of official Dream Cruise merchandise and refreshments each year. David Banet– Your Health Insurance Expert Health & Life Insurance I am a Health & Life Insurance Broker repre- Quality Affordable Health Insurance Plans senting several insurance companies. I work with you to help you understand the features of health insurance which allows you to make a · Individual · Families good decision about the coverage you are look- · Self Employed · Small Business ing for. Please give me a call for a review of your health insurance . · Long Term Care · Seniors The Michigan Business Networking Group (MBNG) www.thembng.com August 16, 2010 More Tips on The Dream Cruise Who? Established in 1996, Woodward Dream Cruise, Inc. (WDC, Inc.) is a state-registered, non-profit organization with 501 (c)(4) status, that runs and oversees the Woodward Dream Cruise. WDC, Inc. consists of a board of directors and officers who serve on an annual basis, comprised of representatives from the nine host communities, Oakland County and media sponsors WXYZ-TV Channel 7, WOMC- Radio and the Oakland Press. What? The Woodward Dream Cruise is the largest one-day celebration of classic car culture that attracts over 1 million visitors in the world This event has more than 40,000 muscle cars, street rods, custom, collector and special inter- est vehicles. When? The Woodward Dream Cruise takes place each year on the third Saturday in August. This year, the 16th annual Cruise is Saturday, Au- gust 21, 2010. It runs between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Where? The Dream Cruise takes place along a 16- mile stretch of legendary Woodward Avenue through the nine host communities of Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Ferndale, Huntington Woods, Pleasant Ridge, Pontiac and Royal Oak, in Southeast Michigan. Why? The Dream Cruise started as a fundraiser for a soccer field in Ferndale in 1995. In just a few short years, it has evolved into the world's largest one-day automotive event. Spectators and cruisers travel to Metro Detroit, the birthplace of the American automobile, to demonstrate and participate in an event that cele- brates an ongoing love affair with the automobile. Cost? There are no fees to drive in the Woodward Dream Cruise. Anyone can participate although those not driving a classic car are asked to stay out of the two right, or curb lanes. Parking? The Woodward Dream Cruise is a spectacular experience to drive in, or, merely watch and marvel at from the sidelines. Public parking is available along or near the Cruise route. We offer the latest cutting edge in men’s grooming, women’s styling and children’s cuts, to DYE for hair color, hair extensions, eyelash extensions, make-up lessons, bridal parties, birth- day parties, perms, up-dos, blowouts, conditioning hair treatments, brow shaping, Making an Impression Image branding, Shopping your closet, Body assessments, and much more! The Michigan Business Networking Group (MBNG) www.thembng.com August 16, 2010 Dream Cruise Rolls Into Larger Celebration Cashing in on the crowds drawn by the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, a number of local groups have expanded their activities, transforming the Cruise into a multi-day celebration of automotive design, en- gineering and history. The Dream Cruise attracts around one million people the third Saturday of August each year, but note- worthy vehicles and large numbers of spectators flock to Woodward Avenue for days before the event. The Metropolitan Detroit Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates that the Dream Cruise in Oakland County pumps $50 million into the region's economy. The Dream Cruise originated 15 years ago in Ferndale when resident Nelson House, who died Thursday at age 70, came up with the idea as a fund-raiser for a children's soccer field.

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