THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 25, Number 31 Thursday, August 13, 2009 Opportunity Knocks and Entrepreneurs Answer Restoring North Franklin Street --It’s Happening Now! by Rick A. Richards There are two ways of looking at down- town Michigan City – as a glass half full or a glass half empty. Ever since major retail- ers like Sears and J.C. Penney left down- town in the 1970s for Marquette Mall, the prevailing view has been a glass half empty. Not any more. Thanks to some visionary entrepreneurs with a glass half full atti- tude, more than $2 million in development is taking place in the six blocks of Franklin Street between Fourth and 10th streets. Mike Howard, owner of Station 801, a restaurant at the corner of Eighth and Franklin streets, is excited about a resur- gent downtown. “I think one day it’s coming back,” said Howard, who with partner Jerry Peters, The original signage and some of the original glassware from the 1941-era Peters Dairy Bar that operated on Michigan Boulevard is now a part of the new recently purchased the former Argabright Peters Dairy Bar at 803 Franklin Street. Communications building at 803 Franklin St., remodeled it and opened the Cedar Sub Shop and Peters Dairy Bar. “One of the reasons we bought the build- ing is that we’re seeing things happening downtown on a positive side,” said How- ard. After purchasing the building, Howard tore out some walls, did a bit of minor re- modeling and made a phone call to Debbie Rigterink, who used to operate the Cedar Sub Shop at the Cedar Tap. She quickly agreed to run the sub shop and is excited about what is happen- ing downtown. Even before the sub shop opened, on a day when she and employ- ees were going through the menu to make sure things would run smoothly on open- ing day, people were lined up outside the The Traditions Building at 803 Franklin Street, was recently purchased by Mike Howard, owner of the neighboring 801 Station Restaurant. With partner Jerry Peters, door. the building is now home to Peters Dairy Bar and the Cedar Sub Shop. Entrepreneurs Continued on Page 2 THE Page 2 August 13, 2009 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.thebeacher.com/ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by TM Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. Entrepreneurs Continued from Page 1 For Peters, the son of one of the owners of the for- mer Peters Dairy Bar at 1015 Michigan Blvd., it’s a return to his roots. The new Peters Dairy Bar, which sells ice cream, shakes and malts, has the original store’s signage and much of its original glassware. “I think things are picking up,” said Peters. “I’ve heard so many people say disparaging things about downtown, but I think they’re wrong. I think down- town can become something special.” Howard admits it’s been a lot of work – and a lot more work needs to be done downtown – but he is hopeful that will continue happen. Two things he’d like to see is the city move the signs directing people to the beach from Ninth Street to Fourth Street. “They’re directing everyone away from downtown and people drive right by us without knowing we’re Jerry Peters, Laura Bailey and Debbie Rigterink stand behind the counter here,” said Howard. He’d also like to see something of Peters Dairy Bar, 803 Franklin Street. happen with the Warren Building. It’s been vacant for years and while some work has happened on the roof and with the windows, nothing substantial has happened to put tenants in Photos by Rick A. Richards the building that would help the rest of the down- town. Furniture designer Christopher Groh also sees a bright future for downtown. Groh, who purchased a portion of the former Don Jones Building Mainte- nance building at 607 Franklin St., four years ago, has been working to convert it into his studio and a gallery downstairs, and two loft apartments up- stairs. He said there is about 2,000 square feet on each fl oor. Groh, who grew up in La Porte but now lives in his building, said that downtown Michigan City has a perception problem to overcome. “When I tell people in La Porte I’m living down- town, they shake their heads,” said Groh. “I tell them they don’t know what they’re talking about. “This is a great opportunity. When I bought this building, downtown was at the bottom of the bar- rel. It was where New Buffalo was years ago. It’s 10 miles from Michigan City, yet the two were at opposite ends of downtown development.” Furniture designer and artist Christopher Groh takes a look at some of Groh admits he couldn’t afford to buy property in his handiwork on the storefront of his gallery at 607 Franklin Street. He New Buffalo, so he came here. Now, he’s glad he did hopes to open the building in the spring. and he’s seeing other people doing the same thing. THE August 13, 2009 Page 3 One of those is Pearl “P.J.” Mort who has convert- The 8,000-square-foot building, built in 1922, has ed the former Brinckmann building at 622 and 624 4,000 square feet of gallery and other space down- Franklin St. into a spectacular art gallery down- stairs and 4,000 square feet upstairs for the apart- stairs and four condo-like apartments upstairs. ments, all of which have been rented. Mort, who lives in Monterey, Ind., said he fell in Along with the gallery, Mort operates a McIntosh love with downtown Michigan City when he fi rst Audio and Home Theater Listening Room in a small saw it. offi ce, while another offi ce will be converted into ad- His business, P.J. Mort Woodworking, has built ditional gallery space and an eBay store. some 400 homes across this part of the state over the Called the Nanomall, the project has been one of years. He also builds art-quality furniture through the most satisfying of Mort’s 34-year career. wood he acquires by reclaiming downed trees. “I’m really, really happy with the store,” said While he declined to say how much money was Mort. “This is what I’ve been interested in doing. invested in the property, he acknowledged it was “I like Michigan City for many reasons, but most “very sizeable.” of all for the great opportunity here. The prices (for property) are good and the opportunity on Franklin Street isn’t any better than it is right now. “This community has ev- erything you need. What needs to happen now is for people to start thinking that Franklin Street is the place to be,” said Mort. The 1922 Brinckmann building has been Pearl “P.J.” Mort refurbished into an and his companion, art gallery, audio Sunny, inside the listening room art gallery he and and eBay store his wife, Kristine, downstairs and have opened in the four Chicago-style former Brinckmann loft apartments Building at 622/624 upstairs. Franklin Street. It was opportunity that drew Jarrar Mahmoud Mahmoud is also pleased that so many of the proj- to Michigan City. Mahmoud, who lives in Hobart, ects underway downtown include loft apartments. snapped up the opportunity to open a convenience With people living downtown, he said they will need store on Franklin Street when he and two partners a place to go for necessities and that might encour- purchased the former Concord Cleaners building at age other businesses to look at downtown. 1002 Franklin St. Entrepreneurs Continued on Page 4 After completing the purchase, Mahmoud spent two months remodeling the store and putting in re- frigeration and freezer equipment before opening in May. “It has been wonderful here,” said Mahmoud. “The customers are great and word of mouth about what is happening here has been very good.” Mahmoud said he noticed there was a lot of con- struction activity in downtown and after looking over the area, realized there wasn’t a convenience store closer to the beach. But most important, he said, was providing something for the neighborhood around the store. “I believe in offering things at a good price.. If you don’t, people won’t come back and you’ve lost a cus- Jarrar Mahmoud, owner of Lakeshore Convenience, tomer.” 1002 Franklin Street, poses inside his store. THE Page 4 August 13, 2009 Entrepreneurs Continued from Page 3 “It is a pleasure to work with an owner who has At the northern end of Franklin Street, the 400 such a vision,” said Brown. That vision, he said, in- block is being transformed by the Northern Indi- cludes revitalization of downtown. ana Education Foundation. The foundation, which Across the parking lot, NIEF has acquired the was created in 1987, has quietly been working to form Jarosz Printing building at 422 Franklin St. improve downtown for more than two decades, said For now, the building’s exterior and front offi ce have executive director Mary A.