PLYMOUTH A GANNETT COMPANY 6 TIPS FO R PARENTS USA W eekend SUNDAY, AUGUST 2 5 , 2 0 1 3 • hom etow nlife.com iiAirtfm otive STEP AT A TIME s u p p lie r s Runner finds meaning helping others reach fitness goals p la n n in g By M att Jachman Staff W riter e x p a n s io n Whether it’s running a busi­ ness, running an event or run­ ning for the health of it, Randy Step is enjoying the race. A dedicated runner for almost M o r e t h a n 100 engineering 40 years, Step is the president of Running Fit, Inc., which just jobs expected to be added opened its eighth area running gear store and includes fitness By M a tt Jachman event-management and race­ Staff Writer timing businesses. It doesn’t seem like work at A $6.8 million investment in Plymouth all, the South Lyon resident says. Township’s industrial corridor by two auto “I’m so fortunate to be in a suppliers could bring more than 100 engi­ business where everyone who neering, research and manufacturing jobs works here is passionate about there, plus help retain over 40 more jobs. what they do,” Step said during Webasto-Edscha Cabrio USA and AD- an interview at the Northville VICS North America, Inc., were each Township Running Fit. “They’re given the green light Tbesday by the town­ passionate runners.” ship for a tax break on building improve­ Step and his co-workers, who ments and new tools and equipment they produce well-known Michigan plan to bring to their facilities in the Met­ running events such as Dances ro West Industrial Park, off of Five Mile With Dirt and Run Woodstock, and Sheldon. Both Board of Trustees votes recently took on management of were unanimous; final approvals are up to the inaugural Heroes on Hines, state officials. five-kilometer and half-mara- Webasto, part of a German company thon races in honor of Wayne and the descendant of Karmann USA, County police officers and fire­ makes convertible and open-air automo­ fighters who lost their lives on bile tops and is the largest manufacturer the job. The Saturday, Oct. 5, of such systems in the world, said Stephen event, which will raise money for Chesna, the chief financial officer. The the maintenance of the county’s company plans $291,000 in improvements First Responders Memorial, begins and ends near Hines See EXPANSION, Page A3 Drive and Haggerty in Plymouth Township, where the memorial, under construction, will be locat­ ed. Running Fit joined Wayne County parks and recreation Fourth of July officials to plan Heroes on Hines and the company designed run­ ners’ shirts and medals, mapped fireworks and the course and is promoting the event and handling registrations. “I’m just trying to create something that I think would be picnic draw really cool,” he said. Running kismet rave reviews Step grew up in Detroit and Redford Township, where his Randy Step recently took on management of the inaugural Heroes on Hines, By M a tt Jachman father worked at the Charles five-kilometer and half-marathon races in honor of W ayne County police officers and Staff Writer Step Funeral Home, which was firefighters w ho lost their lives on the job. b i l l b r e s l e r | s t a f f photographer founded in Detroit by Randy’s Plymouth Township’s Fourth of July grandfather and is now run by festivities got high marks Tuesday as Randy’s brother, also named ence and began his career as a funer­ ing,” he said. township officials reviewed their costs Charles. al director, something he did for and praised the volunteers behind them Step didn’t run in high school seven years. He has great respect for Achieving goals and the value they brought the community. - he is a 1974 Redford Union the work. Still, he lived and breathed run­ Kelly Latawiec, first-time organizer of graduate - but took it up at Mich­ “You have the opportunity to help ning and opened the first Running Fit the July 4 Good Old Fashioned Picnic, told igan State University, where people in the most difficult days of in Aim Arbor in December 1984, the Board of Trustees she and husband during his sophomore year, as a their lives,” he said. eventually transitioning into retail Dave were hesitant about taking on the transfer student, he found him­ But the running bug had taken full time. He also sold commercial responsibility, but felt the picnic was self in a dormitory with a con­ hold and Step also trained for races exercise equipment for several “very important to the development of our centration of Spartans cross and triathlons (running, swimming years; when his partner bought community.” country runners. and cycling), even taking time off Step’s share of that business, he said, Latawiec, an administrative assistant in “I pretty much got hooked and with his wife Kathleen, a top female he decided to refocus on running. the Division of Public Services, stepped in put in a lot of miles with those triathlete at the time, to train and Step said he felt guilty about leav­ after Trustee Bob Doroshewitz, who had guys,” sometimes logging 80 to compete. ing the funeral home for a business run the picnics in 2010,2011 and 2012, re- 100 miles a week, Step said. “I never ran those kind of times He majored in mortuary sci- where I thought I could make a liv­ See RUNNER, Page A2 See FIREWORKS, Page A3 Owners close the book on Old Village shop Neighborhood mainstay abruptly closes after some some 30 years By M a tt Jachman Kelchak could not be reached for comment Staff Writer and a woman who answered the phone at the number on the “for rent” sign Friday said she The Old Village Bookshop, a second-hand would not discuss the store’s departure. bookstore on Starkweather in Plymouth’s Old The store offered used books, mostly pa­ Village neighborhood, has closed, or perhaps perbacks, of all kinds and did probably its started a new chapter somewhere else. biggest business in mysteries and romances. Neighborhood residents say the store Kelchak obtained many of her books through a closed abruptly about a month ago. A for rent trade-in system that gave customers credit sign sits in a window of the empty store, al­ toward future purchases when they turned in though the overhead sign and the store’s web­ old books. site remain up. The website appears to be out In a 2009 interview, Kelchak said she had a of date, however. stable base of repeat customers, some of ♦ The shop had been an Old Village mainstay whom could go through six paperbacks in a since the 1980s; the last owner, J. Karen Kel- week. chak, obtained it in 2000. It had had two or three locations in the neighborhood; Kelchak [email protected] \ (313) 222-2405 The Old Village Bookshop had a large selection of paperback opened the last location in May 2008. Twitter: Qmattjachman romance and mystery novels, f i l e p h o t o ♦ ♦ O b s e r v e r & E c c e n t r ic © The Observer & Eccentric IN D E X hometownlife.com MEDIA Volume 127 • Number 5 Community Life ....... B5 J o b s ................. ........ C1 W h e e k C3 A GANNETT COMPANY Crossword Puzzle ..... C2 O b it u a r i e s ....... ....... B9 53174 10007 H e a lth ................. .. B10 S e r v ic e s ............... C2 PRICE: $1 Home Delivery: (866) 887-2737 | Return Address: 41304 Concept Dr., Plymouth Ml 48170 H o m e s ...................... C2 S p o r t s ............... ........ B1 ♦ A i i i A 2 (P ) 0 & E Media | Sunday, August 25, 2013 L O C A L N E W S hometownlife.com chances,” meaning, he RUNNER said, to get outside of HEROES ON HINES their comfort zones. Continued from Page A1 What: Heroes on Hines, W ayne County-sponsored five- C lo se call kilometer (3.1 miles) and half-m arathon (13.1 miles) races. he found so enjoyable, But he also urges Where: Western end of Hines Park and surrounding but came to realize his safety, saying that he areas, with start and finish near Hines Drive and Hagger­ new career gave him the prefers trail instead of ty. Race-day parking is at Burroughs, at Plymouth Road chance to help people street running, wears and Haggerty. through difficult times, bright colors, runs with­ When: Saturday, Oct. 5. Starts are 8 a.m. for the half­ too. out music and stays marathon, 8:30 a.m. for the 5K. “We have the ability to aware of his surround­ Why: To raise m oney for long-term maintenance of the change people’s lives ings. “I hate running near First Responders Mem orial under construction at Hagger­ dramatically and we see a road,” he said. ty and Hines. The races will be followed by a memorial it all the time,” he said. The dangers were dedication ceremony. Organizers hope to make the run Step described how non­ painfully illustrated for an annual event. runners looking for a him Aug. 14, when Step’s How: V isit www.heroesonhines.com for more informa­ healthier lifestyle walk in wife Kathleen, compet­ tion or to register. The 5K is $29 through Thursday, Sept.