Rise: RealKidz Inc

The Ypsilanti company that designs, manufactures and sells clothing for plus-sized girls received a $50,000 microloan from Ann Arbor SPARK’s Eastern Washtenaw County Micro Loan Fund. The award is the maximum the fund will award, and it will be used toward hiring a sales director. The company has moved into a direct sales model and now operates a 2-person sales team.

Fall: Arbor Dog Daycare

A request to the city to expand the business to accommodate 125 dogs - up from 25 - was met with concern by some people who live nearby. The building is located in an industrial district, and the request shows that the service is valuable to customers. Neighbors may bark about potential problems here, but we value an environment that actually regulates the hours that the pets are on premises and controls waste disposal. Lots of neighborhoods in Ann Arbor probably wish as much from certain pet owners.