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food & grocery: Frugal Friday at My Favorite Cafe - Saline eatery offers breakfast or a light lunch for $5 or under
Mary Bilyeu, ContributorI was in Saline recently with Jeremy, on a day that involved a lot of schlepping here, there and everywhere. By late afternoon, we were in need of refreshment and sustenance. And so ...
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Saline's downtown area, like all small-town business districts, has been forced to fight big-box retail and parking problems.
But the Saline downtown is emerging from the economic downturn with momentum. Here are AnnArbor.com Business Review's Top 5 positive signs for Saline's downtown.
1. The Walmart that opened in October a mile east on Michigan Avenue in Pittsfield Township has had
no noticeable effect on Saline’s downtown. The Walmart expects to
collect $100 million in annual revenue, but downtown doesn't
generally compete for the same business. Predictions that the Walmart would doom Saline's downtown now seem silly.
The space housing the former Kelly's and Saline Cafe restaurant and bar will be revived as a new, renamed Italian eatery later this year.
Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com
2. The long-vacant Kelly’s restaurant is getting a new tenant. The owners of Mickey’s Dairy Twist are leading a family group that plans to launch a family-friendly Italian eatery there after purchasing the property last week.
3. The ownership group that controls the largely vacant former R&B Machine Tool Co. building on Michigan Avenue is close to a deal to sell the 62,000-square-foot facility. A local manufacturing company wants to launch an expansion in the facility - a move that could generate more foot traffic for downtown.
4. The M&D auto shop on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Harris Street has new owners, according to the Saline Reporter, and they plan to renovate the tattered structure.
5. The Saline ACH plant is back to full capacity with 2,000 workers. The success of the plant, albeit not downtown, is sure to trickle down and benefit downtown restaurants and coffee shops.
Contact AnnArbor.com’s Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com or follow him on Twitter. You can also subscribe to AnnArbor.com Business Review's weekly e-newsletter or the upcoming breaking business news e-newsletter.
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