News
Southwest Michigan Brewery Earns National No. 1 Ranking for Best Beer Garden
Beyond the Bottom Line: Breaking the Three-Generation Curse in Family Business
In the world of family business, there is a haunting proverb often whispered in boardrooms: “Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations”. The first generation builds the business through grit and sacrifice, the second enjoys the fruits of that labor, and the...
Tornado Relief Resources
Tornado Relief Resources This page includes trusted links and on-the-ground resources following the tornadoes that impacted Cass, St. Joseph, and Branch Counties. We will update this page as new information is confirmed. Last updated: March 9, 2026 Quick actions Get...
2026 Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber Winners Announced
Legitimize Your Presence: 4 Surprising Rules to Win Your Next Client Meeting
Introduction We’ve all been there: sitting across the table, or the screen, in a crucial business meeting, feeling the pressure to make a great impression. You have your pitch perfected, your slides are polished, and you’re ready to convince the client that you have...
Local Partners Help Bring New Edwardsburg Library to Life
Several regional partners played a key role in bringing the new Cass District Library’s Edwardsburg Branch to life. The $7 million, 5.4-acre facility celebrated its grand opening on February 27, 2026, marking the first new library built in Cass County since 1978 and...
Why Ownership Transition May Be Kalamazoo’s Most Underrated Economic Strategy
Main Street businesses have long been the foundation of Kalamazoo’s economy. They provide stable jobs, long-standing customer relationships, and a sense of place that national chains are unable to duplicate. Yet many of these businesses are entering a period of...
The Importance of Window Treatments: More Than Just a Finishing Touch
When designing a space, window treatments are often thought of as a final detail—but in reality, they play a much bigger role. The right window treatments do more than frame a view; they influence how a room feels, functions, and performs every day. From light control...
Old Walls, New Life: Inside Ironworks, PlazaCorp’s Downtown Transformation
On a stretch of downtown Kalamazoo where construction, restoration, and new momentum are starting to overlap, the Lofts at Ironworks (also known as Ironworks), is turning the page from long-term project to lived-in place. Trisha Kidd, PlazaCorp’s director of project...
Raising Cane’s Celebrates Portage Opening
80 New Apartments Planned for Battle Creek
Cancel Your ERP Project… or Whatever Expensive Acronym You Were About to Buy
ERP. CRM. WMS. PLM. HRMS. EMR. Pick your acronym. Add a polished demo. Stir in some magical thinking and a pint of unrealistic expectations. Marinate in a six or seven-figure budget. Sprinkle on an arbitrary go-live date. Bake in a 550-degree pressure cooker for 12-18...