Things in North Michigan?

dogon

How are things in north Michigan? I hear that they are very bad for employment and business. I used to know a couple of people who were in the design of homes, I think their business was lake st. design. I have not heard how things are doing from any old aquaintences. I used to know a Daryl Kunde at Pro Build. I think he sold carpet for that store. I was wondering how things were going if any one lives in that area? Thanks

Emma

I'm from the lower part of the state. I don't recognize the name you posted. The entire state is in a bad economic situation like many parts of the country.

What congregation were you in?

Phee

I grew up in Northern Michigan...my Sister still lives there.

Here are a few tidbits of my opinion about the economy up there...

It's ALWAYS been BAD. They're like a third world country I swear! Third world countries don't feel recession because they don't have money to begin with.

Unless you know someone or related to someone with their own company, you can't possibly hope to get a good paying (Great pay up there is about $14.00 per hour, you'd be considered RICH) job so you get stuck working at the local bar, gas station or WalMart for the rest of your life. When we go to visit up there...people that have been working at the same gas station since I was barely old enough to see over the counter, are still there.

Northern Michigan has always been a great place to visit...but I couldn't live there ever again unless I had a pension that was a sure thing.

This is just my assessment of what it's like up there. Take it for what it's worth. =)

-Phee

AMomentWeBothKnew

I live in the Detroit area and I would concur with the other comments here. Michigan's economy sucks right now. Someone mentioned $14.00 per hour as being rich in northern Michigan, but I would say that's pretty good wages even in the Detroit area. You have to remember Michigan is traditionally a union state, with strong unions in the steel and, especially, auto industries. These unions ensured good wages for their members, i.e. $20-$30 per hour. Now, however, even $10 per hour is considered good in some circles.

chickpea

are you talking about the UP?

B_Deserter

I lived in Traverse City for a little over a year, and things were bad back then. There's just no work. The only manufacturing of any decent size is the one cherry cannery. There are rich people up there, but the only money in northern Michigan was made somewhere else and migrated up there. There are some rich subdivisions in Traverse City but Petoskey takes the cake by far. The only real economy is retail and services, and even then the pay is low and the industry dies every winter. When I moved up there the local lumberyard went out of business because the Home Depot came in. Then in a few short months they built a Lowes and a huge Menards (Menards is a midwestern home improvment retailer like Lowe's and Home Depot). That area cannot possibly sustain three large building supply retailers through the winter, it just can't. Nothing happens up there in the winter except for a financially marginal winter sports industry, the majority of which stays within the few ski resorts that dot the area. Like others said, it's a nice place to visit, but you really don't want to live there.