About Brighton's Downtown

A group of business owners got together to write, rehearse, and shoot a little video on patronizing businesses in their town - Brighton Michigan. The narrator is George Moses of George Moses Company, publisher of the Marketeer. Many other business are featured. What a great idea! My wife and I do almost all of our Holiday gift shopping in either downtown Brighton or downtown Howell. We do a lot of other shopping in the downtowns, too. We like to keep our dollars local as much as possible. Oh, and if you want to buy a Brighton home for sale, or a house for sale in Howell - give me a call!

Here's the video link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJdzXWjBmY4

The public was encouraged to line Grand River from Genoa Twp to the Brighton Area Fire Department with American flags to help commemorate the arrival of a girder from the World Trade Center, the centerpiece to Brighton’s 9/11 Memorial. I entered Grand River near Hacker Rd., and saw the first flag just west of Hilton Rd, where a family was out with a flag-laden golf cart and the entire group holding flags, too.

Small groups gathered on both sides of Grand River near the Fire Station, with a larger crowd at the site. People came alone and carrying large flags, or in twos and threes. Families were there with young children, and many veterans and a few presumably active duty troops in fatigues, too. At 12:07, the vehicles escorting the girder came into view. A large contingent of Rolling Thunder Chapter 5 on their motorcycles, a military Hummer, various police cars and fire trucks were part of the procession, as well as the truck with the flag covered girder.

Fire Chief Larry Lane addressed the crowd, as well as Capt. Gregory Mowbray, who was one of the six Brighton Area Fire Department personnel that travelled to NYC to pick up the girder.

The truck was positioned near the memorial, and a lift was used to hoist the girder into place. As each clip on the memorial was attached to the girder, the crowd applauded. Shortly after the last clip was affixed, some in the crowd started to quietly sing “God Bless America.” Many more joined in.

Chief Lane and Capt. Mowbray then presented the folded flag that had covered the girder en route to the memorial site to Jim Lemke, a local veteran and member of the Rolling Thunder contingent. The girder was covered with a black cloth until tomorrow’s formal dedication, which will occur at 9:00 am.

The memorial looks even better than the architectural renditions that I’ve seen. If you’re available tomorrow morning, consider attending the official unveiling. Grand River will be closed at 8:15 am from Main Street to Cross (near the Meijer store), but a shuttle will be running from Meijer’s to the Fire Station. Chief Lane suggested that you try to arrive no later than 7:30 as a large crowd is expected.

It will be a pretty busy weekend in Brighton. The Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce is holding the Smokin' Jazz and Barbecue Blues Fest is this weekend from 5pm to midnight Friday September 9th and again noon to midnight on Saturday the 10th in the Municipal Parking Lot next to the District Court. Great line up of entertainers, including Motor City blues icon(ess) Thornetta Davis. And don't forget the great food!

On Saturday at 11am, the centerpiece of the new 9-11 Memorial will be delivered to the memorial site at the Brighton Area Fire Department, 615 W. Grand River, 48116. Supporters are encouraging area residents to line Grand River while holding American flags of any size.

Sunday, September 11th, the memorial will be dedicated at 9am. Grand River will be closed to traffic from 8:15am to 11:00 am from Main Street to Cross Street. There will be a free shuttle running from Meijer's at Cross and Grand River. A very large crowd is expected to attend.

Why not have some fun Friday and Saturday at the Smokin' Jazz and Blues Fest, then attend the 9-11 Memorial dedication on Sunday? Brighton has a vibrant downtown with some interesting shops and restaurants.

Work continues on the 9/11 sculpture site on W. Grand River, in front of the Brighton Area Fire Department. A crew from Integrity Concrete was present when I stopped by this morning. All workers were in constant motion in preparation for the official unveiling in a little over a week from today, on 9/11/11.

The centerpiece will be a twisted segment of steel beam from the World Trade Center, suspended from the four angled black beams in the picture and will hover above pieces of broken concrete. There is also to be a wall around the memorial with the names of emergency responders that perished in the disaster.

A team of Brighton Area Fire Department personnel travelled to New York City to pick up the approximately 8’ x 3’ beam. Site plans call for the beam to be displayed in its current condition, rust and all.

Things are certainly popping in Brighton lately.

The tentatively named Western House Brewery approved by Brighton Planning Commission for the old Western House Hotel location, AKA the ‘Pink Hotel’, at West Main and First streets. This should be a great addition to downtown. Final vote by City Council will be September 1^st.

The Pound Sports Bar continues through construction on the site of the old Singer Press building at West and Main streets, across from the Main Street Martini Bar.

Elite Feet opens up downtown. With the Runnin’ Gear store on Grand River just west of Old US-23, we now have two running stores.

Art Van Pure Sleep store opens on West Grand River near Cross Street, in front of Big Apple Bagels.

The Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce has relocated to the site of the old Mellus Hospital/Leah Gold Confectionary/Premier Mortgage (depending on how far back your memory goes!), next to First Presbyterian Church. Two blocks north of Main St.

A Green Oak Twp firm, Excelda Mfg, has agreed to purchase the old Brighton Chamber property to build a new HQ. It should be completed sometime late in 2012 and will have up to 50 staff members.

A new wedding cake design shop has opened up in the small space adjacent to Lu & Carl’s on W. Grand River. There was a monument company in that space most recently.

The Wooden Spoon opened up at the old Mexican Jones site. No liquor license yet, but the renovations look very good and the food and service is great. Some specialty food items are available retail, too. Lunch is sort of ‘a la panera’ style, but there is wait staff for the evenings. It’s great to see that parking lot packed again.