Holly, MI

Michigan Renaissance Festival Celebrates 32 years

The Michigan Renaissance Festival comes to Holly, Mi again this year. The festival runs every weekend through October 02, 2011. Each weekend has a different theme.
The setting is the shire of Hollygrove. Recreating Renaissance (circa 1586-1600)

Guests attending the festival will be greeted by belly dancers, sword swallowers, sword fighters and musicians all dressed in period costume. MANY guests like to dress up in costume as well. It's encouraged to partake in the festival spirit and join in the merriment. If you don't behave, you could find yourself locked up. Then you have to beg for money to get released.

There is fun and games for the kids. All of the "rides" are period as well. There is no electric carnival rides. They are all man powered. You may have to pull a rope to get going or slide down a wire to put your jousting pole through the ring.
There is even knife, ax and star throwing. Try climbing Jacobs ladder as it twists with your weight on it. Or you could try to knock someone off of the sitting pole into the hay with a bag stuffed with rags.

JOUSTING. One of the main attractions. Gallant knights in shining armor have a live jousting duel on horseback, defending their honor, right in front of you complete with the king and queen of the court. There's also a live chess game where knights have sword battles to claim a space on the board.

The numerous stages are filled with jugglers and hecklers. Go ahead. Throw some tomatoes at the heckler. if you can take the verbal abuse. One of my favorite shows is the Ded Bob Show. A few audience members are brought up on stage and used to portray a little humorous skit.

What would a festival be without vendors. In the marketplace you can find costumes, swords, shields and many other handcrafted wares. You can even have your palm read. If you get hungry, you can feast on a turkey drum stick or many other foods. Sorry, no utensils. You eat with your fingers as if you were living in the past.

Take a trip back in time to Hollygrove and enjoy the festivities.
Look for discount tickets at Kroger and Walgreens stores.

My clients and I finally closed on a Holly Michigan home. They wanted a older home with character on a larger lot. They had been looking on and off for about 6 months when we found this home.

It was a 2500 square foot home that we bought for $63,000. We got lucky because it had some easily issues that could be fixed relatively easy. But many home buyers couldn't see the fix. So home buyers were shying away from the home. The home has no curb appeal because it has no "real front porch". No landscaping out front.

But the bigger issue was at one point the home had been converted into a 2 family home. They had added a entrance to the second floor from the back. They had separate electric meters and a second kitchen upstairs. It was basically a duplex.

My clients bought it with the thought of making it back into a single family home. Luckily for us the mortgage company would not close the loan until it was converted back into a single family home. The selling bank probably paid about $4000 to have the kitchen removed, to have the second meter removed and the electricity changed. Plus the upstairs entrance was closed off. All at no cost to my buyers.

The major item that probably turned off many buyers was taken care of by the selling bank. So my buyers were able to pick up a home that had:

1. Newer windows
2. Newer roof
3. New furnace
4. An older home that had updated electrical and plumbing
5. A larger lot

For less than $25 a square foot.

This is a deal that the buyers had to look beyond what the house was and buy it for what it could be. Even if they put $50,000 over the next few years they should do well with it in the future.

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As one of the nation's fastest growing companies, who have installed over 10,000 granite countertops in 2008 alone, and opened 4 new stores in the last few weeks, they have earned a good name

Macomb, MI - Rock Tops Granite is one of the nation's fastest growing companies and they are recognized as being one of the best companies to work for. Rock Tops specializes in fabricating and installing custom granite countertops. Founded in 2000, and originally a supplier to large home-improvement companies, Rock Tops has altered their business model and grown exponentially. They have installed over 10,000 countertops during 2008 alone. They have grown to 7 locations in the state of Michigan, and opened 10 new stores, nationwide, in the last few years. Four new stores just opened during the last few weeks.

Bob Gasiorowski, one of the owners of Rock Tops Granite, was recently interviewed by Mark Maupin, a local real estate investor, mentor and college instructor. Mark said, "I love what Rock Tops Granite, one the largest granite and marble countertop fabricators and installers in the United States has done to ensure customer satisfaction. Having owned my own home improvement company, I know that when you look at the number of jobs Rock Tops Granite does with little to no complaints, they must be providing a great service. So, I went to their warehouse and showroom looking for Granite Countertops for my own home."

During the tour of Rock Tops Granite's show room in Macomb, Mark observed the people working there. "I visited their show room and asked both owners of this company what their secret for success was. Both told me the same thing with their actions and their words. What I observed was old fashion hard work, listening to the customers needs, and putting systems into place to take care to the customers," said Maupin.

Mark was impressed with their quality control practices and customer communication policies. When asked why he telling a customer in the show room to spend extra time looking over the work at the time of installation to make sure everything was perfect. Bob explained, "The last thing I want is anyone thinking that "Rock Tops Granite countertops are a rip-off, or that the company is unscrupulous. I want to be sure the customer is completely satisfied before they sign off on the job and the installer leaves their home."

Bob also showed Mark their rigid hiring process and the detail that goes into checking future employees' references and conducting background checks. Bob said, "We are proud to be known as one of the best companies to work for. With our management's open-door policy, we encourage our employees to let us know when they have questions, concerns or suggestions that would benefit our company. We pay well, include a nice benefit package, and work to build employee moral and improve their motivation."

Bob proudly showed Mark their state of the art, computer controlled cutting equipment for cutting and shaping the granite countertops. Bob explained, "This system expedites the field measuring process, and it is especially attractive for remodels because the technology allows for detailed measurements to be taken and accurate data to be collected, without having to remove the existing counter tops. Customers don't have to live without use of their kitchen while their replacement counter tops are being fabricated. It also helps to map uneven wall surfaces for an accurate fit and finish."

So if you're ready for the most perfect countertops at the best possible price, or if you simply enjoy looking at beautiful things, stop by Rock Tops brand new showroom and manufacturing facility. Visit their website at http://www.rocktopsgranit.com to find a location near you.

Contact:

Rock Tops Granite
17411 23 Mile Road
Macomb, MI 48042
Toll Free: 1.877.ROCKTOP
Phone: 586.263.6621
Fax: 586.263.7067
Email: info@rocktopsgranite.com

Rock Tops Granite Reports: Undermount Sinks for Hygiene and Appeal

Professionals who specialize in kitchen and bathroom remodeling recommend installing under-mount sinks. Under mount sinks have become very popular because of their modern, sleek appeal and their clean look. Because they fit under the countertops, one can easily wipe crumbs and debris from the countertop right into the sink, without it becoming caught under the lip of the sink. The older style sink that requires a bead of caulk around it to provide a seal between the sink and countertop accumulates crumbs and debris and just looks bad over time.

The undermount sink does not work with all countertops. The ideal countertop for this type of sink is granite, marble or any other natural stone or solid material. Countertops of laminate or formica can eventually delaminate and bubble up over time, so an under mount sink is not recommended for this type of surface.

There are many styles of kitchen sinks to choose from, including single and double bowl. Bathroom sinks offer many options with a variety of sizes, shapes and colors to choose from. Kitchen and bath remodeling projects are the most expensive to do, so whatever choice you make for your sink and countertop, you will want to be sure it will remain functional and beautiful for many years. The undermount sink is one worth considering.

This article was written by Charlie Thiede, owner of Rock Tops Granite, the leading experts in granite and marble countertops fabrication and installation. With their use of the latest technology for cutting, shaping and finishing the stone to perfection, they produce the highest quality custom countertops at the lowest price of their competitors. Visit http://www.rocktopsgranite.com to locate a showroom where you can learn more.

Listening to workers' concerns, ideas and suggestions coupled with an extensive benefit package makes Rock Tops a great place to work

Holly, MI - Rock Tops Granite has been recognized as the fastest growing company in southeast Michigan and one of the leading companies to work for. During a recent interview, president, Charlie Thiede said, "Listening to workers is the key to employee motivation. They are out in the field, talking to customers and making sales. They know what the customer's concerns are and they are the ones who can pass this on to management. Rock Tops has an open-door policy; we encourage employees to share their issues and opinions freely."

Rock Tops has been acknowledged as a company who attracts a skilled, diverse workforce with their extensive benefit package. Charlie said, "We have very rigid policies and we perform detailed background checks before anyone is employed with our company. When we determine that an applicant is right for the job, we give them what they rightfully deserve; good pay and a nice benefit package. Quality employees, such as what we require, are hard to find; we want to give them good incentive to remain with us. High employee turnover can kill the success of a company and cost thousands in hiring and training new help."

Rock Tops employs over 150 people in the state of Michigan alone. They have opened stores in 10 more locations throughout the US and they plan to open several more stores in 2009. Rock Tops has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies, nationwide, and one of the best to be employed by. Charlie said, "We encourage our employees to relay customer feedback to us as well as offer suggestions as to how we can improve. Listening to our employees, with an open mind, and acknowledging them for their ideas and input is great for their morale and motivation. We take pride in paying our employees well, offering a good benefit package, and treating them like the important people that they are."

Rock Tops Granite has 15 locations in 7 states, with showrooms in Saline, Holly, Wixom, Grand Rapids and Macomb, Michigan. They have already installed over 10,000 countertops in 2008 alone, and they plan to open more stores in the next year. This fast growing company, offering hundreds of new jobs, is what our economy needs right now. Visit their website at http://www.rocktopsgranite.com to learn more or to contact them about possible employment.

Contact:

Charlie Thiede

17411 23 Mile Road

Macomb, MI 48042

Phone: 586-263-6621

Toll Free: 1-877-ROCKTOP

info@rocktopsgranite.com

This press release was submitted by Right Now Marketing Group, LLC