So the truth is, we're no Detroit/Grand Rapids/Traverse City…and we’re ok with that!
We love those places, but Michigan’s Forgotten Coast is a different kind of place. We don't have their population, traffic (#winning), or celebrity status. If you skimmed our home page you already know this. We're forgotten & underrated on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast, but we don't mind. We’re an up-and-coming area with some benefits those metro areas don’t have and a few hidden gems we know will benefit you and your business.
We're not trying to appeal to everyone, we're trying to reach the ones. The ones who aren't afraid to be different. The ones, who like us, believe success is not a title, but a mindset and a way of life. The ones who have a vision and an enthusiasm to create and inspire. So are you one of the ones? We hope so... all this typing is making us reeeaaal thirsty.
So here it is folks. Here's what we bring to the table. If any of this resonates with you, we encourage you to reach out. We're really very easy to talk to. Maybe we could even meet and discuss all this over a beverage.
Contact us today and let’s start a conversation!
Explore the communities of Michigan’s Forgotten Coast here and see where you might fit in!
Water
We understand that brewers place a high value on the quality of the original water coming through their pipes.
Lake Huron gives us both quality AND quantity. While many other areas across the nation are facing water shortages, we have one of the world's largest freshwater sources know to man in our backyard.
After vision, determination, and a good recipe, water is the key ingredient of beer and many other craft beverages. Often, the quality AND quantity are crucial when making beer. Impurities, minerals and other factors weigh in on the consistent taste of beer.
On the Forgotten Coast, we have water, lots of it. Being surrounded by 150 miles of shoreline we have access to an incredible resource, Great Lakes water. Click here for a more in-depth look at our water, where we have broken down the individual community offerings. Our shoreline communities typically draw water from Lake Huron and our inland areas utilize deep aquifers. Either way, we have water.
And when you are done brewing, go and play in it, kayak/paddle board on it. Fish in it.
Plus it gives you a great back story, formed by glaciers the Great Lakes have more fresh water, (and no sharks) than any other place on earth. Not bad for a forgotten coast.
Low Cost Operation
Sebewaing is unique in that it supplies its own power and internet access to the citizens.
Low cost, affordable, cheap, frugal; people can say it a thousand different ways, we say its about attitude. Don’t worry about the frills at the start, get the project up and running, and then fine tune it.
We have real estate begging to be used for a brewery. Located in our downtowns, these spaces are very affordable and plentiful.
Other operational costs tend to be lower here too. Labor, rent, insurance, power, water, sewer….everything is a little less expensive on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast.
That's a lot of words to say we offer a low cost business environment that will help your business be economically viable. So, no BS, we think we have what you need and then some!
See featured available commercial properties by choosing a community on our map.
Contact us today and let’s start a conversation about your craft beverage business.
Agriculture
Harvesting at Elk River Hops
One of the incredible strengths of our friendly coast is our farms. The coast and all of the areas between our shorelines are some of the most productive land in the state, if not in the country. Sugar beets, corn, soybeans, dairy, and believe it or not; honey are all grown here. We are also starting to see the very beginnings of hops production and a couple of small vineyards.
We can grow almost anything and once we understand how to do it, we tend to do it really, really well.
So... those hop yards looking to spread their risk out, (we also talk like accountants), let us sink our proverbial teeth into the component parts of great beer... hops, grains, water and you will be amazed at what we can do.
The terroir of our forgotten coast is sure to lend a hand in the development of new characterisitics and qualities in your latest concoction.
If we knew that you were going to need more hops, a heritage variety of wheat or barley we can start to partner with you to make it happen. Need organic? We have a strong and growing organic community looking for new opportunities.
We have a tradition of working with the best and brightest to field test new growing concepts, test new, or at least different, crop varieties. Found something you want to try? Let us know.
Most people have this idea that agriculture and farmers are old fashioned, stick in the mud sorts. The thing is; they are some of the most entrepreneurial people on the planet. But it's true, trusting the weather, hedging their bets with their expertise, understanding in their bones how all of this works together is a science and an art, kind of like beer brewing.
Lack of Competition
Elk Street Brewery in Sandusky
The look and feel of Michigan’s Forgotten Coast is wide open space…and when it comes to breweries & other craft beverage businesses it feels about the same.
We do have some quality breweries, wineries, and distilleries in our area including Elk Street Brewery, Lexington Brewing Company and Wine House, HuCo Brew Co., 3 North Vines, Dizzy Daisy Winery, and Shipwreck Distillery. But, that’s about all for the entire area…so there is plenty of market for new craft beverage businesses.
I guess what we’re saying is that you really don't have to worry about stepping on anyone’s toes. There’s plenty of room to plant your feet on your own ground. In fact, all of our local craft beverage makers want more peers in the area. They all realize that if we have more, we become even more of a destination for craft beverages.
Being the first to locate in some of our communities will give you a leg up on the competition. If you look at our shoreline communities, you are not just tapping into the local folks, but a lot of our neighbors from Detroit, Ann Arbor, Canada, Toledo and other far off and exotic locations who visit often.
Bottom line is you get the chance to make your mark and build your brand to an area of new craft beer enthusiasts.
Tourism
Kayaking to the Harbor Beach Lighthouse
The Forgotten Coast is maybe a little misleading. We are known to a lot of people. Our sandy beaches, our walkable small towns, wildlife, boating, and other natural attractions have all contributed to a strong and vibrant tourism economy. But, because we are not on an expressway, we are often not on anyone's radar.
Port Austin, at the very tip of the Thumb area, is home to one of the top ten farmers markets in the state, bringing in 2-3,000 people on an average Saturday morning, (who gets up on a Saturday morning, right?) and on a holiday over 10,000! Harbor Beach with one of the greatest man made harbors, Lexington with it's almost New Englandy charm is just a stones throw from millions of people in the Detroit metro area.
Michigan’s Forgotten Coast offers a new residents opportunity to capture a market, a place to experiment out of the glare of the "big city", and some really sweet real estate deals. Just sayin...
So…come up and visit, see if we are a good fit for you. We think you are, but don't take our word for it, see for yourself.
Michigan’s Forgotten Coast…not for much longer!
Close to Population Centers
It’s just a short drive to larger cities.
You could say we're off the beaten path, (we are Michigan’s Forgotten Coast after all) but we think we are in just the right place for you. Not too far from our more urban neighbors, but far enough where we can say....”our urban neighbors”. Sometimes it feels like we’re a world away, but then you want to see a game or go to a concert and remember that it’s not that far at all.
The added benefit of our closeness to population centers is that it goes both ways. Yes, we can get to the city activities & cultural things pretty quickly, but the cityfolk (we’ve been here long enough to call them that) can get here easily too…and that can have a wonderful effect for businesses here.
There are lots of folks who take that short drive to visit us for our outdoor activities and more. All these folks who could be tasting your (insert your craft beverage of choice). With the changing tourist clientele you can reach a whole new batch of potential customers every weekend.
Nature & Lake Life
Turnip Rock & Thumbnail Point in Port Austin
We have always thought we were naturally attractive!
Ok, the editor of the site says I just can't leave it at that, so we'll give you just a couple more natural attractions. Blue skies, clean air, and drinkable water all are part of who we are and what we do.
Things like the Port Crescent Dark Sky Preserve that truly lets you see the universe. Or, the 150 miles of Lake Huron shoreline that is home to the iconic Turnip Rock & other rock formations, shallow water shipwrecks, lighthouses, sandy beaches, sport fishing and more!
Thousands of acres of Department of Natural Resource's state game areas. Miles and miles of hiking trails and non-motorized walking/bike paths. Large swaths of picturesque farmland and forests.
Explore more parks & outdoor activities on our links page, or choose a community on our map to learn about what’s there.
We'll Help You
Regardless of whether you are thinking about a brewery, distillery, meadery, or other type of "ery", we can put together a team of folks that can answer your questions on locating/expanding in our area.
The advantage of working in small places is that we can pick up the phone and call the mayor, zoning director, or city managers. Now, we may not get the answer we want, but we can talk with them directly and plainly about our project.
Our job is to try and make your expansion into our part of the world as seamless as possible. So give us a call, we can talk about it over a cold one...
