LEO V. KAPLAN's Latest Articles
Ten touchstones in local LGBTQ+ history
In 1971, gay activists in East Lansing demanded protections in the city government’s hiring process from their City Council. They came, they fought, and they won: East Lansing’s early 1972 civil rights ordinance was the first of its kind in the country.
Sunrise Chinese Food & Sushi replaces Apple Jade in Frandor
Before opening Sunrise Chinese Food & Sushi in Frandor, Feng Yang operated a similar restaurant in New Jersey. Arana Yang, translating for Feng, said he was interested in bringing his …
New Williamston gym aims to spread the love of running
Before Marie Bowen started running, she said she struggled with symptoms of asthma. Then she got her mother, who had prediabetes and osteoporosis, into the hobby. Her symptoms improved to the extent …
Two expansions make it easier to find fried chicken around town
When Lansing native Cedric Bradley walked into the Lansing Shuffle after spending six years in Metro Detroit, he was surprised that the food hall and shuffleboard spot had restaurant vacancies. …
From farm to cup: Inside Lansing’s oldest coffee roaster
Whether you realize it or not, you’ve probably had coffee roasted by Paramount Coffee Co. From its facility right across from Jackson Field, Paramount roasts coffee for its eponymous Paramount …
Bayard Candle Co. welcomes foot traffic at new Williamston location
2020 was a good year for Ken and Merri Bayard, or at least it was for their fledgling candle company. The sudden boom in online shopping lit up their Bayard Candle Co., founded in 2018 and run …
As legal weed sees the sunlight, heady glass heads back underground
When Alex Vicknair moved to Lansing from Seattle in the mid-‘90s, the local head shops were full of American, artisan-made glass. “I got here and went into In Flight to sell some glass, and …
Tanuki’s Trading Post reopens in Old Town
When Brandon Carlson and Onyx Bart’s Japan-centric hobby shop, Tanuki’s Trading Post, closed last year due to issues with its Michigan Avenue building, the husband-and-wife team knew their …
Floral-themed cafe honors historic building’s past
From their spot right between downtown Lansing and the Genesee neighborhood, the Bailey Buildings on West Ionia Street have played host to barbers, booksellers and brewers, and that’s just a few of …