Deep Green data center: Where do things stand?
The steam stacks in downtown Lansing aren’t long for this world. By the end of this year, the municipally-owned Board of Water and Light will be servicing some of its downtown customers with a …
LEO V. KAPLAN's Latest Articles
Detroit-based chicken wing chain opens third Lansing location
It’s been nearly 10 years since Jack Mashini and Brian Shunia co-founded Wing Snob. The Warren-based fast-casual restaurant chain has expanded from one location in 2017 to more than 70 today. …
Bath mother hopes leather pouch can make traffic stops safer
Like many mothers of Black children, Susan Pope had to have a particular conversation with her children when they started driving. “I gave them the talk about being pulled over by the …
Kim’s Hidden Gems gives back
Before the Bath & Body Works in the Lansing Mall closed, Kim Perez enjoyed walking through the store to drum up ideas for her candle business, K Scentsations. Making soy candles was one of …
Building pathways, one job at a time
If MyHandyma’am hired only based on experience, they wouldn’t be handyma’ams at all. All but one of the St. Johns home repair and renovation company’s 12 employees are women. Only about …
Spadafore appointed Council president
A familiar hand has taken back the gavel in Lansing’s city council. Peter Spadafore, who has served on the council since 2017 and was president in 2020, was elected City Council President in a …
Eiffel Waffle serves up ice cream like you’ve never had before
Two years ago, after taking their kids to a family wedding in Chicago, DeWitt couple Awais Ahmad and Daniyal Nawaz decided to take their kids out for some late-night ice cream. They initially …
Novelty and nonconformity mark 2025’s new businesses
Every business reflects its owner, and some are more than just a new twist on an old form. This year, the Lansing area’s new business landscape was marked by unique concepts that challenged …
Indie bookstores necessary but struggling, owners say
REO Town’s Deadtime Stories carries romance novels, but they’re dark romance. They carry fantasy, but it’s dark fantasy. There are even cookbooks, but they’re Stephen King and …
Popular Jackson eatery brings an ‘experience’ to East Lansing
Before choosing East Lansing as the location of the second RJ’s Burgers & Ice Cream Co., co-owners Robert and Yvette Wilkie often encountered customers who drove from Lansing to Jackson …