Steinhaus Closes, Best Western Plus Opens, Teens Drinking Less, Another "Lost Winter"?, Sault Tribe Expansions, and Reason #138 Why We Love Marquette

The Latest from Marquette, MI by Brian Cabell

YEP, WE LOST a good one. Steinhaus, a popular restaurant featuring German cuisine, closed down a few days ago after an 11-year run…“Our lease is not being renewed and we have exhausted all other options,” Steinhaus wrote on their Facebook page. Back in March, Justin Fairbanks, the owner, announced that he was trying to sell the restaurant, but it’s uncertain what happened in the interim. Our attempts to contact Fairbanks have been unsuccessful so far…As expected, Steinhaus was jam-packed the last few days with some diners unable to get in. Steinhaus apologized in its Facebook message, ending with “…But never forget us. We appreciate you always.”

SO STEINHAUS IS gone. The Fish Express on Third Street also shut down recently, but 2024 also saw several restaurant openings…

Namely: El Santo Tacos and Tequila, near the Children’s Museum, and Slabz, at the Ramada Inn, both opened mostly to rave reviews…And then there were also the new sandwich shops, Sando’s and Chicago Beefs, downtown…Peace Pie in South Marquette…and Laker’s and Texas Roadhouse out on the highway…All in all, not a bad year.

SOMETHING TO CHEER about…A University of Michigan study has found that American teenagers are using alcohol and drugs far less than they had in the past…Back in 1997, 75% of 12th graders reported drinking alcohol. Last year, only 42% of them said they had drunk alcohol…As for marijuana, only 25% of the 12th graders reported using it, which was the lowest figure in the last three decades. Even vaping has declined in the last few years…So, now all we have to do is get the kids off of their cell phones and away from their video games.

MORE GOOD NEWS, according to Bridge Michigan. COVID deaths were way down in Michigan last year. The virus killed about 1400 people in 2024—tragically sad, but still, that’s only half of the COVID death toll in 2023…The worst year in the state was 2021 when COVID killed 16,000 Michiganders…Health officials warn us that, despite the declining numbers, folks over 70 are still in severe jeopardy if they contract the virus.

NOT MUCH HOOPLA about it, but the new Best Western Plus opened up a couple of weeks ago, just off of US 41, near the Marketplace supermarket…A fresh, new hotel, replacing the tired Value Host Motor Inn which was just torn down across the street…“We’re not really sure what to expect,” says Best Western GM Heather Gonzalez of their winter opening. “It’s a little slow now, but there’s no snow!” Right she is, as other hoteliers and restaurateurs will attest. The new hotel is in a convenient location— less than 10 minutes from the ski hill, 5 minutes from downtown…Rates starting around $120 a night.

SPEAKING OF SNOW, could this be a second consecutive “lost winter” when snowfall is scarce and temperatures are moderate? National Weather Service forecaster Lily Chapin won’t issue any guarantees but she will say this: “Right now, it looks like we’ll have above normal precipitation this winter, but with the temperatures, it’s hard to say. They could be slightly above the seasonal average, or slightly below.”…The next couple weeks will, in fact, bring some colder weather than we’ve had recently, with likely lake effect snow…Any major storms on the horizon? Not yet.

A CHANGE IN the narrative? Michigan actually gained almost 60,000 residents last year—the first increase here in the last few years. The primary reason was the increase in immigrants from abroad…Uh oh!…Given the incoming administration’s plan for deporting illegal immigrants, we’re not sure what impact that might have on Michigan

AI IS HERE to stay, and whether we like it or not, most of us will have to adapt to it. RevForce of Marquette has just launched a brand new AI software system for small businesses which would answer and manage phone calls, handle incoming emails and social media DMs, respond to reviews, build landing pages, and create content for emails and social media…Whew! That’s a lot, and those are the kinds of jobs that actual people usually perform, right? So AI will be costing them their jobs, it seems. RevForce co-founder Mike Gorski concedes that, but adds, “Yes, individuals will be replaced by technology, but they can learn the new technology, and then they’ll be part of it. They’ll have new jobs, better-paying jobs.”

And Gorski emphasizes that these new jobs won’t necessarily require a college education. Tech courses can cost as little as $300 a month…Yep, it’s a new world. Adapt or die.

BIG NEWS FOR the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians…Construction is now underway at two properties they bought last year—one in South Marquette, the other in Harvey. What had been the Southgate Center strip mall on US 41 will become a health clinic. It’ll be open to all tribal people, not just the Sault Tribe, according to Tyler LaPlaunt, the vice chairman of the tribe…“We hope to open it by this Fall,” he says. “It just depends on finding the providers to service the clinic.” The clinic will include primary care and labs.

The second property is the former U.S. Army Reserve building in Harvey. It’s being converted into a community center with a commercial kitchen, office space, storage, and eventually a garden…“We needed a space for gathering,” says LaPlaunt. “That’s important for the health of our people.”…The Sault tribe is huge, by the way. Seventeen thousand members live in the UP, another 22,000 downstate.

REASON #138 WHY we love Marquette…At a crowded Blackrocks Brewery over the holidays, a 70ish woman with a broken ankle hobbles around in a walking boot while leaning heavily on a four-pronged cane. A young man notices her and says, “No, you’re doing that all wrong.” She looks up at him questioningly. His wife interjects with, “I’m sorry, ma’am, he just can’t help himself.” The young man proceeds to explain that he works with patients in walking boots, and they need to do it properly.

“First of all, you’re holding the cane in the wrong hand,” he says. “You should hold it in the hand with your good leg. Second, your cane is too short. You’re bending over too much.” He extends the cane for her, and also tells her she needs to get a cane with a single point, not four prongs. Too unsteady. “Now stand up straight, don’t bend over,” he continues. “I can tell you’re athletic. Walk that way. And finally, take short steps, not long ones. That will help your posture.” She takes a few steps with him watching. “Good. Good,” he says. “Keep it up.”

Then, without another word, he returns to his wife and his beer, and the woman slowly but confidently makes her way through the crowd, now holding the cane properly, taking short steps, and standing tall.

POEM OF THE WEEK

If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking

If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

—Emily Dickinson