MANISTEE, MI – A pair of former Mackinac Island enterprise house owners plan to deliver frozen margaritas, paddleboards and extra to an Up North Lake Michigan seashore this summer time and past.
Jack and Terrie Armstrong had been year-round residents of Mackinac Island for 20 years earlier than lately promoting their six island companies and shopping for property in Manistee County the place the couple plans to construct a house and run a ramped-up seashore concession stand.
The husband-and-wife duo lately signed a three-year contract (with two one-year extensions) with the town of Manistee to run their Sundown Grill on the First Road Seaside concession stand. However they’re taking it just a few steps additional.
“We would love to make this one thing greater than only a concession stand,” Jack Armstrong informed MLive.
His imaginative and prescient?
“The entire household can come all the way down to the seashore and have an important lunch,” he mentioned. “Then mother and pop can have a frozen strawberry margarita and the children can exit on a paddleboard.”
The enterprise begins with a menu of smoked meats, barbeque, ice cream treats, frozen margaritas and draft beer – after which spirals out from there.
Jack Armstrong expects an enormous draw to be “theme nights” the place the concession provides Italian, Mexican, Polish, seafood, barbeque and different sorts of delicacies on rotation.
Sundown Grill will supply smoked meats, burgers, frozen margaritas and extra at Manistee’s First Road Seaside concession stand starting this summer time.Offered by Jack Armstrong
One other facet is occasion planning and catering on the seashore, together with weddings, he mentioned.
That’s one thing the couple is skilled in.
“We did lots of weddings on Mackinac Island, Jack Armstrong mentioned. “(The seashore) is a pleasant informal venue. It’s an important gathering place and persons are extra relaxed. I feel it could be a pure match right here.”
The Armstrongs beforehand owned Mackinac Island Occasion Planning, Cannonball Catering, Cannonball Drive Inn, Smokey Jose’s, Mackinac Island Tuxedo and Males’s Put on and Somewear on Mackinac (a girls’s boutique at The Grand Lodge).
Going even additional, the Armstrongs plan to fill a void on the seashore: watersport leases. They are going to supply paddleboards and kayaks this 12 months – possibly extra choices sooner or later.
“We’re in it for the lengthy haul,” Jack Armstrong mentioned.
His spouse, Terrie Armstrong, is from Bear Lake, which is about 17 miles north of Manistee. The couple lately purchased her nice grandfather’s farm property in Bear Lake and plan to construct a home there.
The Armstrongs plan to fulfil the entire 5 years of their metropolis contract after which apply once more. They’re already making a “important funding” within the seashore pavilion with upgraded kitchen tools, together with a meat smoker, grill and fryers.
Manistee’s First Road Seaside/Douglas Park consists of a number of playgrounds, sports activities fields, gazebos and picnic areas, a ship launch, a fish cleansing station, and a canine park. A brand new Hampton Inn & Suites is predicted to open this spring throughout the road from the waterfront.
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