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February 2017
The Fabulous Fridays planning committee was honored to receive the 2016 Best Outstanding Business Award for "Visionary" during the West Branch Area Chamber of Commerce Business Awards!
West Branch Events
West Branch, Michigan
Downtown Remodel
By Peter Fabbri

This year downtown West Branch 
will get a makeover. A major 
reconstruction is planned that 
includes underground work to 
replace aging utilities and 
surface work that will create a 
new roadway, sidewalks, and 
beautification to the entire corridor starting at Fairview and extending west past M30.










Of course, with major work being done, there will be some inconveniences but everything possible is being done to mitigate anything major. Access to the business is being planned to ensure the customers can get into their favorite shops and restaurants. Public parking lots will not be impacted.

The West Branch Area Merchants Association has been meeting to discuss things that they can do to ensure customers have easy access into the businesses. Many rural communities suffer major business loss during projects so the merchants are developing novel strategies, marketing and advertising to get the word out that “We are Open for Business!”

Merchant events may be modified this summer but others are being planned with ideas of having an “Orange Barrel Polka”, as an example. The Art Walk and Wine Tasting event will go on as planned in April and other events are in the works!

When the dust settles, West Branch will be shiny and new. Join us throughout the process and continue to support your favorite businesses. This is an exciting time in West Branch!


Major improvements to the core downtown include expanding the sidewalks allowing outside food service at some of the restaurants, new lighting, trees, benches and more. Pretty much everything will be brand new.

It’s an exciting endeavor and the end result will be a more walkable pleasant inviting downtown. The work is slated to begin in April and go into the fall. The Michigan Dept of Transportation has had several public meetings to share, discuss and obtain input on the project. The road through downtown will be open to traffic throughout the project and alternate detour routes established. 
2024 Spring Art Walk & Wine Tasting CLICK HERE!
Courtesy Monika Gawlak-Curus