The City of Flint:

Located 70 miles north of Detroit, Flint has undergone much change in the past twenty years. As documented in the 1989 Michael Moore film, Roger and Me, 50 percent of the jobs belonging to Flint GM autoworkers were outsourced to Mexico in the 1980s. A city dependent upon the auto industry, Flint experienced severe economic downfall as a result of these lay-offs. While Flint is still reeling and struggling significantly from the loss of its automotive workforce, suburbs and neighboring towns are prospering. Some reasons for the continuation and growth of these areas is the continued (although diminished) industrial development and production of automotive parts in downtown Flint, the growth and expansion of the area’s colleges and universities, and the booming healthcare industry -- Genesee County is home to three major hospitals. According to the University of Michigan-Flint, these factors have increased the need for new homes. In fact, small towns to Flint’s south have actually attracted commuters to the Detroit area. Overcome by high costs of living and overdevelopment in the affluent suburbs of Detroit, many choose a 45-minute drive to work and a relatively peaceful, inexpensive place to call home. Fenton, located fifteen miles south of Flint, is a small town with beautiful lakes, good schools, and close proximity to major highways. It experienced an 11 percent increase from 2000 to 2002 (according to citydata.com), and the Fenton Chamber of Commerce reports that it is one of the fastest growing areas in the state. While many Michigan vacationers pass through Flint to head “up north” during the summer, they may want to consider spending a day or two exploring the area. Even those near Flint might be surprised by all that it has to offer. There is plenty in the area for Michigan golfers, restaurant aficionados, shoppers, music fans, and tourists to enjoy. Shopping Located approximately 15 miles north of Flint on I-75, the towns of Birch Run and Frankenmuth offer wildly different shopping experiences. Birch Run is best known for its Prime Outlet mall that offers 170 factory direct stores, many of them high-end designers such as Polo and Coach. (This has long been an outlet-shopping mecca for Detroit area residents.) Frankenmuth offers shopping on a much more small-town scale. Calling itself “Michigan’s Little Bavaria,” the village consists of small shops selling crafts and collectibles such as handmade dollhouses and German beer steins. The town is also home to Bronner’s, “the world’s largest Christmas store,” which is open 361 days a year. Within the Flint city limits, the best shopping can be found at the Genesee Valley Mall. Anchor stores such as Marshall Field’s and Mervyn’s and nearby retail establishments like Border’s and Best Buy. An hour’s drive away down I-75 will lead you to the Somerset Collection (http://www.thesomersetcollection.com), the finest shopping mall in the state of Michigan. With anchor stores such as Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Marshall Field’s, and Saks Fifth Avenue, the mall is reminiscent of a consolidated Chicago and caters to the affluent suburban Detroit population. Music and Culture Those interested in concerts, plays, and museums will find much to keep them engaged in the Flint area. The Flint Cultural Center, built while the town was in its automotive heyday, consists of a campus of museums, institutes, and auditoriums. The Whiting (http://thewhiting.com) is Flint’s premier auditorium, home to the Flint Symphony Orchestra and host to various musicals and performances. In addition to the Flint Youth Theatre, Flint Institute of Arts, and Flint Institute of Music, the Cultural Center also runs the Longway Planetarium (http://www.longwayplanetarium.com) and the Sloan Museum, which offers exhibits on regional and automotive history. Larger performance venues are a short drive away down I-75. The 15,000 seat DTE Energy Music Theater, an outdoor amphitheater located 30 minutes away in Clarkston, hosts the likes of popular musical groups as the Backstreet Boys, Bon Jovi, and John Mellencamp. Another 15 minutes south will lead you to the Palace of Auburn Hills, where megastars such as Paul McCartney and Elton John perform for the Detroit area. Sporting Events The Perani Center, located in the Flint surburb of Burton, is home to the Flint Generals UHL hockey club. But as Flint is so close to Detroit, many sports fans in the area make the hour-long trek south to watch their favorite teams in action. The Palace of Auburn Hills, the closest major sports arena, is home to the popular Detroit Pistons. In downtown Detroit, the Lions take on their opponents at Ford Field, the Tigers go to bat at Comerica Park, and the Red Wings fight for victory at Joe Louis Arena. The most popular sporting event in the Flint area is the Buick Open, which is held usually at the end of July at the Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc. Golfing superstars such as Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh often frequent this event, along with local and state celebrities such as Michigan State University basketball coach Tom Izzo. Dining For a city of its size, Flint offers much in the way of diverse dining experiences. The Miller Road area (in close proximity to the Genesee Valley Mall) is well known for popular franchise establishments such as Outback Steakhouse, Qdoba, and Don Pablo’s. In the Flint suburb of Grand Blanc, some Detroit eateries have broadened their following to the north. Da Edoardo North offers fine Italian dining in an elegant atmosphere overlooking some of Grand Blanc’s natural wetlands, while Kruse & Muer offers excellent fresh seafood in an upscale setting. For those looking for ethnic fare, Flint does not disappoint. In addition to Da Edoardo, other palatable Italian restaurants include Italia Gardens and Latina, both in Flint city limits. Sagano Japanese Bistro has been voted the best sushi in the area by the Flint Journal, while Taboon offers healthy Middle Eastern food in Grand Blanc. Also worthy of note are the Thai restaurant Bangkok Peppers and Brick Street bar and grill in Grand Blanc, steakhouse and microbrewery Redwood Lodge in Flint, and Bill Thomas’ Halo Burger, a local restaurant chain with hamburgers voted number one in the Flint area. Those willing to drive a few miles may wish to visit Zehnder’s in Frankenmuth, a restaurant famous in the state of Michigan for its family-style chicken dinners.