Three historic buildings throughout Leelanau County will be renovated for new uses.

Refuge Salvage Works & Salon
A combined Aveda salon and home decor shop opens mid-March in what was formerly The Business Helper at 117 Broadway, Suttons Bay. It’s a joint venture for Mitchell and Charynn Meoak of Maple City.

Mitchell previously worked full-time with Stevens Propane of Maple City and Charynn has been a stay-at-home mom, but the two have built a side business creating home decor using downed trees on their property. “I purchased a sawmill because we have 16 acres of hardwoods and a lot of damage from the 2015 storm,” says Mitchell.

“The sawmill was a big investment,” explains Charynn. “So I ran with it and signed us up for the Empire and Suttons Bay farmers markets. That kicked it off. We started to get clients from it.”

And after a successful 11-year career in Royal Oak as a color educator with Aveda, “Charynn got the itch to get back into the workforce,” Mitchell tells The Ticker.

The couple first eyed Traverse City’s Eighth Street corridor for affordable storefronts. After an offer to lease what is now M.E. Men’s Emporium fizzled out, Charynn turned her attention to The Business Helper building, which is 2200 square feet plus loft space.

The landlords, James and Sharon Williams, who own and operate the Law Offices of James R. Williams in Suttons Bay, have been key partners in converting the space.

“The hardest thing was the space usage change, from retail to personal service,” says Charynn. “They are absolutely amazing people, splitting the cost to get everything to code.”

Says Sharon Williams, “When they came and looked, I thought, ‘young, energetic, smart creative people, that’s what this building needs. It needs new life.’ And obviously with renters we wanted them to be successful. We forged an agreement to help with permits and costs. We are all investing in this.”

Leelanau Historical Society & Museum records show that in 1919 the building served as the Colonial Theatre, playing silent films. The former theater balcony is now a salon waiting room area. The main floor houses retail space for Mitchell’s wood salvage pieces, handmade knives, curated antiques plus a four-chair Aveda salon.

Charynn is seeking qualified stylists to employ.

The Meoaks plan to be open Tuesday through Saturday this spring.

The Union
Restaurateurs Eric Allchin of The Tribune in Northport and Paul Carlson, formerly of 9 Bean Rows restaurant in Suttons Bay, have licensed The Union at 107 E. Nagonaba Street in Northport as an event space.

They will use The Union space for family-style suppers and catered events, accommodating up to 100 people indoors, with a garden setting for outdoor dinners.

The corner locale was the longtime IGA grocery, and according to Allchin, another party had intentions to make it into an event space but never licensed it. Before that it was a handful of places, the longest lasting and most recognizable being Lelu Cafe.

“Paul and I walked in and knew we could make something out of it — the location at the heart of Northport, the history of the building and the fact it has a beautiful garden space makes it special. We both have always loved Northport and wanted to try to keep business growing within it,” Allchin, a Suttons Bay native, tells The Ticker.

“We want it to be a wedding venue for between 40 and 80 people and it is a perfect place to host rehearsal dinners. We would love to install an outdoor kitchen [for] cooking over natural fire.” Menus will be vegetable-focused with old-world cooking styles.

He adds, “We also see it as an art gallery to showcase local artists and bringing back a music venue to Northport — when it was Lelu, live music was always a big thing.”

The Blue Maple
Cedar wedding photographer Meg Paxton of Paxton Photography purchased the former Gabe’s Country Market in the village of Maple City, renaming it The Blue Maple.

The landmark spot on the corner of Co. Road 616 and Maple City Road was built as the Flaska Maple City Garage, converted to an old-fashioned grocery store with a dance hall above and, most recently, operated by the Gabourie family as Gabe’s. (Mike “Junior” Gabourie now runs Gabe’s Country Smoked Meats on the corner of Maple City Road and M-72.)

“An old building sat waiting for the right person to make it new again,” Paxton wrote on a Facebook page documenting her progress. “I went to lunch with my sister and she said, ‘Gabe’s is this price…’ A few days later I woke up at three in the morning and thought, ‘I can do that.’ Knowing the amount of work needed, I partnered with my dad, who is in Florida.”

After the roof tear-off this winter she will navigate the proper permitting and do much of the rehab work herself.

Cedar jewelry designer Liz Saile, who lives across from The Blue Maple (and is also Paxton’s mom) says she is thrilled to see progress, as are other longtime neighbors. “I’m getting all these great stories,” says Paxton. “They just didn’t want a Dollar General,” she laughs.

Paxton is six months into her three-year timeline, but ultimately envisions a co-working space for small business owners.

“Many of us running small businesses on the Leelanau Peninsula have satellite internet, making streaming and video chat difficult. We also need spaces to meet clients. The idea is an ‘up north’ space with a meeting room and micro-offices — and a place to come take proprietary phone calls, do your business, get out and go back to the beach.”