Auntie Em's Joy: Dance Studio & Retail

08/17/2026

Very grateful to see our project and milestone shared by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation 💛

There are so many people and partnerships behind 109 River Street, and we don't take any of that support or trust for granted. Thank you for believing in this project, working alongside us, and helping make this investment in Manistique possible.

For us, the real measure of this project will be what it contributes to Manistique for years to come.

With much gratitude,
Eric & Em

08/07/2026

Yesterday marked the official Michigan Economic Development Corporation groundbreaking for our project at 109 River Street that has been years in the making. For the first time, we're excited to share what has quietly been taking shape at 109 River Street.

Over the years, this project taught us that meaningful work is fundamentally process-oriented. There are no shortcuts. It requires research, planning, communication, organization, patience, persistence, and the humility to recognize when your first idea isn't your best one.

Our goal was never simply to restore a building. It was to thoughtfully maximize what this building could become - finding the right balance between the space itself, the housing it would provide, and the business it would one day support.

After sitting vacant for nearly four decades, this historic building is beginning its next chapter as Roots on River Apartments, bringing three new downtown apartments, a public ADA-accessible restroom, and Auntie Em's Joy: Dance Studio & Retail to downtown Manistique.

Throughout our careers in music, dance, community development, and regional food systems, one lesson has always stayed with us:

Meaningful change begins by investing in people and in place. That is what this project has always been about.

None of this would have been possible without the support of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, InvestUP, Build U.P., People's State Bank of Munising, the City of Manistique, the Manistique Downtown Development Authority, the Small Business Development Center, Schoolcraft Tourism & Commerce, RG Design, Woodland Builders, Hoholik Enterprises, our project team, our parents and families, our friends, and everyone who believed this building could have another chapter.

This building will stand because of many hands and many hearts - not just ours.

Over the coming months, we'll be sharing construction updates, restoration progress, and more about Roots on River Apartments and Auntie Em's Joy: Dance Studio & Retail as they continue to take shape. We hope you'll follow along as this building - and its next chapter - continues to come to life.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey.

With love and gratitude,
Eric & Em

Upon completion, the building will feature three apartments, a dance studio and retail space, and a public restroom.