\nCurrent Contributor
\n<\/strong>
\nFrom car repair to art, the Village of Honor has added four new businesses and revitalized some of the older ones.<\/p>\n
It is easy to zip through this small town on your way to Traverse City and points beyond, but it is more advisable to stop and have a look. With just over half of a square mile in total area, Honor has long been known as the \u201chome of the Coho salmon.\u201d In fact, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the annual Coho Festival, which takes place at the end of August. The village of 328 souls was incorporated in 1895 and named for an early (white) settler, Honor Griffin.<\/p>\n
Honor has drawn anglers from around the world to fish the clear waters of the Platte River and Lake Michigan in pursuit of the big fish. In recent years, however, the vagaries of economics have not been good to the area, and the town has appeared a bit run down, with old decrepit buildings in full view and not much going on. All that is changing, however, and the town seems to be entering into a kind of Renaissance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am so pleased to see people coming in with creative [business] ideas and making something work,\u201d says Bill Ward, president of the Village of Honor. <\/p>\n
New In The Village<\/strong> I parked on the side street (Henry), across from the bank, and noticed flowers and benches on the corner, attractively lining the block in front of the Iron Horse Auto and Small Engine Repair shop\u2014an outdoor landscape that seemed a bit unusual for that kind of business, so I walked in and found the owner, Gary Taylor.<\/p>\n Taylor came to Honor from Traverse City two years ago, and, he admits, it was not so hard for him to start a business here, because most of his customers followed him from Grand Traverse County to Benzie. Ladies, as well as gentlemen, will love this place, because it is not \u201cjust\u201d a repair shop. Imagine waiting for your vehicle, while surrounded by flowers and watching the world outside go by, but here is the other surprise: Gary\u2019s wife has added a charmingly eclectic, ruggedly feminine room, including an array of chic T-shirts, a wall of stylish hats, and even jewelry, for wearing while you are riding your Harley or just going out. The space makes it fun to shop while you wait! <\/p>\n Gary Taylor is really busy, so make sure to call ahead for an appointment 231-735-3774, but do not hesitate to drop in and see what else is going on.<\/p>\n Around the corner, on Main Street, I walked into Jim\u2019s Joint BBQ and was greeted enthusiastically by the owners, Jim and Susan Johnson, the kind of people who make you feel at home immediately. This lively, brand-new \u201cjoint\u201d has, according to Susan, a \u201cfast casual\u201d eat-in or to-go style, and by the time that you have ordered and taken your drinks from the cooler, you are ready to go. Unpretentious, clean, and inviting, the restaurant boasts excellent pork, beef, and chicken barbecue, Philly steaks, grilled flatbread sandwiches (including veggie), salads, and soups. It is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and closed Sundays. <\/p>\n The Johnsons hail from the Holt, Michigan, area but have been coming to their cottage in Honor for 33 years. <\/p>\n \u201cWe worked downstate,\u201d Jim remarks. \u201cBut we always felt that we lived here… now work is a lot easier, because when we go home, we are where we want to be. We feel honored to be in Honor!\u201d<\/p>\n How is the barbecue? I chatted with customer Chris Mills, a barbecue entrepreneur himself, who happened to drop by to check out the Joint\u2019s fare, which he pronounced \u201cdelicious.\u201d And he would know, being the nephew of Memphis, Tennessee\u2019s \u201cbarbecue legend,\u201d Mike Mills.<\/p>\n Then, in walked in the energetic and dedicated Honor Village president, Bill Ward. I asked him how he felt about the recent new endeavors. <\/p>\n
\nOn a recent visit to Honor to check out the new enterprises\u2014all located on the north side of the street, between the Honor Bank and the Post Office\u2014here is what I found, to my surprise. <\/p>\n
![\"Gary](\"http:\/\/betsiecurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20170706_165947-web.jpg\")
<\/a>