25 years of promoting The Best Place to Be!

By Cliff Yankovich, contributing writer

Once upon a time, about a quarter of a century ago, a pair of Lowell ladies hatched a plan to promote Lowell as a great place to live and raise a family, own a business, or just visit. Michelle Tava owned a furniture store called “Touch of Country” located at 96 East Main Street (where Milo’s Consignment shop is now). Michelle went to Chamber Director Liz Baker with the idea of a community expo and they sat down with some school officials to flesh out the idea. BOOM – the Lowell Expo was born and this year celebrates 25 years of promoting the Lowell area on the fourth Saturday in March.

For those readers who are relatively new to the area, it is instructive to note that Main Street in Lowell in 1998 bore no resemblance to what you see these days. “When the Expo was conceived, our downtown was dismal to say the least, buildings were empty and not much was going on.  Our school system was working hard to attract newcomers to Lowell, as they worked to build a foundation for excellence in our schools,” Liz Baker recalled. “So, when we began the Expo, it was started with grand ideas on how to attract people to come to one place, to learn about Lowell, our Schools, and all we had to offer.”

The Lowell schools and Chamber of Commerce have always recognized that good schools and a thriving business sector are co-dependent and that the combination punch of unique businesses and desirable schools are major magnets when trying to attract people to live in the area. The first Expo was marketed to real estate agents all over West Michigan and to people in the greater Grand Rapids area. The schools even allowed Larry Mikulski, who was the Director of Transportation, to use one of the buses to give a quick tour of the area. Larry was very involved in the Expo and was even persuaded to help out after he retired.

The Lowell Expo has grown considerably since the initial event that saw about 20 businesses involved. Baker reported that the most involvement came before COVID when 163 vendors packed the gyms and hallways at the High School and there was a waiting list to boot. This year, there are 117 vendors signed up and the Chamber could probably squeeze in some late comers. You can reach the Lowell Chamber at 616-897-9161.

Rick Seese of Greenridge Realty is a big fan of the Expo and has been from the beginning. Greenridge has had a booth at every one of them. “In the early years, it was to support the Chamber in its quest to create an event to showcase our community,” Seese remarked.  “As the Expo grew and the attendance included many looking to explore our community, the Expo became a way to introduce our company those potentially looking to move to Lowell, as well as a way to maintain our presence to our current customers and clients around the Lowell community.”

Not only can attendees learn about real estate in the area, but they can also get an introduction to a wide representation of the Lowell Community. Many churches and non-profit organizations can be found there alongside representatives from those businesses providing dining, shopping, and a host of services that round out everything we enjoy in Lowell in 2023.

Rest assured that the Expo is not just all about business, there is a lot of fun to had as well. Two people who have been very much involved in adding the Fun Factor are Josh and Kristen Bruwer, who own the Arrowhead and Morrison Lake golf courses. They have been the Chairs of the event for 15 years. Liz Baker related that the Bruwers tried to retire, but were lured back into lending their creative talents to the day long event.

Rick Seese recognized the social aspects of the event when he said, “Having an Expo booth isn’t just about showcasing your business. I remember many occasions that our Greenridge booth became a mini-class reunion, a gathering of musician friends, fellow business owners, or old friends just happening to walk by at the same time. It’s all about maintaining relationships and finding new people to meet.”

The Lowell Expo will happen this year on Saturday March 25^th from 9 am until 2 pm at the Lowell High School located at 11700 Vergennes.

Liz Baker summed it up by stating, “Our mission was and still is to increase awareness of products and services provided and/or manufactured in the Greater Lowell Area.  Exhibitors gain the opportunity to develop sales, leads and customer contacts.  Attendees to gain knowledge about Lowell Area Schools and everything Lowell.”

Rest assured that even though Baker is soon to retire, the Lowell Expo will continue to educate residents and non-residents about everything that makes Lowell the next and best place to be.

Incoming Chamber Director Shannon Kennedy had this to say about the future,  “I’m proud of the Lowell Community EXPO – its strong history and tremendous growth over the years. I look forward to continuing the EXPO tradition for many years to come.”