• mtc.mtc_video_us-msm-renaissance.headline

  A town came together and convinced both IKEA and the small business community of America that they were a town of small businesses, big dreams and lots of potential. Follow the businesses of Old Town Lansing, share their hopes, learn from IKEA designers and see the results of IKEA's Main Street Makeover.

• “It’s vibrant, fun, playful and clean. Delicious!”

  401 E Grand River Ave., Lansing, MI 48906

  Owner of Vernadine’s Soul Food, Verna Whitfield, has two great passions – soul food and soul music. So it made perfect sense to make her love of music part of the restaurant makeover. With her favorite album covers on the wall and a vibrant color scheme, the new look of the restaurant provides the perfect backdrop for her great-tasting soul food.

• “Adding sophistication with a black focal wall”

  1216 Turner St., Lansing, MI 48906

  As Sharon Hind, owner of Portable Feast and Friends will tell you, starting a restaurant is not for the faint-hearted. But five years after moving to Old town, she can see her hard work is paying off. Her customers just keep coming back and they love the restaurant’s new look.

• “Making modern home furnishings blend in with antique instruments”

  1100 N. Washington Ave., Lansing, MI 48906

  Elderly Instruments is more than a store. It’s a cavernous meeting place for music lovers who come from far and wide to look at instruments, have their instruments repaired, or just hang out and play some tunes with their fellow musicians. And with over 5,000 square feet there’s room for a lot of music.

• “A panaderia that’s in the pink”

  311 East Grand River Ave., Lansing, MI 48906

  Pablo Maldonado was selling Mexican bread and pastries out of his house for years before he got his own restaurant. But for the past two and a half years, Pablo’s Panaderia has been bringing the vibrant colors and flavors of Mexico to Main Street. The IKEA decorating team couldn’t improve upon the flavors but had some radical changes to suggest for the restaurant’s color scheme.

• “People come in off the street to admire the wall hanging”

  106 E Grand River Ave., Lansing, MI 48906

  Kendra Cosme grew up in the Old Town area and has fond memories of her childhood here. When the area started coming to life again in the late nineties, Kendra knew this was where she wanted to start her business. Her salon is buzzing from morning to evening as her employees have fun making customers look and feel special. For Kendra, Old Town today is even better now than when she was a kid.

• “The total fantasy pet store”

  1127 N. Cedar St., Lansing, MI 48906

  Preuss Pets is the kind of pet store kids dream of visiting. With a river running through the store and a bright color scheme inspired by the Caribbean, the atmosphere at Preuss Pets is as exotic as the pets they sell. But behind the scenes, some neglected backrooms were in need of some fresh ideas from the IKEA decorating team.

• “Creating a store, an office, and a studio in one small space”

  306 East Grand River, Lansing, MI 48906

  Tired of working for others, five years ago Jana Nicol took the plunge and decided to start a business that could combine her creativity and love of dogs. The result is Gone 2 the Dogs – a store specializing in unusual products and accessories for dogs and dog lovers. The store also runs a host of zany canine events, including the popular halloween dog trick or treating and costume contest.

• “Candy, coffee and the most comfortable waiting in town”

  111 East Grand River Avenue, Lansing, MI 48906

  Such Video has been producing video, film and post-production services for 27 years. Owner David Such and his talented team know that bringing ideas to life can be a time-consuming and painstaking process. Which is why they insist on making clients feel as relaxed and comfortable as possible when they visit.

• “Working for the environment in a beautiful environment”

  109 East Grand River Ave., Lansing, MI 48906

  The Sierra Club is a non-profit environmental organization formed in 1892. The Michigan Chapter, based in Old Town, represents the state’s 20,000 members. Its employees work to strengthen environmental protection so future generations can continue to explore and enjoy our planet.

• “The party planners of the Old Town business community”

  1232 Turner St., Lansing, MI 48906

  From a run-down area that people were afraid to walk through to a thriving community with specialty shops and successful businesses, the past decade has seen Old Town change beyond recognition. Much this success is down to the Old Town Commercial Association. This powerhouse of 2 employees, interns and an army of volunteers works tirelessly to promote Old Town and provide the social focus that has brought this area back to life.

Main Street Makeover

mtc.themes.mainstreet_makeover.subtitle

A town came together and convinced both IKEA and the small business community of America that they were a town of small businesses, big dreams and lots of potential. Follow the businesses of Old Town Lansing, share their hopes, learn from IKEA designers and see the results of IKEA's Main Street Makeover.

“We work hard to make it what it is”