Local Services

Invest in Peace of Mind: Protection for Every Stage of Life

Article by Christina DeGregory In today’s unpredictable world, preparing for the unexpected is one of the greatest gifts you can give your family. Whether you're a new parent, a grandparent, or simply someone who wants to safeguard their financial well-being, having the right insurance in place provides more than just protection—it creates a lasting foundation of security. Here are three powerful products that can make a lasting difference: SecurePromise: A Gift That Grows with Your Child ...

Life + Culture

The Power of 'Yes'

How love, coffee and dogs built a community with heart Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Amy Gillespie The phone rang on New Year’s Eve. “Is today a good day to be a dad?” Shawn and Cher Jay Heath-Lee didn’t hesitate. They said yes. That yes changed everything—just like every yes before it, and every yes that would follow. Yes to love. Yes to parenting. Yes to dogs, to community, to creating something that didn’t yet exist but deeply needed to: a space where people could feel...

Life + Culture

Love. Trust. CPR.

Paws Around Motown is concierge pet care that's part family, part village, and all heart Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Amy Gillespie When Becky Lea describes her company, it doesn't sound like work. It sounds like a calling. "We consider our clients family," she says. And in her case, that family includes hundreds of families and pets—of all kinds. "Bunnies, reptiles…I’ve even taken care of beetles!" she smiles. Becky is the founder of Paws Around Motown, a concierge-style pet...

Arts + Culture

Raised By the Stage

The legendary Stagecrafters theatre weaves generations together, onstage and off Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Bureau Detroit and Amy Gillespie If you’ve ever watched a child step into a spotlight and somehow find themselves, then you already understand what makes Stagecrafters magical. This all-volunteer community theater in downtown Royal Oak has been home to generations of families. Under the Stagecrafters umbrella, there’s a place for everyone—whether it’s kids finding...

Life + Culture

A Legend Rebuilt

The Royal Oak Sandlot League Is rewriting the playbook on youth sports Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Amy Gillespie I can feel something electric as Kyle VanDeventer starts to speak about the Royal Oak Sandlot League. And I can almost smell the fresh-cut grass, and hear the familiar chorus of kids yelling across the diamond. All my senses are telling me that, across the parks and fields of Royal Oak, something special is being rebuilt.  The venerable Royal Oak Sandlot League—a...

Arts + Culture

The Ear Behind the Music

Legendary Motown musical architect McKinley Jackson reflects on music Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Amy Gillespie Before he arranged Marvin Gaye's hit Sexual Healing. Before he sat in the control room with The Four Tops, The Temptations and Aretha Franklin. Before he became the quiet power behind some of soul's most beloved records… McKinley Jackson was a teenager with a talent for trombone and an ear nobody could explain. “I didn’t know the rules,” he says. “But I already...

Arts + Culture

The Shape of Memory

Inside Axiom Glass: fire becomes form and form becomes memory Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Amy Gillespie Before Andrew Madvin ever picked up a blowpipe, he was melting action figures in the backyard. “They all died in flames in an epic battle,” he said with a laugh. That early fascination with fire would eventually find its calling. In college, Andrew discovered hot glass—and with it, a lifelong collaboration with heat. What began as a metal and jewelry focus in high school...

Arts + Culture

The Psychology of a Good Time

The Sights & Sounds Concert series curates music—and local joy Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Amy Gillespie When the clouds part and the smell of sizzling mac and cheese drifts across the west lot of the Royal Oak Farmers Market, Christie Siegel doesn’t just see a crowd. She sees a moment. A rhythm. A possibility. Music, in her hands, becomes something more than sound. It becomes a living formula for joy. “I always put myself in the shoes of the attendee,” says Siegel, who has...

Arts + Culture

Mr. Glass

Habitat Gallery has been creating glass collectors for a half-century Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Amy Gillespie There’s a massive, luminous, and quietly mysterious crystal egg in the center of Habitat Gallery. Crafted by glass artist Christopher Ries, it weighs nearly a thousand pounds, and houses something you don’t notice at first.  Step closer. Shift your angle. Suddenly, inside the clear mass, a tiny earth shimmers into view, refracted and floating—waiting to be discovered...

Finance + Legal Services

The Power of Fintech

In today's fast-paced business world, staying competitive means having the right financial tools at your fingertips. Fintech solutions are transforming how businesses manage their money, offering smarter, faster, and more secure ways to handle everyday operations. From optimizing cash flow to reducing manual tasks, our fintech solutions empower you to better manage your finances and operations. And with dedicated support from a team that understands your goals, making the switch has never been...