Growing Companies
Dickinson County essential businesses continue to thrive. Our unemployment rate has remained one of the lowest in Michigan. Check out available jobs on our website
Hot Real Estate Market
Visit upmls.com where you can sort listings by community, including residential and
commercial options.
Iron Mountain Downtown District Attracts Many New Businesses
The 300 block of Stephenson in downtown Iron Mountain is seeing a major renewal. The east side of the street on the main corridor has three new businesses opening in rehabilitated buildings - The Man Cave, Smokler's BBQ, and the 41 Lumber Design Center. Four new residential apartments will offer much-needed rental properties to the downtown district. 
 
Elsewhere in the district, a variety of new businesses are calling Downtown Iron Mountain home: 
  • OMGigi Boutique
  • Blends: The Green Spot
  • Dulce Nulla
  • Major 10th School of Music
  • Denim Heart
  • Lume

The Dickinson Area Community Foundation also moved to a new location in the old Thunder Island building at 220 East Hughitt Street. 

Bird Scooters Coming to Iron Mountain
Watch for these in downtown Iron Mountain soon. 
City of Norway Invests in Green Technologies
In 2020, the City of Norway’s Electric Utility and its Downtown Development Authority installed a new electric vehicle charging station. The fastest charging station in the U.P., is located on Main Street by Peterson Electric. 
Area Alumni Profile – Kate and Michael Pearson
Kate and Michael Pearson returned to Dickinson County with an entrepreneurial spirit that has rejuvenated two areas of Iron Mountain’s downtown district. Michael owns Brick + Mortar, a highly curated retail store on East Hughitt Street Downtown Iron Mountain. Kate is the owner of The Good Earth Salon, an AVEDA lifestyle salon, also in Downtown Iron Mountain on River Avenue.

After spending time away from Iron Mountain, Michael in Florida for aviation school and Milwaukee for HVAC training, and Kate in East Lansing attending the Douglas J. Aveda Institute, both returned to the area. They met each other here and decided to plant their roots here. The cost of living is much better than other places they lived, and they both have family here.

The Pearsons love live music at The Braumart Theatre, dinner on Spiro’s patio, drinks at Sol Blu, shopping at Mully & Mo’s and Bijou Lovely, working out at Pistol Crossfit, and biking on the DTN trails on Mille Hill. In addition, they love learning, traveling, and camping in their ’78 Westfalia Camper van with their kids, Pearl (5) and Forest (1). 
Recreational Trails News
Dickinson Trail Network (DNT) is in the planning stages for a third trail system on Pewabic Hill in Iron Mountain. The new trail will connect the Millie Hill Trail System with the Fumee Lake Natural Area and from the Fumee Lake Natural Area to the Iron Belle trail less than half a mile on Quinnesec Avenue.

DTN has also expanded on trails in Norway. The Norway Ogee Trails offer easy, moderate, and advanced difficulties around Marion Park and Norway’s northside. New in 2020, a 2.6-mile loop around Piers Gorge on the Menominee River connects the city with one of the county’s most beautiful natural areas.

Dickinson County is quickly becoming a destination for eco-tourists looking to bike, hike, and snowshoe and serves as a hub for biking and outdoor enthusiasts heading to points north of Iron Mountain. The community can already see the economic impacts of DTN activities in Dickinson County. The trail system is adjacent to many downtown districts, where small businesses benefit from increased traffic from tourists and residents alike. Local businesses and industries use the DTN network to promote healthy lifestyles with their employees and as a recruitment tool to attract and recruit young professionals to the community.
Breitung Township Schools Welcomes a New Superintendent and Staff
Dave Holmes, former Kingsford High School principal, is the new Breitung Township Schools Superintendent. In a time when teachers are in demand, the school district recently filled 15 positions for the 2021-2022 school year, bringing new talent to the area.  
 
Look for the DAEDA booth at FlivverFest on July 31. We will be giving away prizes for kids and adults. We hope to see you! 
DCHS Year-In-Review
Dickinson County Healthcare continues to grow stronger for the community with more providers, services, and facility improvements. The healthcare system released a year-in-review highlighting their accomplishments in 2020.
 
So far in 2021, DCHS is continuing to build on their successes. 
 
In March, it broke ground on constructing a new emergency department that will better accommodate patients and their caregivers regardless of their condition.
 
In April, it received it's fourth consecutive "A grade" in the spring 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, making it one of the most consistently recognized rural hospitals nationally for patient safety.
 
In June, it announced a significant upgrade to its electronic medical records system by launching Athenahealth – an entirely secure, seamless exchange of medical information between doctors, nursing staff, and patients. 
Fourth of July Celebrations 
fireworks-summer.jpg
Iron Mountain/Kingsford
Independence Day parade on Saturday, July 3 at 9:00 AM. The parade route will begin eastbound on Woodward Avenue, head north on Carpenter Avenue from Woodward Avenue to H Street, and will end at the Midtown Mall entrance. Fireworks on Sunday, July 4 at dusk.

Norway
Kids’ Parade on Sunday, July 4 at 6:30 PM (line up at 5:45 PM on Tenth Ave.) with the main parade to follow. Enjoy the City Band concert after the parade at the bandshell (next to City Hall). Fireworks also on Sunday, July 4 at dusk.

Florence
Fireworks over Fisher Lake on Sunday, July 4 at dusk.

Events Are Back! 
Save the date for these exciting events:
· Ski-ters, Vagabond Park, Spread Eagle – Wednesdays and Sundays throughout the summer
· Downtown Iron Mountain Farmers Market – Saturday mornings
· Out to Lunch Concerts, Downtown Iron Mountain – Thursday afternoons throughout the summer
· Music in the Park, Downtown Norway Band Shell – Thursday evenings throughout the summer
· Movies in the Park, Lake Antoine Campground – throughout the summer
· Norway City Band, Downtown Norway Band Shell – throughout the summer
· Saturday in the Park, City Park, Iron Mountain – July 17-18
· GusMacker, Iron Mountain – July 17-18
· Little League State Tournament, Marion Park, Norway – July 23-28
· FlivverFest, Lodal Park, Kingsford – July 30-31
· ItalianFest, Downtown Iron Mountain – August 14
· OktoberFest, Downtown Iron Mountain – September 25
· Pine Mountain 500, Pine Mountain Ski Jump – August 7
· Tour de Dickinson, Iron Mountain – August 21
· Lake Antoine Classic, Iron Mountain – August 28

All events subject to change.
Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance | 906-360-4653 | [email protected] | www.daeda.org