WCMU News conducted interviews around downtown Alpena talking to residents and visitors about misconceptions they have heard from tourists about Alpena and whether or not they are true.
People had much to say about how the city has changed over the years for the better as well as what has influenced them to remain a resident or return time and time again.
Some like Breanna Smith and Gwen Paradowski grew up in the city. Others, like Bryan Weinert visit Alpena each year and have a fondness for the city.
Smith has grown up and lived in Alpena for 27 years. Paradowski grew up in Alpena as a child, but moved away for about 30 years. She returned to the city to take over the local store, Traveling Ladders.
Weinert visits Alpena twice a year with his wife and has a family cabin close by. His mother and grandparents grew up in the area and he has continued to return because of the special place the small town has in his heart.
Below are their responses to several questions about the city as well as responses from other Alpena residents.
Have you heard any misconceptions about Alpena?
Breanna Smith: “The misconception of Alpena was it was a small retirement town, nothing to do. It was either retirement or unfortunately like drugs. That was kind of what people figured. I mean, honestly, I love this town. I don’t know if I’d live anywhere else. I think a lot of the small businesses around here are not offered in other big cities. They’re just not or if they are offered, they’re not as sincere.
“A lot of people around here are personable. You can walk up to literally anyone and just start a conversation.”
Gwen Paradowski: “I think people don’t realize that there’s so many opportunities here. And the concept of word of mouth, this is huge – learning and being able to do things. It’s harder to get around downstate. I’ve [lived] in a community that is full of traffic. It takes forever to get anywhere and there are lots of people. And sure there’s more shopping and those kinds of conveniences, but they don’t feel convenient if you have to work so hard to get there to do it. And Alpena has everything you need.”
Angela Smith (longtime Alpena resident): “I’ve heard that there’s nothing to do up here in Alpena, that it’s just a cold place…but obviously we have our [live] music all summer, then in the winter there’s snowmobiling. I encourage my friends to come up and visit to see that it’s not as wasteland as they think. There’s a lot to do … Because we have grown a lot in the last 20 years, the art scene has grown just by showing pictures and talking about it.”
Diane Hantz (Alpena resident and Colburn Outfitters employee): “I think people just don’t realize what’s here. … And once they get into town and walk around a little bit, I mean, every day you know when I work, people come in and talk about how nice the town is. … They come into our community and they just love it. … And you know, we are sort of isolated. You don’t have any major highways coming in here. So it takes a little longer to get here. But once you get here, it’s great.”
Tom Downs (recently returned to Alpena with his daughter Gwen Paradowski): “There is a misconception, [that] has been for a long time, that there’s nothing happening on the eastern side of the state. And everybody seems to be focused on the western side. And that frankly is an important misconception…”
Laura Shearer (Alpena resident and Rusty Petunias owner): “People don’t realize what kind of town it is. They think there’s nothing here and then once they get here, they realize how much we have to offer. And they had no idea of the history of Alpena so a lot of people are ‘Oh, it’s a small town there’s nothing to do.’ But there actually is quite a bit to do. You just don’t know what’s there. You have to actually look for it…
“It’s home to the concrete block. They don’t know the old logging community and how some of the houses on Washington are some of the original loggers’ houses that they first built. The maritime, not too many people know it’s the only freshwater marine sanctuary in the world. So that’s a big deal.”
Weinert: “Yeah, I think that the sunrise side isn’t as elegant, isn’t as nice as the West Side Traverse City and other environments. But I think [with] Alpena there’s enough to do here that it rivals the west side. [While] still keeping a bit of its unique working class kind of background you know… but now it’s transforming itself. [In] some ways it’s a bigger success story than in Traverse City that never had to struggle that way. And so I think it provides a nice counterpoint to the, you know, ‘the real action is on the west side of the state’. I am just really pleased that there are places here on the east side that are doing well.”
What is unique about this small town compared to others?
Breanna Smith: “You don’t find a lot [of buildings] in other small towns that have history behind them. A lot of places, they completely make them modern. They make them, you know, ‘oh, this is the new style, this is the future’ and a lot of places around Alpena, they’ll try and keep the history.”
Angela Smith: “Well, I love my job. And so I stay here for that. And just the community, we are standing here doing the street performance and seeing people and just knowing people. When there’s a tragedy we rally around each other and we see each other as a community and as a family. Even though you may not have grown up here, you make great friends. So that’s why I stay is the water, the family, the people.”
Hantz: “I think the thing that’s unique about Alpena is the access to the water, to nature and it’s easy to get to. Everything’s close here. The restaurants – everything’s walkable downtown. And within a 10 mile radius of Alpena we have a lot of great hiking, great biking trails. We have a lot of festivals that go on here every summer, you know, our flower festival or brown trout festival. … Halfway through June, there’s just so much going on here … it’s a great place to raise my kids…”
Downs: “One of the things it’s a plus and a minus. And that is that the community in Northeastern Michigan has not been as convenient to Chicago and Detroit as the west side of the state, notably Traverse City and Petoskey. Northeast Michigan was always kind of a sleepier side of the state. But it seems to have come alive in the last couple of decades, I think. And so it feels different.
“… And housing here is quite affordable compared to Traverse City where you might reasonably expect to pay twice what you would pay here for a house…”
Shearer: “The relaxation, even if you’re busy and working, it’s relaxing. It’s easy going, nobody’s in a rush. You have the water right here. And it’s absolutely gorgeous all year round. We don’t get a ton of snow but we still get some. It’s mainly about the water and the people…”
How would you describe the community?
Shearer: “Everybody’s friendly. Everybody wants to be part of a community … everywhere you go, somebody’s saying hi to you. And it doesn’t matter if they know you or not, everybody’s being polite. Everybody does things for each other no matter what happens. Everybody’s got each other’s back, even if they don’t even know you.”
Weinert: “[I am] just very impressed, very friendly, you know, just get a real sense of welcome. You feel safe. It’s easy to get around. Not really any negative encounters with folks here in town. I know in some ways, it continues to struggle somewhat as many small communities do. But I feel like that Alpena is really in a better place, you know, on the sunrise side, it’s becoming more and more of a destination and as someone who can with with roots here with my, my mother’s and grandparents roots here to just see it thriving is just a really, really positive thing to observe.”
For those that moved back to Alpena, or continue to visit, what brought you back?
Paradowski: “Well, it was this opportunity. I’ve always loved Traveling Ladders. I’ve always loved this building. I envisioned owning a storefront one day and I really could only see this spot to do it … I love being on the water. I love that it feels like a hidden gem, even though we’re getting more attention with the cruise ships coming in and that type of thing. It still feels private and secret in a way that it’s that balance between getting attention and not craving too much. I appreciate this side of the state so much more than the west side… It’s a privilege, but it’s not a remote thing for the average person. It’s not an exclusive community, it’s welcoming.”
Downs: “I’ve always dreamed of coming back just because I knew the town. It was a good place. And now it’s easy, actually better, I think in many ways. So that’s what brought us back. Secondly, my daughter and son in law and their family decided to move here a little bit ago. And so we follow them, they are the new proud owners of Traveling Ladders…”
Weinert: “Nostalgia is certainly part of it. But we … go to the art in the loft. I like to go to the [bookstores]. You know, just kind of checking out the shops, the restaurants here in the downtown area. It’s now part of our routine and we look forward to doing it every year.”
How has Alpena changed?
Paradowski: “I’ve seen a huge difference in the community’s willingness to support the arts, both in the mural form and in the galleries. And the renovations to buildings and the downtown specifically to preserve the old buildings is a beautiful thing to see. I hate when things are torn down that don’t need to be so that we can preserve and show the value.
"And NOAA has brought a huge tourist boom to the community and showing us what’s always been there. Those wrecks have always been there, but they weren’t accessible to us. They were only accessible to divers. So that concept that we can go do a boat tour and see the wrecks I think is pretty unique and special about the community.”
Angela Smith: “The industry has changed up here. There’s a lot more small businesses, and a lot more, I call hobby shops, and a lot more entertainment. Downtown, [there is] a lot more culture, even like being able to have the social district and just trying to bring people into our downtown. Because when I first moved here, most of the buildings were empty and now we have so many varieties of options here.”
Downs: “When I came in the 80s I remember talking to the gentleman who was responsible for the Chamber of Commerce and he said part of his job was to keep new businesses from moving in. They liked the way it was. They didn’t want to see any growth, any change. Well, that whole mood disappeared by the time mid 90s arrived and the Chamber was totally a different organization by then. And but there still is that sense among certain people of a certain age. That they wish that change wasn’t happening. But I for one think it’s great.”
Weinert: “I’ve just been very impressed with how the downtown has transformed itself, especially the last 10 or 15 years. [Alpena’s] really taking advantage of its location and become something of an arts community. …You feel safe, comfortable. … It’s nice to just feel a good vibe here. [There are] more and more people hanging out in the Alpena space. You got some microbreweries here, so it’s just feeling really good that it’s a community that kind of struggled for a long time. You know, kind of a blue collar town … communities throughout the country have kind of struggled in that mold.
“… A lot of memories here as a kid just walking around in the downtown area to what we call the singing bridge up North second. You know that still evokes just wonderful memories for us. So we are really pleased with what we’re seeing in Alpena.”
