News Photo by Steve Schulwitz
Alpena Marketplace co-owner Griffin James, left, and Alpena Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Anne Gentry look at some Alpena-themed apparel at the small business on Wednesday. James and Gentry are two of many young people opening businesses or becoming involved in local government in Northeast Michigan.

ALPENA — Over the last several years, more younger people in Alpena have been hired for key positions while many others are opening businesses.

The youth movement started as older public officials began to retire and places like Alpena hired replacements who were just entering the prime of their careers. Other key groups in the city, such as the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce, Alpena Downtown Development Authority, and the Alpena Convention and Visitors Bureau, have also chosen to hire employees many years from retiring.

Today, many people in their 20s, 30s, and early 40s are putting their fingerprints on local government, business, tourism, and recreation. Those younger faces are bringing different ideas and trends downtown and beyond, tempered by the wisdom of mentors who’ve worked in the city for years.

“It is very good,” said one of those mentors, Rita Hess, who has — along with her husband, Al — owned the Traveling Ladders store in Alpena since 1986. “We always need new people down here. They bring different ideas, which is always something important. One good thing is we’re all connected and all one. We’re not in competition with each other. What is good for one is good for all of us.”

One of the first fresh faces to assume a leadership role in Alpena was Adam Poll.

Poll, 36, was hired as the city’s planning and development director in 2013 and, in March, left the city to become the president of the Chamber.

Poll said having younger people involved in government and business is always good, because it can bring about new ways of doing things and fresh ideas. He added that Alpena is lucky, because it has a solid blend of young people involved at many levels of the community and men and women who are more seasoned and experienced.

“We have a great group of young people who are coming up with new ideas,” Poll said. “You look around downtown, and a lot of the new businesses that are thriving are operated by younger people. That being said, I learned just about everything from people who are older than me and were mentors. School can teach you some things, but working with successful people has helped me gain knowledge in every facet of my job and life.”

Poll said mentors have taught him how to act professionally and lent useful ideas on personal life issues, which was helpful when raising a young family.

“They have been there and done that, so it really helps,” he said. “Especially when you are new to the community.”

Anne Gentry is 27 years old and executive director of the DDA, which works with downtown businesses on promotion, education, and event planning.

She said some of the downtown’s most popular stores and restaurants are run by people in their 30s. She said the downtown is appealing for young entrepreneurs because of the blend of food, drink, entertainment, and art and cultural offerings.

She said young business owners often have new and creative business ideas, which often are attractive to customers their age, which attracts more people downtown to shop, eat, and live.

“We are seeing the value of having younger people involved and giving them opportunities to leave their mark on Alpena,” she said. “If our community really wants to thrive in the future, we need to really think about what comes after each of us.”

Kevin Peterson and his wife, Brooke, are both 33 years old and are co-owners of the Red Brick Tap and Barrel restaurant and tavern in Alpena. Kevin Peterson said there is a close bond between business owners, especially the younger ones, because they all have the same goals, such as revitalising downtown, restoring old buildings, and luring people to the city.

“Downtown has a lot of history and is beautiful, and to be able to uncover the beauty of these buildings is very rewarding and satisfying, for sure,” he said. “I want to do my part to create a downtown where people can park and visit all of the businesses. In this area, we really want to create a different atmosphere.”

The city recently hired a new planning and development director, Andrea Kares, who is in her mid-20s.

Amber Hess, 46, the youngest member of the Alpena Municipal Council, said people are seeing what Alpena has to offer young professionals and families.

“Although it is important to have people of all ages, young people often offer new ideas and perspectives, so new blood is good,” she said.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.