Up North Blog

Natures Engineers Versus The Park Service

Kelderhouse Road flooding caused by beavers. A close up look at the extensive work of our furry engineers. They have been “busy beavers.” Kelderhouse Road near Port Oneida bisects two ponds. Beavers have built their lodge in one and their dam in the other. Now, beavers don’t like walking across dry land, so they’ve done […]

Traverse City's Grand Reopening

Traverse City Cherry Republic celebrated its grand reopening with food and festivities. It was a long time coming, but our Traverse City Embassy’s remodeling was finally completed last month. We celebrated a grand reopening last week for what is now a flagship store the equal of Glen Arbor. I was joined by staff members and many […]

What's New Up North This Summer

A lot has happened locally over the past few months. If you’re returning for summer, here’s a sampling of what you’ll notice. The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail continues to grow. The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail continues to grow. The three-mile trail from Glen Arbor to Port Oneida is under construction, with a planned completion date of […]

Happy Mother's Day

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX1pI346cCk] Bob’s mom is one of the icons of Cherry Republic, and indeed, of Glen Arbor. Here she and Bob discuss growing up in the area and some of her thoughts on family. Mother Mary tells us what it was like to raise, in her words, “Six ornery children.”

Boomer the Bear

Boomer, the Cherry Republic Bear, looks more relaxed now that he finally has a name. The bear has been around for ages, but he’s lacked a name until now. We asked for suggestions from our Orchard Report readers, and hundreds poured in. After whittling the nominations down to a short list, you weighed in with your votes […]

The Pursuit of Perfection

Brimming with fresh citrus and cherry flavors, our new Cherry Blossom Lemon Cake will sell-out quickly. Wine lovers may be familiar with a famous region in Bordeaux called Sauternes. Some of the finest dessert wines in the world are made in Sauternes. The heavenly elixir bottled by the top winemakers there is proof of their fanatical […]

Name the Bear: 5 Finalists

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CmvusvYWZA] We’re one step closer to naming our mascot. Thanks to the great suggestions we received, we’ve narrowed the list to the five favorites. Now it’s up to you. Take a look at the finalists and cast your vote! We’ll tally the votes and announce the winning name in a future Orchard Report. //

Rules for Grandmothers

Mary, Colebrook, and Hawthorn Grandchildren are adorable, wonderful, imaginative and brilliant. But being a grandmother is no easy task. With a few years of experience, I’ve learned a few tricks of the trade. Here are some ideas for getting the best out of your grandkids – with the least friction from their parents. 1. Keep your […]

Name the Cherry Republic Bear

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-bHlUgEOHI] Can you think of a good name for the Cherry Republic bear? If so, let us know in the comments below. If we like your suggestion the best, you’ll win a gift box specially picked out for you by me. So give us your best suggestion and help us finally give the Cherry Republic bear a […]

Traverse City Cherry Republic's Grand Remodeling

Our chef, Tony Finnestad, fields questions from a reporter in the lead-up to our Traverse City store’s reopening. It’s been boarded up for weeks and has been the scene of noisy, dusty construction work with a near-constant stream of contractors coming and going. But the day is finally here! The work is almost finished! Our fabulous, […]

Spring in Northern Michigan

Ice formations on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Sleeping Bear Bay After a long, cold winter, spring is coming to northern Michigan! While there is still a chill in the air and doubtlessly more snow before summer, the sun is noticeably warmer and the piles of snow and ice are melting. If you picture spring in […]

Bacon & Blue Cherry Fig Jam Pizza

The Bacon & Blue Cherry Fig Jam Pizza. You lived a short but tasteful life. RIP. After spending months developing and fine-tuning Cherry Republic’s Savory Cherry Fig Jam, Corporate Chef Tony Finnestad forged this tempting pizza that highlights the savory flavors of the jam, including fig, caramelized onions and roasted garlic. The savoriness is evened […]

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