September 25, 2017

September's Your Biz, Your Town: Russo's & Rustic

Share the goods.

Your Biz, Your Town is back and better than ever!

This month we featured Russo’s International Market and Rustic City Living, both small businesses based out of Beer City U.S.A. that are leaving their mark on the local community. To listen to the full segment click here, or view our Facebook Live shown below.

What is Your Biz, Your Town?

Your Biz, Your Town is a monthly segment on the WGVU Morning Show with Shelley Irwin on 88.5 FM, which profiles local businesses, entrepreneurs, organizations, and individuals who are making an impact on West Michigan. The segment airs the fourth Friday of every month at 9 a.m.

Russo’s International Market:

For 112 years, Russo’s International Market has provided West Michigan with the largest selection of wine, beer, spirits, Italian deli items, gourmet food, and housewares. On Saturday, Sept. 23 Russo’s International Market hosted a grand opening ceremony for their second store location in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. During Art Prize, the downtown location will be open:
Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday 7:30 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. and Sunday 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.
The downtown location will offer the following features:

Custom corporate gifts
European deli
A large selection of Michigan and Grand Rapids products
Extensive selection of wine and beer
In-store educational events
Private label Russo’s brand products
To-go menu items
Dine-in eating options
Outdoor seating
Bar seating
Produce and dairy staples
Essential toiletries and home care items
Coffee, espresso and cappuccino bar by local roaster Herman’s Boy
Gelato bar

To experience the Russo family charm, or to say “Ciao!” visit Russo’s International Market’s two locations at 2770 29^th St. SE., Grand Rapids, Mich. 49512, or 241 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503.

Rustic City Living:

Rustic City Living is run by Amy and Kristy, two childhood best friends that always knew they would open a business together. Flash forward years later, and the two friends have started Rustic City Living – a term that they say describes their style and their upbringing in Sparta, MI.
Rustic City Living offers a slew of handmade, woodwork items. The products range from entertainment centers to beer caddies and are made out of the co-owners homes. You can view Rustic City Living’s website to see their custom-made works of art, or you can place an order for a customized made-to-order product. If you’re a Pinterest-junkie, Rustic City Living’s stylish and charming products are for you.
And that’s a wrap! Tune into next month’s Your Biz, Your Town on The WGVU Morning Show with Shelley Irwin on Friday, Oct. 27 at 9 a.m. If you’re interested in being featured on Your Biz, Your Town, please email our client associate, Emma Thibault at em**@*******gn.com.

Recent Musings

People standing around talking to each other upstairs.

Building What We Needed for Women-Owned Businesses

The Current State of PR

Something on Your Mind?

A little rain didn’t slow @bodespeaks down.

Kim was in Washington, D.C., this past week for #AUSA2026 - three days where Army leaders, industry partners, and the defense community come together for innovation, insight, and connection.

We can’t wait to hear some of her takeaways. Stay tuned for more soon.

@ausaorg #DefenseIndustry #Leadership #AUSA

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A little rain didn’t slow @bodespeaks down.

Kim was in Washington, D.C., this past week for #AUSA2026 - three days where Army leaders, industry partners, and the defense community come together for innovation, insight, and connection.

We can’t wait to hear some of her takeaways. Stay tuned for more soon.

@ausaorg #DefenseIndustry #Leadership #AUSA

Who made all these rules anyway?

Don’t wear color. Don’t share your ideas. Don’t put yourself out there. Don’t talk about your family.

We’re told to follow them, but @bodespeaks says question every single one. Then uncover your big hairy audacious goal, throw out the rulebook, and build a personal brand that actually works for you.

Thank you to Aggie and Cristy for having Kim on the @badass_women_in_business Podcast and, well... for being total badasses.

Listen to the full episode in bio.

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We had some fun in the office this week and asked some of the 8THIRTYFOUR team what “square up” means.

Surprisingly, the Gen Z of the group got it, but one of our Gen X’s did not (not saying any names…)

How do you “square up”?

#trending #fyp #squareup #agencylife

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We had some fun in the office this week and asked some of the 8THIRTYFOUR team what “square up” means.

Surprisingly, the Gen Z of the group got it, but one of our Gen X’s did not (not saying any names…)

How do you “square up”?

#trending #fyp #squareup #agencylife

The 834 Learning Hub is where we throw fun shindigs, where cool people come to work, where Big Deal Energy gathers, and where we push you to get uncomfortable.

It’s not your typical event or coworking space - and we like it that way. The lighting, colors, wallpaper, layout, and yes, the dogs, are all very intentional.

If you need a spot to host your offsite team training, leadership quarterly, photo shoot (dogs can be included), or you just need a space to network or cowork - reach out.

We got the goods:
- A sweet sound system
- State-of-the-art digital whiteboard
- A really big T.V. Like it’s big.
- Your own private entrance
- Free parking
- A dog (or two) if you ask nicely

Drop us a line at hello@8thirtyfour.com or click the link in bio to rent the Hub today.

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The 834 Learning Hub is where we throw fun shindigs, where cool people come to work, where Big Deal Energy gathers, and where we push you to get uncomfortable.

It’s not your typical event or coworking space - and we like it that way. The lighting, colors, wallpaper, layout, and yes, the dogs, are all very intentional.

If you need a spot to host your offsite team training, leadership quarterly, photo shoot (dogs can be included), or you just need a space to network or cowork - reach out.

We got the goods:
- A sweet sound system
- State-of-the-art digital whiteboard
- A really big T.V. Like it’s big.
- Your own private entrance
- Free parking
- A dog (or two) if you ask nicely

Drop us a line at hello@8thirtyfour.com or click the link in bio to rent the Hub today.

We love Dr. Karen May’s mission.

What if we taught our daughters AND our sons about women’s health, hormones, and pregnancy? Not as a whispered “talk” or a one-time awkward conversation. Just normal dinner-table stuff.

The girls deserve to know what’s coming (perimenopause shouldn’t be a surprise party nobody wanted). And the boys? They’ll be partners, dads, coworkers, and bosses to women going through all of it.

Thank you, Dr. May, for sharing your best practices to keep the women’s health conversation going at our Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause event.

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We love Dr. Karen May’s mission.

What if we taught our daughters AND our sons about women’s health, hormones, and pregnancy? Not as a whispered “talk” or a one-time awkward conversation. Just normal dinner-table stuff.

The girls deserve to know what’s coming (perimenopause shouldn’t be a surprise party nobody wanted). And the boys? They’ll be partners, dads, coworkers, and bosses to women going through all of it.

Thank you, Dr. May, for sharing your best practices to keep the women’s health conversation going at our Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause event.

Showing up to an interview with an iced coffee? Not the move… unless it’s for @bodespeaks

#icedcoffee #agency #PR #trending #grandrapids