CITY LIGHTS

Business owner wants community to glow, grow for the holidays

Eastpointe resident and business owner John Hofmann does not bear a striking resemblance to Santa Claus, but he is working to spread holiday cheer, particularly along the Gratiot Avenue corridor.

Noting that cities like Rochester have built a holiday tradition around businesses decorating their buildings with lights to create a festive atmosphere for pedestrians, Hofmann wants to spark a similar vibe in Eastpointe.

“I thought it would be a way to bring attention to the Eastpointe business community and create something festive for residents as well,” said Hofmann.

He distributed flyers to businesses on Gratiot Avenue asking them to participate in the “Light Up the Night” event. The idea was for businesses to have their holiday lights and decorations up by Dec. 1 and to turn them on that evening at 7 p.m. and through the holidays.

“We got some businesses calling and asking questions about it and someone from Andary’s Grill called to say they thought it was a great idea and they wanted to participate,” said Hofmann.

Hofmann, who owns Fusion Marketing, LLC on Gratiot Avenue near 10 Mile Road, realizes this idea came to him a little late in the season and that this year, there might not be many participants. But he hopes it plants a seed for something that could blossom into an annual event.

“Some businesses have already suggested that next year we kick this off on Black Friday,” said Hofmann. “Another possibility might be to coordinate something with the Eastpointe tree lighting ceremony.

“I look at this as the start of something that could evolve into a much bigger holiday event.”

Hofmann says there is still time for businesses to get in on the lights celebration even if they missed the Dec. 1 target date. He invites all Eastpointe businesses on the Gratiot Avenue corridor to jump on board and light up the night.

“I want this to be a thing for the community,” said Hofmann. “I don’t want to see small businesses going out and being replaced with more Walmarts; we don’t need that.”

SUSAN SMILEY — THE MACOMB DAILY Fusion Marketing, LLC owner John Hofmann (left) and dentist and Eastpointe-Roseville Chamber of Commerce President Christopher Dyki covered their building at 24840 Gratiot Avenue with holiday lights.

STEPHEN FRYE — MEDIANEWS GROUP Eastpointe business owner John Hoffman would like to see his Light up the Night event become the eastside version of downtown Rochester’s holiday lights display.