Wayne sees growth in business expansion

City officials and the staff at Mark Chevrolet celebrate the completion of the renovations with a ribbon cutting celebration.

The City of Wayne might have some challenges ahead with a $500,000 budget deficit and the loss of some long-term and experienced employees. But there are some good things on the horizon. The Main Street program is trying to revitalize the downtown area and several businesses have either expanded or opened in Wayne.

McDonald’s
After development delays and several debates Wayne has its first McDonald’s. It opened the end of June.
The 4200 sq. ft. restaurant features a double drive thru and has a seating capacity of 70. It is open 24 hours a day. The front of the building faces Wayne Road and the drive thru is on the south side of the building. There are two entrances- one on Wayne Road and one on Biddle.
The café style McDonalds also offers outdoor seating.
The owner operators are James and Marla Thrower.  Mr. Thrower is a former Detroit Lion and Philadelphia Eagle and has been in the McDonald’s business for over 25 years.  The General Manager is Tammy Ramsey.

Mark Chevrolet
The expansion and renovation at Mark Chevrolet on Michigan Avenue is complete. They celebrated with a ribbon cutting celebration in August.  The interior and exterior of the dealership was renovated.  The service area was enclosed on the west side of the building.  A new vehicle plaza on the east side of the building displays vehicles. The former site of Beehive Restaurant is now used as a customer parking lot.

Jack Demmer Ford
Jack Demmer Ford is making some changes. City council approved a rezoning so they can transform their Affordables operation on the northwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Newburgh into Quick Lane Auto Service Center. This new 9500 sq. ft. facility is a no appointment necessary maintenance and light repair operation. They will perform 14 different services including oil changes, tires, shocks, struts, brakes, exhaust, tune-up and alignments.
They service all makes and models of vehicles while the customer waits. The hours of operation will be 7 a.m.- 7 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
The Affordables location will be relocated to the used car section on Michigan Avenue east of Newburgh. The building will be renovated and Demmer will add 1800 sq. ft. to the used car building.
“We hope you continue growing,” said Mayor Al Haidous.
With these two improvements Jack Demmer Ford will be investing almost $5 million in Wayne.

American Jetway
American Jetway Corporation, an aerosol products manufacturer in the Wayne-Westland Community is planning to make a $15 million investment to expand their operation in Wayne on their property on Venoy while still operating their Myrtle St. location.
For more than 50 years American Jetway has provided environmentally friendly liquid formulas in aerosol cans to small and large businesses.
The 17-acre parcel from Venoy to Hubbard Street will house manufacturing and warehouse facilities as well as offices.
There will be a 25,000 sq. ft. addition on the south side of the property. There will also be a new inside roadway to make it easier for trucks to get in and out of the location.
Because this facility borders baseball diamonds and a church the fencing will be 8 ft. tall.
In July 2010 Gordon Jones, president and CEO and Janice Germann, COO acquired property on Venoy for further expansion. This past June they also purchased the former Advanced Materials Process Corporation on Howe Rd. to further expand the business.
Today they employ 160 people and had gross sales of $35 million for fiscal year 2012-13.