Insider Guide: April Osburn

April Osburn is the Vice President of Membership and Programs at the Mt. Pleasant Chamber of Commerce. She is original from the thumb area and went to college at Ferris State University in Big Rapids where she earned a Bachelor’s in public administration with a minor in economics. “[Mt. Pleasant] is a big city with a small town feel,” she says. She grew up in a small town but wanted something bigger and found Mt. Pleasant was perfect.
 
Mt. Pleasant has some unique restaurants, including Mountain Town Station, a brewery located right on the train tracks known for its ribs. Camille’s on the River offers more of a fine dining atmosphere like something you might find in Chicago. If you just want to sit down and enjoy a couple of beers in a pub with some bar food, Mt. Pleasant Brewing Company offers exactly that. Coco Joe’s Beach House is very popular with the Central Michigan University students and has a dueling piano bar. For a quick, healthy lunch, Max & Emily’s offers many different kinds of wraps. “It’s not your normal fast food,” April says.
 
The owner and manager of Max & Emily’s also host a summer concert series in the street, which they just started doing in 2010 but is already a popular attraction. They work with CMU on three different evenings of free concerts, which has included major-name bands like Toad the Wet Sprocket and the Verve Pipe. “Thousands of people will fill the streets [for these],” April notes.
 
“Mount Pleasant has a lot to offer,” April says. “Not only do we have CMU, but we also have the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and we’re going to be getting a children’s museum.” The Ziibiwing Center (a cultural center for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe) is a great attraction to the area. Central Michigan University has a Research Corporation that helps build and foster entrepreneurs. The Chamber of Commerce has also started one of the largest professional bicycle races in the state, called Le Tour du Mont Pleasant. “Every year it grows exponentially. Last year we had over 700 riders. People from from all over to be a part of this race!”