By Pete Wurdock
It is a common scenario that unfolds in the Upper Peninsula: Transplants from down below pack up, sell their house, leave the rat race and settle down somewhere above the Mackinac Bridge for a change in lifestyle.
Newberry had a certain appeal for Michael and Amy Winn when they moved here from Berkley, MI, a metro Detroit suburb in January 2017 and they have not regretted their move for a minute.
Michael’s family has a cabin in Michigamme and Amy’s family vacationed on Manistique Lake, so she knew the Curtis area. When they thought about moving, a familiar thought came to mind. “Together we thought: where do we like to vacation? Let’s just move there!” Michael said with a laugh.
For over 20 years, Michael cut his teeth in the rough carpentry field and shifted into other custom, interior work, such as crown moldings, rustic doors, and windows. After the move to Newberry, he admits he miscalculated the economic aspect of his business but the trade off in the lifestyle has made up for it. He has built pole barns and completed residential additions in the Newberry area as well as down state. Since the pandemic in 2020, he and others in his trade have had supply chain issues, so he has had to adapt.
Michael’s specialty is interior carpentry but his many years of experience working down state prepared him for just about any type of construction job. But he also enjoys playing Mr. Mom to their two daughters as Amy takes care of her clients at her salon, Studio A.
Amy managed a high-end salon in the elegant town of Birmingham, Mich. before they moved. In 2020 she opened Studio A in a cozy addition off the back of their house on Newberry Avenue. Since then, she has built up a steady client base, for men and women, offering cuts, highlights, color, color changes, and corrections. Not only are her prices reasonable, but she listens to her clients and offers them great value for the services she provides. She also does not compromise when it comes to using top quality hair products for her clients.
“When I was younger, I always thought I’d end up in New York City, but it has all changed now. We have a family now and I love Newberry,” Amy commented. “We can go to the IGA and talk to everyone who works there, and Michael knows everyone he encounters in other businesses.”
Michael, who grew up in the fast-paced city of Seattle, agrees.
“This is a place where the pace is great,” he said. “People are engaging and talkative, and I like that. It isn’t ‘Happy holidays,’ it’s ‘Merry Christmas’.”
The Winns have a great balance of work and family time and are enjoying life in the slow lane in Newberry.
