GENESEE COUNTY, MI – Panda Express is set to expand in Genesee County as it prepares to open a new location soon in Davison Township.
In other local business news, an outdoor and sporting good store in Burton has announced it is closing permanently less than two years after the death of its founder.
Learn more about these stories and other Flint-area business news with these recent headlines:
New Panda Express in Davison Township to employ nearly 40 people, eyes opening date
A fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in American Chinese food is expected to open its newest Genesee County location next month.
The project for the new location involved demolishing two existing buildings within the fenced-off property near Subway.
“Currently, the new Panda location at 1044 South State Road is tentatively set for an early March opening,” a company spokesperson said in a message to MLive-The Flint Journal.
Panda Express was founded in 1983 and is known for popular dishes like Orange Chicken, Beijing Beef, and Honey Walnut Shrimp, along with a variety of rice and noodle options.
Read the full story here.
Rocky’s Great Outdoors closing Burton store after 50-plus years in business
Rocky’s Great Outdoors, a staple in Burton’s business community since 1971, is going out of business.
Liquid Asset Partners, which is managing a store-closing sale that begins on Saturday, Feb. 7, announced the closing on Friday, Feb. 6.
“For more than five decades, Rocky’s has been a gathering place for the communities of Flint and Grand Blanc — a place where first bikes were bought, hunting traditions were passed down, and customers became lifelong friends,” the Liquid Asset announcement reads.
“From the beginning, Rocky Roll built the business around one simple idea: take care of people first. That spirit never changed.”
Read the full story here.
Flamin’ Hot Cheetos jambalaya balls at this Michigan eatery will satisfy your munchies
No matter what time you have a craving, there’s one restaurant in Michigan to satisfy your palate.
And it is tasty.
Tha Munchies, which opened its doors in January 2025, is bussin with 85 delectable menu items and house-made lemonade or Kool-Aid to wash it down.
Janay Pitts, founder and owner, said her goal in opening the fast-casual comfort food joint was to bring something back to the community that raised her.
Read the full story here.
GM workers getting something extra in February — $10,500 profit-sharing checks
Eligible General Motors hourly workers are getting profit-sharing checks of $10,500 this year, 27% less than the record payments the automaker made to employees through the program last year.
GM officials confirmed the lump-sum payments to roughly 47,000 U.S. employees on Tuesday, Jan. 27, the same day CEO Mary Barra issued a letter to shareholders, covering the company’s 2025 financial performance and future outlook.
This year’s profit-sharing payments lag behind recent years, including last year’s $14,500, $12,250 in 2024, and $12,750 in 2023.
In a message to United Auto Workers members, the union said the payouts will be made on Feb. 27.
Read the full story here.
Initial plans, rezoning for 259-home development in Flint Township receives approval
Flint Township’s Board of Trustees has approved a rezoning and the conditions for a 259-home residential development along West Maple Avenue, and a project developer says construction could start later this year.
Board members unanimously approved a concept plan and rezoning for the 86-acre development known as Ambers Wheat West on Monday, Jan. 26, leaving only a final Planned Unit Development plan subject to township approval.
“We will incorporate all the requirements in our final PUD submittals,” said Mike West of Allen Edwin Homes. “We are moving fast. We’d love to be under construction on phase one later this year if everything falls into place.”
Read the full story here.
Henry Ford Genesys, Teamsters say ‘important milestone’ reached to end nurses’ strike
Representatives of Henry Ford Genesys Hospital and Teamsters Local 332 say they’ve “reached an important milestone” that could help end a 155-day strike by nurses and caseworkers.
The announcement comes months after more than 750 union members followed through with a promise to go on strike on Labor Day, demanding “safe and improved working conditions.”
“Friday night, representatives for Henry Ford Genesys Hospital and Teamsters Local 332 reached an important milestone towards ending the ongoing labor dispute, a joint statement from the hospital and union reads. “We remain optimistic as crucial steps in the negotiations process continue. We appreciate everyone’s understanding, and we look forward to sharing more when we’re able.”
Read the full story here.
Lewis Driskell, Flint printer and business pioneer, dies at 95
Lewis Driskell, who owned one of Flint’s most enduring businesses and served for decades on key city boards and commissions, has died at age 95.
Driskell was the owner of Union Printing Company, which he operated for more than 50 years. He died Jan. 31.
His funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Feb. 14 at Grace Emmanuel Baptist Church, 3502 Lapeer Road, in Flint.
Driskell attended Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, earning a degree in graphic design, and went on to perform printing work in Montgomery, Alabama, including jobs for Martin Luther King Jr. when the civil rights leader was a pastor there, according to Flint Journal files.
Read the full story here.
Rogers Foam leaves Flint, downtown property listed for lease
The owner of a downtown Flint business property is advertising for a new tenant after Rogers Foam closed its Flint manufacturing location there.
Rogers, a foam manufacturer headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts, operated from 501 W. Kearsley St. for more than a decade.
The property features 46,565 square feet of industrial space, including a 4,800-square-foot office and three truckwells, according to a listing offering the property for lease by Signature Associates and Cooper Commercial.
The listing boasts of the property’s “excellent location with easy freeway access and close to downtown Flint.”
Read the full story here.
Starlite now hiring, reopening soon after months-long closure
Those looking for a job have a new opportunity at a long-standing eatery.
Starlite Coney Island & Diner is now hiring for back of the house positions at its Center Road location after being closed for months.
“If you take pride in the food you make and want to be part of a place that’s meant something to this community for generations, we’d love to hear from you,” a post on Starlite’s Facebook page reads.
The restaurant closed in late August after a vehicle slammed into the side of the building, which led ownership to remove everything from the kitchen to make structural repairs to repair two cracks caused by the impact.
Read the full story here.
Two former NFL players creating new athletic club, training facility in Michigan
In his years in the area as an athlete, Malik Taylor said one of the biggest problems he faced was not having a place to train.
“I imagine that’s the same problems kids are going through here,” said Taylor, 30, a Flint native who was a consensus All-State selection in his playing days at Montrose-McCloy High School, first-team All-State in basketball as a senior before going onto Ferris State and eventually the NFL.
“I would say within the last two years of my NFL career, I kind of knew that I wanted to pour into something giving back to the area,” he told MLive-The Flint Journal, with the aim of creating a “social performance ecosystem” for athletes, active adults, and fitness minded individuals.
Read the full story here.
Love’s Travel Stops exploring Genesee County location, but faces challenges
An Oklahoma-based travel center is eyeing a stretch along US-23 in Genesee County for a potential future development.
However, the development faces an uphill climb in the community.
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores has submitted a concept plan for 3383 Thompson Road off US-23 in Fenton Township.
Love’s has submitted a concept plan of a travel stop at 3383 Thompson Road for discussion with the township’s planning commission.
Read the full story here.
From buffaloes to Harry Potter: Michigan bakery offers one-of-a-kind creations
Kayla Bradybaugh had a buffalo at her wedding.
The owner of Tasty Layers Custom Cakes in Burton said the animal is her husband’s favorite animal.
“He just loves buffaloes. And his inside joke is I’m gonna get a buffalo, and that’s what I’m gonna ride home on from the bar,” she laughed. “And I’m like, no.”
The animal at their wedding wasn’t one that roamed the open plains but instead was made of cake and frosting.
It’s one of the more unique creations that’s come out of the ovens at 5515 Davison Road.
Read the full story here.
New Mediterranean restaurant to open in Davison, second location in the works
The ownership for a new fast casual Mediterranean restaurant is set to open his first location in Davison, with hopes of dozens of others sprouting up over the next decade.
Zatar & Olive, located at 415 N. State Road, Ste. C., is expected to open by the end of February.
“This is the first one. Our long-term vision is to open 100 in 10 years or less,” said Mo Aboneaaj, vice president of business development. “We’re being methodical in getting this first one done right.”
He described the new restaurant as “the only Middle Eastern fast casual cuisine” in the area.
Read the full story here.
Third Genesee County community considers data center moratorium
A third Genesee County community is in discussions on a potential data center moratorium.
The Mundy Township Board of Trustees voted in January to recommend the planning commission discuss the facilities and what direction the community should take on them moving forward.
“It’s just par for the course,” said trustee Leah Davis, who made the motion which included included battery factories and anything pertaining to renewable energy or advanced manufacturing. “We’re trying to figure out what’s going on, who’s behind it, and what it would do to the community…the community should have a discussion about it.”
Mundy Township joins a growing list of Genesee County municipalities that have either instituted a moratorium or are in discussions.
Read the full story here.
40-acre site could be transformed into housing with rent starting at $2,000 a month
A new multi-million-dollar housing development featuring nearly 200 apartments could be coming to Mundy Township as the area continues to experience a housing shortage.
The Mundy Township Board of Trustees voted 4-3 during its Jan. 12 meeting to approve a request from developer Redwood Living to rezone a 40-acre property along Grand Blanc Road from RSA (Residential Suburban Agriculture) to PDP (Planned Development Project).
Township Supervisor Jennifer Stainton and board trustees Kyle Ward and Leah Davis voted against rezoning the property.
“We’ve said we need housing,” Township Clerk Cory Bostwick said before voting in favor of the requested rezoning. “It’s right here at our door.”
Read the full story here.