The 217 residents of Port Hope are grateful.

“Thank you for investing in our town.” “You’ve changed my business by opening yours.” “You put Port Hope on the map.”

Buck’s Port Hope Diner has made downtown Port Hope, at the tip of Michigan’s Thumb, a destination. Tarra Hurlburt opened the restaurant in 2022, after it sat empty for nearly a decade. She spent months and months renovating – closely monitored by the 217 residents – and even commemorated the layers of wallpaper in restroom artwork.

When it came time to open the woman-owned startup business, banks were unwilling to help. Northern Initiatives supported her with an SBA microloan, which wasn’t a hard decision, said Lucy Hoste McCraven, Senior Commercial Lender. “

This family has three generations of restaurant experience,” she said. “And Tarra bought and renovated the building with her own money, so there was no business debt to speak of. Plus, Port Hope was really hungry for breakfast!”