Justin Dalenberg grew up looking forward to his annual trip to McCallum’s Orchard and the process of turning the apples he picked into homemade pies. His love of food grew as he helped his mother in her work as a caterer and baker, and he refined his culinary skills at St. Clair TEC in the St. Clair Hospitality Academy program.
Justin was a student Port Huron Northern and worked at Tom Manis Restaurant, Crystal Gardens, and the River Crab while growing up in the Blue Water Area. After winning a cooking competition at St. Clair TEC, he earned a full-ride scholarship to Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, which is very well-known for its culinary arts program.
After college, Justin worked in various fine dining restaurants around the U.S. including the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, and Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor. As a consultant, he has opened 20-30 restaurants in the Metro Detroit and Ann Arbor area, and he is the owner of VERITAS in Jackson, MI; Grand River Brewery in Marshall, MI; and several Doll n’ Burgers restaurants in Jackson, Marshall, and Tecumseh, MI.
Justin Dalenberg’s newest food and dining adventure is the renovation and reimagining of the 17,000-square-foot Manchester Market which celebrates its grand opening on Saturday, October 16, 2021 at 455 W. Main Street in Manchester, Michigan. He is co-owner of the market with business partner, Ken Heers.
Manchester Market is a foodie’s dream featuring a full-service grocery store, a commercial butcher shop & bakery, and a gelato shop, along with a coffee shop and beer cave. The market is also the new home of the Acorn Farmer’s Market and Café, a non-profit farmer’s market.
“We have a bunch of different people with different skills and different passions all under one roof,” said Dalenberg.
When asked what draws him to the food and hospitality industry, Dalenberg said, “I’m obsessed with it. I love making people happy. I love throwing parties, I love taking care of people, and I love great food.”
Dalenberg learned a great deal living on the East Coast, in the Carribean, and in the Aspen, Colorado area. He said, “Everything you did was top-notch, and I kind of bring that East Coast, cook-from-scratch, buy-better-ingredients-for-flavor idea. In Michigan, we have the best ingredients, but a lot of people just don’t use them.”
Dalenberg has plans to open several more Grand River Breweries and Doll n’ Burgers in the next few years along with a hotel and another market.
To learn more about Justin and the Manchester Market, visit their website here: https://www.manchestermarketmi.com/
Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand
