As the clock struck midnight on a new year and people made their way to their cars heading home from parties, their drive home did not look the same. Strolling through Fenton they noticed several new businesses and restaurants have recently opened or will be opening in the near future. With The Fenton Fire Hall and Round Town Cupcakes open, and construction underway on the Cornerstone Building, the Fenton area is seeing business growth both downtown and around the city.

Because of their love of baking, along with family recipes passed on from generation to generation, mother and son team Theresa and Nicholas Karayanis opened Round Town Cupcakes in downtown Fenton on June 25.
“Round Town Cupcakes is a very conveniently located shop,” freshman Madelyn Drake said. “It is so cute. I love the outside of their shop; it looks so inviting.”
The cupcake shop will deliver locally to Genesee, Oakland and Livingston county or ship cupcakes nationwide.
“We are very happy with how business is doing,” Karayanis said. “Part of the reason we chose to start a business in Fenton is that everyone has been so positive.”
Another new addition to Fenton is the Cornerstone Building. This building will house several businesses and is set to be open sometime this spring. It will house Sagano Japanese Bistro & Steakhouse, Salon 416 along with several others.
Other businesses will be relocating into the Cornerstone Building as well. Those include Sawyer Jewelers and Cafe Aroma. Cafe Aroma has been in Fenton for 10 years, but it will be coming to the Cornerstone Building where it will double in the amount of space it had at its Silver Lake Road location. With the expanded space will come an expanded menu.
“We will have more room for seating,” Cafe Aroma employee Mariah Althoss said. “We will also have more menu choices and business should really increase.”
Also new to downtown is The Fenton Fire Hall , located in the old Fire House. This restaurant opened on Dec. 19 and much like it’s sister restaurant, The Clarkston Union, its main focus is comfort food. For the menu, The Union Joints restaurant group’s famous Mac & Cheese is custom-built with bacon and other items and they cook other meats in an open fire pit. According to Fentonfocus.com The Fenton Fire Hall is also considering a Fenton Fire Hall Cider and Fenton Fire Hall BBQ sauce.
While The Fenton Fire Hall will offer dinner items, residents will soon be able to visit What’s Shakin’ , an addition to Uncle Ray’s Dairyland, for dessert.
“What’s Shakin’ will be a delicious and quick place for a treat,” Owner of Uncle Ray’s Dairyland Dave Durant said. “We are not quite sure of the opening day yet, but we are sure it will be a great success.”
With all the businesses coming to town and relocating both Fenton residents and visitors will have many opportunties to dine and shop local.