For those familiar with Brian Belwood, it will come as no surprise that The Burger Joint has been awarded Business of the Year.
“Brian’s a great guy who runs his business in a way we should all be proud of,” said Jennifer Hill, communications manager at the Huron Valley Chamber of Commerce. A nominee for several years, Hill said The Burger Joint received the Chamber’s top nod this year due to the support Belwood has consistently shown the Huron Valley community over the years.
Brian Belwood, owner of The Burger Joint, works in his food truck during Milford High School’s Homecoming Tailgate on Sept. 30. (Photo by Chris Wall)
“We’ve been so impressed with his altruism in the community — anybody who asks him for something, he’s there,” said Hill. “He’s always been supportive of other businesses, and he wants Main Street and the Huron Valley community to thrive. And he’s got unicorns! Who doesn’t love that?”
The Burger Joint is celebrating 15 years in downtown Milford this November. Belwood’s been involved with the business in some capacity since 2010. In 2019, he and his wife Heather became owners of the restaurant.
Not long after, COVID hit. Despite the hardships the pandemic created for small business owners, Belwood found a way to offer discounts and free meals to customers in need and donated a portion of gift card sales to Community Sharing, the food pantry in Highland.
During the holidays, The Burger Joint staff has a tradition of donating tips to Milford High School’s Adopt-A-Family program, which provides holiday gifts and support to local families in need.
Additionally, Belwood supports the Chamber financially, and volunteers his time at events like Milford Memories, which is a hectic time, to say the least, for Milford business owners, said Hill.
Belwood called the Business of the Year award a huge honor.
“We’re able to do what we do because of the generosity of the community towards us,” said Belwood. “Everything we do is because the community essentially allows us to be who we are. So we’re going to continue to do that and my wife and I are happy to be the people that people can come to.”
The Burger Joint is located at 312 N. Main Street in downtown Milford. For more information, call (248) 685-9263 or visit www.burgerjoint.us. Follow The Burger Joint on Facebook for the latest on specials and the new food truck.
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