Time to wrap up another year. As seems to always be the case, the national and international news has been filled with strife. The war in Ukraine continued, a war in the Middle East started and our state and national politicians don’t seem to be able to agree on anything.
Closer to home, though, Lowell is focused on the more positive aspects of life – good food and good fun, primarily.
On Lowell’s First Look, our website had just shy of 250,000 clicks from human visitors in the past 12 months, and we hit the publish button 526 times. This year saw some significant changes for us too as we lost one owner but added some contributing writers.
Out of all our content, these were the top ten stories in 2023, according to website views.
10. Lowell Resident Competes on The Voice
Our house has never watched The Voice before, but we tuned into the singing competition this year to see Lowell native Lindsey Garcia compete. Performing under the name LVNDR, she made it through the Blind Auditions but was cut in the Knockouts. Still, my daughter and I faithfully watched until the end. While neither my favorite – Mara Justine – nor her favorite – Jacquie Roar – won, we both agreed that Huntley was OK too.
9. Los Portales Now Open in Downtown Lowell
Los Portales has been open less than a month, and it has already made a big impression on Lowell. Not only is the article highlighting the Mexican restaurant a top 10 story for the year, but business seems to be brisk. We stopped by this week, and it was surprisingly busy for a Wednesday night. Seating is a little tight if you have a big party, but the food was good and the prices seemed reasonable for what we got.
8. The ABCs of Lowell History: H is for the “Hermit of Devil’s Peak”
This may be the first time an ABCs of Lowell History made the annual Top Ten list. Written by the Lowell Area Historical Museum, these articles are always well-read, but this one seemed to do especially well. We think some people had recollections of James Burnett while others were intrigued by the location of Devil’s Peak.
7. Lowell Twp. Planning Recap: Dollar Tree Wins Final OK
There’s a new Dollar Tree being built just outside the city limits on Fulton Street. While a representative from the company told the Lowell Township Planning Commission that it should be open for business by the end of the year, construction is still underway. We hear that once this building is completed, the Dollar Tree in town will close.
6. King Milling Company: Feeding America for More Than 130 Years
How to cover 130 years of history and what is arguably one of the most influential businesses in town? There may have been a little writer’s block involved in crafting this article for that reason. However, the finished product seemed to be a hit, and our profile of King Milling Company was the sixth most-read story for the year.
Fun fact: This article got a decent amount of traffic from a website for railroad enthusiasts, which we found interesting seeing that there really is only a passing reference to trains in the piece.
5. Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts Return for 2023
Coming in at the No. 5 spot is the press release for the 2023 Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts series. While not usually a top ten article, the annual press release for the concerts is usually well-read. We assume that’s because people come back to it again and again to see who will be headlining the next show.
4. Junction Bar to Become Italian Restaurant in 2024
Early in 2023, we were told that Junction Bar would be making way for an Italian restaurant – with the expected name Romynelli’s – in 2024. That was big news for many residents, especially since we now have Mexican food covered in town. Still, there hasn’t been much activity at the former Junction Bar building so this is something we will follow up on after the New Year.
3. Rio Plano Taqueria Almost Ready for Grand Opening
Thanks to a global pandemic and supply chain issues, it took three years for Rio Plano Taqueria to open for business. However, the long-awaited restaurant over the Flat River seemed to run into trouble quickly, and it closed in less than a year. Its location is now home to Los Portales Mexican Bar and Grill.
2. Lowell Splash Pad Expected in 2023
Ok, so this obviously didn’t happen in 2023. Lowell Charter Township had big plans to build a splash pad this year at its North Riverfront Park – that’s the one off Bowes Road and behind Walgreens. It still has those plans, but it will be at least 2024 before it is ready for visitors. The cost of materials has been more than expected and capacity issues with the city water supply need to be resolved too. Not to get your hopes up, but there is also talk about an outdoor pool at the park.
1. Magnolia Opens in Downtown Lowell
The subject of the top article of the year is regrettably a thing of the past now. Magnolia opened to much excitement in the spring. Located at the corner of Main and Riverside in the former Springrove Variety building, the restaurant served Southern/Cajun fare for both dine-in and takeout. There were also plans for a small grocery inside but that didn’t seem to materialize, and after several months, the business closed for good.
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