Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Officials in Hartland celebrate another business opening at M-59 and U.S. 23. Emmalyn Wheaton with the Hartland Area Chamber of Commerce says Monday's ribbon cutting on Buffalo Wild Wings underscores the area's rapid growth.

"By comparison from 10-20 years ago, this is night and day difference," Wheaton told WHMI News. "Being at the juncture of 59 and 23, this is a huge intersection, so naturally it lends itself to pretty rapid growth."

"Especially with Fenton and Brighton both growing at a pretty high rate of speed, this makes a big difference here in Hartland."

Monday's grand opening was a longtime coming.

"This process started the day before COVID hit and the world shutdown. That's when we started this whole initial project" says co-owner Tom Adkins.

"We signed on to open three more stores. We wanted Hartland to be one of our locations that were going to open. We already owned four other locations."

The first 100 customers received coupon books for six free wings each week, for the next 52 weeks.

"We had the first guest show up at 10pm, in a tent, that hung out all night," says Adkins.

Wheaton says Buffalo Wild Wings is the start of what is expected to be a busy year in Hartland.

"We've got a couple other restaurants coming in. A lot of refacing on some of the existing businesses. A lot of rooftops coming in, some more housing coming in," she said.

"Those all piggyback on each other. As you get more of that, then you get more housing, restaurants, retail, all of that stuff."

Despite the growth, Wheaton believes township planners have been smart in trying to preserve the area's rural appeal.