The Michigan-Michigan State rivalry can divide families, friends and now local business owners.
For the ninth consecutive year, Don Brose of Brose Electric and Gary Metzger of The Print Shop had some good natured fun at a tailgate party the Friday before the big game.
Brose, Metzger and a lot of their friends got together for food, fun and some light trash talking. Everyone was invited and everything was free but the two owners were accepting donations.
“Half the donations go to the Clarkston Community Band and the other half goes to the Junior Optimists. We don’t do this to make a profit,” Metzger said.
The event began nine years ago after the two had engaged in some pregame decorating of each other’s businesses for a number of years.
“I would make his building entirely green and he would make mine blue. It got to the point where everybody was wondering what we would do each year so we decided just to have a party,” Metzger said.
The tailgate party has been held in snow, rain and cold but this year mother nature blessed the group with unseasonably warm weather.
“It really is a good time. We enjoy having some good natured talk between the two sides,” Brose said.