Troy, Michigan is a suburb of Detroit best-known for its world-famous Coney Dogs and seemingly-infinite number of office parks. And it's the home base for our Michigan team!

The suburb's made a name for itself as the financial hub and hottest shopping destination in the region, home to hundreds of financial companies and shopping centers.

Making a trip to Troy? Here are five ConnectPay-approved things you should know about the Detroit suburb! 

1. Say Hi to the ConnectPay Team in Troy

“Being able to focus on just payroll and taxes, and prioritizing that individual time with the client–that’s what we enjoy doing,” Jessalyn shares, “ I think a lot of businesses are getting out of that service model and instead, we focus on it.”

Jessalyn’s team is a unique force of payroll professionals–including expert ConnectPay Payroll Specialist, Kathy. For 15 years, Kathy’s been cruising Tuskegee Highway and serving clients in Troy. You can see in the picture above that Kathy’s talents left our President and Co-Founder, Paul Altavena, speechless! Go Kathy! 

Kathy joins a long list of dedicated ConnectPay teammates in Michigan that Branch Manager Jessalyn is proud to consider a family. “We work as a team to support each other,” Jessalyn smiles, “we don’t use voicemail during the day so we really get to know each other’s clients.”

In the spirit of giving, every year, ConnectPay CEO Michael Young gifts Thanksgiving turkeys to all of his employees. And this year, Payroll Specialist Marisa Whitall is proud to be organizing the company-wide-project right from her desk in Troy!

"I've ordered 105 turkeys from 6 local farms across the country," Marisa smiles: "It's a big project but I'm happy to do it!" Most of all, Marisa's enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with teammates across all of our offices. "Everybody's been so kind and helpful. It's been an incredible way to meet some new faces and carry Michael's kindness across the company!" 

Looking to join the ConnectPay family? Explore the career opportunities at all of our ConnectPay branches!

2.  Try some Coneys

Coney dogs–“Coneys”–are a staple in the Midwest. These delicious diner snacks start with a rich, salty hot dog topped with chili–specialized to the region you’re ordering in–followed by diced onions, beanless chili, and yellow mustard. 

Anybody from Michigan can tell you: Midwest diners popularized the delicious hot dogs despite the misnomer with the NYC borough. Detroit businesses American Coney Island and Layfayette Coney Island made the dish famous in the early 1900s.

These days, thanks to FoodTok and countless Instagram food reels, Coneys are more popular than ever! We briefly mentioned the hot dog ingredients earlier, let’s take a look at the full breakdown.

To craft an authentic Coney, you need: 

• A beef hot dog in natural casing 
• A steamed bun
• All meat topping
• Beanless chilli
• Diced white onion 
• Yellow mustard
• Pickles and Ketchup - depends who you ask

Now, let’s talk about the chili, and its regional variations.

 

For a Detroit-style Coney, you can expect:

• Runny sauce, grab a fork

For a Flint-style Coney, you can expect:

• Meatier sauce, no fork needed 
• Some call it “Coney Sauce”

The ConnectPay Coney Consensus:  For a quick Coney in Troy, the ConnectPay team recommends Kerby’s or Lipuma’s to satisfy your craving.

 

The best Coney of all-time? Our team says it’s Layfayette Coney Island in downtown Detroit: it’s worth the drive! . 

 

3. Support local, small businesses

ConnectPay is proud to process payroll for over 800 small businesses in Michigan–and over 50 of them are located right in Troy!

Our clients in Troy are leaders in the following industries: 

• Truck Transportation
• Real Estate 
• Property Management
• Construction 
• Life Insurance 
• Retirement Insurance
• Mortgages and Loans
• Health Centers
• Digital Media/Photo Printing Services
• Automotive Event Planning

Looking to hire a service above and support another small business within ConnectPay’s Connected Network? Reach out to your Payroll Specialist to learn more about connecting with other businesses like yours. 

4. Travel back in time at the Troy Historical Museum and Village

Ever wonder what life in Troy was like long ago in the 18th century? You can take a firsthand look at the Troy Historical Museum and Village–where visitors can walk through the preserved historic village and appreciate structures like a blacksmith’s shop, a general store, and a church.

 

The Troy Historical Museum is a popular tourist spot that pays tribute to the Detroit suburb’s roots as a small Midwest town just trying to make a name for themselves. The museum’s ode to such rich Americana is just another reason why our Michigan branch chose to settle in Troy.

 

Troy’s oldest operating restaurant, Alibi, is still in business, though the restaurant has seen its share of changes in cuisine and ownership over the years. While it's true that the original building was replaced in 1990, the Alibi has been serving patrons in Troy, MI since 1927. Alibi has some of the top-rated pizza in the area: check them out! 

5. Network with other small business owners

It's no secret that chambers of commerce are a popular way for small business owners to meet up and network. Our regional sales manager Holly Francis and her sales team work closely with the Midwest Independent Retailers Association and the Greater West Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce making powerful connections to grow and improve our Connected network. 

Chambers of commerce frequently host networking events such as lunches, panel discussions, and conferences to connect local business owners. Look out for our team at the next big conference or event!

Full-service payroll small businesses can trust

At ConnectPay, we study and understand small business payroll and tax laws so small business owners can focus on core services. Have a question about payroll? Get in touch with us today. We’re ConnectPay: the small business payroll specialists.