Michael Rodewald: Montcalm County McDonald’s Story

McDonald’s Restaurant Franchise in Montcalm County

Discover how Michael Rodewald of MLW Management Inc. built a 11-location McDonald’s franchise network across Montcalm County and West Michigan.

The Story of MLW Management: Building a Legacy in Montcalm County

When people see the famous Golden Arches of McDonald’s, they often think of a global corporate giant. But on the local level, individual restaurants are driven by local business owners, local crews, and deep roots in the community.

On the latest episode of the Discover Montcalm Podcast, host Duane Weed sat down with Michael Rodewald, Owner/Operator of MLW Management, Inc., to discuss his family’s multi-generational history with McDonald’s, expanding across West Michigan, and opening his 11th location in Howard City, MI.

From Crew Member to McDonald’s Franchisee: The Rodewald Family Journey A Legacy That Started in 1974

The Rodewald family story with McDonald’s spans over five decades. It began when Michael’s father, Eric Rodewald, moved to Grand Rapids as a 16-year-old looking for a gas station job. When no gas stations were hiring, he walked into a local McDonald’s on the north side of Grand Rapids.

Starting as a crew member, Eric spent 23 years learning every position in restaurant operations and management. In 1996, he realized his dream of entrepreneurship by purchasing his first group of McDonald’s franchises in Montcalm County.

Operating MLW Management, Inc. Across Montcalm County and West Michigan

Michael Rodewald officially became an approved McDonald’s owner-operator on October 1, 2014, taking over his first store in Stanton, MI. McDonald’s maintains rigorous vetting and operational training for franchisees, ensuring that operators prioritize local community relationships alongside operational excellence.

Today, Michael leads MLW Management, Inc., overseeing 11 locations across Montcalm, Mecosta, Isabella, and Ionia counties:

• Big Rapids: 1020 S State St, Big Rapids, MI 49307

• Howard City: 750 Shaw St, Howard City, MI 49329

• Lakeview: 9150 Howard City Edmore Rd, Lakeview, MI 48850

• Edmore: 807 Main St, Edmore, MI 48829

• Stanton: 329 E Main St, Stanton, MI 48888

• Portland: 1432 E Grand River Ave, Portland, MI 48875

• Mount Pleasant (4 Locations):

  • 1804 S Mission St, Mount Pleasant, MI 48858

  • 1963 E Remus Rd, Mount Pleasant, MI 48858

  • 5600 E Pickard St, Mount Pleasant, MI 48858

  • 904 E Pickard St, Mount Pleasant, MI 48858

• Shepherd: 550 E Wright Ave, Shepherd, MI 48883

Bringing a New McDonald’s to Howard City

Opening a new ground-up location requires extensive demographic and traffic analytics from corporate, combined with local municipal collaboration. Discussions for a Howard City location began years prior with village leadership. On June 25, the brand-new Howard City store officially held its grand opening at 750 Shaw St.

From supporting local high school sports programs—like donating soccer equipment to Tri County High School during their grand opening—to giving back to community initiatives, MLW Management focuses on local involvement.

“At the end of the day, the ones who are here trying to get it right for you are local business owners doing everything we can to deliver on our promises,” says Rodewald.

Contact & Local Updates

For local store updates, community events, and customer feedback, follow their regional store pages on Facebook (search “McDonald’s Stanton”).

• Owner/Operator: Michael Rodewald | MLW Management, Inc.

Discover Montcalm County: Greenville  Carson City  Stanton  Howard City  Lakeview  Edmore  Sheridan  Pierson  McBride  Trufant  Six Lakes  Vestaburg  Crystal  Gowen  Coral

Watch or Listen to the Full Episode

This episode is especially helpful to watch on YouTube where screen examples are shown.

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