Community Highlights: Meet Mark McPherson of Tengam Engineering/Maude’s Taphouse/Liquid Note/Mac’s Place

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark McPherson. 

Mark, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I was young, I started to work with my father at his family-owned business, Tengam Engineering. I found myself learning many different aspects of the manufacturing and business world. In high school I was very involved in band and choir and had an affinity for drafting. I was able to be involved in many different projects where I was leading groups, or working on my own, to build different things for those groups. Band equipment, building sets and props for choir and all sorts of creative projects in drafting. Also, while just a freshman in high school, the business moved into a new location directly across the street from the school so I was heavily involved in building repairs, layout of equipment, drafting the initial plans for the first expansion of the building and preparing it for its new equipment, utilities, and all other aspects of what would be needed to run the business. I made the decision to attend college for music education. I simply loved all my experiences in both band and choir and thought that I would like to be a vocal education teacher. Although I loved playing percussion, I really didn’t think that it was my calling. I knew I would always have percussion as a passion but thought that teaching young people to sing was really where I would shine. Soon after I entered the music program at Western Michigan University, I realized that maybe it was not for me. I certainly had plenty of opportunities that would have severely impacted my current path. One of those opportunities was WMU Gold Company. This is an internationally recognized vocal jazz group. I had the double bass voice that the director, Steve Zegree, wanted for his group of 16. I turned down the opportunity because, well, I couldn’t make the demanding schedule because I was still working at the family business during college. I have no regrets making that decision. 

I switched my major to business and couldn’t be happier that I did. Although I chose to leave WMU before graduating I don’t feel that was a bad decision. I believe that was in 1996. Since then, I have been able to dedicate my time building Tengam to where it is today. And where it is today? Currently Tengam manufactures nearly 200 million components annually that are either magnets, magnetic assemblies and other molded plastic parts. We have also started a new division that focuses on the production of electric water pumps for electric vehicles. These water pumps use magnets that are, of course, produced by Tengam. 

In 2013 my father inherited 3 buildings located in downtown Otsego. The first project was the renovation of the upstairs of “building number one”. This was originally the family home above the town’s funeral parlor. My grandfather had taken me up there when I was very little, but I still remember thinking how unique it was. I helped in the layout and renovation of this space. Within a few months it was complete. 

Building number two; the original plan was to take this unoccupied building and “white box” it for a rental unit. One night, while standing looking at a possible layout and conceiving a plan for the space I thought back on my parents’ desire to one day have a restaurant. They had considered a different building in town years before but found it to be cost prohibitive. So, I thought maybe we shouldn’t “white box” it and just make a restaurant instead. I said to myself, “Well, if we had a restaurant what would we call it? Maude’s?” Now, Maude was my sister’s beloved bulldog who I named one night when she showed up at my house with the dog. I looked down and asked what her name was. She hadn’t named her yet, so I said “Well look at her. She’s a Maude!”. The name obviously stuck! The completely empty building was finished ready to go and opened just 6 ½ months later as Maude’s Taphouse! My mother, Linda McPherson, is the owner and we run this business together still today. 

Sometime in 2017 the empty building right next door to Maude’s had to be dealt with. Building number three. So, why not make a music venue! In 2004 I had the desire to use “building number one” to create a small jazz club. The name was to be The Arpeggio. Arpeggio means “broken chord”. Well, it wasn’t in the cards at that time, but I never stopped the dream. I quickly came up with the initial drawings for the new project and it was off and running. During the development of the plans, I learned that a local brewery was closing its doors. I contacted my friend and owner of the brewery to see if he had any interest in staying in the brewing world and he was very interested. Liquid Note Brewing, and its musically infused brews, was born. We opened February of 2019 and the success of the music venue, and the quality of the beer was instantly recognized! The room has the most amazing acoustics, and the musicians all love the floor plan. We have live music four nights a week. Wednesdays we have a blues jam where I get to put my musical talents to work as the house drummer! 

So…the dilemma of a name. They are a finicky thing. Liquid Note Brewing @ The Arpeggio? Well, we tried it. Too confusing. Some couldn’t pronounce it… understand it, etc. So, The Arpeggio was dropped. Then Covid… Ouch. Just after our one-year anniversary we closed the doors. After months of being closed, then open, then closed, then open…then a flood in early 2021 that had us closed for another three months; we reopened as just Liquid Note. I think it fits us better and is way less confusing! 

The next endeavor? In 2019 I drew up plans for an outdoor beer garden and music venue. In 2021 the building next to Liquid Note came up for sale. This building has been demolished at this point and some basic plans are in the works summer of 2023! Now, it won’t be complete as originally drawn but it seems I have a pretty good track record at seeing things to completion as they are dreamed up in my head! 

And, in January of 2020 the opportunity to purchase of another building came about. This time the building was basically a ready to go restaurant and is located across the street from Maude’s. I purchased the building with the idea that it had a very large kitchen when compared to Maude’s and that it would help support both Maude’s and the future outdoor music venue! Yeah…January of 2020. Worst time to buy something, ever. But that’s life. The business name is Mac’s Place and is named after my great-grandfather William Rubin McPherson, Jr. He opened a beer tavern located right across the street from Liquid Note and it was called Mac’s Place. He opened that business shortly after the end of prohibition. Sadly, Mac’s Place has struggled with staffing, and we have opened and closed multiple times. Look for us opening back up in the future! 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
STRUGGLES! YES! They do exist! From silly to challenging for sure. When building Liquid Note we were told that we could not have more than 250 gallons of alcohol in our basement, which is where we brew. Understanding how things work is an asset. I simply explained that we would never have that much alcohol in the basement because it wouldn’t fit. When told that we could only have 16 kegs (about 250 gallons) of beer I simply said that 16 kegs of beer only contain 25 gallons of alcohol if those are 10% ABV and that a keg is essentially a fire extinguisher…water and CO2. Well, we certainly have more than 16 kegs of beer right now! Other, more complicated struggles would be the heartbreak of a flood on a day that was -10 Fahrenheit. And COVID…enough said. At Tengam, facing downturns in the economy and being forced to lay off two-thirds of your staff, when you know how horrible it is for the employee and their family. That was one of the worst days of my professional career. Always, at the end of a day of struggles, you must set your sites on tomorrow and take the next step on the path you have envisioned. That gets me through at least. 

We’ve been impressed with Tengam Engineering, Inc./Maude’s Taphouse/Liquid Note/Mac’s Place, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Tengam Engineering, Inc. – President – manufacturer of magnets, magnets assemblies and electric water pumps. Internationally recognized as a leader in bonded magnet technology. 

www.tengam.com 

Maude’s Taphouse – “Beer Guru and Trivia Master” – Family friendly restaurant serving up great burgers and pub fare. 41 taps and full bar 

www.maudestaphouse.com 

www.facebook.com/maudestaphouse 

Liquid Note – “Manager, booking agent and resident drummer” – Southwest Michigan’s Premier Live Entertainment Venue – Full bar, guest taps and Liquid Note Beer 

www.liquidenotebrewing.com 

www.facebook.com/liquidnote 

Mac’s Place – “Chef and baker of delicious cookies” – Mac’s Place offers smoked meat and delicious wood fired pizzas! Look for us to open in the future. 

www.facebook.com/macsplaceotsego 

Image Credits
Sonia Kling
Raven Wynd
Josh McCormack