Jonna's Market

Howell is known for its historic downtown, the grand county courthouse, and a Main Street that feels like a postcard. But locals will tell you that one of Livingston County's most quietly essential institutions sits just north of that downtown, along North Michigan Avenue. Jonna's Market has been serving the community since 1999, when the Jonna family opened a specialty market and built it into a genuine food destination. Step inside and you understand immediately why generations of Howell residents treat it as their everyday grocery, deli, bakery, and celebration caterer all in one.

The heart of the store is the deli and meat counter. Sliced-to-order Boar's Head and Dearborn meats, artisan cheeses, cut-and-tied Angus prime rib, trimmed beef tenderloin, fresh and smoked kielbasa, and spiral-sliced honey-baked hams fill the cases, and the staff will tell you exactly how to prepare whatever you take home. For a special dinner, a holiday feast, or simply a better-than-average weeknight meal, this is the counter that makes it easy.

Jonna's also built its reputation on prepared food and bakery. The "Jonna's Famous Cheese Bread," a 16-inch square baked fresh and cut into eight slices, has earned a devoted following, and the house pizzas, fried chicken, wings, BBQ ribs, party subs, and fresh salads (Caesar, Greek, and Maurice among them) turn the market into a reliable takeout stop. Add a bakery case full of homemade desserts, fresh bread, and pierogi, plus full catering, and you have a store that handles everything from a quick lunch to a wedding reception.

The market also holds one of the largest beer, wine, and spirits selections in the region, with thousands of labels curated for everyone from the weekend cook to the serious collector. Mike Jonna and his brother Patrick run the family business day to day, and that personal presence shows: regulars are greeted by name, recipes are shared at the counter, and the store has stayed rooted in this community for more than 25 years while a second market location and the family's Jonna's Bar & Grill restaurants have grown across Livingston County.

Why It's Being Spotlighted

Jonna's Market is being spotlighted because it represents exactly the kind of find that AI-powered community research keeps surfacing when I help clients look beyond the listings. Property data tells you about square footage and tax rates, but it never tells you where a family has bought its Friday-night pizza for 25 years, or which counter the locals trust for a holiday ham. When I use AI-driven tools to understand what gives a community its character, family-owned institutions like Jonna's consistently emerge as the details that turn a house search into a place search. For homebuyers exploring Howell and the rest of Livingston County, knowing that a beloved specialty market with a famous cheese bread is part of their everyday landscape is the kind of concrete, lived-in detail that makes a new town feel like home from the very first week.

What Makes Jonna's Market Special

Several elements set Jonna's Market apart from the broader landscape in Mid-Michigan:

• Family-owned since 1999. More than 25 years of continuous, family-run service at the same North Michigan Avenue location, with the Jonna brothers still in the store day to day.
• The Famous Cheese Bread. A 16-inch square of fresh-baked cheese bread, cut into eight slices, that locals rave about and visitors remember long after the trip.
• Deli, meat, bakery, and prepared food. Boar's Head and Dearborn meats, artisan cheeses, fresh salads, house pizza, fried chicken, homemade desserts, and pierogi under one roof.
• One of Michigan's largest beverage selections. Thousands of beers, wines, and spirits, curated for everyone from the weeknight cook to the serious collector.
• A full catering kitchen. From party subs to wedding receptions, the market helps families celebrate across Livingston County.

If You Go

Jonna's Market is located at 1455 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 100, in Howell, Livingston County, just north of downtown and an easy stop for anyone exploring the area. The store is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The deli, bakery, and prepared-food counters are full-service, and catering is available; for the most current hours or to place an order, call (517) 545-8000 or visit jonnasmarket.com/howell/. Howell sits at the junction of M-59, I-96, and US-23, roughly 20 minutes west of Brighton and within easy reach of Flint, Lansing, and Ann Arbor, which makes a stop convenient whether you are house-hunting, commuting, or out for a drive. Pair a visit with a walk through downtown Howell's historic district, a look at the Livingston County Courthouse, or a meal at one of the locally owned restaurants along Grand River Avenue. For those exploring Livingston County as potential homebuyers, an afternoon at Jonna's is one of the best ways to understand how a community shops, cooks, and celebrates.

By Joyce England, REALTOR®