23 businesses West Michigan welcomed in 2023
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The greater Grand Rapids area and West Michigan as a whole saw several new businesses open their doors this year, from a Korean street food restaurant in Wyoming to a winery in Grand Haven.
Over the fiscal year that ended this summer, around 60 businesses opened in Grand Rapids, Rich App, the retail, retention and attraction specialist for the city previously told News 8. And he said the restaurant boom the city is seeing is all about authenticity.
“What’s really fun about the restaurants that are coming in … there are a lot of very specialty restaurants coming in and a lot of ethnic restaurants coming in,” he said.
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Several chains also opened new locations in West Michigan, including Taco John’s and Crumbl Cookies. Caribou Coffee opened two locations in West Michigan, one in Battle Creek and one in the Grand Rapids area, while Warby Parker, Versona and Painting with a Twist all opened spots in the greater Grand Rapids area.
Here are 23 West Michigan businesses that opened in 2023:
CHARTREUSE SISTERS
Opened January 14
Sisters Alyson and Mallory Caillaud-Jones celebrated the grand opening of their Grand Rapids patisserie on Jan. 14 by cutting a guimauve “ribbon.” Chartreuse Sisters, offering a menu with a blend of French and American flavors, opened inside a Wealthy Street building that had sat empty and abandoned for more than a decade.
The two traveled to France frequently growing up to visit their mother’s family, eventually inspiring them to bring Paris flavors to West Michigan.
“We want people to walk through the door and feel like they’ve come off the streets of Grand Rapids and into Paris,” Alyson Caillaud-Jones told News 8 at the time.
HIGH TEA GR
Opened April 13
It was “surreal” for High Tea GR owner Melissa Langley when she celebrated the grand opening of her business with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 13. The tea store on Wealthy Street in Grand Rapids offers loose-leaf teas, hand-crafted pastries and the “art of afternoon tea.”
“I’m just so excited for what’s coming. I’m excited to bring tea time to Grand Rapids,” Langley said at the time. “There’s nothing like it here. I grew up with the love of everything British, and I’m just so excited to bring it to Grand Rapids.”
She said she was “over the moon” at the opening.
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NEW HOLLAND BATTLE CREEK BREWPUB
Opened March 31
When New Holland Brewing Co. celebrated its expansion in Battle Creek, the new location was yet to be named.
“That’s something we actually have discussed,” general manager Julica Funke said at its March 31 grand opening. “I’m like, ‘Everybody has a cool name. What’s our cool name?’”
Now, the brewery operates in Battle Creek under the name ‘Battle Creek BrewPub,’ offering an open and cozy space. To celebrate its opening, the long-awaited brewery offered a Battle Creek-exclusive amber ale called the Fashionably Late.
VINYL ALCHEMY
Opened May 26
Opening a vinyl shop in Grand Rapids’ Eastown was a big career shift for Kevin Romanyk, who had spent almost three decades working as a pharmacist. Opened on May 26, Vinyl Alchemy offers CDs, signed concert posters, memorabilia and, of course, vinyl records.
The store opened amid a vinyl records revival. Romanyk told News 8 while streaming can be convenient, it’s not the same as listening to music on a record.
“I think in a world that is digital, there is very much an appetite for stuff that is real,” he said.
MYRTH
Opened June 17
On June 17, Ada welcomed a new pizza spot owned by James Beard Award winner Chef Paul Berglund. Myrth’s menu, inspired by the seasons of West Michigan, offers artisan pizzas and made-from-scratch pasta dishes.
“They’re also two of my favorite foods,” he told News 8 shortly after the opening. “So being able to cook my favorite foods after over a decade of not really being involved in those has been a lot of fun and I look forward to continuing to do so.”
The U.S. Navy veteran got his start in the restaurant industry making wood-fired pizza, a love he’s carried throughout his career, which included winning the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Midwest in 2016.
K-POCHA
Opened June 23
Customers waited in lines that flowed out the door during the soft opening of K-Pocha in Wyoming, which celebrated its grand opening on June 23.
Offering Korean street food like Korean corn dogs, tater-nado, bingsu and boba, chef and owner Phong Nguyen wanted to bring something found in big cities like Chicago and New York City to West Michigan.
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“It’s also inspired by our own heritage,” he told News 8 during the soft opening. “We love street food and … we don’t have any street food concept in Grand Rapids, so we want to bring something that is a little bit unique and also familiar.”
THE HANGOUT SPOT
Opened July 15
It took Reginald Moreno and his brother only two weeks to turn a Grand Haven space into The Hangout Spot, spending hours knocking down walls, rewiring the space and getting it ready. Now, it offers a fun space where people can stop in to play pool, cornhole, pop darts and more.
“All of these activities that I have here are to keep everyone active and moving,” he told News 8.
Opened on July 15, guests can walk in or rent the space for an event. The business offers discounts to members of the military and those with commercial driver’s licenses, as Moreno used to be a truck driver himself.
BACKYARD OF KALAMAZOO
Opened July 18
A Kalamazoo couple found themselves having a hard time hanging out with their friends and family in a way that was fun for both them and their two young kids. It inspired them to open The Backyard of Kalamazoo, offering a giant space with plenty of toys and activities for kids and adults. Families can order from the menu, which includes classic items with a twist and craft cocktails, which are delivered with a Jeep-styled cart.
The Backyard of Kalamazoo, which opened on July 18, changes out the activities it offers throughout the year.
“We just want to create a unique experience every time. You’re never going to come here and do the exact same thing,” Kelly Sandmeyer, who opened the spot up with her husband, Chris Sandmeyer, said.
CADENA BROTHERS PIZZERIA
Opened July 26
The phone was “ringing off the hook” when Cadena Brothers Pizzeria opened July 26 in Fruitport. It was opened by Nick Cadena, who went to culinary school after high school, and his twin brother David Cadena, whose first day in the restaurant industry was the grand opening of the pizzeria.
They told News 8 their mom, who died about six years ago, had wanted Nick Cadena to open a restaurant of his own: “It was always her dream for me to do this,” he said.
Shortly after opening, the brothers said former educators, teachers, friends, family and neighbors stopped in to show their support.
“I tell everybody Fruitport is a special place,” David Cadena said. “They support their own.”
GOOD TRUCKIN’ DINER
Opened July 27
An “eclectic-style” Lansing diner expanded to the west side of the state with a location on Wealthy Street in Grand Rapids. Good Truckin’ Diner took over the former Jonny B’z and Royals spot at 701 Wealthy St. near Eastern Avenue.
“I know it’s had its difficulties, that space,” owner Nicholas Sinicropi told News 8 prior to the opening. “But it just looked like a Good Truckin’, the vibe and everything. So I got real excited.”
The menu includes gluten-free waffles and vegan pancakes, a rotating list of tacos and specialty items like ‘The Hangover,’ biscuits with smoked pork, cheddar cheese, sausage gravy and fried eggs.
“We got some pretty quirky food,” Sinicropi said. “(You) can’t really put us in a box.”
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GENERAL WOOD SHOP
Opened July 28
Opening an LGBTQ bar in Westside Grand Rapids was a “dream come true” for owner Alberto Garza and his partner.
“There’s definitely a gap in the market, there’s a gap in the need in the community,” Garza told News 8. “…It’s just very important to give us all a home, an additional home.”
The General Wood Shop opened on Bridge Street near Seward Avenue in late July, close to the couple’s first home together. The “modern, cozy bar” offers signature cocktails, a signature beer from 3 Gatos Brewery and sharables.
RUSSO’S PIZZERIA BAR & GRILLE GUN LAKE
Opened early August
Two brothers expanded their business with a Russo’s Pizzeria Bar & Grille location at Gun Lake, opening their third location to grow with their families.
The restaurant business is in the blood of Peter and Giuseppe Russo, whose father first started Russo’s in 1967 in downtown Grand Rapids. They say you can’t beat working with family.
“I wouldn’t want to work with anybody else. I feel like we’re a good team,” Peter Russo said. “We have our moments, but the good always outweighs the bad.”
The Gun Lake location offers Russo’s staples like pizzas, subs and stromboli, along with some new additions.
DAISIES PLACE
Opened August 20
Daisies Place, a brunch spot that opened in downtown Grand Rapids this summer, pays homage to owner Karmin Dixon-Kyle’s grandmother.
“Daisy was my maternal grandmother, and so this is … paying homage to my grandmother and how important she was in my life, in our family’s life. I know she would be extremely proud of what we’re doing here,” Dixon-Kyle said.
Inspired by big-city brunch restaurants, Daisies Place offers a spot for people to socialize, network and enjoy good music.
“People should look forward to a great experience when they come to Daisies Place,” Dixon-Kyle said. “I’m all about customer service. I’m all about people having a great time, a great experience that will … bring them back.”
JACK DANGER’S
Opened September 7
A Wealthy Street restaurant that opened in Grand Rapids this year promises “a Chicago experience,” offering Chicago-style Italian beef and other street food items from the Windy City. Owned by Cathleen and Steven Lowenthal, Jack Danger’s aims to bring a piece of home to Grand Rapidans originally from Chicago.
“This is something that we’re trying to do, not just for us, but the community also, and bring a little bit of Chicago to Grand Rapids,” Steven Lowenthal told News 8.
The space has a retro vibe, decorated with unique art on the walls, an old-school popcorn machine and TVs playing Chicago sports and ’80s music videos.
TESTA ROSSA PIZZERIA
Opened September 28
A new pizzeria opened inside the former Brick Road in Grand Rapids this summer. Owned by restaurateur Cory DeMint, whose other concepts include next-door Electric Cheetah, Testa Rossa Pizzeria offers Sicilian-style pizza, pastas and more.
“It was just kind of a smart move for us to have this space,” DeMint told News 8. “It opens up a lot of possibilities for us to do more outdoor seating, potentially have an outdoor eating area out back and be able to occupy the whole grounds.”
Guests who come into the restaurant will be greeted by a warm interior with custom woodwork and vintage portrait paintings on the walls.
FOX AND HEN WINERY
Opened September 30
Ten years after he and his wife moved into a 6.5-acre Grand Haven-area property to start growing vines — and dealing with some French variety vines killed by a Michigan winter — Wil Malski opened Fox and Hen Winery.
The winery’s tasting room offers a handful of options along with some sharables, like a charcuterie board, a chocolate flight and a pretzel flight.
“I like to take the pretense out of wine. It should be something that’s super approachable. There’s no judgment,” Malski said.
FARMHAUS FARMS
Opened late September
A family-run orchard that operated near Grand Rapids for more than a century, Moelker Orchards, closed at the end of 2022. It got a new chance at life when Farmhaus purchased the property and reopened it under the name Farmhaus Farms.
Farmhaus owners John Behrens and Megan Odegaard told News 8 they had been looking for an orchard to add to their cider business.
“We’ve been looking for many years for just the right kind of thing,” Behrens said. “This ended up being a lot bigger and more than what we were expecting to find. But it was such a great location, such a beautiful property and so close to what we were already doing that it was kind of too good to not try.”
The two decided they had to save the former family farm. Not much will be changing on the property as they focus on getting through their first year.
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GATEWAY SPOON CAFÉ AND GRILL
Opened October 5
A breakfast and lunch spot with a mission opened along US-31 in Holland this fall, offering a rotating menu including some old classics with new twists. Gateway Spoon Café and Grill is the fourth business for Gateway Mission, which also has an auto detailing business, the Gateway Store and an online bookstore.
Gateway Mission is working to become less reliant on donors, Executive Director Jay Riemersma explained.
“We have an incredible outpouring of support, we really do,” he said. “But we think it’s important to be good stewards of what God has given to us. And because of that, we continue to believe that God is going to bless the work at Gateway Mission.”
The restaurant is partially staffed by Gateway Mission students.
SCHOLAR
Opened October 19
The inside of the former J. Gardella’s Tavern in downtown Grand Rapids was transformed this year into a restaurant with an elevated, “cozy library feeling.” The three-story Scholar offers entrees that all have origins in the Americas and an extensive wine list.
The couple running the restaurant, Alivia and Taylor Boeschenstein, wanted to bring something new to Grand Rapids.
“We really wanted to bring something to this area that was new, something that hasn’t been here before,” Taylor Boeschenstein said. “And something that also respected the past. We wanted to give a nod to the history of the city, to the history of this building.”
UP LEAF CAFE
Opened October 27
Up Leaf Cafe near Holland offers guests Asian fusion cuisine, with items like a Vietnamese BBQ pork bowl and an Asian Sante Fe rice wrapper roll. Trio MaryLou, Sonny and Truc Lam wanted to bring a healthy option to the area, inspired by a catering business MaryLou Lam started during the pandemic.
“I talked to my husband and my sister and said, ‘Hey guys, I really think we should open a restaurant to serve our community.’ We ourselves are busy daily and we always want another good place to eat,” she said.
The cafe has décor from Vietnam, including traditional Vietnamese hats depicting things like tulips and windmills, a nod to Holland’s Dutch heritage.
HAS HEART COFFEE SHOP
Opened November 13
Located inside a historic building at Veterans Memorial in Grand Rapids, HAS HEART Coffee Shop has a mission to support veterans.
“What if we had a full-time coffee shop where people can come in on a daily basis and see these veterans’ stories, see their products and support the veterans and sustain the organization?” Tyler Way, a co-founder and creative director for the shop, told News 8.
The coffee shop employs veterans and their spouses.
“We want to build a strong team that’s here to support veterans and share their stories,” Way said.
RUSSO RISTORANTE-MERCATO
Opened late November
It was a return to the food industry after a four-year hiatus for the Russo family, which opened Russo Ristorante-Mercato at Tanger Outlets near Grand Rapids in late November. Located across from 5 Lakes Brew Pub, the spot offers an Italian fine-dining restaurant and an Italian grocery store.
The family has traced their family back to the 1700s in Sicily. They started immigrating to Grand Rapids in the late 1800s and opened Italian food kiosks near a factory in the early 1900s. Since then there have been several Russo’s iterations in the Grand Rapids area throughout the years.
“It’s something we were born with. It’s a joke, but it’s true — the minute we learn how to walk, they put an apron on you, put you to work,” John Russo, who opened the restaurant with his sons, previously told News 8. “One of the nice things about owning a small business is you can keep your family together and you teach them life skills and how to make a living and it keeps them out of trouble.”
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THE FOOLERY
Opened December 18
The closure of Whalburgers less than two years after it opened in downtown Grand Rapids shocked residents, but just a few months later a new concept took its place.
The Foolery, the sibling to next-door’s Social Misfits, offers Detroit-style square pan pizza, pasties, craft cocktails and beer. The “fine-dive bar” holds “beautiful tension” between elegance and a laid-back neighborhood spot, owner Spencer Raymond told News 8.
Like Social Misfits, Raymond said The Foolery aims “to create an environment where everyone feels warm and welcome and have fun doing it.”
Have a business opening in 2024? Contact Digital Business Reporter Madalyn Buursma at madalyn.buursma@woodtv.com.
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