This month in business news: New dining and drinking establishments, a bookstore/bindery and a new station manager for WYCE.
OPENING:
The drive up M-37 (aka Alpine in Grand Rapids) just keeps getting more delicious, with Fuego: A Fusion Kitchen (21 W. Main St., Grant) now serving up an eccentric mix of tacos, sushiritos and flatbreads.
Not too far off, Bier Distillery (5295 West River, Comstock Park) has opened its doors, featuring original spirits like Pumpkin Whiskey and Forbidden Apple Brandy. Just a couple miles down the road, Elk Brewing is scheduled to open its second location this month, less than two years after setting up shop on Wealthy Street in Grand Rapids.
The Sovengard (443 Bridge St., Grand Rapids) is a new downtown biergarten with a unique concept. All drinks are locally sourced and the Swedish food menu changes seasonally. The name is Norwegian for “sleep farm,” according to Google Translate. So… there’s something.
GROWING:
Kalamazoo’s very own One Well Brewing (4213 Portage St., Kalamazoo) is doubling in size thanks to the adjacent Snap Fitness’s departure. What does that mean for you? More seats, more events and most importantly, more arcade games. Elsewhere, the brewery is expanding its production facility to 15 barrels to keep those additional glasses filled.
Further north, Cellar Brewing Co. (500 E. Division St., Sparta) received a $250,000 performance-based grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund to move from the edge of Sparta to downtown, hopefully attracting more visitors to the area.
OTHER:
Over at community radio station 88.1 WYCE, Quinn Matthews (of indie-folk duo Channing & Quinn) has been announced as the new station manager, while longtime-employee Nicole LaRae stepped down as Community Relations Coordinator.
The Waldron Public House (58 Ionia Ave. SW, Grand Rapids) has turned into an events-only venue. The three-story restaurant never quite caught the public eye as much as BarFly’s other ventures, despite extensive renovations and rebranding earlier this year.
CLOSING:
Similarly, Smash Wine Bar & Bistro (415 W. Western Ave., Muskegon) has closed altogether. The restaurant, located in the Frauenthal Center for Performing Arts, was open for three years. Frauenthal’s event nights kept Smash busy, but those only occurred once or twice a week on average.
If you have any closings, openings or other business news for REVUE, e-mail
Editor's Note: A previous version of this column reported that Bombadil Books was located at 315 S. Division, but just days after this report went to press, the Grand Rapids bookstore announced that they were moving from their current location. Pick up next month's issue for a more in-depth update on this matter.
