Development News

Grand Rapids new bar, Viceroy – no secret password, but you’ll have to ring the bell if you want in

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April 29, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodViceroy won't have an outdoor sign – just a light above the door like a Prohibition-era speakeasy. But, unlike those covert establishments, you won't need a secret password to get in – if the light's lit, just ring the bell. Owners Mark and Michele Sellers have designed the new bar at 53 Commerce to emulate bars from the 1930s, with an emphasis on classic handmade cocktails. And ringing the bell for entry is a strategic measure. "The reason is because the classic cocktails are time and labor intensive," says Mark Sellers. "It will take three minutes to make some drinks because we'll have to chop a block of ice, and layer the ingredients in the right order. Egg whites will have to be shaken up to a foam for the tops of some drinks. If we had so many customers it was standing room only, we'd never be able to keep up. That manner of entry will limit the number of people we let in at one time.""We'll make all of our own infusions," says General Manager Garry Boyd. "If a drink requires blackberry brandy, we'll infuse the brandy with blackberries. And we'll have homemade tonic, which has flavor. I think that once people have a gin and tonic or vodka tonic made with it, they won't go anywhere else."Boyd says Viceroy will offer a simple but enjoyable beer and wine list, but "flips, rickys, fizzes and smashes" will be king. Hungry patrons will have an assortment of appetizers to choose from, with specialties like Scotch eggs, homemade port wine cheese, spicy nuts, a trio of bruschettas, and zucchini and eggplant chips with Greek scordelia sauce. Sellers expects the bar to open a few weeks after Stella's Lounge May 1 opening. Source: Mark Sellers and Garry Boyd, Viceroy Related ArticlesGrand Rapids' new Stella's Lounge to feature 200 whiskeys, vegetarian menu Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

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Kilwin’s makes a sweet move, serves up tasty treats from new Holland location

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Development

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April 22, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodAfter 12 years at 24 E. 8th St. in Holland, the location for Kilwin's just wasn't working anymore. The confectioner was sandwiched between retail shops that closed early, greatly reducing customer traffic during the evening hours. And there wasn't enough room for the coffee shop that owners Darl and Judy Dalman wanted to add for Kilwin's new line of cappuccinos, lattes and hot chocolate. So they relocated to the corner of E. 8th and College, where JP's Coffee House, The Curragh Irish Pub and New Holland Brewing occupy the opposite corners. "The coffee shop and restaurants have longer hours that match our hours," says Darl Dalman. "People congregate on that corner later in the evening. It's kind of a magnet spot. I hope that we benefit the other restaurants, too, because we will draw more people down there."Kilwin's 1,850 square feet provides enough room for a 17-seat coffee shop and space for the kitchens where they make Mackinaw Fudge, Kilwin's chocolates, caramel corn, a variety of nut brittles and other delectable confections. There's also plenty of space for the freezers where employees serve up 32 flavors of ice cream.The building dates back to the 1920s, says Dalman. Recent renovations retained the original wood floors and tin ceiling, and added mahogany woodwork throughout. "It feels like you're in somebody's house with beautiful woodwork," Dalman says. "The fronts of the ice cream cases are surrounded with real wood and the bar that encloses the fudge kitchen is done in wood. We have the light wood floors, caramel-colored walls and a chocolate brown ceiling."A cozy fireplace and a large screen TV provide places where customers can sit and relax with a coffee or take in a football game. In front of the building is the city's new outdoor fireplace that's surrounded by built-in, heated seating for four-season enjoyment.Source: Darl Dalman, Kilwin's; Mimi Fritz, Downtown Holland Prinicipal Shopping District Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Owners of specialty foods stores in Traverse City and Petoskey choose Holland for newest venture

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Development

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April 15, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodIt's their third store to open in the past two years and the owners say downtown Holland is the perfect fit. Jim and Lane Milligan opened their first Fustini's Oils & Vinegars store in Traverse City two years ago, a Petoskey location last year, and this month they'll swing wide the doors to their shop at 24 E. 8th Ave., Holland.The shop is a haven of specialty oils and vinegars the Milligan's import from all over the globe: extra virgin olive oils from Tunisia, Italy, France, Australia, Greece, California and Chile; pumpkin seed oil from Syria; and grapeseed oil, Japanese sesame oil and French walnut oil.The vinegars include authentic aged white and dark balsamic vinegars from Modena, Italy, champagne vinegar and a selection of wine vinegars and aged sherry vinegars. "We have almost 50 different items," says Lane Milligen. "We have an herbalist in Traverse City that does organic infusions for us, like wild leek or rose hips. He's gathering the wild leeks right now out in the woods near Traverse City."The Milligens purchase oils from both the northern and southern hemispheres because of the differences in growing seasons – Lane says it's "so we can have fresh product all year."The store bottles everything by hand on a daily basis, decanting the product into stainless steel Fustini with spigots on them. The containers – in Italian Fustino for one, Fustini for two – are popular in Europe. Lane designed the labels for each product. "People come in and taste things, and we help them figure out what goes well together," Lane says. "We help them create a unique taste for themselves or their friends. It's great for people who like to cook at home or like to cook simply, or for people who pack a salad for lunch and want to create something fun to put on it."Source: Lane Milligen, Fustini's Oils & Vinegars; Mimi Fritz, Downtown Holland Principal Shopping DistrictDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Grand Rapids’ Aquinas College invests $7M in athletic facility renovation, shoots for big win

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Development

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April 8, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodGrand Rapids' Aquinas College has begun a massive overhaul of its outdated athletic facility that promises to transform the 1957 structure into a showplace for college sports and fitness training. The existing facility on the north side of the campus was mostly gymnasium. The basketball and volleyball courts ran north-south, but will be reoriented to east-west in the center of the main level. That makes room for the addition of interior second levels to the north and south, says Scott Vyn, design director for Integrated Architecture, the firm that designed the new structure.The $7 million renovation includes a new student fitness/workout room, new concessions, locker rooms, classrooms, coaches' offices and the Aquinas Hall of Fame. "We made this change for multiple reasons," says Greg Meyer, Aquinas' associate vice president for advancement. "The building was built 40 years ago when we had six sports and we now have 18. But the primary reason was admissions. At any college now, students look at the academic side and the quality of life on campus; not having a fitness center was a handicap to us."Having three classrooms and a training room in the facility provides a setting where students will train and learn as part of their academic program, Meyer says.The structure will be certified as LEED-NC (new construction) due to the extent of the rebuild and the incorporation of sustainable elements such as re-insulating the entire structure and adding windows around the building.The finished facility will sport a grander Fulton Street entrance some two stories high with columns, bronze panels, glass and ground face masonry. The project is phase 1 of a $12 million plan that will eventually add an intramural building to the west that will house an indoor track and intramural basketball and volleyball courts. Phase 1 will be completed in August 2010. Rockford Construction is the construction manager.Source: Scott Vyn, Integrated Architecture; Greg Meyer, Aquinas CollegeDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Hope Network brings therapeutic architecture to life at new $1.2 million Center for Autism

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Arts & Culture

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April 8, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodHope Network's new Center for Autism maximizes the positive effects that a building's interior shape, color and noise level can have on persons with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. The Center for Autism is an outpatient facility for adolescents located on Hope Network's Coral Lettinga Campus, 3361 36th Street SE. Mike and Connie Lettinga drove from the Grand Rapids area to the east side of the state regularly to get their daughter, Coral, the special services she needed to help her with her autism. It was the Lettinga's idea to develop a comprehensive and innovative autism center close to home. "People with autism have under- or over-developed sensory systems that are highly reactive to colors, odors, and noise," says David Gamble, Hope Network's director of children's services. "Often this affects their balance or they have spatial issues, like not knowing the distance between themselves and the wall. That's why it's important for them to touch things and walls when they walk."The autism center incorporates design elements to relieve some of this stress, such as, curving walls, rounded corners and pastel colors. Noise reduction materials, including acoustical ceilings and special padding under the gymnasium floor, prevent sound reverberation. Framed pictures of children or a leaf or flower painted on the walls create simple and calming wayfinding signage.The 12,000-square-foot former warehouse features a Model Living Unit with a bed and dresser, laundry facilities, a kitchen and bathroom. "The Model Living Unit is where we teach clients how to make their bed, wash and dry and fold laundry, and do other things that are part of daily living," Gamble says. "I was just down there the other day and we were teaching two students how to make cookies." There are also rooms for sensory learning, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, medical exams, speech therapy and family visitations. Outdoors is a playground, basketball court and a track. A grand opening on April 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. is open to the public. Source: David Gamble, Hope Network; Craig Clark, Clark CommunicationsDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Modern Day Floral to relocate boutique, design center to Aslan building in Grand Rapid’s Westside

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Development News

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April 1, 2010

Modern Day Floral in downtown Grand Rapids began as one woman's dream to create a floral boutique where clients and friends could shop, enjoy a cup of coffee and gab.Deborah Johnson Wood

Proposed Lowell Trailway makes strides, $1.1 million raised for Phase 1 construction

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Development News

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April 1, 2010

A proposed network of walking and bike trails in Lowell called the Lowell Area Trailway got a jumpstart this week with the announcement that nearly $1.1 million has been raised through philanthropy and grants for construction of Phase 1, a 2.5-mile paved trail connecting area schools

The Pretend Store toy shop opens in Eastown in Grand Rapids

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Development News

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April 1, 2010

A unique toy store in Grand Rapids' Eastown has relegated pretend play back to where it probably originated – in the minds of children.

Saint Mary’s to build clinical trial unit for neuroscience research Phase 1 trials

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Development

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March 25, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodSaint Mary's Health Care plans to construct a 12-bed clinical trial unit on its downtown Grand Rapids campus as part of its neuroscience research program. The unit will focus on Phase 1 clinical trials and will be available as a community resource for other medical facilities in West Michigan. The 6,000-square-foot clinic will occupy much of the main floor of Saint Mary's medical office building, 260 Jefferson Ave. SE. Patients will participate in inpatient and outpatient central nervous system (CNS) clinical trials and non-CNS trials in diabetes, nephrology, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. "Saint Mary's is a founding member of ClinXus and through that group the need for a phase one clinic became clear," says Susan Hoppough, director of research and innovation at Saint Mary's. "The focus will be on those individuals that have a diagnosis that requires that they stay in an inpatient study for the duration of the trial."I would anticipate we would be offering clinical trials for ALS and also opportunities for medical device clinical trials," she says. Hoppough says Saint Mary's has developed relationships with the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, the Van Andel Institute and TGen that will help move medical discoveries from the laboratory into clinical trials. "As we partner with MSU in particular, they will be able to move their Parkinson's research from clinical trials into patient populations," Hoppough says. The unit's design incorporates flexibility – clinicians can move equipment in and out as needed and each four-bed module will have space for family members to stay with the patient. "This is really an opportunity for us to bring clinical trials to patient populations who might otherwise not have access to this," Hoppough says. "Saint Mary's is mission driven to serve the poor and underserved, and this continues our mission to bring the best in medical care and research to the community right in West Michigan."Source: Susan Hoppough, Saint Mary's Health CareRelated ArticlesW MI 1.4M patient population gains early access to advanced medicineVAl: What medical, clinical research means for Grand Rapids Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Sante Medical Massage says relocating to new Goei Center in Grand Rapids helped to boost business

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Development

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March 25, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodMedical massage therapist Linda Taylor has had little time to relax since September. That's when she moved her business into the Goei Center on Grand Rapids' West Side where it's been growing steadily ever since. Taylor owns Santé Medical Massage, 818 Butterworth SW. She says the new environment and unique networking opportunity has helped her land new clients, launch a new marketing package and lease an extra treatment room to another massage therapist. Bing Goei, owner of Eastern Floral, renovated a former furniture factory into Eastern Floral's headquarters, an 8,000-square-foot events center and the 7,000-square-foot Goei Center for small businesses. The Goei Center provides private spaces for each business and a central shared space where the business owners can interact and help each other develop their businesses. "We had a bridal show at the events center and RSVP Events (another business in The Goei Center) asked me if I could create something for the event," Taylor says. "I created a brochure advertising wedding massages for brides, grooms, their parents or others in their wedding. None of this would have happened without having the interaction with RSVP."Taylor says medical massage therapy helps relieve stress, can prevent and rehabilitate injuries and decreases pain while increasing range of motion. That's why she named the business Santé, which is French for "help.""One thing unique to medical massage therapy is that we do joint physics, which stretches the ligament to relieve joint pain," she says. "If we do it the way we're trained, the body initiates its own healing."Taylor is also trained in natural nutrition and says she uses the massage time to talk to clients about proper hydration and ways to avoid putting unwanted chemicals in or on their bodies. Massage therapist Adele Noel leases one of Taylor's treatment rooms. Taylor hopes to lease the space to other similar businesses, as well. Source: Linda Taylor, Santé Medical MassageRelated ArticlesAbandoned GR furniture factory now bustling International Entrepreneurial CenterDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.