Rootdown grows its fresh footprint in downtown Muskegon

When the storefront at 333 W. Western Ave. in downtown Muskegon officially opened its doors back in May, the 2,400-square-foot space now home to Rootdown was a dedicated Vinyasa yoga studio. However, owner and  lead instructor Kelly Seyferth says she’s always had bigger plans for Rootdown,  first adding a juice bar in July and more recently announcing plans to add fresh salads to the menu by the end of October, her efforts rooted in the ideas of both food accessibility and education as part of a larger passion for healthy living. 

“All of our ingredients are local and we’re right next to the Muskegon Farmers’ Market, which is so ideal,” says Seyferth, a Denver transplant whose lactose intolerance made Rootdown’s juice bar addition an almost practical one for both herself and, she thought, other downtown Muskegon residents with dietary restrictions and those who just want more accessible fresh food options. 

“Muskegon was in such a need of something vibrant and fresh and healthy at a place where people can gather,” she says. “I’ve always had a passion for downtown Muskegon, too, so it was a dream.” 

With fresh juice blends created only from seasonal fruits and veggies purchased at the nearby farmers’ market, plans for the new salad menu will echo the farm-to-table, locally-made mentality and accompany the addition of a few more high-energy yoga classes, including a class designed specifically for lunchtime yogis where customers can order their pick of juices or salads before the 45-minute class and walk out the door with a healthy lunch in hand.  

With degrees in health and consumer sciences, Rootdown is very much the realization of a long-time dream for Seyferth, who says she’s excited to watch the city’s downtown continue to grow alongside friends and neighbors who are helping to make it happen. 

“I feel like it’s amazing to see the difference even just over the past three years,” Seyferth says, citing a transformation in both the culture and perception of downtown Muskegon. “The influx of people and just people coming into downtown and gathering together or even walking around between breweries…we have such an awesome location and there’s great people in Muskegon, so it’s just been really cool to see.”

For more information on Rootdown, including specific class programming and schedules, visit www.rootdown.in. 

Written by Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor
Images courtesy of Rootdown/Kelly Seyferth