In a design era that seems to rely heavily on contemporary angles and industrial fixtures in gathering spaces with open floor plans, Adam Wolpa and Andy Stob want their new Cheshire Village space to have an aesthetic that’s softer around the edges.
“We’re thinking less industrial, less steel and barnwood,” Wolpa says of Juhlia, a cafe that he's co-opening with Stob at 2124 Plainfield Ave. “More vibrant, more feminine, more rounded architectural elements. We want it to be beautiful and quiet, and we want it to be comfortable.”
The plans from Wolpa,
an artist and former Calvin College professor with 25 years of on-and-off restaurant experience, and Stob, a general contractor and owner of
Stob Construction, for the upcoming Juhlia promise a warm and welcoming atmosphere and an innovative food and drink menu. Menu details will be unveiled at a later date.
The new culinary spot will include a variety of drinks with health benefits, and Wolpa notes it will provide different options for folks who want to spend a night (or day) out with friends.
Though work on the space is currently underway, both of Juhlia’s co-owners hold down full time jobs alongside their new joint enterprise, so Wolpa says, realistically, they’re looking at a fall 2017 opening.
In the meantime, Wolpa and Stob have been working with architect Greg Metz to finalize Juhlia’s design and build-out plans, tapping into resources offered by Grand Valley State University’s Small Business Development Center with the intent to launch a Kickstarter Campaign as the final stage of fundraising efforts in the coming months. Plus, the two owners have been thrilled to meet their new neighbors in Cheshire Village.
“A lot of us over there are working really hard,” Wolpa says. “…There’s a really good energy with lots of things coming together.”
Written by Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor
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