By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Mia & Grace, a trendy new bistro and bakery in downtown Muskegon, is the crowning glory of a two-year renovation that transformed a two-story storefront at 1133 Third St. in downtown Muskegon into apartments and an eatery owned and operated by chefs.
The chefs, husband-and-wife team Jeremy and Jamie Paquin, bought the building two years ago with Jeremy’s stepdad Dennis Thornley. They transformed the five upstairs apartments into four newly remodeled living spaces. They also established the downstairs eatery with a focus on home baked breads, desserts, and locally-grown foods.
“When we bought the building we saw some potential in it,” Jeremy says. “We’re really non-conforming people as far as business goes. We like smaller, one-on-one experiences. As a chef in a larger venue you don’t really get to touch the tables and talk about food.”
The Paquin’s, both raised in Houston, TX, returned to Michigan, Jeremy’s birthplace, when they were expecting their first child, the now two-year-old Mia, one of the restaurant's namesakes. “Grace” is after Jeremy’s sister and grandmother.
The restaurant has just 1,000-square-feet of dining space and 11 tables. The menu—written on butcher paper and clipped to a line behind the counter—currently includes grass-fed burger on a homemade lavender bun, fried goat cheese served on mixed greens with a mustard vinaigrette, and Key Lime pie. Selections change depending on what foods are in season and available
“We buy from local farmers,” Jeremy says. “We get our beef and pork from Creswick Farms in Ravenna, we get our fish from Raymors Fish Products in Muskegon, and our produce from The Funny Farm in Grant.”
The bakery offers sweetbreads and coffee for the morning menu and the bistro serves lunch, all surrounded by art from nine local artisans who showcase and retail their work.
Source: Jeremy Paquin, Mia & Grace
Deborah Johnson Wood is the development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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