Couple explores Grand Rapids through new blog, Unlocking GR

West Michigan natives Spencer and Melissa Blanchard did what many young professionals dream of doing after they are done with college: work and travel around the world.

Spencer Blanchard estimates that, between the two of them, through work and personal adventures, they visited around 17 different countries throughout Europe, Asia, South America and Africa.

At this point, conventional wisdom would be "once you have seen Paris" it can be a bit tricky to settle back into the Midwest. But not so fast, as Spencer Blanchard explains:  "We have seen some of the most beautiful places in the world but at the end of the day we have found that Grand Rapids has as much to offer as anywhere we've been. We love the culture, the people, the food, the art, the music, and of course the beer. And that's just the tip of the iceberg."

Fueled by civic pride and curiosity, the couple came up with an idea to explore Grand Rapids with a fresh set of eyes and share what they learned about the city and region through their blog, Unlocking GR. "I built the site and Melissa writes," says Blanchard. "We started with 60 ideas that we could cover."

The concept is similar to many "lists" Grand Rapids is fond of -- but it is different at the same time. The Blanchards do not focus on just one category, such as food or entertainment, but instead they plan to cut a wide swath through business, culture, people, art, neighborhoods and more. "We want to highlight the good in Grand Rapids; we aren't here to be cynics or critical. We offer a unique angle and insight into local businesses and activities that we believe add life to our city," Blanchard says.

Blanchard describes Unlocking GR as a "passion project," and the couple updates the site in their spare time. He also admits that he has been a little surprised by the reaction.  "So far the response has blown us away," he says. "We have received a ton of positive feedback and thousands of visitors to the site within a very short period of time." In four weeks, Blanchard estimates to have had around 8,000 unique visitors and 1500 page views: "People are engaging with our content."

As it's a side project, Blanchard says he has no immediate plan to expand the concept outside the region. He says just focusing on the city has enough to keep him and his wife busy. "The more we discover about this great city, the more there is to discover. Grand Rapids is growing and evolving rapidly every day, and so we must grow and evolve with it."

You can visit Unlocking GR here.  You can view their Facebook page here.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor