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Grand Rapids Restaurant Rumor Mill


dbrok

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Add to the obituaries: Johnny Carino's on the East Beltline near Celebration Village has closed. Not surprised, we liked the food and service (for a chain) but there was rarely a wait to get in there. Pretty sure the business model for chains like that is to have a healthy 30 minute wait during the dinner rush hour.

 

With plans for at least 3 more chains to go in around that corner of Knapp and EBL, and something like 40 restaurants in a couple of miles of that area (all pretty much crappy offerings), I'm sure there'll be more closings.

 

Licari's is definitely good, and Twisted Rooster's food seems to have improved. Both are pretty busy usually.

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  • 1 month later...

It sounds like Chick-fil-a will be entering the W. MI market. Pretty good for fast food, slightly higher prices but always great service and very clean restaurants. From the sounds of it this will be like when sonic came to town and needed police to direct traffic and such, plus theres the whole boycott controversy over the gay thing adding to the circus. Should be interesting but its always nice to see more options come to town instead of ANOTHER Wendy's or McDonald's ect. Would still like to see more chains have a presence in the area like Penn station subs, Hardee's, White Castle, Del Taco, Waffle House

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AFAIK, They've ceased all donations to anti-gay causes and charities shortly after the controversy erupted.  Before all that, however, I do remember controversy about them reinforcing religion within the workplace, and that seems to have been completely drowned out over what happened last year and I can't find much about it anymore.

 

I completely agree on White Castle, though.  I long ago decided if I ever came upon a wealth of money (hah) I'd open a white castle franchise because I'm certain it would do well.

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About damn time. :alc:  I'm a fan of theirs, but I can't help but feel they've been avoiding GR.  I feel like I've seen them everywhere but there.

 

I used to go to Potbelly’s almost every single day, but have been off  it for a while now.  I agree with RegalTDP....  They have been in Michigan for a while, even East Lansing, but now they are just making in to the GR area?  They are almost like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.  Very, very stringent demographic/location driven. They love college kids, and college educated people in a "cool" location.  I wonder if this is a franchise or corporate store? I don't see them in downtown Grand Rapids anytime soon, but I agree maybe Knapp's Corner area, East Grand Rapids or Cascade area next. 

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Where? Maybe the ground floor of Weston Apartments? That is the only space that is available right now (close to Hopcat). I have seen signs of construction / testing paint colors in the last month or so.

 

Joe

 

I've seen work there too, being done by Orion Construction. Someone said 44 Ionia?

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  • 2 weeks later...

There's a small sign in the window of the Sundance's former location - "Indian Restaurant Coming Soon" - something to that effect. 

 

The small sign has been replaced with a big one: "Punjab Grill." 

 

There's another Indian restaurant possibly coming to Fulton, between LaGrave and Jefferson. Heard this from one of the neighboring tenants. Sign in the window says "Pending." 

 

Marado Sushi closed its doors. 

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Subs-N-More in the McKay tower has closed.  The owner cited poor business after 3pm as the reason for closing.  Though I do find it odd that they would close just days before Artprize.  A Freshii chain restaurant is reported to be taking its place.

 

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2013/09/subs-n-more_closes_downtown_ne.html

Edited by Gorath
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Except that all the Quiznos in the Grand Rapids metro closed at the same time.  And they all had the same owner.  I don't recall hearing that it was the downtown Quiznos location that put all the stores under.

 

A new Quiznos has now opened in Plainfield.  It's the only one in the market now & I assume this franchise location has a different owner.

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Except that all the Quiznos in the Grand Rapids metro closed at the same time.  And they all had the same owner.  I don't recall hearing that it was the downtown Quiznos location that put all the stores under.

 

A new Quiznos has now opened in Plainfield.  It's the only one in the market now & I assume this franchise location has a different owner.

theres one thats been open inside the shell station at cascade and I96 for years now

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