Grand Rapids Restaurant Rumor Mill

[Pattmost20]

17 minutes ago, Winston1206 said:

This seems like a super strange shift to me. From French brasserie to Philly cheese steak place? 

 

I 100% expected this to be an April Fools prank, but it looks like they are actually selling cheesesteaks. I guess good way to make use of the kitchen and keep business up.

[Winston1206]

That was my thought too, but it's on GrubHub and UberEats so must be official. Maybe just temporary during quarantine. I'll have to give it a try. 

[thebeerqueer]

On 4/1/2020 at 10:59 AM, Winston1206 said:

This seems like a super strange shift to me. From French brasserie to Philly cheese steak place? 

 

Maybe this is just while the restaurants are closed?? 

[droonus2000]

Not a bad time  to try out a QSR concept if you are primarily a sit down joint.   Maybe it will work out and we can get some new restaurants out of this after the likely closures, I’m trying to be hopeful for development and the economy. 

[GRain]

 

On 4/2/2020 at 11:00 AM, thebeerqueer said:

Maybe this is just while the restaurants are closed?? 

Revue did  a sit down with the owners and the article explains it.  9th St was in development as its own brand under the Mertens Hospitality umbrella.   The article is worth a read. Pretty interesting.

New Hotel Mertens itself is open for takeout/delivery.   I had it over the weekend.  Good as always.

https://revuewm.com/food-drink/dining/item/4781-9th-street-steaks-has-the-delicious-comforting-cheesesteaks-we-need

[GRain]

Grove goes out,  a chicken place comes in.  Grove had been rumored to be on the chopping block for a while now.    Conceptually this seems to have the most overlap with Hancock, Juju, and a bit of Forty Acres.  I can't say I like their choice of name and logo. 

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/grs-grove-closing-to-reopen-as-jimmy-bergers-chicken-shack/

[TheLonesomeHobo]

I can’t give any specifics yet, but, I know of at least 5 bigger named local spots that are leaning towards being unable to reopen. It’s going to be a very very challenging couple of months coming up for the service industry.

[egrguy]

18 hours ago, TheLonesomeHobo said:

I can’t give any specifics yet, but, I know of at least 5 bigger named local spots that are leaning towards being unable to reopen. It’s going to be a very very challenging couple of months coming up for the service industry.

Not surprised that we will be seeing closures.  I've read in some markets 50% may not reopen. I am surprised by those that closed done or did not ever offer curbside. Harmony Easttown, San Chez, Stella's, GRBC, Hopcat, etc. 

I've seen the Commons, Kingfisher, etc announce they are opening for curbside now...

I feel like some places are adapting and surviving while no surprise this is going to be the death knell for many. I am by no means an epidemiologist/health care professional.. but from what I've read, I've wondered if outdoor seating could open first in MI at a reduced capacity.

[GRain]

21 hours ago, TheLonesomeHobo said:

I can’t give any specifics yet, but, I know of at least 5 bigger named local spots that are leaning towards being unable to reopen. It’s going to be a very very challenging couple of months coming up for the service industry.

It's very expensive for these places to start back up.  For those that rely on traditional, mostly indoor business models-- if they can even survive with spacing and capacity cuts--- they will want to see people out and willing to fill the seats before opening.  And that's a best-case scenario for many.   ..unless we get a round 2 of PPP in mid-summer.  The odds of a round 2 or even round 3 of PPP that takes them through to at least the end of 2020 on an industry-specific-basis seems high if the government wants these businesses to survive.

Edited April 29, 2020 by GRain

[GRain]

Marcona on Lyon closes permanently

https://grbj.com/news/food-service-agriculture/marcona-on-lyon-closes-permanently/

[egrguy]

Linear, Yesterdog and Kingfisher are reopening/recently opened for takeout. I'm just guessing, but having a short term curbside plan seems essential to survive for the next year. 

[organsnyder]

Some restaurants seem to be doing well: for instance, Amore said on their Facebook page that this past weekend was their most successful in the ten years they've been open. I'm not sure how the economics compares to normal times for these businesses, but many seem to be adapting successfully.

This crisis is an order of magnitude more disruptive than anything in recent memory, but I think it is demonstrating that the most successful businesses are able to adapt and survive—perhaps even thrive—under unexpected circumstances. Of course, it's possible that many of these restaurants are merely staunching the bleeding and will have to fold eventually, but I think that some of them are truly managing to thrive.

[egrguy]

40 minutes ago, organsnyder said:

Some restaurants seem to be doing well: for instance, Amore said on their Facebook page that this past weekend was their most successful in the ten years they've been open. I'm not sure how the economics compares to normal times for these businesses, but many seem to be adapting successfully.

This crisis is an order of magnitude more disruptive than anything in recent memory, but I think it is demonstrating that the most successful businesses are able to adapt and survive—perhaps even thrive—under unexpected circumstances. Of course, it's possible that many of these restaurants are merely staunching the bleeding and will have to fold eventually, but I think that some of them are truly managing to thrive.

I agree. We got Maru for mother's day and they said they sold out about an hour before closing. We probably get takeout relatively the same amount of times that we used to go out. 

[walker]

Don't understand this Beer City Bread thing.  Is this replacing the Arnies brand or is it just the drive through during the virus?  New signs on what was the 54th Street Arnies:

 

[GVSUChris]

2 hours ago, walker said:

Don't understand this Beer City Bread thing.  Is this replacing the Arnies brand or is it just the drive through during the virus?  New signs on what was the 54th Street Arnies:

 

They’ve also had that on the East Beltline too. 

[wyoming_mi]

Beer City Bread, from what I was told, is the next generation of the family taking over the Arnie's restaurants and re-branding. Apparently many Arnie's classic items will come over on their new menus.

[wingbert]

1 hour ago, wyoming_mi said:

Beer City Bread, from what I was told, is the next generation of the family taking over the Arnie's restaurants and re-branding. Apparently many Arnie's classic items will come over on their new menus.

I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

[egrguy]

I've gotten Beer City Bread from Meijer (made with Perrin Black) It was really good. I'd actually be more interested in trying this out versus returning to Arnies.

Also, it appears that Charley's Crab in its current incarnation is closed for good. If it were normal economic times, I'd be banging the rumor drum that Amway/Devos must have something planned for this plot of land. However, its most likely another restaurant casualty of many to more to come.

https://mix957gr.com/is-charleys-crab-in-grand-rapids-closed-for-good/

[thebeerqueer]

16 hours ago, GVSUChris said:

They’ve also had that on the East Beltline too. 

The Leonard Street location too. Well, the restaurant on the south side of the street is rebranded, the bakery on the north side of the street still has the Arnie's branding. 

[GRyan]

Just saw someone on reddit saying that Saugatuck Brewing has bought Creston Brewing.

Has anyone heard anything about this? If true I'm wondering what possible changes might come. Went there a couple times but thought it was pretty meh

[thebeerqueer]

1 hour ago, GRyan said:

Just saw someone on reddit saying that Saugatuck Brewing has bought Creston Brewing.

Has anyone heard anything about this? If true I'm wondering what possible changes might come. Went there a couple times but thought it was pretty meh

Interesting ... I'll start asking around if anyone can corroborate. 

[egrguy]

That would be interesting. They purchased BiggDogg in Kalamazoo over a year ago.  Based on the menu of beers, at that location it looks like all SBC beer. 

[walker]

Not Grand Rapids except that it is HopCat:

Detroit Free Press: hopcat-royal-oak-closes-new-location

They just spent three million dollars renovating the space in 2017, so there must be more to the story than just negotiating with the landlord.  It's not like the landlord in these times is likely to have some deep pocket tenant all set to take over.  

Edited May 27, 2020 by walker

[GRain]

Looks like Social at Downtown Market is closing permanently.

[egrguy]

HopCat owner files for bankruptcy ahead of June 13 reopening

I guess I am not surprised.