Grand Rapids Magazine November/December 2022

BY KELSEY DUNNEBACK

EXPERIENCE MORE OF GRAND RAPIDS.

BY PAT EVANS

BY KELSEY DUNNEBACK

WINTER ADVENTURES AWAIT YOU.

Winter is the perfect time to sneak way for a rejuvenating getaway to Pure Ludington. Whether you are a winter enthusiast looking for outdoor activities that will enliven you like taking on snow covered trails, or just looking for a recharging getaway to reconnect and enjoy good food and craft beer, there is a place for you here. Don't forget about exciting events like the New Year's Eve Ball Drop in downtown Ludington, or Pure Ludington's Brrrewfest too! Make plans now to embrace all that a Pure Ludington winter has to offer!

PURE LUDINGTON.COM

Covering Grand Rapids Since 1964 www.grmag.com | info@grmag.com

Managing Editor: Pat Evans

Digital Editor: Lisa Enos

Contributors: Kelsey Dunneback, Sam Easter, Lauren Figueroa, Clayton Trutor

Editorial

Design

Creative Director: Lindsay Richards

Art Director: Mark Dryer

Senior Production Artist: Stephanie Daniel

Junior Designer: Steven Prokuda

Contributors: Arrae Creative, Bryan Esler, Stacy Feyer-Salo, Alfield Reeves

Sales

General Inquiries: Advertisingsales@grmag.com

Account Executives: Nick Irwin, Maddy Gill

Office Assistants: Kerry Gerwatowski, Elissa Stong

To Order Reprints: Receptionist – (616) 459-4545

Production

Production Director: Jenine Knox

Senior Production Coordinator: Jill Berry

Advertising Coordinator: Haylee Mozug

Production Artist: Jonathan Boedecker

Graphic Designers: Jim Bibart, Colin McKinney

Publisher: Jason Hosko www.gildenwoods.com

Web

Digital Director: Nick Britsky

Digital Development Manager: Matthew Cappo

Digital Development Specialists: Jim Bowser, Luanne Lim, Kevin Pell

IT

IT Director: Jeremy Leland

Circulation

Audience Development Director: Gerilyn Wilson

Circulation Manager: Riley Meyers

Circulation Customer Service: (866) 660-6247

Marketing

Marketing & Events Manager: Jodie Svagr

Marketing & Events Coordinator: Jaime Presnail

Marketing & Events Intern: Crystal Baker Communications & Events Lead: Cathleen Francois

Administration

Director Of Business Operations: Kathie Gorecki

Publishing and Sales Coordinator: Kristin Mingo

Assistant Office Manager: Natasha Bajju

Senior Accounting Associate: Andrew Kotzian

Accounting Associate: Samantha Dick, Austin Schmelzle

Published By Gemini Media, LLC

CEO: Stefan Wanczyk | President: John Balardo Grand

Farewell, friends.

Hi everyone.

It’s been a good ride, but unfortunately this issue is a bittersweet goodbye as my time at the helm of Grand Rapids Magazine is coming to an end. It’s been a great six issues, if I must say so myself, but this run was never meant to be permanent.

It was a way for me to immerse myself back into the community I love so much after a five-year absence. I was able to reconnect with a lot of people, meet new ones and tell a lot of great stories.

This issue, like the first one I put together, focuses on beverages — one of my specialties. It’s just the way the cookie crumbled in how the schedule of issues worked out. And this one, I got to tell yet another chapter in the history of Founders Brewing. In a lot of ways, the story of Founders has allowed me to track the ways my writing career has advanced since my first conversation with co-founders Dave Engbers and Mike Stevens back in 2010. It was fun to sit with Engbers yet again to hear his, occasionally off-the-wall, thoughts.

As usual, we also have some great stories by contributors, including a fantastic helpful guide to hosting for the holidays by Kelsey Dunneback. There’s also a special guest story about the man — a Grand Rapidian! — New York Yankees great Lou Gehrig replaced at the beginning of his career.

There is, as one might expect in a beverage issue, a lot about beverages! But there are some other fun recipes and notes, tips and tricks on a coffee bar, and interesting dives into the restaurant scene, like a check in with Reserve and a place I cannot wait to try, Nonla Burger.

Anyway, the magazine will be in great hands as I leave it to Lisa Enos, so I do hope you give her a warm welcome. I also hope you enjoyed my tenure guiding the ship, however brief it might have been. Don’t worry, I should still be writing my Drinks with Pat column on GRMag.com every Friday. Also, so long as Lisa lets me and my time allows, I hope I’ll still be writing for the magazine occasionally, particularly a fun John Ball Zoo piece we already have researched and photographed for the spring! (This is probably how she finds out.)

I’ll try not to be a stranger, and I hope to see you around town! As always, don’t be afraid to reach out – evanspa7@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading.

There are tons of ways to reach us. By mail: Editor, Grand Rapids Magazine, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Email: pevans@geminipub.com. Be sure to include your name, address and daytime phone number. Or follow us online at grmag.com or on social media: @grmag @grmagazine @grmagazine

Next issue

We'll share our readers' picks for "Best of the Best."

What's your favorite part of Michigan winters?

My favorite part is seeing all the amazing snow covered landscapes. I love getting lost in the woods and just pho tographing nature, in addition to all the winter activities in Grand Rapids

What is your favorite GR Mag assignment?

My favorite assignment was in Nov. 2019. It was a two-day photoshoot with multiple restaurants. Being able to really dive into the creative process was great, and it really helped me develop my food photography skills further. Plus, there were tacos.

Bryan Esler, photographer

FEATURED CONTRIBUTOR

Pat Evans

Managing Editor, Grand Rapids Magazine

PARTY ‘TIL DAWN SLEEP ‘TIL NOON.

Grand Rapids’ most lavish New Year’s Eve party is right around the corner! Spend the night at the Amway Grand Plaza, JW Marriott, AC Hotel, or the Courtyard by Marriott Grand Rapids Downtown and earn entry to an epic, multi-ballroom party for the ages included with your room. There’s no better way to say goodbye to 2022 — let loose, and ring in the New Year! Reserve your experience soon!

Scan to book or learn more:

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALFIELD REEVES

Preston Sain, founder and president of Black Wallstreet Grand Rapids

Dog Restaurant

The owner of The Candied Yam, Jessica Ann Tyson, has opened The Beastro, a restaurant that serves “fresh canine cuisine.”

The dog-centric restaurant starts off the dishes with a base of brown rice, then adding meat, fresh vegetables and fruits picked by the dog and its owner.

Proceeds from The Beastro go to Paws with a Cause.

Big electric promises

In September, news emerged that electric vehicle battery maker Gotion Inc. plans to build a $2.4 billion factory near Big Rapids. The factory could create more than 2,300 jobs in the next decade.

The 523-acre site also could position West Michigan as a dominant player in the electric vehicle supply chain, helping replace the jobs the region could lose as combustion engines phase out over the next several decades.

The Gotion plans follows LG Energy Solutions announcing a major expansion at its Holland EV battery facility that could be worth up to $1.7 billion.

Wings from Motown

The Detroit Wing Company opened up its second location in Grand Rapids in October.

The location, 2500 E. Beltline Ave. SE, was targeted as one of the busiest intersections in the region.

It is the 25th Detroit Wing Company location in Michigan.

The carry-out focused restaurant features a pick-up lane, but also serves walk-in orders.

There are 19 signature sauces that can cover classic and boneless wings and chicken tenders.

CITY

Santa's in town

BY PAT EVANS

The 2022 Grand Rapids Junior Chamber will host the Gentex Santa Parade 10 a.m. Nov. 19 downtown. It is the 101st edition of the state’s second-largest parade, behind just Detroit’s Thanksgiving parade.

The parade started in 1919 as department store Wurzburg’s Santa Clause Parade to help bring people downtown and signal the beginning of holiday shopping. The Junior Chamber, once the Grand Rapids Jaycees, eventually took over the parade responsibilities. Since the 1950s, a Santa has ridden in a Jaycee’s sleigh that sits over a depiction of the Grand River and its Grand Rapids bridges.

The parade is televised by WoodTV 8. Gentex took over the title sponsor of the parade from Art Van, the former furniture store chain. Lake Michigan Credit Union is the photos with Santa sponsor, which runs approximately from 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. after the period. There will be multiple celebrity guests for the parade, including actress Olivia Sanabia and American singer/songwriter Ada LeAnn, who is the guest of honor. The 2022 Miss Michigan, Melissa Beyrand, will be in attendance, while 2021 Mrs. Michigan Jackie Green will serve as the Grand Marshal.

Shopping for gifts

Vander Veen’s The Dutch Store

An underrated gem in Grand Rapids is Vander Veen’s The Dutch Store, 2755 28th St. SW in Wyoming.

For more than 80 years, Vander Veen’s has served up classic Dutch products for the entire U.S., and the holiday season is a time for the store to shine.

With the rich Dutch heritage in West Michigan, even those who don’t share the lineage, it can be a fun adventure to check out some of their traditions. A classic is the Windmill cookie, a spiced almond cookie, in the shape of, you guessed it, a windmill.

Another fun option to try out are chocolate letters, which come in milk and dark chocolate. They are traditionlly given children to correspond with the first letter of their first name.

Art of the Table & Aperitivo

Art of the Table, 606 Wealthy St. SE, and Aperitivo, 425 Ionia Ave. SW, are two great places to grab small gifts for hosts and loved ones across the board. From extensive wine collections to great cook books and treats, both stores — under the same ownership — are great for perusing and picking up a quick, but delicious gift.

Periwinkle FOG

Downtown retail got a shot in the arm this summer when Periwinkle FOG, 125 Otta wa Ave. NW #160, opened. The eclectic store focuses on providing tourists and locals alike a selection of “globally inspired, locally discovered” items. Sounds like a great spot to look around for a special gift for that hard person on your list.

Schuler’s Books

Locally owned bookstores are also a great spot to check out, because a great book is never a bad gift to begin with. Schuler’s, 2660 28th St. SE, however, also offers an expansive selection of gifts, from home knick-knacks to board games and goofy stocking stuffers. There is also a great selection of children’s items. Earlier this fall, Schuler Books celebrated its 40th year.

SPOTLIGHT

Invite to the Van

Hockey fans are in for a treat this December at Van Andel Arena.

BY PAT EVANS

While the Griffins are providing Grand Rapidians with their normal fill of American Hockey League action, the Great Lakes Invitational will make its first venture to West Michigan with its 57th edition Dec. 27-28 at Van Andel Arena.

The annual tournament is a two-day, four-team event hosted by Michigan Tech, but Michigan became a co-host in 1976.

This year, it features Michigan State, Ferris State, Michigan Tech and Western Michigan. It is the first time since 1978 that just one of Michigan and Michigan State plays in the GLI, and the

first time since 1973 that Michigan has missed the tournament. Michigan State has won the event 12 times, second all-time behind Michigan’s 17 titles.

The tournament, first held in 1965, has largely been held in Detroit, at Olympia Stadium, Joe Louis Arena and Little Caesars Arena. Aside from an 2013 outdoor game at Comerica Park and the 2021 pandemic-affected non-tournament showcases at Michigan’s Yost Arena and Michigan State’s Munn Ice Arena, it is the first GLI outside of the home venue of the Detroit Red Wings.

At Home or Away, Welcome Winter with Advice from the Pros

As the holidays approach and plans start to take shape, whether it’s family gatherings or winter break getaways, the changing seasons mean changes in priorities. If you’re playing host this year, you may be thinking about upgrades to your kitchen and dining space — or looking to the future for a spring home renovation project. You may need to prepare your home and get it organized as more visitors flow in and out. Packing away the summer gear and making way for all the extra clothes and equipment that come with blustery

weather is often at the top of the list, as well. And then there’s your next vacation. After months upon months of dealing with travel limitations, it’s time to revel in a renewed sense of freedom. Where will you go? Mich igan is still our pick, with so much to do, see, and celebrate — all year round!

When it comes to seeking information and making decisions, guidance from the experts is always a plus. In this Q&A section, local specialists give their two cents to answer your biggest questions.

A: The words three…two…one…Happy New Year! aren’t reserved just for the crowds of revelers in Times Square; West Michiganders can stay close to home and still experience an exciting ball drop right in downtown Ludington. Ring in 2023 in one of the most charming cities in the state, and add some extra activities to round out the holiday weekend. The ball drop event, held in Legacy Plaza starting at 9 p.m., features music; a roaring fire; a beer tent with suds, champagne, seltzers, non-alcoholic options, and commemorative light-up glasses; and fireworks after the ball drop at the stroke of midnight. Many shops and restaurants stay

open late for warm-up spots, and local taxi companies are offering free rides all evening too, so you can celebrate safely. Got little ones in tow? Head to the New Years’ Eve Party at Sandcastles Children’s Museum 5-8 p.m. and join revelers afterward at Legacy Plaza.

Come for the celebration and stay for the New Year’s Resolution 5K Run Jan. 1 at 11 a.m.—a great way to kick off the new year on a positive note. Ludington’s many shops, restaurants, and hotels are ready to welcome you, too, so plan to stick around! Visit downtownludington.org/nye to learn about the event, lodging specials, and more.

Brandy Miller

Ludington

119 S. Rath Ave. Ludington, MI 49431 800-542-4600 pureludington.com

Q: What are some organizing ideas and equipment suggestions for getting my garage in order before winter?

A: Now is the perfect time to make sure warm weather items are stored in an organized way, so they’re easy to access next spring and summer and protected from all the sloppiness that snow and slush bring. Bins set on shelves or placed behind closed cabinet doors will keep your coolers, beach chairs, pool items, toys, and more off the ground. Bigger items can be hung on the walls with heavy duty specialty accessories or hooks to free up floor space.

If space is tight, consider creating a mudroom within the entry point to

your home to keep outerwear and shoes organized. Add shelving to corral baskets of gloves, hats, and mittens; a bench for removing shoes and boots; and hooks for backpacks and coats. You can also create a designated “drop zone” for kids to keep sports equipment all in one place and ready to go. Also, a section of slatwall loaded with hooks and accessories is a great option for storing seasonal lawn equipment and tools, such as shovels, rakes, and hoses. Visit studioginc.com to see all the garage organization tools and services we offer!

Jill Burton Studio G Inc.

14964 Cleveland St, Suite B

Spring Lake, MI 49456 616-842-3740 studioginc.com

Q: What can we do for New Year’s Eve this year that gets us out of the house?

Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Changing Grand Rapids

Preston Sain has big visions for the city’s Southeast side.

BY PAT EVANS // PHOTOS BY ALFIELD REEVES

Change is in the wind in the Third Ward of Grand Rapids.

Preston Sain released the renderings to a major $15 million development at the corner of Eastern Avenue and Burton Street. The 35,000-square-foot project includes 11,000 square feet of commercial space and 34 apartment units.

The Eastern & Burton Village District will be the flagship development of Sain’s Black Wallstreet Grand Rapids, a mission to develop eight business districts within the Third Ward over a 16-year period — and a $100 million capital commitment to the city.

“Black Wallstreet development is a breath of fresh air, on top of great relationships, it’s a solution, a project and a vision,” Sain told the Magazine. “It’s an alternative to gentrification, because if we don’t come up with an agenda, someone else will.”

Behind Sain’s development — which is a partnership with nine other Grand Rapidians — is a lot of symbolic numbers. Sain is celebrating his birthday on Nov. 14, which happens to be the same date historic Black Wall Street figure Booker T. Washington died in 1915.

The goal of Black Wallstreet Grand Rapids is to pull the entire Grand Rapids community up from a disastrous 2015 Forbes article that listed the city as the second-worst city economically for Black residents.

Last year, Grand Rapids city officials declared racism a public

health crisis. And for Grand Rapids to be a whole community moving forward toward bigger and better things, everyone needs to be on the same page, Sain said.

“We haven’t moved the needle if we’re honest, we haven’t rectified that crisis,” Sain said. “That was the main catalyst. How can we directly counter punch and rectify that issue?”

The main issue is a lack of connections between the various communities in Grand Rapids, Sain said. For most people, they don’t think beyond their own life borders; caring really only about their immediate circles of family, friends and colleagues. They don’t think about the greater community outside their bubble, Sain said.

“When you can think about other needs, that opens eyes of needing to be intentional, it makes sure it’s all thriving,” he said. “It’s more you don’t know what you don’t know, because we’re all consumed in individual bubbles.”

Sain said he’s been able to cultivate

PROFILES

"It’s a win-win for all. There will be equity opportunities as well, for any race. You don’t have to be black to have equity in Black Wallstreet."

Preston Sain

grassroots support throughout the city, from businesses, city officials and residents through the way he communicates — bringing an athletic background to his approach.

Another key aspect, he said, is the fact that Black Wallstreet Grand Rapids is not a complaint, but rather a solution to the issues many in the community have found problems with.

“This development is a breath of fresh air,” he said. “It’s a solution, its a project, a vision, and not a complaint. It’s something they can move on and bring forth some progress and often it’s an alternative to gentrification.

“If we don’t come up with an agenda, someone will and it might not include our people. If they’re mind-frame is thinking one way, they’ll be oblivious to what we may need. That’s why leadership and advocacy and vision within the community is so important.”

The hope is to have the flagship development finished by fall 2023.

Community money will be crucial to making the rest of the projects come to life. Sain hopes he can attract 100 corporate partners to make a $1 million pledge each across 16 years — the which aligns with the time it took for the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Black Wall Street to develop. That pledge equates to $62,500 annually for the companies. The first pledge came from ChoiceOne Bank earlier this summer.

Those commitments however do not include other funds the developers will work to secure from the city, county and state levels.

There will also be equity potential for everyone in Grand Rapids, Sain said.

“It will be highly incentivized,” he said. “It’s a win-win for all. There will be equity opportunities as well, for any race. You don’t have to be black to have equity in Black Wallstreet. There will be endless incentives for everyone to be part of this and that’s what excites us.”

And he believes the transformation of the various business districts in Southeast Grand Rapids should excite the entire population, as it will only better the entire community. Rather than a national publication suggesting at least one portion of the city’s population struggles economically, it can tout a push toward equitable solutions that benefits the entire region.

“We have to reverse that narrative and change that trajectory so our city’s brand value is shining on the national stage,” Sain said. “As a city, we’re only as strong as our weakest residents. But we can strengthen everyone. We can be a world class city and national model. They can say we have minor league sports, nonprofits, beautiful neighborhoods. We should be the model for the country and we can be.”

Other Business Districts targeted by BWSGR:

• Oakdale Street SE

• Madison Square

• Madison Avenue and Hall Street

• Neland Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Street

• Eastern Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Street

• Boston Square

• Grandville Avenue (in the First Ward)

The other BWSGR founders are:

• Mary Malone, original owner of the Eastern & Burton property

• Tahj Gillespie, owner of Generation Wealthy Unity & Faith

• Sian Gillespie, manager of business operations for Gillespie Memorial Chapel

• Dalshawn Tyler, owner of Elegance Shipping and Elegance Auto Detailing

• Michael Buxton, franchise owner of Load-A-Spud Potato Bar

• Abdus Muhammad, a Nation of Islam minister of religion with the prison rehabilitation outreach Second Step Ministry of North America

• Victor Williams, CEO of Grand Stand Pictures

• Rodney Brown, administrator at Grand Rapids Public Schools

• Synia Gant-Jordan, owner of Samaria J’s Salon Suite at 701 Grandville/ Cesar E. Chavez Ave. SW

Rendering: GRBWS

Big season at theVan

The Griffins and Gold make Van Andel Arena the place to be this winter.

BY PAT EVANS

For the first time in years, Van Andel Arena now has two full-time tenants.

The Grand Rapids Gold, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Denver Nuggets, announced it was making the move downtown after playing their first eight seasons at the DeltaPlex. The team will play at least the next five seasons in Van Andel Arena.

“We’ve kind of flirted with Van Andel for a couple of years, not knowing if the organization was quite ready,” Gold President Steve Jbara said. “The change in ownership at the DeltaPlex was the nudge we needed to dig in.”

This year, the team also welcomes a new head coach saying goodbye to former NBA player Jason Terry who is off to join the Utah Jazz coaching staff. Another former NBA guard, Andre Miller, will lead the Gold into the 2022-23 season. Miller played 17 years in with nine teams, including the Nuggets. He is the only NBA player to score 16,000 points, dish out 8,000 assists and tally 1,500 steals without an All-Star Game appearance.

Along with Terry, last year’s Gold roster featured stops by NBA journeymen like Isaiah Thomas and Lance Stephenson. Overall, it was an exciting basketball team, Jbara said.

The change in scenery could help the Grand Rapids G-League organization in one key area: walk up attendance. Jbara said the organization drew a solid regular attendance at the DeltaPlex, approximately 1,500 season ticket members or so, which settled in at about fifth in the league.

Walk up attendance, however, was dead last, he said. That can almost exclusively be attributed to the location of the team’s previous home off of Alpine Avenue in Walker.

“[The reception] has been fantastic,” Jbara said. “It’s helping draw the interest we were trying to get out there. Once we get you in, the basketball is so good, we got you. That’s why I’m so excited about downtown because it will help people get there. That’s the biggest thing about moving downtown, the access to people.”

While the Gold will be getting used to a new home and boss this year, the Grand Rapids Griffins could be chasing their third AHL title now that Detroit Red Wings General Manager Steve Yzerman is seeing his plan come together with the parent club.

Griffins President Tim Gortsema said Yzerman was more aggressive than expected in free agency during the offseason, which means more NHL caliber talent could be honing their skills in Grand Rapids.

“The team, from what I’m hearing, is going to be much better,” Gortsema said in September. “It’s two-fold, it’s the evolution of draft picks in recent years, the process from when they go from drafted to ready to

play in this league, those quality picks and hopefully future NHL stars will be on ice.

“The other thing is I thought Detroit was more aggressive in free agency, and because of that up top, it makes them a deeper team and that will help us as potential bubble players are up and down to Grand Rapids.”

The Griffins have fifth-year head coach Ben Simon behind the bench.

But as the Griffins are looking to compete again — they finished last in the Central Division last year — they’ll be getting used to sharing Van Andel Arena.

“It’s great for the Gold to be downtown, good for the marketplace to have another tenant,” Gortsema said. “When we were a single tenant, you kind of expand to available space, even the locker room, we utilized some of that extra space to transition to be changing room area. And certainly, with them being here, it’s more events, more times we won’t be able to practice here because the court is down or games happening. In that respect we’ll lean more heavily to Griff’s Icehouse vs. being here.

“It will be a little more jockeying around to accommodate their 28 home dates.”

For both teams, they’ll be entering the first full season completely free of COVID-19 restrictions. The Gold have only played one season since 2020, opting out of the 2020-2021 one-site season in the G-League.

For the Griffins, the biggest improvement will be the ability for the players to integrate into the West Michigan community for the first time in two-and-half years, Gortsema said. Those include autograph sessions, anthems on the ice, player visits to schools, hospitals and youth hockey practices.

Gortsema even said that the Grand Rapid business staff can interact more with the hockey operations staff from Detroit, a luxury in the past, as it turns out.

“We’re going to be able to do things we haven’t been able to in several years,” he said. “Just to better connect our players in the community, that’s been sorely missed. We’re AAA hockey, but one of the things we offer that fans don’t get at the next level is that close connection to players.”

Gold Home Dates

Nov. 10 vs. Motor City Cruise

Nov. 13 vs. Cleveland Charge

Nov. 15 vs. Clevaland Charge

Nov. 27 vs. Iowa Wolves

Nov. 29 vs. Wisconsin Herd

Nov. 30 vs. Wisconsin Herd

Dec. 12 vs. Sioux Falls Skyforce

Dec. 14 vs. Sioux Falls Skyforce

Jan. 2 vs. Delaware Blue Coats

Jan. 3 vs. Delaware Blue Coats

Jan. 5 vs. Fort Wayne Mad Ants

Jan. 8 vs. Maine Celtics

Jan 10 vs. Maine Celtics

Jan 20 vs. Capital City Go-Go

Feb. 8 vs. Stockton Kings

Feb. 9 vs. Stockton Kings

Feb. 13 vs. Windy City Bulls

Feb. 14 vs. Windy City Bulls

Feb. 23 vs. Capital City Go-Go

Feb. 26 vs. Fort Wayne Mad Ants

March 2 vs. Motor City Cruise

March 7 vs. Ontario Clippers

March 12 vs. Raptors 905

March 14 vs. Raptors 905

Griffins Home Dates

Nov. 11 vs. Toronto Marlies

Nov. 12 vs. Toronto Marlies

Nov. 16 vs. Rockford IceHogs

Nov. 25 vs. Manitoba Moose

Nov. 26 vs. Manitoba Moose

Dec. 2 vs. Texas Stars

Dec. 3 vs. Texas Stars

Dec. 7 vs. Iowa Wild

Dec. 16 vs. Hartford Wolf Pack

Dec. 23 vs. Cleveland Monsters

Dec. 31 vs. Milwaukee Admirals

Jan. 6 vs. Texas Stars

Jan. 7 vs. Texas Stars

Jan. 11 vs. Iowa Wild

Jan. 13 vs. Iowa Wild

Jan. 14 vs. Chicago Wolves

Jan. 21 vs. Springfield Thunderbirds

Feb. 10 vs. Manitoba Moose

Feb. 11 vs. Manitoba Moose

Feb. 15 vs. Rockford IceHogs

Feb. 17 vs. Cleveland Monsters

Feb. 24 vs. Chicago Wolves

Feb. 25 vs. Cleveland Monsters

March 1 vs. Chicago Wolves

March 3 vs. Iowa Wild

Mach 4 vs. Iowa Wild

March 10 vs. Rockford IceHogs

March 11 vs. Cleveland Monsters

March 19 vs. Milwaukee Admirals

March 22 vs. Chicago Wolves

March 29 vs. Chicago Wolves

March 31 vs. Milwaukee Admirals

April 14 vs. Rockford IceHogs

“It’s great for the Gold to be downtown, good for the marketplace to have another tenant."

Tim Gortsema

VOICE

Growing Grand Rapids tourism

Travel Michigan and Experience Grand Rapids executive discuss how to draw more people to West Michigan.

BY PAT EVANS

Back before ArtPrize started in 2009, Dave Lorenz had been telling Grand Rapids stakeholders it needed to do something to attract leisure travelers.

As Travel Michigan’s top executive, Lorenz knew the city needed to expand beyond its business reputation. Now, looking back, Lorenz said there was not a lot of positive reception to those suggestions.

“There is a desire and a need to fill conference space, but that doesn’t mean you should just basically fail to leverage tourism assets well,” Lorenz said. “I believe ArtPrize was the leisure travel catalyst necessary to get it moving to becoming a true leisure designation, not just an airport from which you can drive up north.”

It’s no question that Grand Rapids’ tourism cache has grown in the past 15 or so years. And tourism is a crucial piece of economic growth, something all residents of a town should remember if they want their town to continue to improve, Lorenz said.

He’s heard plenty of times, “Why is my community spending so much on tourism,” and he’ll just shake his head.

“We need to understand we all benefit,” he said. ‘If not for tourists coming to town for a show, there would be no way for the community to afford them. It’s not sustainable to to survive with just the residents. Travel and tourism enables the lifestyle.

“It’s selfish not to support it. It’s not forward thinking. If you’re not growing sustainably and bettering the community by diversifying it, you will die as a community.”

Prior to the Pure Michigan campaign kickoff 16 years ago, approximately 60% of tourism in Michigan came from within Michigan. With Pure Michigan, the idea was to retain those travelers, but draw new visitors into the state.

The ratio has now grown to about 50-50, according to Lorenz.

“Every time we bring them in, there’s a chance some of those, and this is proven out, some decide to move here and live here, have businesses here, invest here, kids go to school here, be part of our continuing growth. That was always what we intended with that brand, so that’s happening.”

The travelers from outside the Mitten bring with them export dollars, contributing a net positive for Michigan communities.

Outside of Michigan, a large chunk of the rest of the travelers come from the Great Lakes region, with Canada acting virtually as another state. Lorenz said Travel Michigan has also worked to attract Germanic-speaking markets, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Prior to COVID-19, Lorenz said China was the No. 1 international tourism market coming to Michigan, and he expects it to reach the top again.

So how has Grand Rapids, and Michigan as a whole, pushed to become a desirable tourist destination after there were plenty

of negative situations to overcome?

“It’s the old axiom, if you build it, they will come,” Lorenz said. “If they come, they’ll tell their friends and they’ll also come and with that comes future growth and future opportunities.”

ArtPrize helped change the greater perception of West Michigan, a place that art can be found. It pushed helped transition the dusty Furniture City moniker in place of the fresh Beer City nickname. As Lorenz said, people might know they have an office desk, but that does not mean they know where it was made.

Grand Rapids is shifting its industries, too, long after the residential furniture manufacturers left town leaving the office furniture companies and auto parts manufacturers. Organizations like The Right Place have done wonders working to attract a variety of companies to town and bringing local companies downtown.

Experience Grand Rapids CEO Doug Small said a robust tourism offering in a city will also help make a city’s quality of life go up, which in turn helps draw more companies and workers to the region.

Much of the Midwest has come to the same realization as Michigan and Grand Rapids in recent years. The Rust Belt is transitioning beyond the manufacturing mentality that built the region.

“That era of depending on one facet of the economy is over,” Lorenz said. “You can’t continue to expect those auto jobs or whatever will always be there. When we learned that wouldn’t be enough, we knew we needed to concentrate on the three pillars, manufacturing, agriculture and tourism to round out to be a

"Prior to COVID-19, China was the No. 1 international tourism market coming to Michigan."

Dave Lorenz, Travel Michigan

livable and desirable community.”

Small said that the collective realization of Midwestern communities could come from tiredness of getting knocked down and overlooked by the coasts. The idea that “fine” was no longer good enough and these cities wanted to build attractive communities that are engaging and welcoming.

After five years of increasing hotel occupancy back in 2016, Small helped lead a study to determine what could help fuel further tourism growth in Grand Rapids. The No. 1 conclusion was a larger 400-500 key hotel with meeting space connected to DeVos Place. Early work on the project began, but was sidelined by the pandemic. Small said he is back pushing the idea — noting that the pandemic did not derail the community’s future needs.

“When I moved here there were four downtown hotels, now there are 11 and they’re all well done and good looking,” Small said. “But meeting planners, I don’t care if it was when I started 40 years ago or today, they want the fewest hotels to use at the closest distance.

“While we can host a big convention, it might take six hotels to get a group of 2,500 here, where Columbus can do it in three. The cities we compete with on a convention basis can do less hotels and it puts us at a disadvantage to make sales.”

Another major finding, which Lorenz said he has harped on for years to help make Grand Rapids a better leisure spot, is activating the Grand River waterfront. It was also one of the main findings of the 2016 study. There are now a multitude of projects underway to help restore the river’s rapids and make the waterfront a more attractive place to spend time, including Grand Rapids WhiteWater and Grand Action 2.0’s amphitheater project.

The ampitheater will greatly add to the city’s music scene, an attribute Experience Grand Rapids has recently picked up and began marketing, because of the city’s strong live music offerings, from Van Andel Arena to the Intersection and Founders Brewing to 20 Monroe Live and Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Small said there are more than 100 venues in Kent County that offer

live music on a weekly basis.

“The concert scene has done a great job of filling hotel rooms,” Small said. “That’s why we’re bullish on the amphitheater and you build that and it’s a bonanza downtown.”

Where do all these potential upgrades put Grand Rapids? Small said he doesn’t like to look at other destinations as aspirational. He said there are two standout cities that could carry similar vibes: Austin and Nashville. Both those cities, however, he said are now often crowded and perhaps grew too fast for their infrastructure to keep up.

“Right now, our goal is to be the premier destination of the Midwest,” Small said. “Grand Rapids has a track record to grow handsomely. We don’t grow for the sake of growth, we grow with strategy and direction; here’s the next piece of the puzzle.

“With some of these components, we’ll be closer to that town that people need to visit.”

As Grand Rapids continues to look toward becoming a town people need to visit, Grand Rapidians play a key part in helping, Lorenz said.

“It’s simply being the great community ambassadors they already are,” he said. “We all have the opportunity to give directions or something as simple as smiling. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from international travelers about how friendly people in Michigan are; that’s part of our culture.

“Those little things go a long way to creating a perception of a community that’s worth paying attention to.”

“Right now, our goal is to be the premier destination of the Midwest."

Doug Small, Experience Grand Rapids

Downtown Holland Join Us All Holiday Season Long!

You’re invited to stroll the beautifully decorated and heated streets in Downtown Holland this holiday season while shopping and dining at over 100 locally-owned stores and restaurants! And don’t miss these special family friendly events happening all holiday season long. Happy Holidays!

Shop ‘Til You Drop

Friday, November 11

7pm - 10pm

Get an early start on your holiday shopping in Downtown Holland and save big on all of your gifts during this once-a-year late night shopping event!

Holiday Open House

Saturday, November 19

5pm - 8pm

Let the holiday fun begin with strolling carolers, Santa and his favorite elf, a reindeer petting corral, roasted chestnuts, and in-store promotions!

Holiday Kerstmarkt

Fridays & Saturdays

Nov. 19 - Dec. 10

Shop for hand-crafted gifts, holiday decor, and homemade baked goods from local artisans housed in booths at this European-inspired outdoor market

Small Business Saturday

Saturday, November 26

All Day Long!

Enjoy special discounts, promotions, giveaways, and more at participating shops and restaurants as our way of thanking you for shopping small!

Parade of Lights

Tuesday, November 29 6:30 pm

This holiday light paradef eatures bands, floats, vehicles, and more all lit up with thousands of twinkling lights. Be sure to look out for Santa too!

Sinterklaas Eve

Friday, December 2

6pm - 8pm

Children are invited to celebrate Sinterklaas, the Dutch St. Nicholas, by joining in a traditional short procession before meeting Sinterklaas himself!

Magic at the Mill

Fri & Sat | December 2 - 17

5pm - 7 pm & 7pm - 9pm

For the first time ever, families can experience a one-of-a-kind holiday light show spectacular at historic Windmill Island Gardens. (Tickets required.)

Shopping Jam

Saturday, December 17

8am - 10am

Last minute shoppers, this event is just for you! The earlier you shop, the more you save during this early morning shopping event in Downtown Holland.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADOBE STOCK/MILLES STUDIO

The Man Lou Gehrig Replaced

BY CLAYTON TRUTOR

Grand Rapids’ Wally Pipp will always be best known as the man Lou Gehrig replaced at first base for the New York Yankees.

On June 2, 1925, Pipp told Yankees manager Miller Huggins that he had a headache. Huggins gave his veteran first baseman the day off, replacing him with a rookie first baseman who had recently starred at Columbia University. The precocious rookie quickly won the position and remained the Yankees’ first baseman for the next 2,130 games, a record for nearly 60 years.

“The Iron Horse,” as Lou Gehrig came to be known, did not miss another game until 1939, when his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) forced him to retire from the game. To this day, baseball fans will see references to Wally Pipp when a veteran player gets replaced in the starting lineup. Some sportswriters have even had the temerity to turn “Pipped” into a verb to refer to this circumstance.

WELLNESS

Wally Pipp was much more than a historical footnote, both as a baseball player and a man. He was an athlete, an architect, a writer, and a mentor. He was devoted to his family, his church, and his hometown of Grand Rapids.

The story of Major League Baseball MLB cannot be told without reference to his name nor can the story of Grand Rapids, which has honored him as one of its athletic greats.

Walter Clement Pipp was born on February 17, 1893, in Chicago to a Catholic family. His mother, Pauline (Stroeber) Pipp, was of German extraction while his father William H. Pipp has been described as both Irish and German, depending on the source. William Pipp was an esteemed homebuilder and architect who was able to provide his family with a comfortable lifestyle.

The family moved to Grand Rapids in 1895 when Wally was 2 years old, where the family remained in residence for several generations. Wally’s uncle, Henry Pipp, had played professional baseball with the Chicago Nationals, the forerunner of today’s Chicago Cubs, during the late 19th century.

From an early age, Wally Pipp showed an athletic bent, playing

From an early age, Wally Pipp showed an athletic bent, playing football in the fall, hockey in the winter, and baseball in the spring.

football in the fall, hockey in the winter, and baseball in the spring. As a young man, he was hit in the head by a hockey puck, which caused him a lifetime of headaches and hearing loss in his right ear. Pipp grew into a sinewy 6’3 with broad shoulders. As an athlete, he was a man among boys at Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, a school that has produced a number of future NFL players but only one MLB player in Pipp.

An excellent student, Pipp continued his education at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., where he was a standout on the Cardinals’ baseball team. Among early 20th century major leaguers, Pipp was the rare college man. He followed suit in the family trade and studied architecture, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1912.

Pipp made his MLB debut in 1915. He had spent three seasons as a standout at minor league stops in Kalamazoo, Providence, Scranton, and Rochester. The Detroit Tigers held his Major League rights but had doubts about his defensive skills, which proved utterly ridiculous. They sold his rights to the Yankees for $5,000 in January 1915. It turned out to be a strikingly well-spent five grand by the then-moribund Yankees.

Pipp became New York’s everyday first baseman immediately. Even as a rookie, he was a superb defensive player and he hit the ball with authority. The power that Pipp displayed from the outset of his career was a genuine feat during the “dead ball era.” “Dead balls” were so named because the yarn at the core of the baseball was not wrapped nearly as tightly as on modern baseballs, preventing players from hitting the balls as hard or as far.

Pipp led the American League (AL) in home runs in both 1916 (12 home runs) and 1917 (9 home runs). The 1916 Yankees posted the franchise’s first winning season since 1910, back when the team was known as the Highlanders. Several of Pipp’s homeruns each season were in-the-park homeruns made possible by his noteworthy speed. On seven occasions during his career, he legged out at least 10 triples in a season, a rare feat in today’s game. In 1924, he led the AL in triples with 19.

After missing most of 1918 due to military service during World War I, Pipp returned full-time to the Yankees in 1919, helping lead New York to an impressive 80-59 record. He finished second that year in homeruns to a Red Sox pitcher named Babe Ruth, whose mind-boggling 29

homeruns more than tripled Pipp’s total of seven. In 1920, Ruth and Pipp would become teammates.

The Red Sox famously sold Ruth to New York for $125,000, inaugurating the “Curse of the Bambino” and the championship run of the Yankees, the most successful franchise in professional sports history.

Ruth’s arrival in New York corresponded with the use of a new, more tightly wound “live ball” in the Major Leagues. Ruth rewrote baseball’s offensive record book in the early 1920s, hitting 54 and 59 home runs in 1920 and 1921 respectively.

Yet Pipp remained one of the American League’s best hitters. In 1921, he formed a 1-2-3 punch in the middle of the Yankees’ lineup. Pipp (103), Bob Muesel (138), and Ruth (168) all drove in more than 100 runs while the Yankees raced to their first AL pennant before losing in the World Series to the New York Giants. Pipp and Ruth had an, at times, contentious relationship.

Ruth once berated Pipp in the dugout for mishandling a ball at first base. Pipp responded with a couple of firm open hands and a promise to settle it after the game. Ruth apparently backed down. Nevertheless, the pair got along smartly enough for Pipp to earn money as a ghost writer for Ruth on columns the famed slugger had been contracted to write for a range of national publications.

The Yankees lost to the same Giants again in the 1922 World Series before finally getting the monkey off their back in 1923, defeating their crosstown rivals in the Fall Classic. Even as the personnel started to get younger on these Yankees title teams, Pipp remained a stalwart, driving in over 100 runs in both 1923 and 1924, when the Yankees finished second.

Pipp struggled early in the 1925 season and his early June headache brought about the ascendance of Gehrig, a circumstance that would likely have happened sooner or later.

He was a notable example of a player that was able to flourish both in the “dead” and “live” ball eras.

The 22-year-old Gehrig had dominated the minor leagues for the past two seasons and was bound to find his way onto the field. Despite losing his starting job, Pipp remained friends with the young Gehrig and helped mentor him on the finer points of playing the position. Years after Pipp’s retirement, Pipp and his sons met up with Gehrig after a game in Detroit. The former teammates had a warm conversation like reacquainted old friends.

New York sent Pipp to the Cincinnati Reds of the National League in 1926, where he spent the last three years of his MLB career. Pipp remained a solid player well into his mid-30s, retiring at age 35 with a .281 career batting average, 90 home runs, and 1,004 RBIs.

He was a notable example of a player that was able to flourish both in the “dead” and “live” ball eras, though his heart lay clearly with the former. Pipp wrote about the game for a variety of publications and taught the game to youngsters in Grand Rapids for decades, always stressing what has come to be called “small ball.”

He believed that much of the finesse, strategy, and psychology of baseball had been lost with the reliance on home run mashers for offense. His sport was a game of bunts, hit-and-run plays, and stolen bases.

Pipp left big league baseball behind and returned full-time to Grand Rapids. Wally and Nora raised four children, three boys and a girl. They were longtime parishioners of St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in East Grand Rapids.

Wally worked as a stockbroker and continued to write, publishing a book about stock market strategy called Buying Cheap and Selling Dear. He worked for a time as a pregame radio broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers and wrote copy for Michigan radio stations. Pipp made golf his sport in retirement, joining the Highland Country Club and cranking out several rounds each week. Within a couple of years of taking up golf, Pipp shot regularly in the 70s.

As the Great Depression swallowed up the stock market, Pipp found work in the National Youth Administration, a New Deal agency focused on providing work and education to young people.

Naturally, Pipp’s work involved baseball. He organized community baseball leagues in Grand Rapids and across the Midwest. This proved to be the starting point for a decadeslong passion for the former big leaguer.

Pipp had long advocated the formation of youth baseball leagues and volunteered significant time to such organizations when they came to Grand Rapids. For years, he worked with Little League, Pony League, and American Legion players in the area.

He also advocated the advancement of women in baseball, stating in the early 1950s that he expected women one day to play Major League Baseball.

Pipp continued working for the National Youth Administration until World War II shifted the focus of the nation’s attention. During the war, Pipp lent his technical expertise to the efforts at the Willow Run bomber plant near Ypsilanti.

Later in life, Pipp worked as a manufacturer’s agent for the Rockford Screw Products Corporation. The job required him to travel frequently and he resided for several years in Lansing. Pipp was personable and an excellent public speaker, making him a natural as a salesman.

Health problems pushed the always

Clayton Trutor teaches history at Norwich University in Vermont. He is the author of Loserville: How Professional Sports Remade Atlanta—and How Atlanta Remade Professional Sports (2022) and the forthcoming Boston Ball: Jim Calhoun, Rick Pitino, Gary Williams, and College Basketball’s Forgotten Cradle of Coaches (2023). He’d love to hear from you on Twitter: @ClaytonTrutor

buzzing and energetic Pipp into retirement. In 1963, he suffered a stroke and moved into a retirement home in Grand Rapids. He experienced failing health for the last few years of his life but had his family always in close proximity.

He died on January 11, 1965, a month short of his 72nd birthday. Wally and Nora, who died in 1968, lay side by side at Woodlawn Cemetery in front of a black marble family headstone along with several other members of the Pipp family.

Years after Wally’s death, Wally Pipp Jr. mounted a thus-far unsuccessful campaign to have his father inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He made the case based on his father’s record as a power hitter of the “dead ball era” and his reputation as one of the best

defensive first baseman of his generation. Now deceased, Pipp, Jr. contacted members of the Hall of Fame’s Veteran’s Committee as well as prominent figures in the sports world. Bob Costas was one of the few to get in touch with Wally, Jr., conceding that Pipp’s case was as good as many others being considered by the Veterans’ Committee. Thus far, Pipp has yet to receive formal consideration for induction.

Whether or not the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown ever honors Pipp, he has been immortalized here in Grand Rapids. The next time you walk the concourse at Van Andel Arena, look for Wally’s plaque. He was a member of the inaugural class of inductees into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame in 1972.

HOME

Coffee break

The 9 elements of a perfect built-in coffee bar.

BY LAUREN FIGUEROA, LAUREN FIGUEROA INTERIOR DESIGN PHOTO ALYSSA WAGNER

Built-in coffee bars are all the rage right now, and it makes sense why that is: aside from being gorgeous and adding significant value to a home, they are incredibly functional, especially when hosting those large holiday gatherings!

We recently added a built-in coffee bar to our piano room (or, “the plant room," as my nieces like to call it), and here are my top recommendation for elements to include to maximize both functionality and design:

1. Tower Cabinets: Rather than using typi cal uppers and lowers, if you have the space for it, use tower cabi nets. These feel more architecturally interest ing than typical uppers, and they provide func tional, easy-to-reach storage.

2. Glass Doors: Glass doors on your upper cabinets are a great opportunity to display a collection of coffee mugs, crystal cocktail glasses, and beautiful liquor or wine bottles.However—if you don’t want to worry about keeping

the insides of your cab inets nicely arranged, this might not be the best option for you.

3. Quality Hardware: Hardware is one detail you shouldn’t skimp on! It’s a high-use ele ment, and higher quali ty hardware will abso lutely last longer. I’d suggest using brass hardware, which comes in all kinds of finishes.

4. Counter Space for Serving: Determine ahead of time what small appli ances and supplies you’ll want to live in the

coffee bar so you can plan for enough count er space both to store and use these items.

5. Open Shelving: Open shelving is a great opportunity to display beautiful recipe books, plants, coffee supplies, and glass ware, and they create a more open feel than tra ditional upper cabinets.

6. Library Lights: Focused lighting on your built-in coffee bar is both practical and functional, since it’s an area where you’ll be serving, and it also cre ates nice mood lighting in the evening when overhead lights are off.

7. Electrical Outlets: If you’re planning to store and use small appliances like a coffee pot or espresso machine in your coffee bar, be sure you plan for an electrical outlet. You can place this on your back wall, or, like we did, run a chase through the side of the tower cabinets so the outlet is not visible.

8. Mirror Backsplash: A mirror backsplash is a great option, especially in smaller rooms, because it will make your space appear larger. If you have win dows in the room, it will also reflect the nat ural light, making your space feel brighter. If you want to get really creative, there are lots of interesting antique or distressed mirror options as well.

9. Storage Below: Below your counter top, consider what type of storage will best meet your needs. Deep drawers? Doors? A combo of both? Here, we went with long narrow drawers on top, for smaller things like coffee beans and cloth napkins, and double door cabinets below for larger serv ing pieces.

Helping for the holidays

BY SAM EASTER

hen Maribeth Groen talks about kids in need in Kent County, she doesn’t just talk about the poverty level — she talks about something more subtle.

Groen is the director of marketing and communications for the Heart of West Michigan United Way. She said that about 10% of people in Kent County live below the federal poverty level; but an additional 25% of the county is “ALICE” — asset-limited, income-constrained, employed. These people might not fit a strong definition of poverty, but they’re living precariously all the same.

“There’s the assumption — okay, they’re working. They may be considered to be working a good job, maybe like a bank teller, but really, their income is just not the level that the household needs to thrive,” she said.

And with post-pandemic inflation, the cost of housing and childcare and more has been making things even harder. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Midwest inflation ran at an annual

EXPERIENCE

The winter is crucial time for children in need.

8.6% clip into summer 2022; rental costs grew by 16.6% in Kent County from 2019 into early 2022. It’s a sobering reminder that need is everywhere in West Michigan — maybe even more common than a casual look might suggest.

“People think poverty is an urban, city issue. And it’s not,” she said. “In fact, Cedar Springs has one of the highest ALICE rates in the county.”

There are plenty of ways to help out, this holiday season — especially for kids. Groen encouraged people to seek out the Heart of West Michigan United Way’s holiday giving guide, which can help connect people to a wide range of groups and programs. It will publish in early November and will be available on the web at hwmuw.org.

And there are a lot of local groups that address need in ways that are probably invisible to the average West Michigan resident. Meg Derrer is the executive director of the Refugee Education Center, a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit that connects refugee youth with tutoring and classroom programming that helps make their arrival in the U.S. — and their entry into an American public school — smoother.  That can make a big difference for a refugee youth who is still acclimating to life in a new place.

“If (people) are reading this in November, and December, we’d be starting up in January, and they would have the opportunity to sign up to be a volunteer and help with our tutoring program or driving kids to a tutoring site,” Derrer said, adding that the group is also open to donations as well as employers that can give workplace tours, work experience or the like to older program participants.

And there’s also the program everyone has already heard of: Toys for Tots is running once again this year in Kent County. Jeff DeJonge, the program coordinator for Kent County, said that collection bins will be available in early

“People think poverty is an urban, city issue. And it’s not."

Maribeth Groen

November, accepting new, unwrapped toys; they’ll be picked up a week before Christmas.

DeJonge also noted that donors throughout West Michigan can find their local Toys for Tots campaigns at toysfortots. org. He notes that financial donations are also helpful for the program, since organizers often need to purchase presents for any gaps in age levels at the end of the toy drive.

“Seeing the parents light up when they find that toy for that child — It’s not the child’s fault that their parents can’t afford something,” he said. “It’s nice to be able to give something back to the children.”

Hidden need

But not all needs are material. Around the country, young people are grappling with a less visible form of need — in the form of growing rates of depression, anxiety and death by suicide. The White House announced initiatives in late July to boost school-linked mental health services, noting that more than 40% of teens “struggle with persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.”

“Even before the pandemic, rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts among youth were on the rise,” a White House release states. “The pandemic exacerbated those issues, disrupting learning, relationships, and routines and increasing isolation – especially among our nation’s young people.”

Hannah Schneider is a therapist at the Counseling Center of West Michigan, where she works with youth from age four to young adulthood. She’s seen more and more cases of anxiety — and especially social anxiety — at her work. That comes as mental health care gets more normalized, as as kids grapple with anxieties linked to the pandemic, school shootings or even the political climate.

“I had a super transparent conversation with a kid the other day that was like, it’s either one viewpoint or the other, and everybody hates each other,” Schenider said. “And if people don’t believe in what you believe in, then you’re wrong.

She said parents can help by being a safe, supportive listening ear for their kids — a simple matter of talking less and listening more that gives kids the space and permission to open up.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a kid sit in my office and just say, ‘Thank you for not making me feel weird or overdramatic,’ or, ‘hypersensitive,’ some of those negative terms that can be thrown out there for somebody who is feeling their feelings, as I like to say,” Schneider said.

Adults being open about their own fears and anxieties can help, she added, and so can modeling healthy habits and inviting kids to join — even when it’s as simple as going on a walk.

“Kind of showing that like, ‘Hey, I had a bad day, this is what makes me feel better. Do you want to join me?’” Schneider said.

Tighten Up Your Skates for a trip around the Frankenmuth Ice Rink. Located in the heart of downtown at Zehnder Park, the Frankenmuth Ice Rink is open all week long, and lit up for your skating skills through February.

Shop The World’s Largest Christmas Store to discover the perfect new Christmas tree adornments. At Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, you will experience the art of decoration and adornments for your tree with over 50,000 trims, gifts, and so much more.

Experience A Piece Of Little Bavaria at the Frankenmuth Christkindlmarkt, a traditional German holiday market. Found at the Frankenmuth Farmers Market, you can find all sorts of handcrafted artisan gifts and goods.

Visit Santa’s Reindeer Friends at Grandpa Tiny’s Farm. Tour the historic working farm that is seasonally sprinkled with Santa’s reindeer helpers in preparation for the joyful holiday season.

Dance To Your Favorite Christmas Tunes at Frankenmuth’s Spectacular Musical Tree, set at the Frankenmuth Visitor Center. Standing 44 feet tall, this magical tree illuminates the sky with its sweet Christmas sounds and spectacular light show played throughout the day.

Gather Around The Table with family and friends to savor the holiday flavors of Michigan’s Little Bavaria. Wine, dine, and laugh while feasting on a world famous chicken dinner at Bavarian Inn Restaurant or Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth.

Take A Drive Through Thousands of Twinkling Lights from the south to the north end, and everywhere in-between. Smile as brightly as the lights while you cruise to see Bavarian architecture, sparkling white lights, and Christmas displays of favorite holiday characters.

Beer City’s keystone brewery turnS

BY BRYAN ESLER

FOUNDERS BREWING

has had a turbulent history, but continues to push forward in Grand Rapids.

few years back,

I was sitting in the office of Founders Brewing co-founder and President Dave Engbers when my phone buzzed.

It was a text from my dad. My parents were in Europe at the time, so I excused myself from my conversation with Engbers and checked what the message said. Thankfully not an emergency, it was a rather coincidental encounter. My dad was at the John Bull Pub in Aalborg, Denmark, enjoying a Founders All Day IPA.

“The bartender knows all about Founders and Grand Rapids!” my dad’s text read.

Engbers laughed, acknowledging the wide growth the brewery had obtained. It was indeed a crazy thought for the brewery that at several times in its history was near bankruptcy. Rather than shutting down, it turned 25 years old this year and has become a significant Grand Rapids employer and one of the city’s biggest, most visible exports.

Grand Rapids would not hang the banner of Beer City it does now without Founders. Its beers are found across the globe and has been revered throughout much of its history

for its quality. It helped transition Furniture City USA into its new, current growth trajectory — making sure people knew about Grand Rapids for something it currently produces rather than a residential furniture industry that left long ago.

As Travel Michigan’s Dave Lorenz said elsewhere in this magazine issue, “They know they have office furniture, but they don’t know where it’s made.”

Beer drinkers likely don’t have that problem with Founders beer, with packaging that proudly claims Grand Rapids as home.

AOnce a poster child of the innovative craft beer industry, pushing boundaries with its big beers like Dirty Bastard and Kentucky Breakfast Stout, now simply KBS, and growing to look toward the mass beer market with its All Day IPA and the packaging innovation of 15-packs, the brewery is majority-owned by Spanish brewing giant Mahou San Miguel. And for all the positives Founders has brought the West Michigan community, it is not without its controversies.

Through it all, however, has been Engbers. His co-founder, Mike Stevens, stepped down from his CEO role in January, and was recently replaced by Elton Knight. At one point in my dozens of conversations with Engbers and Stevens, in 2012 for the 15th anniversary, I asked them if they could do it all over again, would they. Stevens said no. The first 15 years were nothing short of challenging, but the past ten years have likely changed that — after all, Engbers joked that Stevens was off somewhere on a beach with his shirt unbuttoned.

“I always say there’s a lot of scars people don’t know about,” Engbers told me in September over Oktoberfests in the Grand Rapids taproom when I reminded him of that exchange. “It’s a very personal question. Mike and I see things much differently. People say we’ve got this beautiful facility, a great taproom, beer garden, not to mention our other facility down the road.

“A lot of it just comes from tough memories of the first ten years, just not knowing whether we’d be in business 60 days later and what does that mean to lose your house, or, I mean I used to get my electric turned off and we never even thought about having cable TV.”

Engbers said he didn’t take a paycheck for at least eight months straight at one point, because if he did they wouldn’t be able to

buy glue sticks to close their beer cases. He compared Founders to a rock band, and that works as an incredible analogy to explain how the beer world views Founders.

“It’s a lot like when a rock band makes it and they go from playing little clubs to sharing a hotel room with five or six people, but then they start playing stadiums and when they start playing stadiums, they’re no longer cool,” Engbers said. “It’s like, yeah, but now they’re playing stadiums.

“But you look back and ask, what’s been the best experience.

Oftentimes, people will say, ‘Oh, when we used to drive around in that van. So, not to be one of those old guys with gray hair, but it’s like, I do think some of our best times were when we’d do anything, you’ll sacrifice anything to stay in business and keep the dream alive. We had plenty of times we had opportunities to call it quits.”

Now that Founders is one of the craft beer industry’s prime examples of a rock band playing in a stadium, it has run into plenty of detractors saying they’ve sold out, gotten too big and the quality’s changed or simply aren’t cool anymore. But just like former Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl made a documentary about band’s starting in vans, What Drives Us, and by all appearances remains the same guy over all these years, Engbers too remains an incredible ambassador for beer and Grand Rapids, an aloof, laid back man who is eager to share a beer with just about anyone. Experience Grand Rapids, which markets Grand Rapids as a tourism destination, often takes Engbers along to industry events, looking to help position the city as a cool place to be.

And the thing that drives him and Founders, remains the same today as it was back when the brewery stared: beer.

“Beer has always been this conduit that brings people together, it’s just that social beverage that is accessible to everybody, all walks of life,” Engbers said, echoing the foreword he wrote for my 2015 book, Grand Rapids Beer: An Intoxicating History of River City Brewing. “When we started writing our business plan, there were about 300 breweries in the U.S. By the time we actually opened up there were about 600 and we thought our window of opportunity was closing. Now we’re these veterans with about 9,000 breweries in the country and we’ve seen our brand go from one of the extreme breweries to creating the first sessionable IPAs and a pioneer of putting craft beers into aluminum cans.”

Now, instead of bankers, Founders is thrown constant market changes, from beer trends to a resurgent spirits market and the high-paced growth of hard seltzers and canned cocktails.

When thinking about how the Founders perception has changed in the US craft beer industry, national beer writer Joshua M. Bernstein said the brewery’s journey really started as a David vs. Goliath story. As it turns

Above: (l-r)

Founders brewmaster Jeremy Kosmicki, CEO Elton Knight and co-founder and President Dave Engbers

out, however, an industry’s darling followed a path that almost any business would love.

“The reality is, it’s the beer business and that second word is sometimes overlooked,” said Bernstein, who’s 10th anniversary reissuing of The Complete Beer Course comes out next year. I first become aware of Bernstein when his first book, Brewed Awakening, which features Founders, was sitting on the table in the Founders office lobby back in 2012.

“Founders, in so many ways, we’re talking 10 or 15 years ago, helped change the perception of what a barrel-aged beer was and we can’t deny the impact of All Day IPA.”

While some have shied away from Founders because of its status as a behemoth among the big beer world, others have turned away from the brand because of its highly publicized racial discrimination case against a former employee. Founders eventually settled with former employee Tracy Evans, who alleged Founders tolerated a “racist internal corporate culture” and that the company fired him because he complained to human resources about the racism.

While both of those factors have perhaps knocked the brewery down a peg or two when it comes to how the industry views the brewery, for many, it probably simply does not matter.

“Sometimes, companies can be messy,” Bernstein said from his New York City home. “Quality is just one metric upon what a modern brewery stands on. It’s branding, asethics and how you treat other people. It’s hard with so many options and if you are a consumer that wants to learn about brands, it can be a make or break factor. But, most people look at beer as Friday night fun or a happy hour treat, we get in these bubble worlds and most people don’t know it other than a good beer.

“Will Founders ever be the cool kid on the block again? Probably not, but it’s a fairly priced beer that tastes good and that’s the reality of the beer business. As much as some of us want to think about it, for most people, a beer purchase is no different than granola, it’s another considered purchase when you’re doing a super market stock up.”

Back in Grand Rapids, Engbers said while the majority owner is in Spain, he will continue to argue Founders is a very local company - and plenty of tourists make a pilgrimage to the taproom on an annual basis.

But thinking about his company as a business, he and Stevens knew there was a door closing before Mahou took its first 30% stake in the company in 2014. Mahou later acquired another 60% in 2019, with Engbers and Stevens retaining 10%.

“When we started seeing acquisitions, when Anheuser Busch started buying breweries, Miller Coors started buying breweries, as a business owner it would had been irresponsible not to look at that,” Engbers said. “We had a lot of private equity groups looking at this as an opportunity to

make a lot of money and we knew we had a responsibility to ourselves and shareholders to look at it. Partnering with Mahou, people kind of scratched their head at it because I think people wanted to get upset but a lot of people who’ve taken business classes said, ‘Oh, that’s a good move.’

“But our timing, we recognized in 2014 there were about 7,000 breweries and our window was closing before the industry changed dramatically.”

Sure enough, shortly after Founders sold its first stake, fellow hot brewery Ballast

"Beer has always been this conduit that brings people together, it’s just that social beverage that is accessible to everybody, all walks of life."

–DAVE ENGBERS

Point Brewing from San Diego sold for $1 billion in 2015 to global spirits giant Constellation Brands. A few years later in 2019, Ballast Point’s brand cache was all but dead and sold to a strange Chicagobased brewery called Kings & Convicts from Chicago for an undisclosed amount, but industry experts estimated it to be less than $200 million.

Unlike Ballast Point, however, Founders has been able to keep its momentum - albeit slowing down with much of the overall industry - and has remained a powerhouse in the beer world. It’s unlikely a brewery will ever meet the trajectory Founders hit, brewing less than 10,000 barrels of beer in 2007 to brewing more than 600,000 in 2019.

At one point, especially by the mid-1990s, Grand Rapids was, as Engbers called it, a “sleepy little town.” There were times it was called Bland Rapids. A former mayor said you could roll a bowling ball down Monroe Center after 5 p.m. and not hit anybody.

Grand Rapids is any thing but that sleepy little town and there are many more plans in the future to continue its growth. Founders can take at least a bit of credit for helping it on its on current path.

“I don’t think we can take all the credit, but I think we can take a hell of a lot of credit because this really is just about bringing people together,” Engbers said. “It’s great to see what happened to this town and I think we played a role in it, but obviously Van Andel Arena played a huge role, Meijer Gardens played a huge role. It all speaks highly to our community here and beer is kind of a cool thing that people like to read about. But the conduit of beer has brought a bunch of different people together here.”

Founders started as a small brewery on Monroe Avenue, in the Brass Works Building, becoming a cult favorite among Grand Rapidians while it struggled to pay the bills before finally breaking out into the world of beer and becoming the aging global rockstar it is. Engbers followed a passion spurred by a home-brew kit his mother gave him at 18 and the brewery grew well beyond any aspirations he and Stevens set out to build.

“The intent was not to become a national player, it was to start a brewery and we had no idea how to do that,” he said. “The parameters changed significantly when we went from starting a little business to being responsible for 500 employees and families and their salaries and 401ks. You can’t control it, it becomes a much bigger animal.”

With Founders a global brand and in the hands of a parent brewery that’s been around since the late 1800s, it is probably safe to say Founders will remain an anchor to downtown Grand Rapids for at least another 25 years. But how long will its founders remain connected to it? That is to be seen. Stevens still sits on the board and Engbers still has his day job. Plenty of other early Founders executives have gone on to other beverage endeavors.

Are second generation Engbers in line to helm an office on Granville Avenue?

“I know a lot of brewery owners and their kids don’t have a huge interest in getting involved in the business,” Engbers said. “I think that’s one of the things that any company faces, whether it’s a restaurant or a baker, they grow up in it and they say, ‘Yea, I don’t want to do that.’

“I’ve got kids who say they’re kind of interested in getting into the beer industry, but, you know, listening to a 10-year-old say he really wants to be a brewer …

“I’m like, ‘Eh, maybe you wanna be a farmer.’”

Pull up a stool for some eats

Where to get great food with good drinks

Each year, Grand Rapids Magazine goes to great lengths to name the best restaurants in the city. Most often, those restaurants are recognized because of the atmosphere that also raises the bar for a great dinner — usually a place that might be considered a perfect fancy date night spot or to celebrate a special occasion. Unfortunately, that often leaves out more than deserving menus across town, be it holes-in-the-wall or even a pizza place.

And in Grand Rapids, that can mean one of the dozens great beverage producers that have popped up over the years and also decided to offer expansive food menus.

These are some of the best brewery and distillery kitchens in Grand Rapids.

ByPAT EVANS

PHOTO ADOBE

TOP NOD: Brewery Vivant & Broad Leaf Brewery & Spirits

When it comes to kitchens that measure up to the liquid being poured, the teams at Brewery Vivant and Broad Leaf have nailed it. The food menu at Brewery Vivant fits the Belgian and Northern French theme and taproom atmosphere of the former funeral home. From thoughtfullysourced beef to the creative pastry offerings, the menu is delightful — particularly the burger. Broad Leaf throws a different spin on a menu, and while still delivered in a tight way, it is a little bit more of modern approach to a fusion menu.

Pizza wars

There is no shortage of pizza spots in Grand Rapids and many of them toss out fantastic pies worthy of strong debates on pizza night. There are two breweries, however, that fire up vastly different styles of pizza, but tasty in their own rights. Mitten Brewing Company’s pizzas are a bit breadier and heartier, with creative topping combinations that will keep a belly full. Harmony Brewing Company, meanwhile, are a touch lighter and mostly simpler in terms of toppings. Both breweries serve up pizzas worth a stop and both see plenty of customers there for the food, rather than the beer.

ISLAND FLAIR: City Built Brewing

When City Built Brewing opened up, a huge claim to fame was its Puerto Rican-inspired kitchen. That kitchen continues to kick out awesome spins on Puerto Rican favorites, from the pastelillos and bori balls to tostones, a perfect little salty snack to go with a refreshing beer. Each week, a special pop-up kitchen, Li Grand Zombie, offers up creole-inspired dishes as the brewery’s “alter ego.”

DISTILLING CHAMP: Long Road Distillers

From special oyster and burger nights to the everyday menu, Long Road has hoped to elevate the idea of a kitchen at a Grand Rapids beverage making establishment since it opened. Whether you’re going to enjoy a cocktail and a shareable like shrimp and grits or mussels with friends or grab a sandwich like its crawfish cake sandwich or a full entrée like farraotto, the kitchen does its best to keep diners as happy as the drinkers at the bar.

NEIGHBORHOOD ANCHOR: New Holland Knickerbocker

The Knickerbocker is one of the largest dining establishments in town, with a nice array of seating options, from the dining room, to the great room with communal options and the incredible outdoor space, the settings are great. But so too are many of the menu choices. The pizzas are tasty, as are the shareables. Then items like kielbasa & kraut and roasted brussels sprouts help up the game a touch.

SMASHED BURGERS: Vander Mill

When Vander Mill opened, they did so with an ambitious kitchen that delivered in many ways, but was unsustainable, particularly following the pandemic. Now, the kitchen focuses on burgers and it does so well. With several options of the cidermaker’s smash burger, like the Classic Double and the BLUish Gold, the taproom is a perfect place to crush a burger craving.

HONORABLE MENTION Cedar Springs Brewing Company

It’s not really Grand Rapids, since it’s a decent drive north up U.S. 131, but because of its rather unique menu focus for the region, it is important to note the brewery in Cedar Springs. Owner David Ringler did open up Kusterer Brauhaus downtown this summer (read about that further back in the magazine), but it lacks the full kitchen that its sister restaurant promotes. Up north, the taproom serves a full German-themed menu, From bratwursts and spatzle to wienerschnitzel or jagerschnitzel, Cedar Springs Brewing Company nails a cuisine that is underrepresented in the Grand Rapids area. Plus, it pairs perfectly with the brewery’s impeccable representations of German-style brews.

holiday entertaining feel good

By Kelsey Dunneback

How to lean into hosting that feels as good as you make it look.

When the clock strikes midnight on Thanksgiving, most of us are met with one of two feelings; the immediate excitement for the approaching holidays, or the anxious chest hum thinking of everything to check off your to-do list.

Either way, the holidays seem to come with more stress and responsibility the older you get, especially when you add in the countless parties, get-togethers, and family soirees. Even for the most outgoing or prepared, entertaining can come with its unique set of stressors.

Finding a less stressful, more magical holiday season filled with mindful moments and cozy time with family and friends is more achievable than you think.

We tapped into some of Grand Rapids go-to spots and experts to share their secrets to a more blissful holiday season of entertaining and cozy space making.

The holidays are a time that colorfully engage every one of our senses, so we’ve curated a guide that explores just that. Read on to learn how tuning into your senses can make this holiday season’s gatherings as enjoyable for yourself as they are for your guests.

Sight:

Cozy Up Your Space

When kicking off the holiday season, most people initially think of decorating your space, with first impressions being made the moment guests walk in the door. From Christmas trees to DIY wreaths to outdoor snowmen, the possibilities are endless - but that can also feel overwhelming.

On this topic, there was no one more perfectly suited to chat with than Amber Brandt, Grand Rapids own “Queen of Cozy”, who’s Instagram handle @ thecozinessconsultant explains her expertise: values-based design to curate a cozier space. Different than a standard interior designer, Amber helps clients go beyond aesthetics to identify what makes you feel truly at home. So where to begin on curating your home for holiday entertaining?

Amber suggests a good place to start is to think of the five senses and picture someone entering your house for the first time.

“Curate the space as they are walking up. What greets them?” she says. “Maybe they see a wreath on the front door. What do they see, smell, hear? All these things, whether it’s mulling spices or having Christmas music

on, makes a big impact from the second they walk in.”

The other place that most people get hung up on when decorating is traditional holiday décor. If you have some *ahem* more “kitschy” pieces from family that aren’t fitting your vision or personal style, put those in out of the way places.

“If it’s something that feels nostalgic to you, you should feature it,” Amber says. “But if it’s something that feels like obligation, listen to that guilt, and ask yourself why you feel that way. You get to make the rules and it’s okay to go easy on yourself.”

One of the easiest ways to make your home cozier? To just clean.

“When people enter my home, they regularly comment on how cozy it is, when in truth it’s just clean and uncluttered,” Amber laughs.

Simplify your home by removing clutter, even if that means completely emptying your space and being strategic about what goes back in it- something that doesn’t cost anything. Amber notes that, “Sometimes it’s not about adding another throw blanket. It’s

removing some of the visual noise.”

She also suggests focusing on lighting. Each room in your house has different lighting that’s well-suited to the space. This could mean adding more cast overhead lighting for a brighter look. Or maybe inserting ambient lighting- candles or lanterns or items that add character but can also help to adjust the light for what you’ll be doing in the room.

“Candles are something so small that can have such a huge impact,” Amber notes. “Candlelight changes the mood; it makes everyone lean in a little more. Even installing dimmer switches on your lighting can make a big change.”

If you still feel stuck, Amber suggests asking yourself some simple questions: What do you like? What makes you feel relaxed?

“Can you think of a time when you visited someone’s home and it felt cozy to you?” she asks. “Consider if it was something really special that they did. If not, sometimes it’s easy to overthink having all the right things in place, when really, it’s you that makes people feel welcome.”

Smell:

Make Memories Through Scent

We’ve all caught a whiff of a smell that’s transported us back to a specific time and place. While scent might not be your initial consideration when entertaining for the holidays, a strong emotional connection can be made through smells.

“Our sense of smell is in the prefrontal cortex, so we link scents to emotions. Nothing else is connected to our brain like smell,” says Tanya Thompson, founder of The Aroma Labs, a local Grand Rapids shop where you can create your own custom fragrances. Customers can put their crafted scent into different mediums like perfumes, lotions, air fresheners and more.

Tanya recommends incorporating festive scents in your home through different hand soaps and room diffusers when gathering for the holidays. Another tip she shares is to spray a signature scent on your furnace filter to provide an aromatic throughout your home.

We also chatted with Mary Hayes, Manager at Wax Poetic Candle Bar of Grand Rapids, where guests can create custom candles by choosing various fragrances. When inviting guests into your home, she suggests focusing on how you’d like them to feel.

“Fragrance gives a long-lasting impression- that’s what we love most,” she says. “It’s really fun because then even in months or years from now, they’re going to smell that smell and remember being with you.”

If you want to curate a cozy vibe for your guests, try burning sweet scents like a cinnamon or cranberry candle. If you want them to feel refreshed, scents like Frazier fur or white birch can be a good choice. When choosing a scent for a group, it’s good to keep in mind aromas that are universally loved to please a variety of different noses.

"Our sense of smell is in the prefrontal cortex, so we link scents to emotions. Nothing else is connected to our brain like smell."

Tanya Thompson

Taste:

Choose Festive Food & Drink

No holiday party is complete without a small assortment of snacks, treats and cocktails. Yes, we’re talking taste.

First up, food. This can be the most stressful part of hosting a gettogether, but Queen of Cozy Amber suggests taking it easy on yourself.

“Give yourself little outs. Buy everything pre-chopped and know which items okay store-bought,” she says. While holidays can evoke visions of cooking turkey or ham all day, consider trying some equally as comforting foods, like homemade soup or breads.

“Even grilled cheese can be really gourmet. The simple act of presenting can elevate it,” Amber notes.

Next up, dessert! We called up Grand Rapid’s beloved Cakabakery to get their take on something sweet for holiday gatherings. Offering a local bakery’s desserts is a great way to support local businesses during the holidays (and takes baking off your long to-do list!).

We spoke with Cakabakery owner Jason Kakabaker who notes, “For a small group of people it’s always fun to offer our very cute gingerbread people. These are just as tasty as they are adorable.” For larger parties, Cakabakery’s pumpkin pie, pecan bars and caramel apple cheesecake bars are the way to go.

If you’re looking for something unexpected, Jason suggests a small dessert display of mini treats with things like cake pops, minicookies and mini brownies: “It’s always so fun and festive on a table at varying heights when paired with cake stands, pedestals and trays”.

Cakabakery is perhaps most known for their chocolate chunk cookies (we suggest served paired with a glass of red wine).

Speaking of, round out your holiday bash with some cocktails. We recommend stocking your bar cart with Grand Rapids founded Let’s Stay Home Cocktail Kits, appropriately named by founders Eric and Taylor MacAulay as they started their business during the confines of their home during the pandemic. These all natural, small batch cocktail mixes are ready to drink, just add alcohol. And they’re just as delicious without for non-alcoholic options, with flavors like Blueberry Lavender and Peach Rosemary.

Let’s Stay Home Cocktail Kits make it easy to create your own craft cocktails at home. Sold by the bottle, you can easily batch out cocktails for large groups by combining multiple bottles and mixing with your preferred liquor. Or put out a range of vodkas, whiskeys, gins and assorted mix-ins for a cool DIY cocktail bar.

“[Making drinks] is a fun way to bring people together and it’s an interactive experience,” say Eric and Taylor.

"Even grilled cheese can be really gourmet. The simple act of pre senting can elevate it."

Amber Brandt

Hear:

Go New Age or Old School

Music is without a doubt the best way to tap into your sense of hearing this holiday season. Set the mood with some Christmas music playing in background speakers or set your guests at ease with the cozy, classic sound of vinyl records.

Spotify is a great resource to look to for pre-curated holiday-themed playlists. From “Festive Hangs” to “Retro Holiday”, you’re sure to find something that complements the celebratory mood. You can also send out a link to a shared playlist to your guests beforehand so they can help to add in and look forward to listening to their favorite songs upon arrival.

Touch:

Gift with Comfort and Fun in Mind

For our final sense exploration, we’re extending touch into the more metaphorical sense- the exchanging of gifts. Whether you love to handcraft your gift wrapping or give gifts that touch hearts, gifting is a thoughtful part of holiday get-togethers.

We talked with local year-round favorite gift shop, Rebel, whose shelves are stocked with everything from chic coffee table books and trinket dishes, to disco ball planters. Dann Boyles, co-owner of Rebel speaks on the shop’s holiday season enthusiasm.

“We’re kinda like the North Pole here”, he jokes. “We usually start placing our holiday orders in January before the coming season. We pay close attention to current trends, Tik Tok, social media and of course things that give us the warm, cozy holiday feels.”

Dann also shares a passion for decorating for the holidays, citing it as an “opportunity to unleash our childhood imaginations in our homes.” If you’re looking for a way to re-capture the magic of the holiday spirit, have fun with making up your home. “It’s only going to be up for a few weeks so you don’t have to take it so seriously,” Dann notes.

As far as what to give guests you’re hosting for the holidays, Dann says he thinks we tend to overthink these gifts. “When you don’t know someone’s personal style, I

always go toward comfort,” he says. “A cozy pair of slippers and socks and a refreshing face mask is something that anyone can enjoy.  A hot toddy drink mixer and a favorite mug could be good too.  Maybe they’ll share a cocktail with you!”

Joining a holiday party this year and don’t want to show up empty handed? Rebel has countless signature scents in candles during the holidays. “I think a candle wrapped in a festive kitchen towel is both useful and nice for a host to have during a busy season at home,” Dann says.

Curating an exceptional experience for others during the holidays is part of what makes the season special but making sure to take some time out for yourself is just as key.

While the stress of the holidays may creep in this year, tapping into your senses and prioritizing what you love can help channel the magic feeling you experienced as a child- full of wonder and warm cookies and a glass of piping hot chocolate, spent with people you love.

After your guests leave for home, all the dishes are cleaned up and décor put away, what they and you will really remember is that you took the time to have meaningful conversations and create connection. Because that’s really all we’re searching for in the end.

If you’re looking for a way to re-capture the magic of the holiday spirit, have fun with making up your home.

Dann Boyles

Winter cocktails can be a lot of fun!

The variations can be simple, yet extremely flavorful. The ingredients can be few, with a key piece adding a major differentiator.

In the summer, it’s easy for a drink to be too heavy and become a drag in the high humidity heat of the Michigan sun. The winter, however, offers a chance to let it all happen to add some warmth to the frigid air.

Caramel Spiced Apple Cider

There is no real recipe for this, its really how an individual sees fit. Ingredients are as follows: Apple Cider

Caramel Vodka (or, to really kick it up a notch, Duke & Dame Salted Carmel Whiskey)

Cinnamon Stick Served: Hot or Cold.

Irish coffee

4 oz. Hot coffee (preferably brewed strong)

1.5 oz Irish Whiskey

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 oz heavy cream, whipped

Method: Put brown sugar in mug, pour in coffee, then whiskey. Stir. Float the heavy cream, preferably lightly whipped and still creamy. Optional: Shaved chocolate on top of cream.

Cranberry

2 oz ginger beer

Ginger Mimosa

2 oz cranberry juice

Sparkling wine

Sugared Cranberries

Method: Combine liquids in champagne flute.

Garnish with sugared cranberries.

A classic summer cocktail, the gin & tonic, can also easily be added into the holiday flair with some cranberry juice, or even just a few cranberries.

RECIPES BY: PAT EVANS, LIQUOR.COM

Where the beverage people drink

BY PAT EVANS

When it comes time to pick a place to grab a beverage in Grand Rapids, the options continue to grow.

There are plenty of bars that offer up a serviceable cocktail, glass of wine or pint of beer, but there are fewer that truly elevate the beverage experience. To find out where the best options are, a good bet is to ask a bartender, distiller or brewer.

An interesting dilemma came up as GR Mag asked beverage professionals in Grand Rapids about where they drink: many are fathers in a young family and don’t get out much beyond the borders of their own establishments.

When they do, however, many of the answers were pretty similar. And one even said one of the magazine’s all-time favorite establishments, the Pickwick. Here’s a quick sampling of where beverage professionals drink:

Tristan Walczewski, chief operating officer and beverage director at Essence Restaurant Group (Grove, Bistro Bella Vita and The Green Well):

“For ‘sophisticated’ drinking: Eastern Kille, Sidebar, Littlebird, Post Off. If I am out, I usually stick to dives. The city has some truly amazing ones. In order of favorites: Vinny’s, The Point, Birch Lodge, River City Saloon and Playstation Pub.”

Ben Darcie, Short’s Brewing sales representative:

“Eastern Kille, and they have a new location on Wealthy. People’s Cider, Post Off, Greyline, City Built.”

Rob Hanks, general manager at Two James Spirits Grand Rapids:

“Buffalo Traders Lounge and Post Off, those are two of my go-tos (where he used to run). Also Cafe Mamo for a glass of wine and some snacks or dinner, that’s probably where I go most for dinner. Honestly, I love the new Eastern Kille spot on Wealthy Street. For dive bars, Pickwick. It’s a service style you don’t get anywhere else. They have what they have — including Fosters on tap.”

5

Wines to pair

Jean-Jacques Auchere Sancerre

A beautiful sauvignon blanc from Sancerre in the Loire valley of France. It’s a great, dry wine with plenty of complimentary notes for a variety of plates during holiday feasts.

Banshee Pinot Noir

Pinot Noirs are a safe bet for holiday meals as they’re light and fairly soft with great fruit notes. Banshee is a fantastic option to try out with a hearty turkey dinner.

Wyncroft Chardonnay

A Michigan wine, Wyncroft chardonnay is an affordable bottle is a fresh bouquet of fruits, largely apples and pears. The wine is crisp and smooth, which goes along with many of the dishes that find their way to a holiday table.

Mawby Blanc

A great holiday party starts with a glass of bubbly, so why not make it a Michigan sparkles. While it is that optimal way to begin the party, a good flute of bubbles can also pair well with a feast, so feel free to keep it on the table.

Davis Estates Zephyr

From Napa Valley, the Davis Estates Zephyr features multiple Bordeaux grape varietals and goes big. That means it goes well with the big, bold and savory dishes that find their way to the table all throughout the holidays.

Pork and Pumpkin Pie

BY CAFE MAMO // PHOTO BY STACY FEYER-SALO

This dish is perfect to enjoy in the early cold months of the winter, and a wonderful main for a dinner party.

Braised pork and sweet roaster squash paired with rich, buttery crust pairs well with a bottle of Wyncroft ‘Avonlea’ Chardonnay to cut through the richness and cool the onset of meat sweats.

For the filling:

2 pounds boneless pork butt

2 red onions

1 head of garlic

1 medium roaster squash (pumpkin, kuri, acorn, butternut, etc.)

600 grams water or stock  150 grams flour

2 bay leaves Salt and pepper to taste

Warm a Dutch oven with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil or lard to medium heat. Peel and clean the garlic and leave all the cloves whole. Peel and large dice the red onions. Gently salt the pork butt. Setbit in the pot and Sear all side to dark brown. Once it’s seared, set it aside and Sautee the garlic and onions for 2 minutes. Declare with the stock and return the pork butt to the pot with the 2 bay leaves and cover the pot. Once the pot is boiling, place in the oven at 350° F for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, Peel the squash. Cut into large chunks, about 2inches wide.

When the pork is finished, remove it from the pot and set aside. Add the flour into the braising liquid, being sure to whisk and avoid clumping. Once it starts to thicken, add the squash. Chop the pork into similar sized chunks as the squash and return to the pot. Pour the braise into a casserole dish or deep pie pan. Turn the oven to 400°F.

For the crust:

750 grams flour 200 grams lard

200 grams butter

25 grams sugar 20 grams salt 2 grams baking soda 100 grams water

Sift all the dry ingredients (baking soda, sugar, salt, flour). Make sure the fat is diced up and cold. Cut it into the dry mixture. You are looking for flaky bits of fat. Slowly mix in the water. Knead the dough but do not totally mix. It should hold together but not be smooth. Roll into a ball and let it rest for a least a half hour before rolling out. You can also make this a day ahead to cut down on prep time.

Flour a countertop to use as your rolling surface. Roll the dough until it is about 2 centimeters thick and place on top of the filling. It does not need to be perfectly square and is fine to drape over the edge of the dish for extra crispy crusty bits. Use egg wash to completely cover the dough with a thin layer and sprinkle with flaky salt. Place in the center rack of your oven and bake until crust is deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Enjoy.

Bourbon glazed Pork Chops with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli

BY THE CHOP HOUSE KITCHEN // PHOTO BY STACY FEYER-SALO

4-6 Kurobuta / Berkshire Bone in pork chops from your local Butcher

Bourbon Glaze, recipe follows

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, recipe follows

Broccoli, large florettes, cut in half

Canola oil, few Tablespoons

Salt and Pepper

Bourbon glaze:

1 Cup Bourbon

½ Cup Honey

¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar ¼ Cup Tamari Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Whole Grain Mustard

2 Tablespoons Ginger, Fresh, Peeled, Minced fine

2 Tablespoons Garlic, Fresh, Peeled, Minced fine

½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Procedure:

Measure and prepare all ingredients according to the instructions. Combine all ingredients in a saucepot and place over medium heat. Be careful, the bourbon can “ignite” but will burn low and quickly. Cook and reduce the sauce by half until thickened. Set aside and reserve.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

1 pound Butter

2 pounds Sweet Potatoes, Peeled, Cut into 1” cubes

1 head Roasted Garlic Cloves

1 teaspoon Rosemary, Fresh, chopped fine

1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

1 Lemon, Zested

1 Tablespoon Salt

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare all ingredients according to the instructions. Place butter in a sauce pot and place over medium heat, cook until the milk solids are reduced and browned, remove from heat. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat/combine. Transfer to a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, remove foil, remove the sweet potatoes from the butter and let cool to room temperature. Save the roasting butter for later.

Execution:

When you are ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper or any preferred seasoning (salt and pepper will showcase the natural beauty of high-quality Berkshire / Kurobuta pork).

Begin searing the chops until golden in color, when golden flip and continue to cook the other side. Turn chops and while holding with tongs brown the fat cap. When all sides are seared golden, move to a baking sheet, and remove the cast iron pan from the heat. Place the pork chops in the preheated oven and cook to an internal temperature of 132 degrees F, then remove from oven and let rest. In a fresh sauté pan, add a few Tablespoons of canola oil and place over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add some of the sweet potatoes and some broccoli and cook until dark golden in color, turning before they burn.

When all the sweet potatoes and broccoli have been browned, remove the pan from heat and combine the sweet potatoes, broccoli, and the “roasting butter” in the sauté pan and toss to coat. Taste and ensure the vegetables are seasoned properly. Place in a serving dish.

When the pork chops have properly rested, top them with the bourbon glaze and set your oven to broil. Place the glazed pork chops under the broiler to make them fresh, hot, and help the glaze stick. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

Dentists

A Healthy Smile is a Happy Smile

Checkups and cleanings every six months are just part of the equation that adds up to optimum oral health and a radiant smile. Beyond preventive maintenance, there are a number of treatments and procedures that can help assure that your teeth — and your whole mouth — look and feel their best. Finding the right provider for your specific dental needs isn’t always easy. Whether you need a general dentist or one that specializes in pediatrics, implants, aesthetics, prosthetics, or advanced restorative techniques, the options in West Michigan cover the map.

With the help of Professional Research Services (PRS), a list was compiled of top dental professionals in West Michigan. These dental professionals devote their career to providing patients with the best possible care.

Our Top Dentists section is not only a way to highlight the esteemed, peer-recognized providers in the region; it also serves as a directory to make your search for an expert less challenging. The dentists featured here offer services ranging from routine exams to complete smile restorations. Some are skilled at addressing jaw, bite, and sleep issues, while others care for infants and set them up for a lifetime of good oral hygiene. No matter their specialty, what they all have in common is a wealth of training and education that will put you in the best possible hands.

Endodontics

Amru Albeiruti

Forest Hill Endodontics

Grand Rapids

Arthur Doering

The Root Canal Specialists Grand Rapids

Andrew Drerup

West Michigan Endodontists Grand Rapids

Jeffrey N. Dzingle

Lake Michigan Endodontics Grand Haven

Anthony Guinn

West Michigan Endodontists Grand Rapids

Jeffrey P. Halvorson

Halvorson & Hembrough Grand Rapids

Michael W. Hembrough

Halvorson & Hembrough Grand Rapids

Scott Hodges

West Michigan Endodontists Grand Rapids

Thomas Korte

Grandville Endodontics Wyoming

Sarah Lennan Masterson

Grand River Endodontics PC Grandville

Brian J. Licari

Grandville Endodontics Wyoming

Brent A. Medema

Medema Endodontics Caledonia

Patrick J. Mullally

Lake Michigan Endodontics Muskegon

Geoff Robert

West Michigan Endodontists Grand Rapids

David Selis

The Root Canal Specialists

Grand Rapids

Aric Smith

West Michigan Endodontists Grand Rapids

Michael A.

Holland Root Canal Specialists Holland

Mark C. Tingey

Mark C. Tingey, DDS Holland

General

Leonard

Zachary

James

Thomas J. Burdo

Katie Burggraaf

KB Family Dentistry Grand Rapids

Maxine Cannon

Midwest Family Dental Care Jenison

Brian Carmody

My Community Dental Centers of Cedar Springs Cedar Springs

Randall W. Chambers Chambers Dental Grand Rapids

Aaron S. Clark

Clark & VanOverloop DDS Jenison

Patrick

Robert S. Dame D.D.S.

North Park Family Dental 422 N. Park St. NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525 616-361-7265 drdamedds@npfamilydentalc.om npfamilydental.com

Jocelyn R. Davis

Carroll Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Grand Rapids

Drew De Zwaan

Great Lakes Dental Care Grand Rapids

Sunil Desai

Alpine Ridge Dental Grand Rapids

Jason Doublestein 44 West Dental Professionals Grandville

Derek Draft

Grandville Family Dental Care, P.C. Grandville

Joseph Ellis

GR Family Dental Kentwood

Eric J. Foster

Eric J. Foster D.D.S. Grand Rapids

» Top Dentists

Matthew K. Gietzen

Partners In Dental Care

Grand Rapids

Daniel W. Grode

Beckwith Family Dental Care, P.L.C. Grand Rapids

Caitlynn Haas Mailloux Dentistry Holland

Jeff Helmus

River Ridge Dentistry Wyoming

Drew Hoekwater Hoekwater Family Dentistry Wyoming

Matthew D. Hudson

Beltline Family Dentistry Grand Rapids

Eric

John Leitner

John Leitner DDS Grand Haven

J. Daniel Lewis

Grand Ridge Family Dentistry Grand Rapids

Matthew Lieto Heritage Hill Dental Grand Rapids

Nichole Lubberts

Northview Family Dentistry Grand Rapids

John Ludwig

Life-Centered Dentistry Grand Rapids

Brittany Mailloux D.D.S.

Mailloux Dentistry

601 Michigan Ave. Ste. 106 Holland, MI 49423 616-392-3717 contact@hollanddentist.com hollanddentist.com

Stephen C. Meade

John M. McMahon D.D.S. McMahon Family Dental 2076 Baldwin St. Jenison, MI 49428 616-457-2710 office@mcmahonfamilydental.com mcmahonfamilydental.com

Meade Zolman Family Dentistry, P.C. Allendale

Michael Mehling

Durham and Mehling DDS PC Grand Rapids

Jacob S. Miller Miller Dental Grand Rapids

Jerry B. Mulder A Life of Smiles Grand Rapids

Devin O. Norman Norman Family Dentistry Ada

Stephen M. Mancewicz

GR Family Dental Kentwood

James J. Hur

James J. Hur, DDS Wyoming

Chas Jensen Rogue River Family Dental Rockford

John P. Klooster Belmont Dentistry Belmont

Andrew Knowlton

Knowlton & Masson Dentistry Sparta

Kevin

Michael McCoy

Bryton C. Mansfield

Mansfield Family Dentistry 1632 Leonard St. N.W. Grand Rapids, MI 49504 616-453-2255 drbryton@mansfieldgrdental.com mansfieldgrdental.com

Travis

McCoy Family Dentistry

Grand Rapids

Erik J. Lee

Dr. Erik J. Lee D.D.S. Jenison

Brian S. Nylaan, D.D.S. Brian S. Nylaan, D.D.S. 5011 Planfield Ave. NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525 616-361-7317 dr.nylaan@nylaandental.com nylaandental.com

Timothy Obradovich D.D.S. Bander Dental Group 1151 E. Paris Ave. SE Ste. 100 Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-949-5980 info@banderdentalgroup.com banderdentalgroup.com

Karen O’Rourke

O’Rourke Wonderly Dental Grand Rapids

Michael S. Palaszek

Lake Michigan Dental, P.C. Grand Rapids

Scott Pirochta

Healthy Life Dentistry Grand Rapids

Top Dentists

Stephanie Sakowicz

Mulder Dental Grand Rapids

Samy Salhadar

Ada Family Dentistry, PLC Ada

Benjamin Schell

Hudsonville Dental Hudsonville

Jeremy Schell

Hudsonville Dental Hudsonville

Gary L. Scott

Family Dentistry of Caledonia Caledonia

Christopher Smiley

Smiley Family Dentistry Grand Rapids

Robert Strobel

Strobel Family Dentistry Grand Rapids

Katelyn Trierweiler

44 West Dental Professionals Grandville

Andrew M. Van Haren

VH Dental Grand Rapids

Ryan Van Haren

Van Haren Dentistry Grand Rapids

Lauryne Vanderhoof

Cascade Village Dental Grand Rapids

Christian L. VerMeulen

Christian L. VerMeulen, DDS, PLC Grand Rapids

Gregory L. Weaver

Weaver Family Dentistry Grand Rapids

Lora Wonderly

O’Rourke Wonderly Dental Grand Rapids

Brian Yared

Hudsonville Dental Hudsonville

John Zona

My Community Dental Centers of Kentwood Kentwood

Peter Zwier

MI Smiles Dental of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Oral & Maxillofacial

Surgery

Brett Bezak

Oral Surgery Associates Grand Rapids

P. Jeffrey Brooks

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates of Western Michigan Grand Rapids

Mark T. Burye

West Shore Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, PLC Norton Shores

Brent Dingman

Oral Surgery Associates Grand Rapids

J. Mark Domin

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates of Western Michigan Grand Rapids

Brant A. Erbentraut

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates of Western Michigan Grand Rapids

Paul Huizinga

West Michigan Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Grandville

Mark L. Jesin Advanced

Bob Kintz

Oral Surgery Associates Grand Rapids

Jeffrey Lindhout

West Michigan Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Grandville

Mark Lonergan

West Michigan Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Holland

A.J.

Igor Makovey

Keith Nalley

West Michigan Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Grand Haven

Christopher “Chip” Niquette Jr.

Third Coast Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Byron Center

Roseanna

Ezio

Seth

Seth

Grand Haven

Seth

Grand Haven

Bradley M. Robinson

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates of Western Michigan Grand Rapids

» Top Dentists

Emily Van Heukelom

Center for Oral Surgery & Dental Implants

4349 Sawkaw Dr. NE

Grand Rapids, MI 49525 616-361-7327

info@grandrapidsoralsurgery.com grandrapidsoralsurgery.com

Bradley VanHoose

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Greater Grand Rapids

Caledonia

Orthodontics

David Armbrecht

Armbrecht & Wierenga Orthodontics Grand Rapids

Mark P. Brieden Brieden & Miller Orthodontics Sparta

Jason L. Charnley Lakeshore Orthodontics Grand Haven

Elizabeth Christopherson Christopherson Orthodontics Grand Rapids

Alexis L. Gallagher Williams Orthodontics Rockford

Cameron (Cadie) H. George Dr. George Orthodontics Holland

Daniel C. George Dr. George Orthodontics Holland

Heather Gietzen Grand River Orthodontics Lowell

Timothy Glupker Glupker Orthodontics Holland

Eric Hannapel Hannapel Pellillo Orthodontics Caledonia

Thomas Herremans Herremans Orthodontics Grand Rapids

J. Todd Hunt Hunt Orthodontics Muskegon

Paul J. Karl Karl Orthodontics Grand Rapids

James Kessel Kessel & Bouwens Orthodontics Zeeland

Kevin Knapp Knapp Orthodontics Byron Center

Larry Majznerski Align Orthodontics Wyoming

Lathe Miller Miller Orthodontics Grand Rapids

John F. Monticello Grand Ridge Orthodontics Grand Rapids

Paul O’Grady O’Grady Orthodontics Grand Rapids

Gregory Oppenhuizen Oppenhuizen Orthodontics Holland

Mark L.M. Powell Powell Orthodontics Jenison

Katie Randall Armbrecht & Wierenga Orthodontics Grand Rapids

Tom Shannon Shannon Orthodontics Grandville

Kathryn A. Swan Swan Orthodontics Caledonia

Mark Wierenga Armbrecht & Wierenga Orthodontics Grand Rapids

Thomas Williams Williams Orthodontics Rockford

Pediatric Dentistry

Daniel Bolt West Michigan Pediatric Dentistry Holland

Meghan Condit Grand River Pediatric Dentistry Jenison

Brett Kingma

Michael Demeter D.D.S.

Grandville Pediatric Dentistry

3131 44th Street SW Grandville, MI 49418 616-531-3430

grandvillepediatricdentistry@yahoo.com grandvillepediatricdentistry.com

Veronica Hamilton, D.D.S., M.S.

Hamilton Pediatric Dentistry

3299 Clear Vista Ct. NE Ste. B Grand Rapids, MI 49525 616-608-6826 info@veronicahamiltondds.com veronicahamiltondds.com

Mitten Kids Dentistry

Grand Rapids

Stephanie Kloostra D.D.S., M.S.

Pediatric Dental Specialists of West Mich.

2155 E. Paris Ave. SE Ste. 120 Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-608-8898 smile@pdsofwestmi.com pdsofwestmi.com

Alex Korte

Mitten Kids Dentistry Grand Rapids

Sally Kotani D.D.S

Grandville Pediatric Dentistry

3131 44th Street SW Grandville, MI 49418 616-531-3430

grandvillepediatricdentistry@yahoo.com grandvillepediatricdentistry.com

Agata Lefere D.M.D.

Grandville Pediatric Dentistry

3131 44th Street SW Grandville, MI 49418 616-531-3430

grandvillepediatricdentistry@yahoo.com grandvillepediatricdentistry.com

Top Dentists

Jessica C. Massie

Valleau, VanDeven & Massie Dentistry for Children

Grand Rapids

Meggan McCone, D.D.S.

Growing Smiles Pediatric Dentistry

2643 E. Beltline Ave. NE

Grand Rapids, MI 49525 616-988-9485

info@growingsmiles gr.com growingsmilesgr.com

Daniel P. O’Callaghan

Gaines Pediatric Dentistry

Grand Rapids

Suzanne Port

Port Pediatric Dentistry Holland

Chris Powell Hudsonville Dental Kids Hudsonville

Grady Randall Mitten Kids Dentistry Grand Rapids

Stephanie Rashewsky

Norman Family Dentistry Ada

Kathryn Swanson D.D.S.

Pediatric Dental Specialists of West Mich.

2155 E. Paris Ave. SE Ste. 120

Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-608-8898

smile@pdsofwestmi.com pdsofwestmi.com

Danae Willenberg

Christopher E. VanDeven

Valleau & VanDeven

Dentistry for Children

2000 43rd St. SE Ste. 100

Grand Rapids, MI 49508 616-455-1301

drchris@vvmkids.com vvandmkidsdentistry.com

Taryn Weil D.D.S.

Pediatric Dental Specialists of West Mich.

2155 E. Paris Ave. SE Ste. 120

Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-608-8898

smile@pdsofwestmi.com pdsofwestmi.com

Little Red Pediatric Dentistry Holland

Periodontics

Brian Cilla West Michigan Periodontics Grand Rapids

Jacob C. Lueder

Jacob C. Lueder, DDS, MS Grand Rapids

Kathleen M. Eisin

Eisin Periodontics & Implant Dentistry Grand Rapids

James C. Papp

Great Lakes Periodontics Grand Rapids

Gregory Randall

Aimee C. Valleau

Valleau & VanDeven

Dentistry for Children

2000 43rd St. SE Ste. 100

Grand Rapids, MI 49508 616-455-1301 kentwood@vvmkids.com

vvandmkidsdentistry.com

Hastings Family Dental Care Hastings

Rachel S. Sinacola

Grand River Periodontics Grandville

Prosthodontics

Robert Greenland D.D.S., M.S.

Greenland Advanced Oral Care

1179 East Paris Ave SE, Ste. 100 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546 616-256-8770

info@greenlandaoc.com greenlandaoc.com

Michael J. Malley

Michael J. Malley DDS Greenville

Jose Vivas

Lakeshore Dentistry & Implant Center Holland

Eric Hull, D.D.S., Aesthetic & General Dentistry

769 York Creek Dr. NW, Comstock Park, MI 49321 616-784-2377 | greatmismiles.com

Dr. Eric Hull, of Eric Hull, D.D.S., Aesthetic & General Dentistry, focuses on cosmetic dentistry, providing results that are backed by the credentials he’s earned since receiving his dental degree. A graduate of the Kois Center, a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry, and accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Hull is one of only seven AACD-accredited dentists in Michigan.

Dr. Hull is highly skilled in comprehensive mouth rehabilitation and works closely with oral surgeons and orthodontists. He and his team are dedicated to providing personalized service and the best, most competent care a patient can receive. ■

Valleau & VanDeven Dentistry for Children

2000 43rd St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49508 |

Valleau & VanDeven Dentistry for Children is a pediatric dental practice with locations in Grand Rapids and Rockford. Dr. Aimee Valleau and Dr. Christopher VanDeven have recently been joined by Dr. Lauren Feuerstein, who brings her strong abilities and friendly demeanor to round out the team. The entire staff has extensive knowledge to care for children’s oral health from infancy through adolescence. They offer kind, gentle, and compassionate care, with an understanding that children’s bodies and minds are constantly growing and developing.

All three doctors are approachable and make themselves available to families. As parents themselves, they understand and empathize with parents, while treating all of their patients as if they were their own children. When families visit Valleau & VanDeven Dentistry for Children, they’ll receive the highest-quality care and a thorough evaluation — and a comprehensive, patient-centered review of the appointment, including any recommended treatment and prevention strategies. ■

Marcell Dr. NE, Rockford, MI 49341 | 616-884-5812 | vvandmkidsdentistry.com

A general dentist serving patients of all ages and all backgrounds, Dr. Lindsey Vogl, owner of Ada Dental Co., offers a range of dental services and considers herself a one-stop-shop for standard procedures. Her patients appreciate that they can get the majority of their work done in one place — including straightening and aligning, whitening, root canals, preventive care, implants, and more — without having to travel to different specialists around town. When she needs to make a referral, she has the advantage of sending some patients to her husband, Dr. Brad Robinson, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon with whom she collaborates regularly.

Dr. Vogl prides herself on her patientcentered approach, which involves listening to patients’ input and not forcing unnecessary and costly procedures they may not want or need. Along with that receptiveness is a truly gentle manner that puts everyone at ease — even those who have had an unpleasant experience with a dentist in the past.

“There’s a lot of negativity around dentistry in general that I’m trying my hardest to change,” Dr. Vogl says. “I want patients to feel like they’re in a space where they’re being cared for and can feel happy and enjoy a peaceful, rather than medical, atmosphere.”

Whether it’s providing a warm blanket or a pair of headphones, Dr. Vogl and her staff strive to create a relaxed, down-to-earth experience — one that’s responsive to each individual and makes them feel comfortable.

As a mother of five children, Dr. Vogl carries her parental instincts into her practice and her interactions with patients. “I really relate to families and children, even though I’m not a pediatric dentist,” she says. “I don’t stop being a mom once I get to the office. Taking a caring, family-oriented approach to my job is what I do every day.” ■

1179 East Paris Ave. SE, Ste. 100 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546 | 616-256-8770

A native of West Michigan, Dr. R. Graham Greenland returned to the area after years of study, fellowships, and residencies at some of the most prestigious institutions in medicine, including the Mayo Clinic and the MD Anderson Center. His decision to bring his expertise back to the Grand Rapids area was based, in part, on a shortage advanced dentistry providers in the region. With a love for the community where he grew up, as well as a passion for dentistry, human sciences, and medicine, Dr. Greenland provides a missing piece to a complex puzzle.

“Dentistry has this amazing blend of sciences and arts, combined with the ability to really focus on patients,” Dr. Greenland says. “I created a multidisciplinary clinic where patients come to me for care that ranges from routine to advanced restorative technique — and benefit from my training in facial aesthetics, dental materials, and

advanced care diagnosis.”

At his private practice, Greenland Advanced Oral Care, he applies his education in advanced prosthodontics, oral oncology, and maxillofacial prosthetics to treat patients who require restorative dentistry or have difficult medical backgrounds. Once a cancer patient himself — receiving treatment for stage 3 Hodgkin's lymphoma at Lemmen-Holton in Grand Rapids, and achieving remission — Dr. Greenland has a personal interest in the oncology side of dental care. He further specialized in head and neck oncology dentistry, and sought out supplemental education in prosthesis design and management, recognizing the need for long-lasting solutions in this underserved landscape.

“One of the more interesting aspects of what I do is focusing on facial harmony — understanding what creates symmetry and

knowing how to take materials and blend them, so when you look at one of my patients, you wouldn’t even know that I was there,” he says. “It’s gratifying when they feel their restoration was theirs to begin with.” ■

Robert Graham Greenland, D.D.S., M.S.

There are many reasons why Dr. Betsy Bakeman is one of Grand Rapids’ top dentists. First and foremost, she strives to meet or exceed her patients’ expectations — and patients from all over the state and beyond seek her care and expertise. “Although cosmetic dentistry isn’t a recognized specialty, we treat it like one,” Dr. Bakeman says. “We utilize an expert team that includes highly trained specialists and esteemed ceramists, allowing us to provide high-level, world-class results.”

The first dentist in Michigan to achieve the distinction of Accredited Fellow in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Bakeman is one of only a select few to achieve the AACD’s highest level of achievement.

Dr. Bakeman is able to restore smiles using a variety of techniques including teeth-whitening, bonding, periodontal plastic surgery, porcelain

veneers and crowns, dental implants, and Invisalign. The office also provides advanced preventive services and routine dentistry. Dr. Bakeman strongly believes that there’s no reason why anyone should be unhappy with the appearance and comfort of their teeth. There are many options available today, and treatment can be staged over time to increase access and affordability.

Dr. Bakeman regularly teaches other dentists from around the world, and it’s common to have young dentists in the office observing and learning from her. “It’s always important to keep learning,” she says. “As the science of dentistry evolves, we keep abreast of changes so we can continue to provide our patients with state-of-the-art care.”

Making their patients feel beautiful, confident, and healthy is important to Dr.

Betsy Bakeman,

D.D.S. 2757 Leonard St. NE, Ste. 100, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 | 616-940-0481

Dr. John Bruinsma, D.D.S.

Although Genuine Care Dentistry may be new to Grand Rapids’ northeast side, everything but the name and office location have a long history in the city. Dr. John Bruinsma has been practicing dentistry for nearly 40 years and also led the pioneering of a new generation of decay-reducing confections. He has a loyal patient following, as well as an impressive 100 percent five-star Google Reviews rating. He’s also earned the Top Dentists designation year after year.

When Dr. John decided to open Genuine Care Dentistry with his wife, Debra, he wanted the name of the practice to reflect the patient experience — and that’s precisely what it does. For him, dentistry is as much about building trust and relationships as it is about the clinical side. As his many happy patients have expressed, what sets him apart is his desire to

take as much time as necessary to provide thorough and skilled exams and procedures, and instill confidence in the treatment options available. He does it all within his patients’ insurance parameters and financial budgets, without pushing for procedures that may not be in their best interest at the time. In short, he listens and cares.

Exceptional patient care is reflected every step of the way, by every member of the seasoned team. From the greeting at the front desk to assistance with insurance to time in the chair, patients are treated with warmth and professionalism.

“I believe everyone who comes through our doors has infinite value,” Dr. John says. “I passionately strive to do things the right way and do what’s best for the patient, who is more important than profit and always will be. That’s

what guides everything we do, and that’s why I believe we have two and three generations of families coming back to see us.”

John D. Bruinsma D.D.S.

414 Plymouth Ave. NE. Grand Rapids, MI 49505 (616) 655-1650 hello@genuinecaredentistry.com

5011 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 | 616-361-7317 | nylaandental.com

Dr. Brian Nylaan likes to tell his patients, “I don’t work on teeth; I work with people who have teeth.” That’s his way of building relationships and conveying how critical dentistry is to people’s well-being. When seeing patients, he approaches the whole person, taking time to talk with and educate them on what they need to do to take care of themselves and their smiles —and why it benefits them. “Dentistry is incredibly important for overall health and shouldn’t be viewed as optional,” Nylaan says. “It should be a requirement for living a good, healthy life.”

In practice for more than 30 years, and recently achieving lifetime memberships in the Michigan Dental Association and American Dental Association, Dr. Nylaan has seen and implemented

many advancements in the dental field. These include diagnostic technologies, such as digital full mouth and 3D X-rays, as well as laser dentistry. Through continuing education, he says hes also become passionate about sleep and is aware of the ways that poor sleep can affect health. “We’re not just talking about preventing snoring,” Nylaan says. “Research has shown a strong tie between poor sleep and a higher likelihood of heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and weight gain. Lack of sleep affects children and adults alike, and we need to take it seriously.”

Most exciting for Dr. Nylaan is that there are dental solutions to improve sleep. In addition to the many services he provides — from preventive care to cosmetic dentistry to gum disease treatment to crowns, bridges, and more — he

also fits patients with customized oral appliances that can reposition the jaw and open airways. Additionally, he performs procedures such as NightLase, to reduce snoring. “My goal is to help people recognize when they have an issue, and provide treatment modalities to improve their quality of life,” Nylaan says. ■

Brian S. Nylaan, DDS

3299 Clear Vista Ct. NE, Ste. B, Grand Rapids, MI 49525

Hamilton Pediatric Dentistry specializes in dental care for children and young adults from infancy to age 18, as well as adults with special needs. Owned by Dr. Veronica Hamilton, the practice is driven by a mission to provide access to care for children and families who might not otherwise receive the dental treatments they need.

Being one of the few dental offices that accepts Healthy Kids Dental — an insurance program available to kids through Medicaid — demonstrates that commitment. “I think it’s important to get these kids seen,” Dr. Hamilton says. “We have kids come from all over Michigan because we’ll take that insurance.”

Dr. Hamilton pursued pediatrics to help kids with complex cases that need to be handled by a specialist. “Often the kids we see have a ton of decay, and I try to give them a fresh start,” she says. “The parents are doing the best they can, but it’s tough when they can’t find a dentist in town. We’re here to help them.”

With pediatrics, much of the focus is on gaining trust and getting patients to cooperate. The same training in behavior management that Dr. Hamilton received while studying pediatrics applies to adults with special needs. “I have patients, both children and adults, who are terrified or combative or simply don’t want to be here, and I do my best to make it a good experience and make them comfortable,” she says.

Dr. Hamilton is highly skilled in pediatric dentistry and holds a number of accreditations, as well as memberships in several dental associations. She’s the past president of the Michigan Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. She’s also bilingual in English and Spanish, and works to extend her outreach to the Hispanic population in West Michigan. ■

Dr. Veronica Hamilton

Pediatric

2155

Pediatric Dental Specialists of West Michigan is led by Dr. Katie Swanson, Dr. Stephanie Kloostra, and Dr. Taryn Weil. All three doctors attended dental school together at the University of Michigan and found their passion in pediatric dentistry. They have completed a pediatric dental residency program to specialize in treating kids and are board-certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Each doctor has completed additional training in treating infants and children with lip, cheek, and tongue ties, and holds an additional board certification from the American Board of Laser Surgery.

“Treating kids at our office is focused on their overall health, as well as creating a positive experience,” Dr. Swanson says. “As pediatric dentists, we have specialized training in treating children’s oral health care needs,

including behavior enhancement techniques and advanced training in treating children with special health care needs, beyond what’s taught in dental school.”

At Pediatric Dental Specialists of West Michigan, each child is assessed individually, and treatments are tailored to what’s best for the child and situation. There are different options available to complete dental treatment, including, but not limited to, nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and general anesthesia.

“Our team loves to help caregivers, parents, and kids feel confident in coming to the dentist, and we want them to look forward to coming back,” Dr. Kloostra says. “Many caregivers and/or children harbor some anxiety regarding coming to the dentist or completing dental treatment, but being in a place with confident, skilled, and caring

providers can help overcome this.” The team at PDS is prepared and equipped to safely and appropriately care for all children’s oral health care needs, starting at birth and continuing through adolescence. ■

1151 E. Paris Ave. SE, Ste. 100, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

When patients walk into the offices of Bander Dental Group — a practice that’s served Grand Rapids for more than 80 years — there’s an immediate sense of warmth and care. From the front office and throughout the entire clinic, patients receive top-level service from every member of the team. Dr. Travis Mattson, Dr. Tim Obradovich, and Dr. Samuel Bander offer preventive and general dentistry, as well as a broad range of specialty services, in their Cascade-area office. These include dental implants, Invisalign, TMJ/TMD bite and jaw issue therapies, full-mouth rehabilitation, root canals, and cosmetic and aesthetic makeovers. Bander Dental Group’s mission is to positively impact the lives of its patients through oral health and wellness.

“We get to know each patient and their needs by caring for their whole mouth, rather than just taking a single-tooth approach,” Dr. Mattson says. “We’re unique in that we perform an individualized risk assessment, then tailor a comprehensive plan for a lifetime of oral health.”

Dr. Mattson, Dr. Obradovich, and Dr. Bander are all lifelong learners and have pursued hundreds of hours of continuing education, including special coursework through the renowned Kois Center (Advancing Dentistry Through Science), and have studied the latest developments in dental implants and Invisalign therapy. “With our state-of-the-art equipment and extensive training, we’re able to provide precise implant placement and handle complex cases,” Dr. Obradovich says.

Bander Dental Group further sets itself apart by providing all of these procedures with exceptional, five-star service. They offer customized comfort measures such as sedation options, noise-reduction headphones, and warm blankets. “It’s important to us that patients feel well-cared-for and like a member of our family,” practice manager Carmen Bollinger says. “It’s our goal to help each patient get the dental care they need.” ■

Grandville Pediatric Dentistry

3131 44th St. SW Grandville, MI 49418 | 616-531-3430 | grandvillepediatricdentistry.com grandvillepediatricdentistry@yahoo.com

Acquired in 2001 by Dr. Mike Demeter, and with the addition of Dr. Sally Kotani in 2005 and Dr. Agata Lefere in 2013, Grandville Pediatric Dentistry serves families in Grand Rapids and the surrounding communities.

Dr. Mike is a board-certified pediatric dentist and prides himself on his continuing education and staying abreast of the latest dentistry advancements. Dr. Sally is a board-certified pediatric dentist who’s known for her kind and gentle approach, as well as her passion for treating children. Dr. Agata is a board-certified Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and continually strives to make her young patients feel safe and confident. Each dentist maintains active memberships in the American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and West Michigan Dental Association.

All three doctors possess the skills, experience, and certifications to ensure quality dental treatments, and they’re dedicated to protecting children’s smiles and improving their oral health. “We believe oral health is extremely important for kids and want to give them the best possible experience they can have at a dental office,” Dr. Mike says.

The team also works to provide families with the information needed to care for their children’s teeth. “We educate parents on tooth-brushing skills, review oral habits, and do our best to advise families on what they can do to set their children up for success,” Dr. Agata adds.

The entire office, including support staff, create a sense of playfulness and joy throughout the office. They understand the importance of establishing a good patient/doctor rapport and a solid oral hygiene routine from an early age. “A lot

of it is trying to engage the kids, and connecting with them and their interests,” Dr. Sally says. “We help them participate in their care, while also making it as fun as possible.” ■

Dr. Brittany Mailloux & Dr. Caitlynn Haas Mailloux Dentistry

In the West Michigan region, where advancements in dentistry have mostly remained the status quo, Dr. Brittany Mailloux and Dr. Kevin Kross are moving the profession forward. For the past several years, they’ve focused on modernizing dental procedures and treatments, elevating the approach from traditional—and often just adequate—to state of the art. And, not just because new technologies are exciting, but because those they’re implementing provide greater value to the patient, in saved time, added convenience, and superior results.

As husband and wife collaborators, each with their own specialties, Mailloux and Kross will soon be moving to their new location, allowing their practices to work side by side and giving them both access to their fully digital dental laboratory—right in house. This leading-edge facility, is expected to open in early 2023. Until then, they each will continue to practice at their respective locations.

Dr. Brittany Mailloux, owner of Mailloux Dentistry, and Dr. Caitlynn Haas are licensed general dentists who have additional training in the areas of aesthetics, implant prosthetics, and Invisalign, as well as pediatric orthopedic growth development—which can start as early as infancy, from nursing to later toddlers with sleep quality and behavioral issues. They regularly see children early on to improve their airway development.

Mailloux thrives on helping patients with complex cases and has years of experience creating implant dentures so patients can have the security of a stable, functional smile immediately. Mailloux and Haas work closely with specialists, understanding that a multidisciplinary approach is often in the best interest of the patient. Together with their team they offer a level of comfort and confidence that makes their patients enjoy coming in. “As our patients advocate, we enjoy developing a plan that best suits their needs while making the process as painless and stress free as possible” says Mailloux. “This is what has contributed to our practice success and gaining new patients.”

Blueprint Dentistry

Dr. Kevin Kross

At Michigan Avenue Dentistry, which will become Blueprint Advanced Dentistry and Implant Center after the move, Dr. Kevin Kross works with a 14-member team, most of whom have been by his side for his entire career. They offer a range of services using some of the most progressive digital technologies, from cosmetic, preventative, and restorative dentistry to complex implant treatment planning and surgical procedures. Dr. Kross also routinely treats cases where a patient may be frustrated with the esthetics, function, or longevity of previous dental work.

Kross is a highly trained professional dentist with strong educational credentials and affiliations. He’s proud of the team he’s assembled and believes they’re essential to his patients’ positive experiences. “They’re well trained, they’re terrific in handling questions and helping patients understand treatments, and they’re all such hard workers,” says Kross. “They get compliments routinely—from hygienists to front office staff to assistants and lab techs—and I think that’s one huge asset of our practice.”

Kross looks forward to making his home at the future facility, where he and Mailloux will be able to continue their collaborative work, but in a more streamlined way and with direct access to the sophisticated technology housed in their commercial lab. “The whole idea for us is to have some synergy between the services we provide,” say Kross and Mailloux. “We do different types of procedures, but the two often go hand in hand.” Haas says, “I’m thrilled to be working alongside professionals who share the same patient-centered philosophy using cutting edge technology.”

Kross and Mailloux are also involved on the education side of dentistry. Kross, is a faculty member of the Dawson Academy in Florida, an educational and research facility focusing on dental advancements, where he lectures several times a year and teaches. Mailloux speaks for Straumann and local study clubs where she lectures about implant and prosthetic dentistry. ■

Growing Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, PC

2643 E. Beltline Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 | 616-988-9485 | growingsmilesgr.com | info@growingsmilesgr.com

At her practice, Growing Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, Meggan McCone, D.D.S., helps parents understand the importance of taking their children to a pediatric dentist — an expert who can apply child-specific knowledge to the patients’ treatment and care plans. Dr. Meggan, a specialist in children’s dental health, has extra training in child psychology and guiding behavior, as well as sedation dentistry for patients with special needs.

As soon as that first tooth comes in, parents can visit Growing Smiles and start building the educational foundations and oral habits that will help their children become dentally confident adults. Establishing dental care at a young age with the right provider puts children at ease and makes visiting the dentist a comfortable, natural experience that isn’t scary or traumatizing. ■

Center for Oral Surgery & Dental Implants

4349 Sawkaw Dr. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 | 158 Marcell, Ste. B, Rockford, MI 49341 | 616-361-7327 | grandrapidsoralsurgery.com

With offices in Grand Rapids and Rockford, the Center for Oral Surgery & Dental Implants has four highly credentialed, experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Driven by their mission to “provide professional and compassionate care that’s safe, valued, and accessible,” COSDI is uniquely positioned to build caring relationships with clients who need surgery of the mouth, jaw, or face.

Dr. Richard W. Panek, Dr. Emily Van Heukelom, Dr. Roseanna Noordhoek, and Dr. Mark N. Grinzinger provide oral and maxillofacial services including wisdom tooth extraction, the removal of jaw tumors and oral lesions, and surgical reconstruction of the jaw. They’re also experts in placing dental implants and utilize advanced technology such as 3-D digital surgical planning.

Supported by a team of well-trained assistants, the dentists of COSDI work with patients, physicians, and other dentists to deliver a positive experience and help patients feel comfortable and welcomed through the duration of their care. ■

Dr.

Knowing that some patients fear or dread going to the dentist, Dr. Bryton Mansfield, owner of Mansfield Family Dentistry, has made it a goal to change that perception and create a more relaxed and streamlined experienced for everyone who sits in his chair. Thanks to advancements in the field and his own enhanced training, he’s able to provide less stressful procedures and more comprehensive treatments within a few hours. That means less time away from day-to-day life and a faster return to comfort!

To provide additional convenience, Dr. Mansfield has opened a second location to serve southeast Grand Rapids. Dividing their time between the two offices, he and his staff are addressing the growth of the practice, as well as meeting the geographic needs of his patients.

The practice focuses on boosting whole-body health through optimization of mouth health, and

offers a calming environment that’s physically and emotionally uplifting. This atmosphere and approach are supported by the latest dental technologies, such as using digital scanning options to create a more accurate roadmap of the entire mouth.

From a credentials standpoint, Dr. Mansfield is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Dental Association, Michigan Dental Association, and the Pankey Study Club. During his training, he had the advantage of learning from a U-M faculty member who was a pioneer in digital dental technology. “I was blessed to be in the right place at the right time,” Dr. Mansfield says. “But I also was so excited about the technologies, I took the initiative to seek out a mentor to teach me what some dentists call a ‘lifetime of education’ in a matter of four years.” Years later, it’s this same

Robert S. Dame, D.D.S. 422 N. Park St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 | 616-361-7265 | npfamilydental.com

Dr. Robert Dame, who was born and raised in Comstock Park, purchased North Park Family Dental in 1994, preserving the office space as a dental practice and contributing to its 50-plus-year history as such. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Calvin College and a doctor of dental surgery degree from the University of Michigan. He’s also a member of the American and Michigan Dental associations, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and the International Association for Orthodontics.

One of West Michigan’s Top Dentists and one of America’s Top Dentists for many years, Dr. Dame specializes in family dentistry, veneers, braces, snoring and sleep apnea solutions, crowns, and bridges. He and his team provide a personal touch, paired with the latest in high-tech dental care advancements. Using a digital scanner is one of the ways they ensure that crowns, bridges, veneers, and braces are created with greater precision and in less time.

“Only about 10 percent of dental offices have this kind of technology,” Dr. Dame says. “Digital scans produce a more stable model with less room for human error and patients get a much better fit, which results in greater comfort and longevity.” This technology has also allowed the practice to step into clear aligners to move teeth and enhance smiles — an option that particularly appeals to adult patients.

Though much has changed in dentistry over the years, North Park Family Dental’s commitment to their patients and the community they serve has not. Dr. Dame credits his team for helping create the smooth experience patients receive. “I’ve assembled a great team around me, from hygienists to dental assistants to office staff,” he says. “They’re one of the greatest assets I have. In most of the reviews we get, my staff is mentioned more than I am, which is a great compliment.” ■

Dr. John M. McMahon

2076 Baldwin St., Jenison, MI 49428

McMahon Family Dental does dentistry differently. That’s the message they want to convey to those seeking quality dental care amid the sea of dental and specialty practices in West Michigan. Dr. John M. McMahon, the younger of the father-and-son team, is a skilled cosmetic and restorative dentist who combines artistry and engineering to offer a complete range of treatments. In his high-tech office, Dr. John offers smile makeovers and same-day crowns, and has the ability to print 3-D surgical guides, aligners, and bite splints.

What also sets McMahon Family Dental apart is their focus on the patient experience. In their pursuit to alleviate the anxiety and stress associated with dental work, they offer a comfort menu that includes noise-canceling headphones, weighted blankets, neck pillows, soothing refreshments, paraffin hand wax, therapeutic relaxing eyewear, and more.

In addition to an a patient-centric experience, McMahon Family Dental offers virtual consultations, which allow patients to obtain dental advice and care more easily, comfortably, and conveniently. Patients who have questions about their oral health, are seeking a new dentist, or are curious about whether they can improve their smile have access to dental advice and recommendations without taking time off work or spending hours in a dentist’s chair.

“I’ve found this is a great way for new patients to get to know me before they come in, and it also builds trust in me and the practice,” Dr. John says. “This level of transparency, combined with access to dental guidance without having to leave the house, is not only beneficial and desired, but also necessary in today’s climate.”

The team at McMahon Family Dental finds great reward in inspiring confidence with enhanced smiles and helping patients achieve optimal oral health, and enjoys the family practice aspect of treating kids and watching them grow and thrive. ■

Condit Family Dentistry offers a smaller office atmosphere where patients feel comfortable and receive personalized treatment. When Dr. Pat Condit and his team meet a new patient, they take time to get to know the individual and provide a comprehensive dental evaluation.

“We treat our patients like they’re members of our family,” Dr. Condit says. “More importantly, we educate our patients about their oral health and what we can do to improve their smile. We want patients to be an active team member in their treatment, because having a knowledgeable patient helps our office provide better care.”

Dr. Condit received his dental education at the University of Michigan and continued his training through a general practice residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He’s continuously improving his knowledge of dentistry as a member of several dental organizations and study clubs. ■

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF RESERVE

Dinner Reservations

BY PAT EVANS // PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESERVE

On a sunny evening in September, Reserve Beverage Director Ben Vanderwaal and Executive Chef Josh Verhulst helped guide a number of dedicated diners through a special Italian Wine Dinner.

They were joined by guest Sommelier Adam Fortuna, the experience helped showcase what Reserve wants to refocus on as the world returns fully to its new normal. Fortuna casually discussed the less popular wines of Italy he’d chosen to feature along with the restaurant’s food, then strolled through the tables chatting with customers.

His attitude was lax and he lifted the curtain on the often snobbish wine culture to help curious wine lovers gain a deeper understanding of the liquid.

That, in its essence, is what Reserve set out to offer when it first started back in 2010. It is also what helped it achieve Grand Rapids Magazine Restaurant of the Year in 2017.

“One of our primary pillars and foundational elements is we want to not only teach and learn, but to provide an experience to the community,” General Manager Peter Marantette.

Reserve continues pushing into the future.

It isn’t that the restaurant pulled away from those pillars, but Marantette said the shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic helped reset a focus and set a new course moving forward.

“It was one challenge after another,” Marantette said. “We had to make a lot of difficult decisions and it forced us to reevaluate the business model and forced us to be really creative in ways we weren’t.”

The specialty wine dinners, although they’re not always directly focused on wine, happen normally at least once a month. They take a normal dining experience and, in the wise words of Chef Emeril, kick it up a notch.

“I see them as a way for us to give back and reward our regular clientele,” Verhulst said. “It’s an intimate group setting, having that face-to-face experience with the people curating the experience that you might not otherwise get to see regularly as a dinner.

“It’s really nice for that creative outlet and a good opportunity to focus on wine houses and labels we want to highlight.”

Reserve has long built its foundation on

an incredible wine list — more than 100 by the glass and a cellar list of more than 900 — but whether it is the food or the wine, it’s constantly been evolving, Peter Marantette said. (Editor’s note: Like a few other establishments in town known for wine, Reserve has a monthly wine club at two price points, $75 and $200.)

Not unlike many restaurants across the United States, or really any industry, Reserve has emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic with a new lease on life and fresh thoughts on how to move forward in the new normal. As the restaurant gets sets its new foundation, long time employees Marantette and Verhulst are using the hellish experience that was the pandemic to shape where it is going.

“We’ve been reimagining what it’s meant to be and how it can operate,” Marantette said. “We were challenged, it was challenging, but it was a good challenge.”

The pair of leaders gave an immense amount of praise to restaurants that are able to do takeout on a daily basis, making food taste as good 30 minutes out of the kitchen

as it does after one minute. “That is an art in itself,” Marantette said.

It was an art that Verhulst didn’t pick up on immediately, he concedes.

“The initial change was definitely difficult,” Verhulst said. “I went from an award-winning, food-focused restaurant to making things that go in a box. That was hard switch and we went through five menu iterations with that early onset; just trying a fast-casual concept. It went pretty well, but it’s not where my passion lies.

“It really made me see where I wanted to go and do at this restaurant and allowed us to trim some fat as we came back.”

Now that diners are back in full force, Reserve is settling back to what it does well: a full dining experience. From the moment diners sit down, they’re greeted with a knowledgable staff and a swanky setting. The beverage menu, from beer to cocktails to wine, offers a nice selection for whatever a palate might desire.

The food menu, as Verhulst noted by trimming the fat, is nice and condensed,

Following the pandemic, Reserve is looking to kick up its food even more.

but does certainly offer a great selection of dishes for any mood. It could be a full meal from appetizer to main course to dessert, or it could simply be a quick cocktail-hour stop in for some charcuterie and wine from its great selection of meats and cheeses.

“It’s more than dinner, it’s a full on performance,” Verhulst said.

Marantette added, “We’ve decided to go all-in on service. It’s something we not only pride ourselves on, but something we try to differentiate ourselves with, whether the customer is an angel or an asshole, we still want to give you a great experience. That’s what we love doing, we want to take care of people who come to spend money and want us to entertain them, feed them and provide them an experience.”

What that experience is for any given customer varies greatly at Reserve. Marantette

said a busy Friday or Saturday night might have 170 tables on the reservation list.

Prior to COVID, about 100 of those might just be stopping in for after-work or pre-show cocktails or that quick glass of wine and charcuterie board. That left about 70 tables for full dinner service, not exactly an ideal situation for a full-service restaurant.

Since reopening, that ratio is probably flipped upside down, he said.

“We’re predominantly full-dining experiences now and we’re leaning into that and providing that full-scale experience,” he said. “That’s not to say we don’t have those people still coming in for charcuterie and a glass of wine, we still welcome anyone. You can come in and sit down and eat two dozen oysters with a bottle of wine.

“It’s just a crapshoot.”

The pandemic has forced multiple

The dining room offers a large city dining experience, while the food and beverage pairings complement each other well.

restaurants to close in West Michigan and altered the way many more operate. There are some restaurants in Grand Rapids that could claim a better menu than Reserve, but few can offer a more rounded experience that could just as easily be found in Chicago or New York — just purely based on its setting, ambiance and wine menu.

Keeping that in mind, Verhulst came back swinging, aiming to amp up the food as well.

“The pandemic, it made me want to set us apart even more to be the premier dining destination in town,” he said. “It made us double down on food, go toward higher end items, higher price points. We want to be a big city model in a small city. We should be able to eat well in Grand Rapids and not have to travel to Chicago or Detroit.”

Reserve is not alone on that journey, as multiple other restaurants in town are certainly working to upgrade the food scene in West Michigan. And that’s something Marantette acknowledges.

“We are only as good as the next best restaurant in town,” he said. “Until there are a lot of great restaurants in the city, we as a community can only be so good.”

Burger time

New Westside eatery puts a spin on burgers

BY PAT EVANS

A new specialty burger spot is opening on the Westside and it will likely set tastebuds ablaze.

Nonla Burger is opening its fourth location — and first in Grand Rapids — at 449 Bridge St. NW, becoming a new key cog in the incredibly vibrant Bridge Street corridor.

The new Grand Rapids outpost is a relative long time coming for owners Kyle and Natashia Monk and Johnny and Kelly Nguyen. The Monks moved to Grand Rapids in 2019, falling quickly in love with the city - and more so every day, Natashia said.

“We always knew we’d have a Nonla Burger here, it’s something we’ve always wanted,” she said. “We were looking for the right space, we live on the westside and have seen how quickly that development is happening. When we found the location on Bridge

Burgers with Nonla Way Fries, handcut fries topped with melted cheese, grilled onions, jalapeños, cilantro and Nonla spread, (above) and Crispy Chicken Sando (inset).

Street, we jumped at the opportunity.

“We feel the energy, fall in love with the city more and more and we’re excited to be part of it.”

The roots of Nonla Burger go back to Kyle and Johnny’s childhood in Southern California, always wanting to go into business together. Fast forward to adulthood and Johnny’s career as a chef took him to Michelin Star restaurants in San Francisco to Hawaii and, eventually, to West Michigan to start a family near Kelly’s childhood home. In Michigan, the Nguyens opened up Mattawan’s Nonla Vietnamese in 2015, which was recently converted into the third Nonla Burger.

The first Nonla Burger started in

2017, after Kyle visited West Michigan and saw the momentum of Johnny’s culinary endeavor and decided there was opportunity in the region’s food industry.

“They wanted to bring a SoCal vibe and have a Vietnamese twist to a burger,” Natashia said. “They started to put the idea to do this together, Kyle came home to me and I was ready to jump at it.”

The menu is simple, with the standard offering being NB #1, or a double cheese burger meal. There’s also several chicken sandwiches, fries and a salad. The sandwiches can be made “Nonla Way,” which adds jalapenos, grilled onions, cilantro and cucumber, evoking the Vietnamese Banh mi sandwich. Each day, there is also a shake of the day, hand stirred to order.

“We pride ourselves on not having a ton of options but doing them really well,” Natashia said.

Photos of the burgers suggest influence from the West Coast In-and-Out Burger chain, and while Natashia said the love of the burger joint is instilled in their California upbringing, she insists there is a distinct difference.

The restaurants south of Grand Rapids are generally smaller and are a dine and move on experience. The Bridge Street

location will be different and more in line with the multitude of gathering spots in the west side entertainment district.

For starters, this location will have a liquor license. It’s drinks menu won’t be as extensive as many of the other bars and restaurants in the vicinity, but Natashia said it is easy to see the restaurant being overlooked without one. Like the food menu, the drinks menu will be smaller with a few specialty cocktails and a house wine and a beer or two on draft. There could be a diner like take on boozy milkshakes, orange Juliuses and root beer floats.

There is also the potential for table games, to help entice diners to stay and hang out, something the other three

locations do not have the ability to offer.

“We want customers to hangout and enjoy the experience,” Natashia said. “Our current locations are grab and go and they’re great business, we see a great success in that. But in Grand Rapids, we’ll be more of an experience.”

The fairly quick ramp up to four restaurants has mostly been to reach the areas the two couples live. There could be a second, east side Grand Rapids location in the sights, but beyond that is a tough sell for expansion.

“We’re not trying to be the next McDonald’s,” she said. “We’re family-friend business, we are in the stores everyday. We love that and we want to run them well.”

Clockwise: NB Double, Lettuce Wrap Burger, To-Go box

Prost in Grand Rapids

BY PAT EVANS // PHOTOS BY BRYAN ESLER

The idea of a vibrant beer industry in Grand Rapids is anything but new.

Back in the 1800s, a German brewer Christoph Küsterer made his home in West Michigan and become an incredibly influential businessman in town. His Küsterer Brewing Co. later acted as the foundation for the original Grand Rapids Brewing Co. in 1892, which turned into a large beer producer sending suds throughout the Midwest.

Now, Küsterer Brauhaus, 642 Bridge St., is open, paying homage to the Grand Rapids beer pioneer not far from where his original brewery sat downtown. Owner David Ringler is a lover of West Michigan beer history and the story of Küsterer has lived with his brand since his Cedar Springs Brewing Company, 95 N. Main St. in Cedar Springs, opened in 2015.

Even before Ringler opened his original location up north, he was looking around the Grand Rapids westside. In August, his long-time plans came to fruition with the GR outpost in honor of Küsterer. While it lacks the full German kitchen menu of the Cedar Springs

location, it sets out to replicate a classic German beer hall, where Ringler spent plenty of time in his younger years. The food is a bit lighter, with a deli case of premade options and soft pretzels.

“Beer halls, public houses, those were the social media of their day,” Ringler said this summer. “That’s where people exchanged news and discussed politics and kept up with the latest. That’s part of the culture I fell in love with in my time living in Bavaria.

“You go, get a snack tray or a salad or meats and cheeses, sit there, nibble on this or that, and sip on a beer and talk. No one is looking at their phones or watching the scroll on ESPN or CNN they’ve seen a million times.”

In the world of craft beer, Ringler’s Küsterer brand of beers is an outlier. So much of the segment is about big, crazy beers; often the hoppier the better, or the crazier adjuncts thrown in to make it a smoothie beer makes beer nerds geeked. Ringler, however, prefers pushing out beers that are incredibly clean and classic in traditional German styles. These are beers that you can kick back and have a few, without having palate burnout and, in many cases, not get too loaded.

“The Germans obviously have been doing this for a long time, and part of the magic of what they do when you get into the brewing side is you’re really trying to create subtlety.

That’s a non-American thing, because we tend to hit people in head with a two-byfour of flavor. And that’s the reason IPAs here went from Burton-on-Trent to a California triple IPA that is, you know, 120 IBUs.

“They are drinkable by definition, and they are meant to accompany social experiences and the cuisine that region is known for and the way those beer halls have developed, just like what we’ve done here is to foster that communal sense.”

New beer hall pays tribute to West Michigan beer pioneer.

CHEERS

Left: Küsterer brews (l-r) Appreciator Doppelbock, Original Weissbier, Bussi Orange Kola, Bohemian Pils. Inset: David Ringler, owner.

"Beer halls, public houses, those were the social media of their day."

David Ringer

Options galore

With three Grand Rapids area locations and massive menu, First Wok is a go-to.

BY PAT EVANS // PHOTO BY ARRAE CREATIVE

Over the summer, we took a reader suggestion of featuring First Wok as an On The Go feature, and it is a perfect quick dinner idea for much of the Grand Rapids metro area.

With three locations across the region — 2207 44th St. SE, 6790 Old 28th St. SE and 3509 Alpine Ave. NW — the restaurants are well spread out to provide take-out Chinese to many Grand Rapidians.

First Wok specializes in Mandarin, Hunan and Szechwan cuisines from China, with many familiar dishes found at many Chinese restaurants.

The days start with a large lunch special menu, which is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes soup of the day, egg roll or crab cheese and fried or steamed rice. Soup is not included in carry-out orders, but with every dish under $13, the expansive menu still offers an incredible amount of food for a great price.

The dinner menu is even larger than the lunch, with more appetizer, soup and entrée options. Along with a la carte options, First Wok provides Family and House dinners, which provide a full set of appetizers and set entrees. Both pre-sets include amounts for two to six diners, ranging in price from $40 to $144, however the restaurant can also adjust for larger parties.

Interested parties can also use for First Wok for catering and banquets, but need to be arranged over the phone.

ON-THE-GO

Some First Wok favorites include crab rangoons, sesame chicken and happy family.

Find the Right Representation When You Need it Most

Whether you’re a large corporation or an individual, securing the appropriate counsel for your unique case can make all the difference in the results you desire to achieve. Support for real estate transactions; assistance with estate planning or probate issues; advocacy for a personal injury claim, automobile accident, or premises liability lawsuit; and more all require an experienced legal adviser.

If you’re seeking an expert to fight for your rights, look to the Top Lawyers profiled in this section. Epitomizing ex cellence in their areas of expertise and earning high praise among their peers, they serve their clients as both partners and champions for their cause. Pro fessional, respectful, compassionate, and skilled, they’re keen negotiators — from the courtroom to the boardroom. Need someone in your corner? Contact one of these Top Lawyers today!

ANTITRUST LAW

Brian J. Masternak

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

APPELLATE LAW

John Bursch

Bursch Law PLLC

Britt Cobb

Willey & Chamberlain, LLP 616-458-2212 bmc@willeychamberlain.com

Conor Dugan

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Gaëtan Gerville-Réache

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Jonathan B. Koch

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-3620 jkoch@shrr.com

Aaron D. Lindstrom

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3931 aaron.lindstrom@btlaw.com

Matthew Nelson

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Jeremy N. Orenstein

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-3646 jorenstein@shrr.com

Greg Timmer

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5132 gtimmer@rhoadesmckee.com

Katherine Wendt

Kent County Prosecutor’s Office

ARBITRATION

Frederick D. Dilley

Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC 616-726-2247 fdilley@fosterswift.com

Thomas Kuiper

Kuiper Kraemer, PC 616-454-3700 kuiper@k2legal.com

Robert Lee Wright

The Peace Talks PLC

Jon March Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

Lee Silver Silver & Van Essen P.C.

BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICE LAW

Kimberly Baber

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6851 kababer@varnumlaw.com

David Bevins

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5130 debevins@rhoadesmckee.com

Darren J. Burmania Bodman PLC

Michael Campbell

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3975 mcampbell@btlaw.com

Floyd Gates Bodman PLC

G. Goode Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

David A. Hall

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3954 david.hall@btlaw.com

Brian E. Kersey Bodman PLC

Daniel Kubiak

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8018 dkubiak@mikameyers.com

Michael Moore Miller Canfield

Peter Rhoades

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5237 pdrhoades@rhoadesmckee.com

Mary Kay Shaver

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6755 mkshaver@varnumlaw.com

Trent Taylor Miller Canfield

BANKRUPTCY AND CREDITOR/DEBTOR RIGHTS LAW

A Todd Almassian Keller & Almassian, PLC

Ryan Beach

The Law Offices of Ryan F Beach PLLC

Steve Bylenga CBH Attorneys

Laura J. Genovich

Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC 616-726-2238 lgenovich@fosterswift.com

Top Lawyers

Stephen Grow

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

David A. Hall

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3954 david.hall@btlaw.com

Mike Hanrahan CBH Attorneys

April Hulst CBH Attorneys

Daniel Kubiak

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8018 dkubiak@mikameyers.com

Nicholas S. Laue Keller & Almassian, PLC

Michael Moore Miller Canfield

Hal Nelson Rhoades McKee 616-233-5223 henelson@rhoadesmckee.com

Gordon Toering

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Robert Wardrop II Wardrop & Wardrop, P.C.

CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES

Terence J. Ackert

Kent County 17th Circuit Court

Curt Benson

Kent County 17th Circuit Court

Paul J. Denenfeld

Kent County 17th Circuit Court

Christina Elmore 61st District Court

Kent D. Engle

Ottawa County Circuit Court

Kathleen A. Feeney

Kent County 17th Circuit Court

Maureen A. Gottlieb

Kent County 17th Circuit Court

G Patrick Hillary

Kent County 17th Circuit Court

Deborah L. McNabb

Kent County 17th Circuit Court

George J. Quist

Kent County 17th Circuit Court

Mark A. Trusock

Kent County 17th Circuit Court

Jon A. Van Allsburg 20th Circuit Court in Ottawa County

Christopher P. Yates Kent County 17th Circuit Court

COMMERCIAL LAW

James Bruinsma

McShane & Bowie, PLC 616-732-5000 jrb@msblaw.com

Peter Lozicki Rhoades McKee PC

Robert Shaver

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5143 rcshaver@rhoadesmckee.com

CONSTRUCTION LAW

Jonathan Anderson

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6709 jwanderson@varnumlaw.com

Steven Buquicchio

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6491 stbuquicchio@varnumlaw.com

Benjamin H. Hammond Hilger Hammond

Stephen A. Hilger Hilger Hammond

William Hineline Varnum, LLP 616-336-6238 wrhineline@varnumlaw.com

Aileen M. Leipprandt Hilger Hammond

Scott R. Murphy

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3938 smurphy@btlaw.com

James Rabaut

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Thomas J. Vitale

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-5417 tvitale@shrr.com

COPYRIGHT LAW

R Keller

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Amber Underhill Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

CORPORATE COUNSEL

Wayne Bryan McShane & Bowie, PLC 616-732-5000 wpb@msblaw.com

Michelle H. Anthes Trusts and Estates

Todd M. Neckers Corporate Law

James R. Bruinsma Commercial Law, Land Use & Zoning, & Litigation - Real Estate

Kyle J. Quinn Family Law

Wayne P. Bryan Corporate Counsel

Andrew C. Shier Litigation - Banking and Finance, Litigation - Real Estate

Jennie Boldish Bryan Family Law

Aaron M. Smith Real Estate Law

CORPORATE LAW

Michael E. Doversberger

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-499-6356 mdoversberger@shrr.com

Jacob Dunlop

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5117 jsdunlop@rhoadesmckee.com

James Eardley

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6496 jmeardley@varnumlaw.com

Brittany Harden

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3940 brittany.harden@btlaw.com

Holly Jackson

Kuiper Kraemer, PC 616-454-3700 jackson@k2legal.com

Matthew Johnson

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Christopher L. Kelly Parmenter Law

Peter Lozicki

Rhoades McKee PC

William J. Meier Parmenter Law

Patrick Miles, Jr.

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3939 patrick.miles@btlaw.com

Todd Neckers

McShane & Bowie, PLC 616-732-5000 tmn@msblaw.com

Hal Ostrow

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5120 hostrow@rhoadesmckee.com

Anthony Pearson

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5180 apearson@rhoadesmckee.com

Eric Post

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6569 erpost@varnumlaw.com

Joshua A. Reece Parmenter Law

Peter Roth Varnum, LLP 616-336-6429 pgroth@varnumlaw.com

Robert Rutgers Rutgers Law

Robert Shaver Jr. Rhoades McKee PC

Jon Siebers

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5226 jsiebers@rhoadesmckee.com

Corinne Sprague

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Robert R. Stead

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3995 rstead@btlaw.com

Michael Wooldridge Varnum, LLP 616-336-6903 mgwooldridge@varnumlaw.com

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS LAW

John Arendshorst Varnum, LLP 616-336-6560 jdarendshorst@varnumlaw.com

Frank E. Berrodin

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

Jeffrey DeVree Varnum, LLP 616-336-6566 jadevree@varnumlaw.com

William Hineline Varnum, LLP 616-336-6238 wrhineline@varnumlaw.com

Anthony J. Kolenic Jr. Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Heidi Lyon Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Charles S. Mishkind Miller Canfield

Katie Roskam Varnum, LLP 616-336-6494 kkroskam@varnumlaw.com

Justin W. Stemple

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Larry Titley Varnum, LLP 616-336-6571 ljtitley@varnumlaw.com

Top Lawyers

Michigan Auto Law

Michigan Auto Law attorneys have specialized in serious automobile crashes and wrongful death cases for more than 50 years. Based in downtown Grand Rapids, and with offices across Michigan, their history of record-setting settlements and trial verdicts is matched only by the care, compassion, and respect they show for every person they help. Michigan Auto Law attorneys return every phone call and meet with clients personally.

Michigan Auto Law is dedicated to helping seriously injured auto accident victims rebuild their lives and recover the compensation, no-fault insurance benefits, and other economic damages they are legally entitled to. A top-rated law firm, Michigan Auto Law is committed to sharing resources,

information, and education with the West Michigan community to keep drivers and families safe.

The firm’s team of Grand Rapidsbased attorneys embodies the West Michigan spirit of personal responsibility and caring for the community. Brandon Hewitt, attorney and COO, and attorney Rick Houghton have been named among Grand Rapids Magazine’s Top Lawyers. Hewitt has also been a Michigan Super Lawyer since 2013, and has made The National Trial Lawyers’ Top 100 and Top 40 under 40 lists. Houghton has been recognized as a Michigan Rising Star by Super Lawyers. This year, Tom Baker, Tim Holland, and Jeremy Tiedt join Hewitt and Houghton as Top Lawyers for Grand Rapids Magazine.

Michigan Auto Law has the experience, specialized skills, and compassion to help people and families after they have been injured, or a loved one has been injured or killed, in a motor vehicle crash. They advise anyone who has been injured in a car accident to contact Michigan Auto Law immediately for a free consultation. Waiting to seek help from one of Michigan Auto Law’s experienced auto accident attorneys may mean missing important deadlines and legal limitations. ■

ENERGY LAW

Joshua Beard

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8043 jbeard@mikameyers.com

Bruce Goodman

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6574 bgoodman@varnumlaw.com

Emily Green

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5189 eagreen@rhoadesmckee.com

Tammy L. Helminski

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3926 thelminski@btlaw.com

Jennifer Johnsen

Johnsen Wikander PC

Jeffrey T. Kortes

West Michigan Defense Team

Kimberly Large Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8024 klarge@mikameyers.com

William Horn

William Horn

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8016 whorn@mikameyers.com

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

John V. Byl

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Charles M. Denton

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3974 cdenton@btlaw.com

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8016 whorn@mikameyers.com

Mary Jane Rhoades

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5196 mjrhoades@rhoadesmckee.com

Scott Steiner

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5206 sjsteiner@rhoadesmckee.com

FAMILY LAW

Daniel DeWitt

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Douglas Donnell

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8035 ddonnell@mikameyers.com

Dennis Donohue

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Matthew Eugster

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6821 mbeugster@varnumlaw.com

Elizabeth Bransdorfer

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8029 ebransdorfer@mikameyers.com

Jennie Bryan

McShane & Bowie, PLC 616-732-5000 jbryan@msblaw.com

Shon Cook Shon Cook Law PC

Michele Giordano Giordano Law PLC

Jason Jansma

West Michigan Defense Team

Michelle M. McLean Bolhouse, Hofstee & McLean PC

Matthew D. Mills Parmenter Law

Nicholas Missad

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6242 nbmissad@varnumlaw.com

Katie Oland Law Office of Katie Oland PLC

Jude Pereira

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6610 jwpereira@varnumlaw.com

Mary R. Pigorsh

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-9463 mpigorsh@shrr.com

Kyle Quinn

McShane & Bowie, PLC 616-732-5000 kjq@msblaw.com

Courtney Quist

Quist Law Firm PLLC 616-454-9008 courtneyquist@quistlawfirm.com

Richard Roane

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Top Lawyers

Robert Rutgers Rutgers Law

David Sarnacki

The Sarnacki Law Firm PLC

Tom Saxe

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5219 tlsaxe@rhoadesmckee.com

Jason Siffert

Kuiper Kraemer, PC 616-454-3700 siffert@k2legal.com

Allison Sleight

Thacker Sleight 616-888-3810 allison@thackersleight.com

Katie N. Steffes

Bolhouse, Hofstee & McLean PC

Connie Thacker

Thacker Sleight 616-888-3810 connie@thackersleight.com

Michael Toburen Toburen Law PLC

John Van Slambrouck Miller Canfield

Samantha VanTol Arnson VanTol Law

Suanne Watt Stay

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5176 swstay@rhoadesmckee.com

Erica Wikander

Johnsen Wikander PC

FOOD AND BEVERAGE LAW

Christopher Gartman Miller Canfield

Joseph Infante

Miller Canfield

FRANCHISE LAW

Benjamin Zainea

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8019 bzainea@mikameyers.com

West Michigan Injury Lawyers, PLC

380 W. Western Ave., Ste. 120 Muskegon, MI 49440 231-799-5039 | loryn@wminjurylaw.com

Loryn Schlinker, partner at West Michigan Injury Lawyers, specializes in motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death, slip and falls, dog bites, and premises liability. Having graduated from Cooley Law School in the top 1 percent of her class, today she’s getting fantastic recoveries for her clients and has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers.

Schlinker became a lawyer to stand up for others, and she spends her days fiercely advocating for her clients’ rights. ■

Hoffer & Sheremet, PLC

15 Division Ave. S., Grand Rapids, MI 49503 616-278-0888 | hoffersheremet.com

Hoffer & Sheremet, PLC, is a boutique law firm specializing in medical and legal malpractice. This exclusive focus allows the firm’s award-winning attorneys to be true experts in malpractice law.

Hoffer & Sheremet’s expertise is highlighted in numerous trial victories and landmark legal opinions. Combined with a unique “team approach” to every case, Hoffer & Sheremet achieves the best results for their clients. ■

Top Lawyers

HEALTH CARE LAW

Scott Alfree

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6439 sdalfree@varnumlaw.com

Jeffrey Battershall

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Richard Hillary II

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

Brian J. Kilbane

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-0296 bkilbane@shrr.com

Spencer K. Lickteig

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-5454 slickteig@shrr.com

Zachary Meyer

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6586 zjmeyer@varnumlaw.com

Stephen Ryan

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

IMMIGRATION LAW

Kimberly Clarke Varnum, LLP 616-336-6441 kaclarke@varnumlaw.com

Brian Mick ImLaw PC

Meghan E. Moore Avanti Law Group

Michael Stroster

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT & DISCOVERY LAW

Scott Carvo

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW

Hal Ostrow Rhoades McKee 616-233-5120 hostrow@rhoadesmckee.com

Jennifer Puplava

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8050 jpuplava@mikameyers.com

Nathan Steed

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

INSURANCE LAW

Mark Allard Varnum, LLP 616-336-6562 msallard@varnumlaw.com

Jason Byrne

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Brandon Hewitt

Michigan Auto Law 616-447-8847 bhewitt@michiganautolaw.com

Rick Houghton

Michigan Auto Law 616-447-8847 rhoughton@michiganautolaw.com

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND PATENT LAW

Gregory Bondarenko

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Charles Burpee

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Peter A. Cummings Bodman PLC

William Dani Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Patricia H. Jander

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-335-6811 pjander@shrr.com

Matthew D. Kendall

Gardner, Linn, Burkhart & Ondersma LLP 616-988-4123 kendall@gardner-linn.com

Chad Kleinheksel

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Terence J. Linn

Susan Im

ImLaw PC

Yvonne George

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6373 ykgeorge@varnumlaw.com

Devin R. Day

RizzoDay, PC 616-451-8111 dday@rizzoday.com

Gardner, Linn, Burkhart & Ondersma LLP 616-975-5503 linn@gardner-linn.com

Top Lawyers

Jeffrey A. Michael

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3925 jmichael@btlaw.com

Karl T. Ondersma

Gardner, Linn, Burkhart & Ondersma LLP 616-988-4117 ondersma@gardner-linn.com

David Oppenhuizen

Oppenhuizen Law PLC

Monica J. Stover Bodman PLC

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW

Luis Avila

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6895 leavila@varnumlaw.com

Andrea Bernard Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Keith J. Brodie

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3958 kbrodie@btlaw.com

John David Gardiner Bodman PLC

Katherine Kennedy

Pinsky, Smith, Fayette & Kennedy, LLP

David Khorey

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6618 dekhorey@varnumlaw.com

Jonathan Kok Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Donald P. Lawless Barnes & Thornburg LLP

John Lichtenberg

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5163 jmlichtenberg@rhoadesmckee.com

Grant T. Pecor

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3911 grant.pecor@btlaw.com

Nathan Plantinga

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

John C. Schrier Parmenter Law

Nikole Canute

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8049 ncanute@mikameyers.com

Andrew Cascini

Henn Lesperance PLC

Scott Dwyer

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8033 sdwyer@mikameyers.com

William Fallon

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

Stephanie Setterington Varnum, LLP 616-336-6466 srsetterington@varnumlaw.com

Elizabeth Wells Skaggs

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6620 ewskaggs@varnumlaw.com

Jennifer Stocker

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3932 jstocker@btlaw.com

Nathaniel Wolf Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8046 nwolf@mikameyers.com

Amy J. Zdravecky

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3988 amy.zdravecky@btlaw.com

LAND USE & ZONING

Clifford H. Bloom Bloom Sluggett, PC

James Bruinsma McShane & Bowie, PLC 616-732-5000 jrb@msblaw.com

Nyal Deems Varnum, LLP 616-336-6712 nddeems@varnumlaw.com

Scott A. Dienes

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3917 scott.dienes@btlaw.com

Patrick Drueke Rhoades McKee 616-233-5175 prdrueke@rhoadesmckee.com

Bradley Fowler

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8086 bfowler@mikameyers.com

Ronald Redick

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8053 rredick@mikameyers.com

expertise & value that matters to you

We are honored that 31 Rhoades McKee lawyers across 20 practice specialties were recognized by their peers as Top Lawyers for excellence in their areas of specialization. Our attorneys understand the importance of identifying, investigating, and responding to interrelated legal issues. We use an interdisciplinary team approach that allows us to maximize our knowledge and experience ef ciently and cost effectively.

Connect with one of our attorneys to discuss how we can help with your legal needs. rhoadesmckee.com

Appellate Law, Banking and Financial Services, Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law, Commercial Law, Commercial Litigation, Construction Litigation, Corporate Law, Environmental Law, Family Law, Information Technology Law, Labor and Employment Law, Land Use and Zoning, Mediation, Medical Malpractice Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, Personal Injury, Real Estate Law, Real Estate Litigation, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates

Thacker Sleight

445

Thacker Sleight, founded by Connie Thacker and Allison Sleight, are family law attorneys, negotiators, litigators, and problem-solvers who have a reputation for being fearless, meticulous, and thorough in the face of unexpected life challenges.

Thacker, a certified arbitrator, is a Fellow in the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and completed course study to become a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst by the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts. She’s also certified in collaborative divorce and mediation.

Sleight tailors her legal services to the unique circumstances of her clients and believes each party she represents requires a unique approach. She enjoys researching new ways to address the legal problems her clients face and working through the complexities of custody, parenting time, and asset issues — particularly when parties

are at an impasse. She has been recognized by her peers and past clients as a leader in her field in several publications. ■

RizzoDay PC

220 Lyon Street, NW, Ste. 200, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Devin Day is an accomplished civil litigator with the law firm RizzoDay, a boutique practice that specializes in insurance defense, general litigation, and appellate law. With 21 years as a trial attorney, Day represents individuals and large corporations before state and federal courts, and prides himself on his oral advocacy, legal writing, and trial practice.

Day and the firm are highly skilled in representing people and companies on all sides of disputes. “Handling jury trials is a real skill set, and a dying art, when you consider that more than 95 percent of all cases settle out of court,” he says.

Day’s record speaks for itself: He hasn’t lost a jury trial in about 14 years. “We’re selective about the work that we do, and focus on cases we really believe in,” Day says. “Our clients get our full attention, service, and expertise.” ■

From Left to Right: Connie Thacker and Allison Sleight.

Jeffrey Sluggett

Bloom Sluggett, PC

Scott Steiner

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5206 sjsteiner@rhoadesmckee.com

Stanley Stek

Miller Canfield

LEGAL MALPRACTICE LAW

Mark A. Gilchrist

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-1477 mgilchrist@shrr.com

Stephen Grimm

Stephen L. Grimm P.C. 616-459-0220 steve@slgrimmpc.com

Stephanie Hoffer

Hoffer & Sheremet, PLC 616-278-0888 stephanie.hoffer@hoffersheremet.com

Jonathan B. Koch

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-3620 jkoch@shrr.com

Aubri N. Sheremet

Hoffer & Sheremet, PLC 616-278-0888 aubri.sheremet@hoffersheremet.com

Michael D. Wiese

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-9466 mwiese@shrr.com

LITIGATION - ANTITRUST

Brian Masternak Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

LITIGATION - BANKING AND FINANCE

Lisa Hall Plunkett Cooney

Andrew Shier

McShane & Bowie, PLC 616-732-5000 acs@msblaw.com

LITIGATION - COMMERCIAL

Lauren M. Ayoub

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-7279 layoub@shrr.com

Nicholas Dondzila

Kuiper Kraemer, PC 616-454-3700 dondzila@k2legal.com

Douglas Donnell

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8035 ddonnell@mikameyers.com

Scott Dwyer

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8033 sdwyer@mikameyers.com

Stephen Hulst

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5155 sjhulst@rhoadesmckee.com

Joseph M. Infante Miller Canfield

Kyle Konwinski

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6894 kpkonwinski@varnumlaw.com

Thomas Kuiper

Kuiper Kraemer, PC 616-454-3700 kuiper@k2legal.com

E. Thomas McCarthy, Jr.

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-9224 emccarthy@shrr.com

John R. Oostema

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-0495 joostema@shrr.com

Andrew Blum Miller Canfield

Jon Bylsma

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6530 jmbylsma@varnumlaw.com

Robert DeJong Miller Canfield

Paul McCarthy

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5133 mccarthy@rhoadesmckee.com

Matthew D. Mills Parmenter Law

Scott R. Murphy

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3938 smurphy@btlaw.com

Top Lawyers

Congratulations to our Top Lawyers!

Stephen Afendoulis, Personal Injury

Scott Alfree, Health Care Law

Mark Allard, Insurance Law

Jonathan Anderson, Construction Law, Real Estate Law

John D. Arendshorst, Employee Benefits Law

Seth Ashby, Mergers & Acquisitions Law

Luis Avila, Labor and Employment Law

Kimberly Baber, Banking & Financial Service Law, Securities Law

Steven Buquicchio, Construction Law

Jon Bylsma, Litigation - Commercial

David Caldon, Real Estate Law

Christopher Caldwell, Trusts and Estates

Kimberly Clarke, Immigration Law

Nyal Deems, Land Use & Zoning

Jeffrey A. DeVree, Employee Benefits Law

Jacob Droppers, Mergers & Acquisitions Law

James Eardley, Corporate Law

Matthew Eugster, Environmental Law

Yvonne K. George, Immigration Law

Linsey Gleason, Trusts and Estates

Bruce Goodman, Energy Law

William Hineline, Construction Law, Employee Benefits Law

David Khorey, Labor and Employment Law

Kyle P. Konwinski, Litigation - Commercial

Zachary Meyer, Health Care Law

Nicholas Missad, Family Law

Jude Pereira, Family Law

Eric Post, Corporate Law

Laura Radle, Trusts and Estates

Dale Rietberg, Nonprofit/Charities Law

Katie K. Roskam, Employee Benefits Law, Tax Law

Peter Roth, Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law

Peter Schmidt, Real Estate Law

Stephanie R. Setterington, Labor and Employment Law, LitigationLabor Employment Benefits

Mary Kay Shaver, Banking & Financial Service Law

Elizabeth Skaggs, Labor and Employment Law, Litigation - Labor Employment Benefits

John Sturgis, Real Estate Law

Larry J. Titley, Employee Benefits Law

Michael Wooldridge, Corporate Law

•Stay out of court and stay in control.

Courtney Quist, Quist Law Firm, PLLC 2090 Celebration Dr., Ste. 202 Grand Rapids, MI 49525 616-454-9008 | courtneyquist@quistlawfirm.com quistlawfirm.com

Anthony C. Sallah

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3976 anthony.sallah@btlaw.com

LITIGATIONCONSTRUCTION

Bruce Courtade

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5152 bcourtade@rhoadesmckee.com

Benjamin H. Hammond

Hilger Hammond

Stephen A. Hilger Hilger Hammond

Scott R. Murphy

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3938 smurphy@btlaw.com

Robert W. O’Brien

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

Anthony C. Sallah

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3976 anthony.sallah@btlaw.com

Brandon Hewitt

Michigan Auto Law 616-447-8847 bhewitt@michiganautolaw.com

Jonathan J. Paasch Durel Law, PLC

LITIGATION - LABOR EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

Andrea Bernard

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Amanda Fielder

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Sarah Howard

Pinsky, Smith, Fayette & Kennedy, LLP

Katherine Kennedy Pinsky, Smith, Fayette & Kennedy, LLP

Stephanie Setterington

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6466 srsetterington@varnumlaw.com

Elizabeth Wells Skaggs

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6620 ewskaggs@varnumlaw.com

Patrick Drueke

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5175 prdrueke@rhoadesmckee.com

David C. Hill

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3992 dhill@btlaw.com

Scott Kraemer

Kuiper Kraemer, PC 616-454-3700 kraemer@k2legal.com

Sara Lachman

Lachman King PLC 616-274-3002 slachman@lachmanking.com

Brian Lang Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Christian K. Leeka

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-1408 cleeka@shrr.com

Aileen M. Leipprandt Hilger Hammond

Mark Smith

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5216 mrsmith@rhoadesmckee.com

LITIGATION - INSURANCE

Tom Baker

Michigan Auto Law 616-447-8847 tbaker@michiganautolaw.com

Jennifer Stocker

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3932 jstocker@btlaw.com

Thomas Amon

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

LITIGATION - REAL ESTATE

James Bruinsma

McShane & Bowie, PLC 616-732-5000 jrb@msblaw.com

Andrew Shier

McShane & Bowie, PLC 616-732-5000 acs@msblaw.com

MEDIATION

Thomas R. Behm

Gruel Mills Nims & Pylman PLLC

Mary Benedict

Mary L Benedict PC

Frederick D. Dilley

Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC 616-726-2247 fdilley@fosterswift.com

James Fisher

Dickinson Wright PLLC

Dale Iverson

JustMediation PLC

William W. Jack, Jr.

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-6243 wjack@shrr.com

Robert Lee Wright

The Peace Talks PLC

Jon G. March

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

Bruce Neckers

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5217 bwneckers@rhoadesmckee.com

David Sarnacki

The Sarnacki Law Firm PLC

Timothy Sheridan Plunkett Cooney

Lee Silver Silver & Van Essen P.C.

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

LAW

John Buchanan

Buchanan Firm

Robert Buchanan

Buchanan Firm

Carol D. Carlson

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-9289 ccarlson@shrr.com

Patrick Ellis

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5208 pellis@rhoadesmckee.com

Mark Fatum

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5162 mefatum@rhoadesmckee.com

Susan A. Garver Hall Matson, PLC

Christopher R. Genther

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-0222 cgenther@shrr.com

Stephen Grimm

Stephen L. Grimm P.C. 616-459-0220 steve@slgrimmpc.com

Nicholas F.X. Gumina Eardley Law

Stephanie Hoffer

Hoffer & Sheremet, PLC 616-278-0888 stephanie.hoffer@hoffersheremet.com

J.R. Poll

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5235 jrpoll@rhoadesmckee.com

Ashley C. Quackenbush

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-3632 aquackenbush@shrr.com

Jason R. Sebolt

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-3628 jsebolt@shrr.com

Aubri N. Sheremet

Hoffer & Sheremet, PLC 616-278-0888 aubri.sheremet@hoffersheremet.com

Natalie H. Winquist

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-3412 nwinquist@shrr.com

Laura A. Johnson

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-3634 ljohnson@shrr.com

Kevin

M. Lesperance Henn Lesperance PLC

Vanessa F. McCamant

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-1269 vmccamant@shrr.com

Benjamin W. Mills Gruel Mills Nims & Pylman PLLC

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS LAW

Seth Ashby

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6726 swashby@varnumlaw.com

Maxwell N. Barnes

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

Jacob Droppers

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6893 jadroppers@varnumlaw.com

Jacob Dunlop

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5117 jsdunlop@rhoadesmckee.com

Dustin Jackson

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

Michael Jones

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Peter Roth

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6429 pgroth@varnumlaw.com

Greg Schmidt

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

John Schuring

Dickinson Wright PLLC

Jon Siebers

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5226 jsiebers@rhoadesmckee.com

Robert R. Stead

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3995 rstead@btlaw.com

Jeffrey York

Dickinson Wright PLLC

MUNICIPAL LAW

James Brown

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8031 jbrown@mikameyers.com

Scott A. Dienes

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3917 scott.dienes@btlaw.com

Bradley Fowler

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8086 bfowler@mikameyers.com

Scott Smith City of Wyoming

NON WHITE-COLLAR CRIMINAL DEFENSE

Nancy Ballast

Shaw Law Group, PLC

Michael Bartish

Springstead Bartish Borgula & Lynch PLLC

Matthew Borgula

Springstead Bartish Borgula & Lynch PLLC

Michael J. Bovill

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-5283 mbovill@shrr.com

Chip Chamberlain

Laura J. Genovich

Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC 616-726-2238 lgenovich@fosterswift.com

Michael D. Homier

Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC 616-726-2230 mhomier@fosterswift.com

Willey & Chamberlain, LLP 616-458-2212 cec@willeychamberlain.com

Jeffery S. Crampton Grand Law Attorneys

Mark A. Gilchrist

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-1477 mgilchrist@shrr.com

Ross Leisman

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8017 rleisman@mikameyers.com

Mark Nettleton

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8048 mnettleton@mikameyers.com

John C. Schrier

Parmenter Law

Jeffrey Sluggett

Bloom Sluggett, PC

Mark Hunting West Michigan Defense Team

Jason Jansma West Michigan Defense Team

Julia Kelly

Willey & Chamberlain, LLP 616-458-2212 jak@willeychamberlain.com

Paul Ledford Ledford & Associates

Heath Lynch

Springstead Bartish Borgula & Lynch PLLC

Lachman King PLC

161 Ottawa Ave. NW, Ste. 111, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 | 616-274-3002 | lachmanking.com

Lachman King, PLC is a West Michigan law firm comprised of highly-regarded, awardwinning attorneys, each with an established reputation as a leader in their field. With offices in downtown Grand Rapids and in St. Joseph — which serves the lakeshore — they handle many types of cases, with a special focus on real estate-related matters.

“We work almost exclusively with property owners and owners of companies where real estate is at issue,” says Sara Lachman, owner of the firm. “These issues are often complex and create significant stress for our clients. It’s important to us that we provide a good return on investment for them and that we have strong relationships so we can see them through difficult situations.”

Whether it’s a large company or an individual, the Lachman King team takes a client-centered approach,

getting to know their clients’ priorities and risk tolerances, and then customizing their tactics to those considerations. ■

Kuiper Kraemer, PC

180 Monroe Ave. NW, Ste. 400, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 | 616-454-3700 | k2legal.com

At Kuiper Kraemer, the lawyer you hire is the lawyer who handles your case from start to finish. Kuiper Kraemer provides a personal, hands-on approach to the legal process — whether it’s a courtroom battle, an estate plan, or a business or real estate transaction. Since 2005, they’ve worked with local, national, and multinational individuals and businesses, and have counseled, protected, and fought for their clients as highly skilled advocates and negotiators.

Kuiper Kraemer represents clients in commercial and trust litigation, real estate and business transactions, sophisticated estate planning, family law, and mediation. ■

Top Lawyers

Andrew Rodenhouse

Rodenhouse Law Group 616-451-4000 andrew@rodenhouselaw.com

Raquel A. Salas Avanti Law Group

Steven Simkins West Michigan Defense Team

Gary Springstead Springstead Bartish Borgula & Lynch PLLC

Renee Wagenaar WN Law, PLLC

Larry Willey

Willey & Chamberlain, LLP 616-458-2212 lcw@willeychamberlain.com

Christopher M. Wirth Core Legal PLC

NONPROFIT/CHARITIES LAW

Wendy Holtvluwer Holtvluwer Law

Jeffrey Power Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Dale Rietberg Varnum, LLP 616-336-6587 drrietberg@varnumlaw.com

Jamie J. Vander Kolk Bolhouse, Hofstee & McLean PC

Matthew Wiebe

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-335-6793 mwiebe@shrr.com

PERSONAL INJURY

Stephen Afendoulis

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6732 spafendoulis@varnumlaw.com

William M. Azkoul

Gruel Mills Nims & Pylman PLLC

Tom Baker Michigan Auto Law 616-447-8847 tbaker@michiganautolaw.com

Thomas R. Behm

Gruel Mills Nims & Pylman PLLC

Nicholas Dondzila Dondzila Law

Patrick Duff Duff Chadwick and Associates

Bill Failey Failey Law PLC

Tim Holland Michigan Auto Law 616-447-8847 tholland@michiganautolaw.com

Rick Houghton

Michigan Auto Law 616-447-8847 rhoughton@michiganautolaw.com

Charissa C. Huang

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-3443 chuang@shrr.com

Stephen Hulst

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5155 sjhulst@rhoadesmckee.com

J. Paul Janes

Gruel Mills Nims & Pylman PLLC

Justin Maxim CBH Attorneys

E. Thomas McCarthy, Jr. Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-9224 emccarthy@shrr.com

F. McKee Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Benjamin R. Mills

Gruel Mills Nims & Pylman PLLC

Jonathan Paasch Durel Law, PLC

Loryn Schlinker West Michigan Injury Lawyers, PLC

Thomas Sinas Sinas Dramis Law Firm

R. Kevin Thieme R Kevin Thieme, PC

Jeremy Tiedt

Michigan Auto Law 616-447-8847 jtiedt@michiganautolaw.com

Matthew L. Wikander

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-8605 mwikander@shrr.com

PRODUCT LIABILITY

Patrick F. Geary

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-5358 pgeary@shrr.com

Scott R. Melton

Gruel Mills Nims & Pylman PLLC

PROFESSIONAL MALPRACTICE LAW

John R. Oostema

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-0495 joostema@shrr.com

PUBLIC FINANCE LAW

Mark Nettleton

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8048 mnettleton@mikameyers.com

REAL ESTATE LAW

Jonathan Anderson

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6709 jwanderson@varnumlaw.com

Todd Hendricks

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5128 thendricks@rhoadesmckee.com

David C. Hill

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3992 dhill@btlaw.com

Christopher Kelly Parmenter Law

Neil Kimball

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5140 nkimball@rhoadesmckee.com

William Meier Parmenter Law

Christian Meyer Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Curtis Underwood

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8021 cunderwood@mikameyers.com

Justin Wheeler Bodman PLC

SECURITIES LAW

Kimberly Baber Varnum, LLP 616-336-6851 kababer@varnumlaw.com

Maxwell Barnes

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

Daniel Broxup

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8059 dbroxup@mikameyers.com

James Brown

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8031 jbrown@mikameyers.com

David Caldon

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6232 dtcaldon@varnumlaw.com

Robert Davies

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Timothy Dudley

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5272 trdudley@rhoadesmckee.com

David B. Ederer

Bodman PLC

William Hall

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

James Rabaut Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Joshua Reece Parmenter Law

Peter Schmidt

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6411 paschmidt@varnumlaw.com

G Goode

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Shane Hansen Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Matthew Wiebe

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-335-6793 mwiebe@shrr.com

TAX LAW

Aaron Smith

McShane & Bowie, PLC 616-732-5000 ams@msblaw.com

Matthew R. Smith Bodman PLC

John Sturgis

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6244 jwsturgis@varnumlaw.com

Charles Becker

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3946 cbecker@btlaw.com

Erin M. Haney Bodman PLC

Mike Hanrahan CBH Attorneys

Gardner Linn

2900 Charlevoix Dr. SE, Ste. 300, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-975-5500 | gardner-linn.com

Gardner Linn is an award-winning law firm specializing in the protection, enforcement, and defense of intellectual property including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, as well as unfair competition and related agreements. From their Grand Rapids office, they represent clients locally, throughout the U.S., and internationally. Clients range from large, multinational corporations to sole proprietorships.

Gardner Linn maintains the highest standards of professionalism, while retaining Midwest values and prioritizing communication and client relationships. ■

From Left to Right: Terence J. Linn, Matthew D. Kendall and Karl T. Ondersma.

Stephen Kretschman

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Mark E. Rizik

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

Wayne D. Roberts Bodman PLC

Katie Roskam

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6494 kkroskam@varnumlaw.com

Terry Zabel

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5173 tlzabel@rhoadesmckee.com

TRUSTS AND ESTATES

Katie Hogan Aguilar

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5134 kaguilar@rhoadesmckee.com

Tim Alles

Alles Law

Michelle Anthes

McShane & Bowie, PLC 616-732-5000 mha@msblaw.com

Daniel Borst

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

William Bowie

McShane & Bowie, PLC 616-732-5000 whb@msblaw.com

Chris Brown

Brown Law Firm

Christopher Caldwell

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6951 cjcaldwell@varnumlaw.com

Pam Cross

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5181 pjcross@rhoadesmckee.com

Lindsay M. Cummings Bodman PLC

Linsey Gleason

Varnum, LLP 616-336-6528 lgleason@varnumlaw.com

Mark D. Hofstee Bolhouse, Hofstee & McLean PC

Wendy Holtvluwer Holtvluwer Law

April Hulst CBH Attorneys Catherine Jacobs Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Laura Jeltema Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

George Johnson Parmenter Law

Jay C. Kakaty

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-3631 jkakaty@shrr.com

Neil Kimball

Rhoades McKee 616-233-5140 nkimball@rhoadesmckee.com

David Malson Jr. Barnes & Thornburg LLP

John Martin

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Christopher Matthysse

Mika Meyers PLC 616-632-8042 cmatthysse@mikameyers.com

Susan Meyers Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Lauretta Murphy

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

Laura Radle Varnum, LLP 616-336-6415 leradle@varnumlaw.com

Douglas Rasmussen Clark Hill PLC

Nicholas A. Reister

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge 616-458-8286 nreister@shrr.com

Richard Samdal Koernke & Crampton PC

Adam Sheridan Sheridan Law PLC

Victoria Smalley Bolhouse, Hofstee & McLean PC

Carrie Trimpe Bodman PLC

Timothy Waalkes Verspoor Waalkes, P.C. Alexandre Zucco Cunningham Dalman PC

WHITE-COLLAR CRIMINAL DEFENSE

Matthew Borgula Springstead Bartish Borgula & Lynch PLLC

Chip Chamberlain

Willey & Chamberlain, LLP 616-458-2212 cec@willeychamberlain.com

Top Lawyers

Top Lawyers

Jeffery Crampton Grand Law Attorneys

Clayton Grondzik

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Madelaine Lane

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Brian Lennon

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Patrick Miles, Jr.

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 616-742-3939 patrick.miles@btlaw.com

Peter VanGelderen

Willey & Chamberlain, LLP 616-458-2212 pav@willeychamberlain.com

Matthew Vicari

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C.

Larry Willey

Willey & Chamberlain, LLP 616-458-2212 lcw@willeychamberlain.com

WORKERS COMPENSATION LAW

Patrick Duff

Bolhouse, Hofstee & McLean PC

Themis Fotieo

Themis J Fotieo PLC

Martha Reamon

Reamon Law PLC

James Rinck

James R Rinck P.C.

West Michigan Injury Lawyers

West Michigan Injury Lawyers, PLC is one of West Michigan’s most successful personal injury law firms. From our offices in downtown Muskegon’s Hines Building to our ongoing practice in Grand Rapids and throughout West Michigan, our Michigan personal injury attorneys fight to win accident victims the compensation and closure they need and deserve.

With over 50 years of combined personal injury trial experience, you can trust your legal matter to be handled with precision by Attorneys, Paul Shibley, Loryn Schlinker, and David Givskud.

We strive day in and day out to make sure the defendants and insurance companies are held

responsible for the consequences of accidents that lead to injury—not the victims.

Experienced. Aggressive. Compassionate. Lawyers you can rely on and a law firm that you can trust. To meet with an attorney today, call 231-725-8444.

dine

OUR STAFF'S GUIDE TO THE AREA'S BEST EATERIES

For any additions or changes: // Please email pevans@geminipub.com or write to Grand Rapids Magazine, c/o Dining Guide, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

Downtown GR

ANGEL’S THAI CAFÉ

Extensive Thai fare. Menu includes your-choice stir-fry option. Vegetarian friendly. No alcohol. Open daily. // 136 Monroe Center NW, 454-9801. angelsthaicafe.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

APERITIVO

A wine bar with a small menu that includes cheese and charcuterie plates and monthly sandwich specials. The retail section includes tinned fish, which can be enjoyed on-site with pickled veggies, cultured butter and Field & Fire bread. It is located within the Grand Rapids Downtown Market. Open Daily. // 435 Ionia Ave SW, 259-7045. aperitivogr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

BANGKOK TASTE CUISINE

Thai fare with lunch buffet and kids menu. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 15 Jefferson Ave SE, 356-5550. bangkoktastegr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

BEACON CORNER BAR & COASTAL FARE

Owned by the group behind San Chez and Roam, the restaurant offers up seafood from the three coasts: East, West and Michigan. // 38 W Fulton St, 383-3800. beaconcornerbar.com. Dinner, $$-$$$

BEIJING KITCHEN

Hunan, Szechuan and Cantonese cuisines. Lunch and dinner specials. No alcohol. Open daily. //342 State St SE, 4588383. beijingkitchenmi.com. Lunch (Sun-Fri), Dinner $-$$

2022 DINING AWARD WINNER BISTRO BELLA VITA

Big-city casual; modern French and Italian cuisine, locally sourced and prepared over a wood fire. Mammoth martini bar, nice wine selection. Open daily. // 44 Grandville Ave SW, 222-4600. bistrobellavita.com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

BOBARINO’S AT THE B.O.B.

Grill on second floor of The B.O.B. offers everything from wood-fired pizza to upscale entrées. Lunch menu has deli sandwiches, salads, burgers. Full bar. Outdoor seating. Closed Sun. // 20 Monroe Ave NW, 356-2000. thebob. com/bobarinospizza. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

BRICK & PORTER

Appetizers, burgers, salads, sandwiches and a nice selection of entrées; 20 beers on tap (“the darker, the better”). Open daily. // 47 Monroe Center NW, 2266928. brickandportergr.com. Brunch (Sat-Sun), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

BRICKYARD TAVERN

Located inside the historic Boardwalk Building, BrickYard Tavern offers a varied menu with items including a selection of burgers, sandwiches and entrées such as beer-battered salmon and chips, fish tacos and rib eye. Enjoy cocktails and 24 beers on tap. Open daily. // 940 Monroe Ave NW, 805-3280. brickyardtaverngr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

BROOKLYN BODEGA BAGEL & DELI

Bringing the bagel shops and delis of the East Coast to the third coast. Whether a bagel, egg and cheese or a hearty turkey sandwich, Brooklyn Bodega has it. Open Monday-Saturday // 10 Jefferson Ave. SE, (616) 7244275 Breakfast, Lunch $

THE CHOP HOUSE

Aged prime beef, seafood, pork, lamb chops, chicken and more. Downstairs is La Dolce Vita dessert and cigar bar. Closed Sun. // 190 Monroe Ave NW, 451-6131. thechophousegrandrapids.com. Dinner $$$

CITY BUILT BREWING

CO.

Taproom featuring a variety of craft beer. Plus, Puerto Rican-inspired appetizers, small plates, entrées, soups and salads. Closed Mon. // 820 Monroe Ave NW, 805-5755. citybuiltbrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

CINCO DE MAYO

Offers the usual Mexican fare plus carnitas and steak asada. Full bar. Open daily. // 114 Monroe Center NW, 719-2401. cincodemayogr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

CITYSEN LOUNGE

Soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers and small-plate creations. Beer and wine; happy hour 4-7 pm. Open daily. // CityFlatsHotel, 83 Monroe Center NW, 6081725. cityflatshotel.com/location/grand-rapids. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

COTTAGE BAR

Longtime favorite since 1927. Famous Cottage burgers and fries, signature chilis and more. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 18 LaGrave Ave SE, 454-9088. cottagebar. biz. Lunch, Dinner $

DIVANI

European-inspired food includes small plates for sharing and a variety of entrées. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 15 Ionia Ave SW, 774-9463. divanigr.com. Dinner $$-$$$

DUBLIN HALL

Tapas-style fare, plus house specialties. Patio seating. Full bar, happy hour 3-7 Mon-Fri. Open daily. // 100 Ionia Ave SW, 456-7673. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FIELD & FIRE CAFÉ

This farm-to-table breakfast and lunch spot offers allday breakfast items like breakfast burritos and skillet meals as well as lunch items including sandwiches, soups, salads and toasts. It also offers an array of pastry items including croissants, muffins and tarts. On weekends brunch is available. No alcohol. Open daily. // 820 Monroe Ave NW Suite 100, 616-608-4533. fieldandfire.com. Breakfast, Lunch $-$$

FLANAGAN’S

Downtown Irish pub features imported beers, entrées with Irish influence. Frequent live music. Open Daily. // 139 Pearl St NW, 454-7852. flanagansgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $

FORTY PEARL

A wine bar serving oysters, cured meats and cheeses, baked goods and sweets, soups and salads, shareables, sandwiches, rice bowls and entrées like salmon, seared scallops and Cornish hen. Open daily. // 40 Pearl St. NW, 608-7741. fortypearl.com. Lunch, Dinner $$$

FOUNDERS BREWING CO.

Spacious taproom, serpentine bar and live music Thu and Sat. Menu features appetizers, deli sandwiches. Outdoor beer garden. Open daily. // 235 Grandville Ave SW, 7761195. foundersbrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $

FRIESIAN GASTRO PUB

A cozy neighborhood eatery offering comfort food items with an eclectic twist. Menu items include handhelds like the harissa hot chicken sandwich and vegan Rueben, as well as entrées including ramen bowls and Korean short ribs. Full bar. Patio and rooftop deck. Open daily. // 720 Michigan St NE, 825-3001. friesiangr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

GINZA SUSHI & RAMEN BAR

Wide selection of authentic Japanese cuisine, sushi, ramen, poke bowls, hibachi dinners, appetizers, soups and salad. Open daily. Catering available. // 1015 Michigan St NE, 272-4116. ginzasushiramen.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

GRAND RAPIDS BREWING CO.

Organic brews, hard cider, wine and spirits. Farm-totable menu includes sharable plates, sausages, soups, salads, sandwiches, entrées. Open daily. // 1 Ionia Ave SW, 458-7000. grbrewingcompany.com. Lunch (SatSun), Dinner $-$$

GRAND RAPIDS GARAGE BAR AND GRILL

“All-American grub” includes burgers, nachos, sandwiches, soups and salads, full bar. Live entertainment Fri and Sat. Open daily. / 819 Ottawa Ave NW, 454-0321. garagebargr.com. Lunch, Dinner $

GRAND WOODS LOUNGE

Eclectic menu with upscale comfort foods. Live entertain ment, pool tables, spacious full bar. Year-round alfresco dining with fireplace. Open daily. // 77 Grandville Ave SW, 451-4300. grandwoodslounge.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

HERITAGE HILL PIZZA

Offers traditional, stuffed and specialty pizzas. No alcohol. Open daily with a few tables for dining in. // 340 State St SE, 742-4773. grandrapidspizza.net. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THE HERITAGE

GRCC culinary students prepare gourmet dishes from steaks to vegan. Menu changes weekly. Wine and beer. Open Tue-Fri during school year. // Applied Technology Center, 151 Fountain St NE, 234-3700. grcc.edu/ heritage. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

HONG KONG EXPRESS

Szechuan and Cantonese. All-you-can-eat lunch buffet. No alcohol. Open daily. // 150 E Fulton St, 235-2888. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

JAMAICAN DAVE’S

Chicken, goat, oxtail, beef, fish and vegetarian fare in Jamaican style. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 530 S Division Ave, 458-7875. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $

J. GARDELLA’S TAVERN

Massive full bar and gargantuan menu includes hearty appetizers, salads, burgers, entrées. Three floors of seating. Closed Sun. // 11 Ionia Ave SW, 459-8824. jgardellastavern.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $

THE KITCHEN BY WOLFGANG PUCK

Comfort fare and global classics in a casual atmosphere overlooking the Grand River. Menu includes appetizers, gourmet pizzas, salads and entrées. Full bar. Open daily. // Amway Grand Plaza, 187 Monroe Ave NW, 776-3230. amwaygrand.com/dining/the-kitchen-bywolfgang-puck. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

LEO’S

Fresh seafood, soups, salads and more in elegant yet casual atmosphere. Early dinner menu 4:30-6 pm MonFri. Closed Sun. // 60 Ottawa Ave NW, 454-6700. leosrestaurant.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $$-$$$

2022 DINING AWARD WINNER

LINEAR

Riverfront eatery featuring seasonal menu with fresh modern American fare and outdoor-seating options; plus, a display of rotating works by local artists. Full bar. Closed Mon. // 1001 Monroe Ave NW, 200-4343. linearrestaurant.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LITTLEBIRD

Café-style restaurant featuring made-from-scratch breakfast and lunch, including a full coffee menu, house-made sodas and egg creams, and pastries. Full bar. Open daily. // 95 Monroe Center NW, 419-4168. thelittlebirdgr.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Tue-Sat) $

LUNA TAQUERIA Y COCINA

Upscale Latin American menu pairs with locally sourced meat and produce. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 64 Ionia Ave SW, 288-6340. lunagr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

2022 DINING AWARD WINNER MARGAUX

A contemporary French bistro. Fine wines and cocktails. Alfresco dining overlooking the Grand River. Open daily. // JW Marriott, 235 Louis St NW, 242-1448. ilovethejw. com/dining. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

MAX’S SOUTH SEAS HIDEWAY

A tiki-themed restaurant that includes a raw bar, hot appetizers, salads, sides, land and sea dishes, and vegan options. Appetizers include ceviche and puhahana rock shrimp, and entrées include a poke bowl, citrus-glazed faroe and an island lobster roll. Full bar. Open daily. // 58 Ionia Ave SW, 551-0016. maxstiki.com. D $$-$$$

2022 DINING AWARD WINNER MDRD

Overlooking the Grand River from its location on the 27th floor of the Amway Grand Plaza, this restaurant serves modern Spanish cuisine including tapas and paella. Reservations available. Closed Sun and Mon. // 187 Monroe Ave. NW, 776.6425. amwaygrand.com/dining. Dinner $$$

MERTENS PRIME

French-inspired, upscale dining on restored historic site of original, early-20th-century-era hotel. Steaks, chops, seafood, pasta, entrées and small plates. Local wine options. Open daily. // 35 Oakes St SW, 551-1713. mertensgr.com. Brunch (Sat-Sun), Breakfast (Mon-Fri), Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $-$$

MEXO

Features tequila/mezcal bar and a modern touch on classic pre-Hispanic foods of Mexico. Full bar. Open daily. // 118 E Fulton St, 828-4123. mexogr.com. Breakfast (Sun), Lunch, Dinner $$

MOJO’S DUELING PIANO BAR & RESTAURANT

Lively downtown spot opens for dinner at 5 pm Wed-Sat. Appetizers, sandwiches, salads, flatbread pizzas, full bar. Shows start at 8 pm Wed-Fri, 7 pm Sat. Closed Sun-Tue. // 180 Monroe Ave NW, 776-9000. mojospianobar.com. Dinner (Wed-Sat) $$-$$$

ONE TWENTY THREE TAVERN

Part of Studio Park, One Twenty Three Tavern offers starters, small plates and handhelds, large plates, and a kids menu. Offering elevated American fare, including a fried chicken sandwich, jackfruit carnitas, meatloaf, veggie meatballs, quinoa bowl and more. Full bar. Open daily. // 123 Ionia Ave SW. 123tavern.com. Lunch, Dinner $$$

PALACE OF INDIA

Indian cuisine with a sizeable menu including vegetarian selections. Lunch buffet 11-3. Open daily. // 138 E Fulton St, 913-9000. palaceofindiarestaurant.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PARSLEY MEDITERRANEAN GRILLE

Appetizers, salads, soups, pitas, combos. Catering available. No alcohol. Open daily. // 80 Ottawa Ave NW, 776-2590. parsleymg.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PIND INDIAN CUISINE

A fine-dining Indian restaurant offering traditional dishes, such as tandoori, biryani, chicken tikka masala, malai kofta and samosas with gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. No alcohol. Open daily. // 241 W Fulton St, 805-4767. pindgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$$

RESERVE

Wine bar offers extensive by-the-glass selections and culinary options to match, including charcuterie. Closed Sun. // 201 Monroe Ave NW, 855-9463. reservegr.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $$-$$$

ROAM BY SAN CHEZ BISTRO

The San Chez Bistro team introduces global street food, including cuisine from China, Morocco, Spain, France, Poland, U.K., Indonesia and more. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 250 Monroe Ave NW, 288-9129. roambysanchez. com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$

ROCKWELL REPUBLIC

Diverse menu emphasizes local ingredients from sushi to comfort food. Upper-level outdoor seating. Full bar. Open daily. // 45 S Division Ave, 551-3563. rockwellsrepublic.com. Dinner $$-$$$

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE

Classic American steakhouse in the Amway Grand Plaza. Serves alcohol. Closed Sun. // 187 Monroe Ave NW, 776-6426. amwaygrand.com/dining/ruthschris-steak-house. Lunch, Dinner $$$

SAN CHEZ BISTRO

Spanish fare focusing on tapas-style small plates; sides and entrées. Wine and beer list includes Spanish varieties and sherry. Open daily. // 38 W Fulton St, 774-8272. sanchezbistro.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

SANDY POINT BEACH HOUSE GR

Originating in West Olive, dishes include “traditional beach house favorites,” such as prime beef burgers, fresh halibut, steak and frites, and roasted chicken and mussels. Full bar. Open daily. // 822 Ottawa Ave. NW, 828-1118. sandypointbeachhouse.com. Brunch (SatSun), Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

SLOWS BAR-B-Q

Detroit-based restaurant offers extensive menu, including barbecue, sandwiches and sides. Michigan and national craft beers on tap. Open daily. // Downtown Market, 435 Ionia Ave SW, 454-1588. slowsbarbq.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

dine / estau ants

SOCIAL HOUSE

A casual pub serving American-style food. Menu features a variety of offerings: starters such as veggie, meat and cheese shared platters, goat cheese fritters, spicy tuna wontons and avocado toast; soups and salads; burgers and sandwiches; and pizza. Full bar. Closed Mon. // 25 Ottawa Ave. SW, 551-1412. socialhousegr.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$$

SOCIAL MISFITS

An interesting concept mashing waffles with other foods. The waffles, whether sweet or savory, can be accompanied by creative cocktails. The business also introduces Great Lakes Coffee Roasters to town. // 43 W. Fulton St, 272-4984. thesocialmisfits.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$

SPEAKEZ LOUNGE

Casual pub setting with eclectic menu, including vegan and gluten-free. Creative starters, soups, salads, entrées (after 4 pm). Full bar. Open daily. // 600 Monroe Ave NW, 458-3125. speakezlounge.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

STELLA’S LOUNGE

Award-winning stuffed burgers, plus vegan and vegetarian items. Full bar, known for its whiskey selection. Open daily. // 53 Commerce Ave SW, 7424444. stellasgr.com. Lunch (Fri-Sun), Dinner $-$$

TERRA BAGEL

A quaint place to grab a bagel, a schmear and some coffee. The sister restaurant of Terra Bagel and Terra GR in Eastown. Open Daily // 40 Pearl St. NW, terrabagels.com, 616.465.4343 Breakfast, Lunch $

TURNSTILES

Bodacious bar food in a music-themed atmosphere. Cocktails, drafts, and the largest selection of nonalcoholic beverages in GR. Nightly live music with no cover. Free on-site parking. // 526 Stocking NW. turnstilesgr.com. 616-330-LIVE. Lunch, Dinner $

WAHLBURGERS

Celebrity-owned (by Mark Wahlburg and brothers) burger joint offering up a fast-casual experience. // 10 Ionia Ave NW, 616-719-1788. wahlburgers.com. Lunch, Dinner, $$

Z’S BAR & RESTAURANT

Sports-themed eatery known for its BBQ ribs. Soups, salads, sandwiches, entrées. Carry-out available. Open daily. // 168 Louis Campau Promenade NW, 4543141. zsbar.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

West Side

BLUE DOG TAVERN

West Michigan craft brews on tap. Good selection of tots, dogs and burgers. Open daily. // 638 Stocking Ave NW, 608-6050. bluedogtaverngr.com. Lunch, Dinner $

BROADWAY BAR & GRILL

Neighborhood bar known for burgers and holiday decorations, especially at Christmas. Outdoor grilling during summer. Hours change seasonally. // 740 Broadway Ave SW, 454-0565. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $

BURGER THEORY

Bright, contemporary restaurant features diverse menu in downtown Holiday Inn. Full bar. Open daily. // 310 Pearl St NW, 235-1342. higrdt.com/dining/ pearl-street-grill. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$

BUTCHER’S UNION

Meat-and-whiskey-centric gastro pub. Full bar. Outdoor seating available. // 438 Bridge St NW, 551-1323. butchersuniongr.com. Brunch (Sun), Lunch, Dinner $$

EL GRANJERO

Mexican fare from steak and shrimp to menudo on weekends. No alcohol but tasty virgin coladas. Open daily. // 950 Bridge St NW, 458-5595. Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

EL SOMBRERO

Offers “the original” wet burrito. Weekly specials. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 527 Bridge St NW, 451-4290. elsombrerorestaurantmi.com. Lunch, Dinner $

FRATELLI’S KITCHEN & BAR

Italian cuisine based on family recipes from Sicily with a “modern twist.” Full service bar. Open daily. // 443 Bridge St NW, Suite 2. 389-4963. fratellisgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

HARMONY HALL

West Side brewpub with a German beer hall atmosphere serves comfort food including sloppy joes, grilled cheese sandwiches, hamburgers and a variety of dishes based on French fries, including poutine. Sausage menu. Vegan and vegetarian options for every dish on the menu. Open Thurs.-Sat. // 401 Stocking Ave NW, 233-9186. harmonybeer.com/harmony-hall. Dinner $-$$

THE HOLIDAY BAR

Established in 1905, menu features appetizers and sandwiches. Seating includes 40-foot horseshoe bar, tables and a beer garden in warm months. Open daily. // 801 Fifth St NW, 456-9058. theholidaybargr.com. Lunch, Dinner $

JOLLY PUMPKIN PIZZERIA & BREWERY

Dexter-based brewery offers salads and sandwiches in addition to pizza. Kids menu available. Open daily. // 428 Bridge St NW, 419-4676. jollypumpkin.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

THE KNICKERBOCKER –NEW HOLLAND BREWING

Craft brewery featuring a variety of locally sourced shared plates, sandwiches, soups, pizzas, barbecue and more. Open daily. // 417 Bridge St NW, 3455642. newhollandbrew.com/knickerbocker. Brunch (Sun), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LONG ROAD DISTILLERS

Craft, small-batch distillery featuring variety of housemade snacks, sandwiches and entrées. Open daily. // 537 Leonard St NW, 228-4924. longroaddistillers. com. Brunch (Sat-Sun), Dinner $-$$

MAGGIE’S KITCHEN

Mexican fare in café setting, cafeteria-style ordering. No alcohol. Closed Sun and Mon. // 636 Bridge St NW, 458-8583. Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

THE MITTEN BREWING CO.

Vintage baseball-themed nanobrewery pairs handcrafted beers with gourmet pizzas. Open daily. // 527 Leonard St NW, 608-5612. mittenbrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

MARU

Asian fusion eatery featuring small plates, bentos, rice bowls, raw bar, noodles, soup, salad and more. Wide selection of wine, plus local, domestic and international beer. Full bar. // 415 Bridge St NW, 608-0789. andosushi.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

MONARCHS’ CLUB

Starters, sausages, hot dogs, panini, Italian beef sandwiches and Grand Rapids Stackers. Michigan beer on draft. Open daily. // 646 Stocking Ave NW, 2339799. monarchsclubcornerbar.com. Lunch, Dinner $

ONE BOURBON

Trendy, two-level restaurant serving creative shareable plates, burgers, hot sandwiches and entrées. Full bar features more than 120 whiskies. Closed Sun-Mon. // 608 Bridge St NW, 608-5766. onebourbongr.com. Dinner $-$$

O’TOOLE’S PUBLIC HOUSE

Pub grub includes appetizers, sandwiches and burgers served on a mountain of fries. Open daily. // 448 Bridge St NW, 742-6095. otoolesgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

SALVATORE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Sicilian and southern Italian fare. Separate sports bar; patio seating. Food, beer and wine available to go. Delivery and catering. Open daily. // 654 Stocking Ave NW, 454-4280. salvatoresgr.com. Lunch (MonFri), Dinner $-$$

2022 DINING AWARD WINNER

THE SOVENGARD

Midwest heart meets New Nordic spirit. This cozy West Side farm-to-table restaurant focuses on seasonal and local sourcing and offers two separate dining spaces/ menus with an outdoor biergarten. Closed Mon. and Tues. Open for brunch Sat. and Sun. Reservations accepted. // 443 Bridge St NW, 214-7207. sovengard.com. Dinner $-$$

TWO SCOTTS BARBECUE

Authentic barbecue smoked in-house daily with homemade sides and sauces. Features draft root beer and weekly specials. Catering and food truck available. Closed Sun. // 536 Leonard St NW, 608-6756. twoscottsbbq.com. Lunch $-$$

A little extra is a big deal, especially during the holidays. With our Max Rewards credit card, you can earn cash back...every time you use it. 3% cash back on gas,* 2% on groceries and restaurants,** and 1% on everything else. On average, that’s $190*** a year in cash back. So go ahead, live the holidays to the fullest.

It’s easy to get started. To apply now visit Lending.LMCU.org/MaxRewards, call (844) 394-3370, or stop by your local branch.

WESTSIDE SOCIAL

“Reimagined” American-style tavern with locally sourced, house-made appetizers, burgers, seafood and other entrées. Full bar. Happy hour specials available Mon-Fri. Open daily. // 2802 Lake Michigan Dr NW, 453-5877. westside.social. Lunch (Tue-Sun), Dinner $-$$

Uptown

BASALT

Modern Tex-Mex cuisine with a relaxed atmosphere. The menu focuses on breakfast tacos, quesadillas and tortas. Closed Mondays. // 1450 Wealthy St. SE, 719-2146. basaltgr.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Thurs-Sat) $

BOMBAY CUISINE

Traditional Indian dishes with spices and flavors from northern India. Full bar. Open daily. Takeout available. // 1420 Lake Dr SE, 456-7055. eastownbombaycuisine.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

BREWERY VIVANT

Beer and food in tradition of French and Belgian country dishes. Housed in a renovated funeral chapel. Most dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. Open daily. // 925 Cherry St SE, 719-1604. breweryvivant.com. Lunch (Sat-Sun), Dinner $$-$$$

BROWN BUTTER CREPERIE & CAFÉ

Locally sourced, made-from-scratch sweet and savory crepes and liege waffles. // 1436 Wealthy St SE, 2885038. brownbuttercrepes.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Wed-Sat) $

CHEZ OLGA

Caribbean and Creole fare. Veggie/vegan options. Takeout available. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 1441 Wealthy St SE, 233-4141. chezolga.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THE COMMONS

1970s-themed restaurant with “retro comfort food.” Full bar, including craft beer and ’70s-inspired cocktails. Takeout available. Closed Mon. // 547 Cherry St SE, 458-2704. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $$

DANZÓN CUBANO

Authentic Cuban fare, including vegetarian and vegan options, as well as locally made and Cuban sodas. Full bar; happy hour specials Mon-Thu. Open daily. // 1 Carlton Ave SE, 988-9788. danzoncubano.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

DONKEY TAQUERIA

Authentic Mexican food, including tacos, tostadas, botanas and tortas in a former 1920s service station.

Full bar. Open daily. // 665 Wealthy St SE. donkeygr. com. Breakfast (Sat-Sun), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

EAST WEST BREWING CO.

Traditional American-style beers. Fresh, made-to-order American-style food and seasonal vegetarian menu items from local vendors. Open daily. // 1400 Lake Dr SE, 288-5250. eastwestbrewingcompany.com. Lunch (FriSat), Dinner $-$$

FORTY ACRES SOUL KITCHEN

“Authentically American” southern comfort food, featuring po’boys, grits, gumbo and more. To-go catering available. Closed Mon. // 1059 Wealthy St SE, 481-6971. fortyacresgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

GOJO ETHIOPIAN CUISINE & DELI

Authentic dishes including vegetarian options. Watt (stew) dishes served with injera flatbread. Carry-out available. No alcohol. Closed Sun and Mon. // 421 Norwood Ave SE, 459-3383. gojoethiopiancuisine.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

THE GREEN WELL GASTRO PUB

Not your run-of-the-mill New American fare. Full bar with more than 20 rotating draft beers, many from local breweries. Open Tue–Sun. // 924 Cherry St SE, 8083566. thegreenwell.com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

GROVE

Fresh, farm-to-table unique takes on American fare in a presentation unlike most experienced before. Multipletime Grand Rapids Magazine Dining Award winner. Open Wednesday-Saturday // 919 Cherry St SE, groverestaurant.com, (616) 454-1000 Dinner, $$$

HANCOCK

Nashville hot chicken restaurant with sandwiches, fried chicken, an assortment of Southern picnic sides, salads and desserts. Also serves breakfast. Open daily. // 1157 Wealthy St. SE, 805-4232. hancockgr.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

HARMONY BREWING CO.

Custom brews with a full bar, wine and wood-fired pizzas. Sandwiches served 11 am-4 pm. Dog-friendly patio. Open daily. // 1551 Lake Dr SE, 233-0063. harmonybeer.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

KCM

A Japanese/Korean fusion restaurant specializing in sando (Japanese cut white bread sandwiches or open-faced toast with meat, egg salad or other filling); curry and other rice bowls; tonkatsu (Japanese deep-fried tenderized pork loin, tenderloin and shoulder cutlets); chicken katsu; and kimbap (Korean-style fish and vegetable hand rolls wrapped with seaweed). Open Tues.-Sun. // 209 Diamond Ave. SE. kcmgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

LITTLE AFRICA ETHIOPIAN CUISINE

Hearty vegetable stews; sauces and fixings served on Ethiopian flat bread. No alcohol. Cash or checks only. Closed Sun and Mon. // 956 E Fulton St, 222-1169. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $

MARU SUSHI & GRILL

Large menu of Japanese cuisine with a twist, from sushi to hibachi grilled items. Vegetarian options. Full bar. Open daily. // 927 Cherry St SE, 458-1900. marurestaurant.com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

MATCHBOX DINER & DRINKS

Breakfast all day, deli sandwiches, burgers, appetizers and seasonal entrées. Also, milkshakes and malts. Carry-out available. Open daily. // 1345 Lake Dr SE, 774-8641. matchboxdiner.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$

QUARANTINO’S

Detroit-style pizza restaurant offering unique pizza options finished with Satori Wisconsin Parmesan. Vegan and gluten-free options are available. No alcohol. Closed Sun and Mon. // 1444 Lake Drive SE, 734-6833. quarantinosgr.com. Dinner $$

THE PUB AT PADDOCK

“Happy hour all the time” with elevated pub fare. Full bar. Closed Mondays. // 1033 Lake Dr SE, 356-2627. thegilmorecollection.com/pubatpaddock. Dinner $-$$

TERRA

Eastown eatery features food from local, ethically raised and sustainable sourcing. Specialty cocktails, Michigan craft beers, wines from small wineries. Open daily. // 1429 Lake Dr SE, 301-0998. terragr.com. Brunch (SatSun), Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $$-$$$

WEALTHY STREET BAKERY

Breakfast pastries; sandwiches, salads and soup; pizza available after 4 pm. Beer and wine. Kids menu. Closed Sun. // 610 Wealthy St SE, 301-2950. wealthystreetbakery.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THE WINCHESTER

Locally sourced menu includes sharable plates in century-old space. Craft brews on draft. Full bar. Open daily. // 648 Wealthy St SE, 451-4969. winchestergr. com. Breakfast (Sat-Sun), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

YESTERDOG

Specializes in the “good old-fashioned hot dog.” Cash or check only. Catering available. Open daily. // 1505 Wealthy St SE, 336-0746. yesterdog.com. Lunch, Dinner $

ZIVIO

Modern European tavern and grill serving Bosnian cuisine melded with Turkish, Greek and other Central European countries' cooking traditions. Salads, wraps, gyros, dinner entrées. Full bar. Open daily. Catering available. // 724 Wealthy St SE, 608-3534. ziviogr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$$

East Grand Rapids

BIG BOB’S PIZZA

Neighborhood pizza parlor in EGR’s Gaslight Village also offers appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, subs. Full bar. Open daily. // 661 Croswell Ave SE, 233-0123. bigbobspizza.com. Lunch (Tue-Sun), Dinner $-$$

BOWDIE’S CHOPHOUSE

An upscale steakhouse “perfect for date nights, business dinners and late-night cocktails.” The restaurant serves various items: starters; soups and salads; shareables; and entrées, including chicken, salmon and steak. Full bar. Open daily. // 2237 Wealthy St. SE, 805-5044. bowdieschophouse.com. Dinner $$$

CAROLINA LOWCOUNTRY KITCHEN

Coastal South Carolina-inspired fare, including seafood, chicken, pork, beef and greens. Full bar. Open daily. // 2213 Wealthy St SE, 805-5231. carolinalck.com. Dinner $$

EK WEALTHY IS NOW OPEN

PHOTO BY SAM COOPER, ASSISTED BY BUD KIBBY

JOSÉ BABUSHKA’S

Starters, salads, burritos, chimichangas, flaming fajitas, tacos and special plates. Full bar. Open daily. // 2232 Wealthy St SE, 272-4472. josebabushkas.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

OLIVE’S

Seasonally inspired menu of creative fare and comfort foods featuring local produce and meats. Full bar. Alfresco balcony. Closed Sun. // 2162 Wealthy St SE, 451-8611. eatatolives.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

ROSE’S

Dockside dining on Reeds Lake with varied menu, including pastas and wood-fired pizzas. Three-season porch. Serves beer and wine. Open daily. // 550 Lakeside Dr SE, 458-1122. thegilmorecollection.com/ roses. Lunch, Dinner $$

Northeast GR

7 MONKS TAPHOUSE

Beer bar with more than 50 taps and gastropub food, including pretzel bites, burgers, salads. Open daily. // 740 Michigan St NE, 265-5417. 7monkstap.com/ grand-rapids. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

BIRCH LODGE

Menu includes wet burritos, sandwiches, burgers, gyros, fish baskets. Daily specials. Full bar. Open daily. // 732 Michigan St NE, 458-1918. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $

BLUE WATER GRILL

Entrées include steaks and fish, wood-fired pizzas. Nice wine selection. Lakeside views, outdoor patio. Beer, wine and cocktails. Open daily. // 5180 Northland Dr NE, 363-5900. thegilmorecollection.com/bluewater. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

BUD & STANLEY’S

Extensive menu includes Mexican specialties, pasta, burgers and more. Daily specials. Takeout available. Serves alcohol. Open daily. // 1701 Four Mile Rd NE, 361-9782. budandstanleys.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CAFÉ MAMO

An American restaurant inspired by grandma's garden. Classic Midwestern dishes paired with tasty wine in a warm, comfortable setting. Open daily. // 1601 Plainfield Ave. NE, 350-3430. mamohsp.com. Brunch (Sat-Sun) Dinner (Mon-Sat) $-$$

CHARLIE’S BAR & GRILLE

Well-rounded menu features dinners from ribs, steaks and seafood to kielbasa and kraut. Also, Mexican fare and sandwiches. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 3519 Plainfield Ave NE, 364-0567. charliesbarandgrille. com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CHEER’S GOOD TIME SALOON

Menu offers something for everyone in a log-cabin environment. Takeout available. Full bar. Open daily. // 3994 Plainfield Ave NE, 363-1188. cheersgrandrapids.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

CRESTON BREWERY

More than a dozen house-brewed beers on tap at all times; plus, seasonal menu, featuring chicken, pork and beef entrées; tacos, burritos and quesadillas; soups and salads. // 1504 Plainfield Ave NE, 805-4523. crestonbrewery.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

DETROIT WING CO.

Serves classic wings, boneless wings and chicken tenders with 19 house-made sauces. Its menu also includes mac n’ cheese, poutine, coleslaw, cornbread muffins and cheesecake. Detroit Wing Co. was founded in Detroit. Open daily. // 2004 East Beltline Ave. NE, 214-8331. detroitwingco.com. Lunch, Dinner $

FLO’S PIZZERIA RISTORANTE & SPORTS BAR

Pizzas, sandwiches, salads, Italian and Mexican entrées, full bar. Big screen TVs; takeout available. Open daily. // 1259 Post Dr NE, Belmont, 785-1001. flossportsbar.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FRED’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Longtime favorite offers Italian fare, including fresh pasta and gourmet pizza. Full-service bar. Closed Sun. // 3619 Plainfield Ave NE, 361-8994. fredsitalian. net. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FUJI YAMA ASIAN BISTRO

Hibachi grill tables or eat in dining room with Chinese, Japanese and Thai selections. Full bar. Open daily. // 1501 East Beltline Ave NE, 719-1859. fujiyamabistro. com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

GAIA HOUSE CAFÉ

A neighborhood vegetarian café offering items like the Mean Green Burrito and Gaia cookies, as well as freshpressed juices and specialty coffees. Open Wed-Sun for take-out only. // 1553 Plainfield Ave. NE . Visit on Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch. $

GOLDEN WOK

Chinese cuisine with some Hunan-spiced dishes. Sunday specials. Full bar. Open daily. // 1971 East Beltline Ave NE (Knapp’s Corner), 363-8880. goldenwokgrandrapids.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

GRAVITY TAPHOUSE GRILLE

Menu items pair with craft beer suggestions. 64 craft beers on tap. Open daily. // 3210 Deposit Dr NE (East Beltline at I-96), 719-4944. gravitytaphouse.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

GRAYDON’S CROSSING

Global pub serves traditional English pub food and world-inspired dishes. Full bar with large selection of microbrews and imported beers. Open daily. // 1223 Plainfield Ave NE, 726-8260. graydonscrossing.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

JAKU SUSHI

Japanese and Korean fare, including a large selection of sushi; plus, bento, bibimbap, hibachi, katsu, udon and more. Open daily. // 2289 East Beltline Ave NE, 6490407. jakusushi.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

KITCHEN 67

Large menu uses Michigan ingredients and includes Brann’s sizzling steaks, sandwiches, salads, small plates, pasta and more. Full bar with craft beers. Open daily. // 1977 East Beltline Ave NE, 272-3778. kitchen67.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LA HUASTECA

Authentic Mexican restaurant offering burritos, tacos, enchiladas, flautas and more. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 1811 Plainfield Ave NE, 447-7733. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $

LAI THAI KITCHEN

Vietnamese, Thai and Japanese fare. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 1621 Leonard St NE, 456-5730. laithaikitchen.net. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LICARI’S SICILIAN PIZZA KITCHEN

Specialties include thick-crust Sicilian pizza and stuffed pizza with a crispy crust. Also pasta, entrées, calzones and desserts. Full bar. Open daily. // 2869 Knapp St NE, 608-6912. licarispizzakitchen.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

LUCY’S CAFÉ

Family café offers breakfast, lunch and baked goods. Crepes, omelets, deli sandwiches and build-your-own breakfast plates. Open daily. // 1747 Plainfield Ave NE, 591-3149. lucyscafegr.com. Breakfast, Lunch $$-$$$

MAI’S THAI

Thai fare for counter service only. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 820 Michigan St NE, 451-3441. maisthaigr. com. (Mon-Fri), Lunch, Dinner $

MILL CREEK TAVERN

Comstock Park eatery offers appetizers, soups, sand wiches, full dinner options. Full bar with separate dining room. Closed Sun. // 3874 West River Dr NE, Comstock Park, 784-3806. millcreektaverngr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

POKE TOKI

Build-your-own bowls featuring a fusion of Hawaiian, Japanese and Korean cuisine. Catering available. Closed Sun. // 5150 Northland Dr NE, 729-4414. poketoki.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

PALIO

Ann Arbor-based eatery with an expansive menu of Italian fare. Full bar and happy hour. Open daily. // 545 Michigan St NE, 719-0660. paliograndrapids.com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

REDS AT THOUSAND OAKS

Large menu features sandwiches, salads, artisan pizza and entrées. Extensive wine list, craft beers, full bar. Patio with fire pits and covered deck. Open daily. // 4100 Thousand Oaks Dr NE, 447-7750. eatatreds. com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

/ estau ants

REZERVOIR LOUNGE

Full menu of appetizers, pizzas, sandwiches and entrées, some with Cajun flavor. Serves alcohol. Open daily. // 1418 Plainfield Ave NE, 451-0010. rezlounge. com. Lunch (Tue-Sun), Dinner $-$$

RIO GRAND STEAK HOUSE & SALOON

Texas-style barbecue ribs, steaks and more. Full bar. Open daily. // 5501 Northland Dr NE, 364-6266. riograndsteakhouse.com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

RIVER NORTH PUBLIC HOUSE

A “family-friendly” pub serving a variety of shareables, burgers and sandwiches. You’ll also find entrées, including Knapp Mac & Cheese and grilled sirloin tip steak. Full bar. Open daily. // 2115 Plainfield Ave NE, 288-7888. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $$$

THE SCORE

Restaurant and sports bar with large menu, more than 100 beers on tap. Open daily. // 5301 Northland Dr NE, 3010600. thescore-restaurant.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

SHESHCO GRILL

Mediterranean cuisine, including surf, turf and vegetarian options. No alcohol. Open daily. // 2121 Celebration Dr NE (Knapp’s Corner), 364-0600. sheshcogrill.net. Lunch, Dinner $$

THAI CHEF

Knapp’s Corner restaurant has large menu, including duck, seafood and vegetarian options. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 1971 East Beltline Ave NE, 570-0032. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $$

VANDER MILL

Seasonal menu with locally sourced ingredients. Starters, salads, entrées and large plates served family style. Hard ciders on tap. Open daily. // 505 Ball Ave NE, 259-8828. vandermill.com. Lunch, Dinner (MonSat) $$-$$$

Northwest GR

AMORE TRATTORIA ITALIANA

Regional Italian dishes using local products and Italian imports. Italian wines and liqueurs. House-made desserts. Banquet facility. Closed Mon. // 5080 Alpine Ave NW, 785-5344. amoretrattoriaitaliana.com. Dinner (Tue-Sat) $$

CHINA CHEF

Family-style restaurant with Szechuan-style entrées and Hunan choices. No alcohol. Open daily. // 4335 Lake Michigan Dr NW, 791-4488. chinachef49534.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CHINA CITY

Chinese cuisine; lunch prices all day. No alcohol. Open daily. // 1140 Monroe Ave NW, 451-3688. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

DEHOP’S BREWING CO. AND CAFÉ

Specialty and build-your-own burgers, “authentic Mexican” tacos, salads and sharable appetizers. Closed Sun-Mon. // 363 Cummings Ave NW, Walker, 805-3363. dehops.com. Dinner $$

EMPIRE CHINESE BUFFET II

All-you-can-eat buffet. Seafood buffet Sat-Sun. No alcohol. Open daily. // 4255 Alpine Ave NW, 7858880. empirechinesebuffet2.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FRICANO’S PIZZA RESTAURANT

Famous for its thin-crust pizza. Pasta dinners with sauce that made its way to the retail market. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 5808 Alpine Ave NW, 785-5800. fricanospizza.com. Dinner $-$$

HIBACHI GRILL & SUPREME BUFFET

Pan-Asian cuisine, including Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian and American. No alcohol. Open daily. // 785 Center Dr NW (Green Orchard Shopping Center), 785-8200. hibachigrillsupremebuffet.letseat.at. Lunch, Dinner $$

HUMMUS & FALAFEL

MIDDLE EASTERN GRILLE

Located near the Allendale campus of Grand Valley State University, eatery serves “healthy and tasty” Mediterranean food, including hummus and falafel starters; salads; lentil soup; sandwiches, entrées and more. Closed Sun. // 10897 48th Ave., Suite B100, Allendale. hummusandfalafel.org. Lunch, Dinner $

HUNAN CHINESE RESTAURANT

Full menu of Chinese options. No alcohol. Open daily. // 1263 Leonard St NE, 458-0977. hunangrc.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THE LANDING

Casual atmosphere with views of the Grand River. AllAmerican favorites and monthly specials. Full bar. Open daily. // 270 Ann St NW (Riverfront Hotel at U.S. 131), 363-9001. riverfronthotelgr.com/dining/the-landingrestaurant. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$

MR. GYROS

Family-owned restaurant offers Mediterranean specialties. Drive-thru, takeout, delivery and catering available. Closed Sun. // 2260 Alpine Ave NW, 7916660. mrgyrosdrivethru.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PERRIN BREWING CO.

Comstock Park craft brewery/taproom menu includes tacos, salads, burgers, panini and more. Kids menu available. Open daily. // 5910 Comstock Park Dr, 5511957. perrinbrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $

STAN DIEGO BAJA TACO KITCHEN

Baja California-inspired menu, featuring a-la-carte taco menu, chorizos, tamales, handcrafted margaritas and kids menu. Full bar. Open daily. // 355 Wilson Ave NW, 591-9806. standiegogr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

SWAN INN RESTAURANT

Home-cooked meals, huge breakfasts. Cygnet Lounge offers cocktails and nibbles. Open daily. // 5182 Alpine Ave NW, 784-1245. swaninnmotel.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THREE HAPPINESS RESTAURANT

Cantonese, Mandarin and Szechuan fare. Daily specials. No alcohol. Open daily. // Green Ridge Square, 3330 Alpine Ave NW, 785-3888. threehappinessgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

WALKER ROADHOUSE

Diverse menu with interesting twists on classic fare. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 3272 Remembrance Rd NW, 791-9922. thewalkerroadhouse.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $$

Southeast GR

7

MARES

Authentic Mexican dishes including breakfast. No alcohol. Closed Mon. // 1403 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 301-8555. Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

AL-BOS EUROCAFE-BAKERY

Authentic southeastern European cuisine. Menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, pasta, entrées and kids options. Daily specials. Open daily. // 2930 Shaffer Ave SE, 325-2800. al-bos.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

ASIAN PALACE

Chinese and Vietnamese fare with extensive menus for each. No alcohol. Closed Mon. // 141 28th St SE, 5347770. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

BELTLINE BAR

Americanized Tex-Mex menu, including wet burritos. Full bar. Curbside service. Open daily. // 16 28th St SE, 245-0494. beltlinebar.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

BRASS RING BREWING

Small-batch, style-specific brewery in the Alger Heights neighborhood. // 2404 Eastern Ave SE, 460-1587. brassringbrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

BROAD LEAF BREWERY & SPIRITS

Pub fare including snacks, meat and veggies on a stick and entrées like drunken noodles, burgers, tempeh and more. Open daily. Brunch on Sun. // 2885 Lake Eastbrook Blvd. SE, 803-0602. broadleafbeer.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

CABANA TRES AMIGOS

Authentic Mexican fare including vegetarian selections. Full bar. Takeout available. Open daily. // 1409 60th St SE, 281-6891. cabanatresamigos.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CAFÉ DE MIRO

A café offering Kurdish, Armenian and Greek foods. The menu consists of traditional Mediterranean breakfast and side dishes, such as skillets, scrambles and acai bowls; pastries; toasts; soups; sandwiches; salads; Turkish coffee; tea; desserts; and more. No alcohol. // Breton Village Shopping Plaza, 1878 Breton Rd SE, (616) 719-1462. Facebook. Open daily. Breakfast, Lunch $

CANTINA MEXICAN GRILL

Menu offers extensive Mexican specialties. Full bar. Drive-thru window. Outdoor patio. Open daily. // 2770 East Paris Ave SE, 949-9120. cantinamexicangrill.biz. Lunch (Sun-Thu), Dinner $$

DADDY PETE’S BBQ

Slow-smoked ribs, pulled pork, brisket and other meats. No alcohol. Catering available. Closed Sun and Mon. // 2921 Eastern Ave SE, 818-5522. daddypetesbbq.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

EAST GARDEN BUFFET

Cantonese, Hunan, Szechuan cuisine. Daily buffet. No alcohol. Open daily. // 6038 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 6988933. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

EL ARRIERO MEXICAN GRILL

Extensive menu offers specialty dishes, à la carte selections. Mexican and domestic beers, margaritas. Open daily. // 2948 28th St SE, 977-2674. elarrieromexicangrill.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

EL GLOBO RESTAURANT

Authentic Mexican fare; weekly specials. No alcohol. Closed Mon. // 2019 S Division Ave, 734-6869. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FIREROCK GRILLE

Guests can cook signature dishes on 500-degree lava stone. Offers soups, salads, sandwiches and entrées. Full bar. Brunch on Sundays. Open daily. // 7177 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 656-9898. firerockgrille.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

FLORENTINE PIZZERIA RISTORANTE & SPORTS LOUNGE

Italian fare with American and Mexican choices and thin-crust pizzas. Full bar. Open daily. // Towne & Country Shopping Center, 4261 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 455-2230. florentinespizza.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

GANDERS

Features American cuisine with a twist and Michigan products, including craft brews. Open daily. // 4747 28th St SE (inside DoubleTree Hotel), 957-1111. Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

GURSHA ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT

Authentic Ethiopian dishes, traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Buffet lunch and dinner on Sat. No alcohol. Open daily. // 4301 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 350-0009. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $$

HALL STREET BAKERY

Breakfast pastries; sandwiches, salads and soup served for lunch and dinner. Beer and wine. Kids menu. Closed Sun. // 1200 Hall St SE, 214-7604. hallstreetbakery. com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

INDIA TOWN

Indian fare including vegetarian and vegan. Lunch buffet Mon-Sat. No alcohol. Open daily. // 3760 S Division Ave, 243-1219. indiatowngrr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LAST CHANCE TAVERN AND GRILL

Appetizers, soups, burgers and sandwiches and a huge selection of Michigan craft beers. Open daily. // 1132 Burton St SE, 719-4270. thelastchancetavern.com. Lunch, Dinner $

dine / estau ants

LE KABOB

Soups, salads, sandwiches, large choice of entrées and combos. Kids menu. Carry-out available. No alcohol. Open daily. // 3122 28th St SE, 272-4135. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

MI TIERRA

Traditional Mexican, eat in or drive-thru. No alcohol. Open daily. // 2300 S Division Ave, 245-7533. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $

MIKADO SUSHI

Sushi and sashimi à la carte. Dinners offer full range of Japanese cuisine. Lunch specials. Serves alcohol. Closed Sun. // 3971 28th St SE, 285-7666. mikadogr.com/main. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $-$$

NU-THAI BISTRO

Appetizers, soups, Thai salads, fried rice, seafood, duck, curries. No alcohol. Open daily. // 2055 28th St SE, 4520065. nuthaibistro.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THE OLD GOAT

Creative cuisine from Electric Cheetah owner Cory DeMint includes appetizers, entrées, sandwiches and salads. Kids menu. Full bar. Open daily. // 2434 Eastern Ave SE, 288-6976. baaaaaaaa.com. Breakfast (Mon-Fri), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PAL’S INDIAN CUISINE

Authentic Indian food, including lunch buffet 11-3. No alcohol. Open daily. // 2915 28th St SE, 957-2271. palsindiancuisine.com. Lunch, Dinner $

PHO ANH TRANG

Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai cuisine. Daily specials. Catering. Open daily. No alcohol. // 3633 Eastern Ave SE, 246-9966. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PHO SOC TRANG

Wide selection of Vietnamese offerings. No alcohol. Open daily. // 4242 S Division Ave, 531-0755. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PIETRO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Regional and contemporary Italian cuisine. Tuscan wines, desserts and cappuccinos. Kids menu. Takeout available. Open daily. // 2780 Birchcrest Dr SE, 452-3228. pietrosgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

STEAK & SPICE BY CURRY KITCHEN

Authentic Indian cuisine. Daily lunch buffet. Open daily. No alcohol. // Located inside the Plaza Hotel Grand Rapids at 5700 28th Street SE. 957-1775. currykitchengr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

SUSHI KUNI

Japanese and Korean cuisine, Asian fusion fare.

Traditional Japanese tatami room for groups. Serves alcohol. Closed Mon. // 2901 Breton Rd SE, 2414141. sushikuni.net. Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

TAQUERÍA EL RINCÓN MEXICANO

Wide variety of Mexican breakfast, small plates, dinner dishes and soups, including several vegetarian options. No alcohol. Closed Mon. // 2055 28th St, 246-7000. Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

THAI EXPRESS

Thai specialties, spiced to customer specification. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // Towne & Country Shopping Center, 4317 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 827-9955. thaiexpressgr.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $

THAI FUSION

Thai cuisine and fusion specials with good selection of starters and salads. Kids menu. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 3097 Broadmoor Ave SE, 301-8883. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

TOKYO GRILL & SUSHI

Tatami rooms, sushi bars. Hibachi, teriyaki, udon, tempura. Sake, Japanese and American beer and wine. Open daily. // 4478 Breton Rd SE, 455-3433. tokyogrillsushi.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

VILLAGE INN PIZZA & SPORTS GRILLE

Longtime favorite for pizza, pasta, burgers, chicken, Mexican. Daily specials. Mon-Fri pizza lunch buffet. Full bar. Open daily. // 2215 44th St SE, 281-1444. vipizza.net. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

WEI WEI PALACE

Chinese seafood restaurant features Cantonese cuisine, dim sum and barbecue. No alcohol. Open daily. // 4242 S Division Ave, 724-1818. weiweipalace.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

Southwest GR

84TH STREET PUB & GRILLE

American fare from pizzas to steaks. Full-service bar. Kids menu. Daily specials. Open daily. // 8282 Pfeiffer Farms Dr SW, 583-1650. 84thstpub.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

ALEBIRD TAPHOUSE AND BREWERY

Community-focused brewery offering creative sandwiches along with a variety of burgers and entrées, including summer chicken and pea ravioli. Open daily, lunch on weekends. // 2619 84th St SW, 288-7888. alebird.com. Lunch, Dinner $$$

BLUE GINGER ASIAN KITCHEN

Noodle-based Thai dishes, chicken, seafood, beef and pork entrées, curries. Vegetarian options. No alcohol. Open daily. // 5751 Byron Center Ave SW (Bayberry Market), 261-8186. bluegingerkitchen.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FAR-EAST CHINESE RESTAURANT

Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean dishes. Carry-out and catering available. No alcohol. Open daily. // 3639 Clyde Park Ave SW, 531-7176. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FRANKIE V’S PIZZERIA & SPORTS BAR

Appetizers, subs, stromboli, pizza, pasta, burgers and Mexican. Outdoor patio. Full bar. Open daily. // 1420 28th St SW, 532-8998. frankievs.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

GOLDEN 28

Szechuan, Hunan, Mandarin, Vietnamese cuisine. No alcohol. Open daily. // 627 28th St SW, 531-2800. Lunch, Dinner $$

3 GATOS BREWERY

German-style beers with Brazilian bar food. Closed Sunday and Monday. // 1760 44th St SW, 307-2215. 3gatosbeer.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LINDO MEXICO RESTAURANTE MEXICANO

Fresh food with “real Mexican flavor.” Kids menu. Serves alcohol. Open daily. // 1742 28th St SW, 2612280. lindomexicogr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LITTLE BANGKOK

Extensive Thai standbys plus some unique items. Kids meals available. Serves beer and wine. Closed Sun. // 2359 Health Dr SW, Suite 140, 929-2306. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $-$$

MONELLI’S

ITALIAN GRILL & SPORTS BAR

Southern Italian cuisine. Sports bar plus family-friendly dining room with fireplace. Open daily. // 5675 Byron Center Ave SW, 530-9700. monellis.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

NOBLE

Breakfast favorites along with vegan and gluten-free options, handhelds, burgers and small bites. Open daily. // 1851 44th St SW, Wyoming, 530-8750. eatnoble.com. Breakfast, Lunch $$

PETE’S

GRILL & TAVERN

Casual bar and grill with tavern burgers, Detroit style pizza, sandwiches and entrees. Open daily. // 2588 84th St SW, Byron Center, 878-9582. petesgrillandtavern.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

WOODY’S PRESS BOX

Complex includes two bars, patio and bowling. Sandwiches, pizza, Mexican and more. Full bar. Open daily. // 5656 Clyde Park Ave SW, 530-2400. spectrumlanes. com. Breakfast (Mon-Sat), Lunch, Dinner $$

Ada/Cascade/Lowell Area

BIG BOILER BREWING

Brewpub features a wide selection of original beer and cider. Plus, new American cuisine, including burgers, fish, sandwiches and kids menu. Open daily. // 318 E Main St, Lowell, 987-3155. bigboilerbrewing.com. Dinner $$

CASCADE ROADHOUSE

Relaxed atmosphere with a diverse menu of traditional fare. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 6817 Cascade Rd SE, 2597439. cascaderoadhousemi.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CORK WINE & GRILLE

Contemporary dining with indoor and outdoor seating. Seafood, steaks, burgers, fish, sandwiches, salads. Extensive wine list, specialty cocktails. Open daily. // 5500 Cascade Rd SE, 949-0570. corkwineandgrille. com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

THE EURO BISTRO

European bistro fare includes entrées, small plates, salads, wood-fired pizzas. Takeout available. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 6450 28th St SE, 719-2017. eurobistrogr.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $$-$$$

FLAT RIVER GRILL

Casual atmosphere in turn-of-century building. Comfort food, wood-fired pizzas. Full bar plus The B.O.B.’s House of Brews beers. Alfresco dining on patio. Open daily. // 201 E Main St, Lowell, 897-8523. thegilmorecollection. com/flatriver. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

JU SUSHI & LOUNGE

Sushi and sashimi, Japanese hibachi, tempura, soups, salads and entrées in elegant surroundings. Full bar, huge sake selection. Takeout, catering and banquets. Open daily. // 1144 East Paris Ave SE, 575-5858. jusushi.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

LA LAGUNA

Authentic Mexican dishes including shrimp, wraps, salads, kids menu. No alcohol. Open daily. // 6250 28th St SE, 805-8821. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LITTLE BANGKOK

Extensive Thai standbys, plus some unique items. Kids meals available. Serves beer and wine. Closed Sun. // 850 Forest Hill Ave SE, 808-3153. littlebangkokgr.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $-$$

MAIN STREET BBQ

Wood fire used to smoke ribs, brisket, chicken, sausage and pork. Rubs and sauces are gluten-free. Also serves sandwiches, wings, salads and soups. Catering. Takeout/ delivery at 1539 Plainfield Ave NE. Full bar. Open daily. // 210 E Main St, Lowell, 987-3352. bbqlowell.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

MYNT FUSION BISTRO

Thai, Korean and Chinese. Renowned for its curries. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 800 W Main St, Lowell, 9879307. myntfusion.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

NOCO PROVISIONS

Laid-back, regionally inspired comfort cuisine. Outdoor seating on the patio. Full bar. Open daily. // 4609 Cas cade Rd SE, 747-0300. nocogr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

NONNA’S: THE TRATTORIA

Fresh, European-style pastries, salads, soups and entrées made from scratch. Breakfast and lunch served seven days a week. Pizza available during lunch TuesSat. Brunch specials available Sat-Sun. // 584 Ada Dr SE, Ada, 920-7028. eatwithnonna.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Tue-Sat) $-$$

NOTO’S OLD WORLD ITALIAN DINING

Elegant décor, extensive classic Italian menu. Special wine cellar dinners. Lounge menu features lighter fare. Closed Sun. // 6600 28th St SE, 493-6686. notosoldworld.com. Dinner $$-$$$

OSAKA STEAKHOUSE & JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Asian fare, including sushi, hibachi, shabu-shabu and more. Full bar. Open daily. // 4977 28th St SE, 4194628. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $$

SAPPORO RAMEN & NOODLE BAR

Fresh, traditional Japanese “soul food” with an innovative twist. GF options available. No alcohol. Takeout available. Closed Mon. // 5570 28th St SE, Cascade, 608-6657. sappororamenbar.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

SCHNITZ ADA GRILL

Schnitz Deli by day, casual fine dining by night. Full bar, happy hour 3-6. Closed Sun. // 597 Ada Dr SE, Ada, 682-4660. schnitzadagrill.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

SHEPARDS GRILL & TAVERN

Bar food with flair, from appetizers to sirloin. Open daily. // 6246 28th St SE, 350-9604. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THORNAPPLE BREWING CO.

Brewpub features a wide selection of original beer, cider, wine and spirits brewed in seven-barrel brewing system. Plus, artisan pizza, appetizers and dessert. Brunch on Sun. // 6262 28th St SE, 288-6907. thornapplebrewing.com. Lunch (Sat), Dinner $$

VINTAGE PRIME & SEAFOOD

Intimate setting with upscale menu that includes prime steaks and fresh seafood. International wine list. // 5500 Cascade Rd SE, 949-0570. vintageatcork.com. Dinner $$$

ZEYTIN

Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine. Full bar, beer and wine lists. Takeout. Open daily. // 7437 River St, Ada, 6822222. zeytinturkishrestaurant.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

Grandville/Hudsonville Area

BANGKOK TASTE

Thai fare. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 674 Baldwin St, Jenison, 667-8901. bangkoktaste.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

EL BURRITO LOCO

More than 70 Mexican selections, plus a few American options. Daily food and drink specials. Full bar. Open daily. // 4499 Ivanrest Ave SW, Grandville, 5309470. elburritoloco4.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

HUDSONVILLE GRILLE

Varied menu includes Mexican favorites and breakfast. Full bar, catering and banquet services. Closed Sun. // 4676 32nd Ave, Hudsonville, 662-9670. hudsonvillegrille.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

MICHIGAN MOONSHINE DISTILLERY

A distillery with starters, sandwiches, salads and sides with a barbecue theme. Many of the items include Bobby Q sauce. Closed Sun. and Mon. // 4005 Chicago Dr SW in Grandville, 259-1000. michiganmoonshine.us. Dinner $$

OSGOOD BREWING CO.

Craft brewery serves shareables, specialty pizzas, sandwiches, pasta and salads. Kids menu. Open daily. // 4051 Chicago Dr SW, Grandville, 432-3881. osgoodbrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PIKE 51 BREWING CO./HUDSONVILLE WINERY

Craft brewery and winery under one roof. Appetizers, salads, sandwiches and entrées. Open daily. // 3768 Chicago Dr, Hudsonville, 662-4589. hudsonvillewinery.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

RAINBOW GRILL

Breakfast, soup and sandwiches, daily lunch specials, chicken, fish and other dinner staples. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 4225 32nd Ave, Hudsonville, 8960033; 4158 Chicago Dr SW, Grandville, 534-8645. rainbowgrillmichigan.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

RUSH CREEK BISTRO

Diverse menu in club-like surroundings. Weeknight and happy hour specials at full-service bar. Open daily. // Sunnybrook Country Club, 624 Port Sheldon Rd, Grandville, 457-1100. rushcreekbistro.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

WHITE FLAME BREWING CO.

Small production brewery with taproom. Sandwiches, wraps, appetizers and a couple twists on the classic macaroni and cheese. Open daily. // 5234 36th Ave, Hudsonville, 209-5098. whiteflamebrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THE WIN TAVERN

A family-friendly restaurant offering fresh ingredients and cooked-to-order meals, including starters and salads, burgers, sandwiches, and steak and onion meals. It also offers a Sunday breakfast from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. with a build-your-own hash bar and more. Full bar. Open daily. // 7628 Georgetown Center Dr, Jenison, 734-6724. thewintavern33.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$

Rockford Area

BOSTWICK LAKE INN

Menu includes steaks, pork, fish, chicken, mac and cheese, pizzas, sandwiches, soups and salads. Large deck. Full bar. Open daily. // 8521 Belding Rd, 8747290. thegilmorecollection.com/bostwick. Lunch (SatSun), Dinner $$-$$$

BOULDER CREEK RESTAURANT

Golf Club restaurant has varied menu. Golf course views from inside or deck. Serves alcohol. See website for seasonal hours. // 5750 Brewer Ave NE, Belmont, 363-1330, ext 2. bouldercreekgolfclub.com/ restaurant. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CEDAR SPRINGS BREWING CO.

German-style brewery features American pub and traditional Bavarian menu. Open daily. // 95 N Main St, Cedar Springs, 696-2337. csbrew.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

GRILL ONE ELEVEN

American-with-a-twist menu, full-service bar and lounge. Open daily. // 111 Courtland St, 863-3111. grilloneeleven.com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

dine / estau ants

HONEY CREEK INN

Pub setting offers beyond pub fare and daily specials. Closed Sun. // 8025 Cannonsburg Rd NE, Cannonsburg, 874-7849. cannonsburgvillage.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

MARINADES PIZZA BISTRO

Wood-fired pizzas, salads, pastas, sandwiches. Michigan craft beer. Catering. Open daily. // 109 Courtland St, 863-3300. marinadespizzabistro.com. Lunch, Dinner $

RAMONA’S TABLE

Gourmet sandwiches, salads, soups, burgers, small plates, homemade desserts. Farm-to-table specials. Michigan beers, wine. Kids menu. Open daily. // 17 Squires St Square NE, 951-7100. ramonastable.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

ROCKFORD BREWING CO.

Located alongside Rogue River. Menu features wings, salads, gyros, burgers, as well as gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. Handcrafted brews on tap. Open daily. // 12 E Bridge St, 951-4677. rockfordbrewing.com. Brunch (Sun), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

TIMBERS INN

Appetizers to meat ’n’ potatoes fare in lodge-like surroundings. Full bar. Open daily. // 6555 Belding Rd NE, 874-5553. timbersinn.net. Lunch (Wed-Sun), Dinner $-$$

THIRD NATURE BREWING COMPANY

Located near the White Pine Trail and the Rogue River, Third Nature Brewing is a rustic brewery and taproom offering “comfort foods” such as pizzas and hot sandwiches, as well as healthier options like power bowls and salads. Open daily. // 7733 Childsdale Ave. NE in Plainfield Township, 616-512-9314. thirdnaturebrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

Multiple Locations

ANNA’S HOUSE

Breakfast, sandwiches, baked goods and exceptional desserts; dinner menu, too. No alcohol. Open daily. // 3766 Potomac Circle, Grandville; 3874 Plainfield Ave NE; 2409 East Beltline Ave SE, (866) 672-6627. annashouseus.com. Breakfast, Lunch $$

BAGEL BEANERY

Bagel and coffee cafè offering healthy whole grain and sugary sweet bagels, breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Magnum coffee. No alcohol. Open daily. Catering available. // 455 Michigan St NE, 235-7500; 2845 Breton Rd SE, 245-4220; 5316 Clyde Park Ave SW, 2499500. bagelbeanery.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

BRANN’S STEAKHOUSE & SPORTS GRILLE

Famous sizzler steaks, small plates, sandwiches, salads, gluten-free and vegetarian choices, bar munchies. Full bar. // 401 Leonard St NW, 454-9368; 3475 Fairlanes Ave SW, Grandville, 531-6210; 4157 S Division Ave, 534-5421; 5510 28th St SE, 285-7800. branns.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

ELECTRIC CHEETAH

Eclectic menu with an emphasis on locally grown fare and creative combinations. Beer and wine available. Open daily. Cascade location closed on Sun. // 1015 Wealthy St SE, 4514779; 6450 28th St. SE, 265-5301. electriccheetah.com. Brunch (Sun), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FIRST WOK

Mandarin, Hunan, Szechuan cuisine. Full bar. Open daily. // 2207 44th St SE, 281-0681; 6740 Old 28th St SE, 575-9088; 3509 Alpine Ave NW, 784-1616. firstworkgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

GRAND CONEY

Classic diner offering custom hot dogs, traditional breakfast items and comfort foods. No alcohol. Open daily. Downtown location open 24 hours. // 809 Michigan St NE, 776-5580; 5121 28th St, 9303596; 6101 Lake Michigan Dr, Allendale, 895-9999. thegrandconey.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

HERB & FIRE PIZZERIA

Fast-casual atmosphere with Italian accent. Signature and create-your-own pizza options, flatbread sandwiches and salads. // 3180 44th St SW, Grandville, 7731443; 2121 Celebration Dr NE, Suite 250, 773-1895. herbandfirepizzeria.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

HOPCAT

Crafted brews with some 50 beers on tap and 150 bottled. Full bar and creative fare, including sharables, signature fries, burgers, wraps and more. Open daily. // 25 Ionia Ave SW, 451-4677; 84 W. Eighth St in Holland, 965-9780; 2183 East Beltline Ave NE. hopcatgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

MORNING BELLE

This “garden-themed” brunch spot is part of Meritage Hospitality Group. Its menu features breakfast entrées; lighter options, such as salads and grain bowls; glazed doughnut waffles; specialty beverages, such as freshly squeezed orange juice and breakfast cocktails; and more. Limited bar. Open daily. // 1600 East Beltline Ave NE, 301-8171; 434 Bridge St NW, 855-6907. morningbellebrunch.com. Breakfast, Lunch $$

MR. BURGER

Breakfast, burgers, chili dogs, sandwiches, homemade soups and desserts. // 2101 Lake Michigan Dr. NW, 453-6291; 950 44th St. SW, 538-0363; 1750 44th St. SE 455-8604; 5181 Northland Dr. NE, 363-3888; 2300 28th St. SW; 538-4439; 5835 Balsam Dr., Hudsonville, 662-5088. mrburger.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

MUDPENNY

Coffee bar with all-day breakfast, sandwiches, burgers and salads. Catering available. Closed Sun. // 570 Grandville Ave SW, 259-5353; 496 Ada Dr SE, 259-5353. mudpenny.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

PEPPINO’S PIZZERIA AND SPORTS GRILLE

Italian/American menu. Full bar. Open daily. // 130 Ionia Ave SW, 456-8444; 1515 Eastport Dr SE, Kentwood, 554-8880. peppinospizza.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

PITA HOUSE

Sami’s gyros, Middle East specialties. No alcohol. Open daily. // 1510 Wealthy St SE, 454-1171; 3730 28th St SE, 940-3029. thepitahouse.net. Lunch, Dinner $

REAL FOOD CAFÉ

Fresh, locally sourced traditional favorites, scrambles and made-from-scratch baked goods; plus, soups, sandwiches and salads for lunch. Cash only. Closed Mon. // 2419 Eastern Ave SE, 241-4080; 3514 Plainfield Ave NE, 3611808. Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch $

RED GERANIUM

Breakfast and lunch favorites, omelettes, pancakes and burgers. No alcohol. Open daily. // 6670 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 656-9800; 5751 Byron Center Ave SW, 5328888. redgeraniumcafe.com. Breakfast, Lunch $

SUNDANCE BAR & GRILL

Southwestern-infused cuisine, margarita bar. Open daily. // Waters Building, 151 Ottawa Ave NW, 776-1616; 5755 28th St SE, Cascade, 956-5644. sundancegrill. com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Mon-Sat) $$

TACOS EL CAPORAL

Mexican fare, with menudo Sat and Sun. No alcohol. Open daily. // 1260 Burton St SW, 246-6180; 1717 28th St SW, 261-2711. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

TACOS EL CUÑADO

Fajitas, tacos, burritos and other Mexican fare. No alcohol. Locations are individually owned and operated. // 1342 Grandville Ave SW, 452-1266; 455 Burton St SW, 248-9099; 1024 Bridge St NW, 475800. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

TAMALES MARY

Tamale-centered Mexican restaurant featuring 18 types of tamales, plus other Mexican dishes and daily buffet specials. No alcohol. Open daily. // 1253 Burton St SW, 288-5007; 1551 Wealthy St. SE, 724-4269. tamalesmarygr.com. Lunch, Dinner $

THE OMELETTE SHOPPE

Fourteen signature omelettes, selection of quiches and baked goods. No alcohol. Open daily. // 545 Michigan St NE, 726-5800; 1880 Breton Rd SE, 726-7300. omeletteshoppe.com. Breakfast, Lunch $

UCCELLO’S RISTORANTE, PIZZERIA & SPORTS LOUNGE

Italian specialties, including pizza, entrées, burgers, sandwiches. Full bar. Open daily. // 122 Monroe Center NW, 773-1687; 2630 East Beltline Ave SE, 954-2002; 3940 Rivertown Pkwy SW, Grandville, 249-9344; 4787 Lake Michigan Dr NW, Standale, 735-5520; 8256 Broadmoor Ave SE, Caledonia, 891-1100; 19 N Main St, Rockford, 866-0666. uccellos.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

VITALE’S PIZZERIA

Multiple locations serving pizza, pasta and more from family recipes. Full bar. // 6650 E Fulton St, 676-5401, vitalesada.com; 5779 Balsam Dr, Hudsonville, 662-2244, vitaleshudsonville.com; 834 Leonard St NE, 458-8368, theoriginalvitales.com; 3868 West River Dr NE, Comstock Park, 784-5011. vitalessportsbar.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

Navigating Home Ownership from A to Z

The journey of being a homeowner has many steps, with the final destination being more than just a shelter, but a sanctuary. Whether you’re buying a new home and dealing with a challenging market or shopping around for the best mortgage rate as inflation rises, or you’re already nestled in your abode and considering options for maximizing and beautifying your space, there’s much to consider.

When it comes down to it, it’s all about trust. Now, more than ever, buyers and sellers need a real estate agent who knows the process inside and out, and has the connections

and expertise to close the deal to everyone’s satisfaction. From a financing standpoint, not all lenders are created equal. Beyond the numbers, having a caring, competent loan officer can make the complexities of obtaining a mortgage less overwhelming. And once that last document is signed and you’ve moved in, it’s time to go about making the space uniquely yours, and finding the right design resource to help with all the interior details. From start to finish, the businesses in this section are here to help — and they’re backed by their reputations as leaders in their respective industries. ■

Greenridge Realty EGR - Janet Romanowski

Janet Romanowski, a fixture in Grand Rapids real estate for 20 years, understands that buying a home is one of the most important investments most people will make. She also knows that when clients hire her, they’re enlisting not just her skills and expertise, but also her level of service and commitment to every detail. Today, when clients decide to work with Romanowski Homes–Greenridge Realty EGR, they get Romanowski — period. And that has made all the difference.

“With a smaller team, I can ensure my clients get complete communication and they don’t have to worry about anything being omitted or falling through the cracks,” Romanowski says. “I have high standards, and by being fully involved with my eyes on every contract — and making myself available essentially 24/7 — Romanowski Homes–Greenridge Realty EGR can live up to the reputation and trust I’ve built over the years.” ■

NORTHPOINTE BANK

Northpointe Bank believes in the value of building trusted, life-long relationships with the communities it serves. Since 2015, Seeds of Promise, a local nonprofit, and Northpointe have administered the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis Neighborhood Impact Program to provide home repair grants of up to $7,500 to low- and moderate-income homeowners. In nine years, the Neighborhood Impact Program has helped 80 low- and moderate-income homeowners improve their homes.

Northpointe Bank and Seeds of Promise were awarded a $10,000 implementation grant from FHLBank Indianapolis. Northpointe Bank donated an additional $30,000 to Seeds of Promise to kickstart this initiative. Implementation teams will put insights and ideas into action, engaging the community in development models and recruiting low- and moderate-income asset-limited, income-constrained, employed individuals and/or African-American and Hispanic/Latino prospective homeowners to be part of the implementation the team. They’ll concentrate on building partnerships and advising on the disbursement of the implementation funds. ■

STUDIO G

Showroom: 14964 Cleveland St., Ste. B, Spring Lake, MI 49456 616.842.3740 | studioginc.com

HQ & Fabrication: 631 Commerce Ct., Ste. 10, Holland, MI 49424 616.994.7050 | studioginc.com

At Studio G we are passionate about the details. Specifically, the final interior details. The hole in one. The icing on the cake. The proverbial cherry on top.

These crowning elements are what make a house-a thought fully curated home, creating design rhythm & visual harmony, while carefully balancing color, texture, finish & craftsmanship. We take great care of our cli ent relationships & aim to provide high quality prod ucts & services that ‘Deliver on the In terior Details’

Studio G. Your preferred partner for Closets, Glass & Decorative Hard ware. ■

TimothyMasterswasonlyfifteenwhenhestumbledacrossthemutilatedcorpse ofPeggyHettrickinafieldonhiswaytoschool.Almostassoonasthepoliceset eyesonhim,theyweresurehewasthekiller—evenwithnothingbutacollection ofgorydrawingshe’dcreatedasateenagehorrorfanasevidence.

Fortenyearstheyhoundedhim,until—withthehelpofanastoundingamount ofmisconduct—theyfinallysucceededinputtinghimbehindbars. In DrawntoInjustice,Timrecountshisjourneytoexoneratehimselfforacrime hedidn’tcommitand,intheprocess,laysbarethecorruptionthatenabledthe criminaljusticesystemtorailroadaninnocentman.

DRAWN TO INJUSTICE

DRAWN TO

INJUSTICE JUSTICE

available at momentumbooks.com

Leading the evolution from House-to Home.

Closets

Visit Our Showroom: M F8:00am5:00pm 14964 Cleveland St. Ste. B Spring Lake, MI 49456 616.842.3740

HQ & Fabrication: 631Commerce Ct. Ste. 10 Holland, MI 49424 616.994.7050 studioginc.com

Timothy Masters was only fifteen when he stumbled across a mutilated corpse lying in a field. For ten years, the police hounded him until – with the help of an astounding amount of misconduct – they finally succeeded in putting him behind bars. Drawn to Injustice recounts his journey to exonerate himself for a crime he didn’t commit.

TIMOTHY MASTERS STEVE LEHTO

TIMOTHYMASTERS

TimothyMasters

Play ball

BY PAT EVANS

Some of the best places in Grand Rapids do their part to share the city’s history.

Take the Mitten Brewing Company, which takes care to honor the history of the 1890s firehouse it calls home on Leonard Street. The beautiful building now as a new addition in the back: the scoreboard from Sullivan Field.

The field was built in 1937 using Works Progress Administration funds. A variety of famous baseball players made their way through the field, including the

legendary pitcher Satchel Paige. All told, more than 70 future Major Leaguers played on the field in its heyday.

There is a nonprofit that helps support the field now, Fans of Valley Field, which hosts a variety events all throughout the year at the ballpark.

The scoreboard is on loan to the baseball-themed Mitten Brewing, which plans to refurbish the artifact and make it fully operational again overlooking the brewery’s “The Outfield” outdoor seating area.

Sullivan Field scoreboard finds new home at Mitten Brewing Company.

Exactly where we should be.

When you’re true to who you are, you’re true to where you are. Come join us.

TraverseCity.com

Achieve your dream

Whether your dream is to earn a better salary, advance your career or finish what you started, Davenport University can help you get there.

We offer career-focused degree programs in business, technology, health and urban education. Take classes full time, part time, online or on campus. With six start dates, you can begin at your convenience and complete your degree at a pace that works with your busy life.

Learn more: visit davenport.edu/achieve