Top 25+ businesses West Michigan welcomed in 2025

25 businesses West Michigan welcomed in 2025

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — From restaurants and pizzerias to bookstores and coffee shops, West Michigan welcomed several new businesses over the past year.

The area welcomed more spots to play pickleball, like Pickle & Pin, Ace Pickleball Club and Dinks & Dingers, all in metro Grand Rapids.

Several new stores offer physical media. Bookstores like Expresso Books in Holland Township, Pages and Peonies in Walker and a new Barnes and Noble location in Grand Rapids offer more options for readers; Antidote Books and Records in Holland offers two types of physical media, while Backwards Compatible in Grand Rapids offers a new spot for vinyl record fans. And one new business brought back an old format, as BarderTown Video opened in Wyoming with VHS tapes on its shelves.

Some openings weren’t new but rather returning, like Dog Story Theater, which returned to Grand Rapids after a pandemic-era closure, and 600 Kitchen and Bar in Kalamazoo, which was forced to close after the restaurant dealt with a fire.

Here are 25 West Michigan businesses that opened in 2025:

A HOUSE OF BOOKS

Opened Jan. 23

A House of Books in Grandville. (Jan. 9, 2025)

A House of Books in Grandville expanded with a ‘cafe-style’ craft menu, where customers can choose from about 10 craft projects like book nooks and journal making. The idea is to offer crafts for a variety of skill levels so that group members can all enjoy the craft they’re working on.

“A lot of the times when you take an art class, you have a set thing that you’re going to learn,” owner Amber Skiles said. “But you might not have the same interests or skills as your friends.”

The shop also sells craft supplies for crafters and vintage book sets for interior decorators.

UNWIND GR

Opened Jan. 31

Unwind GR, located at 1059 Wealthy St. in Grand Rapids. (March 6, 2025)

A new yarn store opened on Wealthy Street in Grand Rapids, offering classes, a Monday night yarn group and, of course, yarn. Unwind GR was opened by Sivan Bachar and May McCalmon, both of whom have a background in art education.

The two first met while on a professional development Zoom meeting when they each noticed the other was knitting. They later ran into each other at a party, and decided to open a yarn store together.

“I feel like I’m living the dream,” McCalmon said. “Getting to interact with a lot of people and see what they’re working on and just knowing that you’re not the only person that just likes to look at yarn.”

1873

Opened Jan. 31

The Gilmore Collection opened a new fine-dining restaurant, 1873, inside The Kirby Building. (Feb. 4, 2025)

The Gilmore Collection opened fine dining restaurant 1873, located inside The Kirby House in Grand Haven. Like the name suggests, the building was first built in 1873, first serving as a hotel and later becoming a restaurant space.

“I’ll sometimes walk through the upstairs and I look out the windows and you kind of imagine what this building has seen over 150 years,” Executive Chef Andrew Sprite said.

On the menu at 1873 are items like lobster deviled eggs, a lump crab cocktail and steak.

GARDEN DISTRICT

Feb. 1

Cajun and Creole restaurant Garden District in downtown Grand Rapids. (Feb. 7, 2025)

Husband and wife duo Raphael and Jessica Jones opened Garden District, a Cajun and Creole restaurant in downtown Grand Rapids, with items on the menu like gumbo yaya, jambalaya, etouffee, po boys and red beans and rice.

“Garden District is a dream of ours,” Raphael Jones said. “My family’s from New Orleans, so we wanted to bring New Orleans to Grand Rapids.”

The restaurant is decorated with several photos of New Orleans on the wall, a mix of photos the couple have taken and work from New Orleans artists. 

SILVA

Opened Feb. 13

Silva, a bocce ball, restaurant and event center, in Grand Rapids. (Feb. 10, 2025)

At Silva in Grand Rapids, guests should “expect the unexpected,” Mark Secchia said. The new spot offers bocce ball courts, a restaurant and an event center. There’s a game room with billiards and darts, a rotating exhibit on loan from the Grand Rapids Public Museum and themed bathroom stalls, each with its own playlist.

“We want you to come here with a little bit of a sense of anticipation and excitement about what we might have on to offer,” Secchia said.

The restaurant’s menu includes appetizers like andouille jalapeno popper croquettes and twice-baked potato deviled eggs and entrees like a braised short rib, a herb roasted chicken breast and a grilled wagyu steak.

APPLEWOOD KITCHEN

Opened Feb. 26

Applewood Kitchen and Bar in Eureka Township on March 19, 2025.

Frugthaven Farm in the Greenville area welcomed a new addition as Applewood Kitchen and Bar opened on its property. Everything inside the restaurant has a story behind it, chef and co-owner James Wood said, like the antique cleaver decor, photos on the wall from Klackle Orchards and tables that are made from old doors.

“I’m really proud of this place,” Wood said. “It’s super, super cool.”

The menu includes items like venison queso, smoked pork mac, chicken pot pie soup and a wagyu sirloin. There are also around 20 Michigan hard ciders on tap and close to 20 bourbon options.

GUN LAKE CASINO RESORT, WAWYE OASIS

Opened March and June

A massive, $300 million expansion was completed at the Gun Lake Casino Resort in Wayland Township this year as it opened a hotel, spa and pool. Its 16-story, 252-room hotel opened in March. Its crown jewel is the Ogema Suite, a two-story penthouse with two bedrooms, an elevator, two living rooms and a wet bar.

The Wawyé Oasis opened in June, offering a stage and two pool areas, one that’s family friendly and one that’s 21+ with a swim-up bar.

“This is the last piece. … We’re now a destination resort,” Bob Peters, tribal chairman for the Gun Lake Tribe, said. “It’s amazing. It’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication from everyone involved.”

SHIFT CLIMBING

Opened March 10

Shift Climbing at 12345 James St. near US-31 in Holland Township. (March 7, 2025)

A new climbing gym opened in the Holland area, promising a friendly, unintimidating space for climbers of all levels. Shift Climbing, located next to the new Holland Charter Township Community Center inside the Westshore mall, is a bouldering gym with 5,100 square feet of climbing terrain.

It has standalone boulders, including one that can be tilted 13 degrees either way, a tension board, workout equipment and a cafe. The gym aims to foster a welcoming environment for all climbers.

“Climbing by nature can be a little bit scary or a little bit intimidating,” co-founder Jack Ogilvie said. “People can have a predisposition to thinking, ‘Climbing isn’t for me. I wouldn’t be a climber, I can’t be a climber,’ and that’s just a shame.”

HEINEN DELFTS BLAUW

Opened April 21

Heinen Delfts Blauw in downtown Holland. (May 5, 2025)

Downtown Holland is just a bit more Dutch after Heinen Delfts Blauw opened a storefront along 8th Street. The Dutch company makes Delft porcelain, with home decor items like tableware, ornaments and tulip vases. The store opened April 21, just in time for Tulip Time.

Heinen Delfts Blauw, which first got its start 50 years ago, now has 10 locations, with most located in the Netherlands. The downtown Holland location is its first in the U.S.

“We’re really excited to be here,” Heinen Delfts Blauw USA Vice President Maurits Heinen, whose grandfather started the company, told News 8. “People are really (welcoming), friendly and we enjoy being up here.”

FIKA

Opened May 12

Fika at 1359 Plainfield Ave. in Grand Rapids. (Nov. 5, 2025)

A vegan and gluten-free brunch spot opened its doors in the Grand Rapids Creston neighborhood. Fika, located inside the Lofts on Grove apartment complex, was opened by Becca and Nick Van Liere. It’s their second plant-based and gluten-free concept; their first is Rise Authentic Baking in the city’s West Side.

Fika has a completely vegan and celiac-safe menu, with items like tofu chik’n and waffle, cauliflower taco, kale Caesar and rice noodle curry. It also offers a market with grab-and-go options and coffee from Squibb. 

“I am really excited about being here in this space and offering something that is so passionate to my heart, being a vegan myself, and offering that to our city,” Nick Van Liere said.

GRINGODOG’S DOG HOUSE

Opened June 1

GringoDog’s drive thru location. (May 29, 2025)

GringoDog’s, a hot dog cart based in downtown Grand Rapids, opened a brick-and-mortar drive-thru spot in Wyoming.

Owner Roger Bouwman first started GringoDog’s a decade ago, and survived the pandemic when many other downtown carts were sold off. He credited his success partially to his consistency, noting that customers know his cart will be down there every Friday and Saturday whether it’s 12 degrees or 80 degrees out. After a decade of operating the car, he made the decision to expand.

“I’ve been wanting to do something bigger, something more than just a few days a week and oddball side stuff. And this place, I just love this building every time I drove by it,” he said. “I saw the owners show up here one day and I talked to him. They decided they were would lease it to me and, I mean, that was almost a dream come true because this is the perfect location for what I wanted to do.”

TAQUERIA SAN JOSE

Opened June 14

A popular Mexican restaurant returned to Grand Rapids after a four-year hiatus. Taqueria San Jose reopened along Division Avenue, where it previously operated from 2010 to 2021. The owner had been operating a new spot in Edmore, but decided to bring it back to Grand Rapids.

Along with its tacos and burritos, there are some new items on Taqueria San Jose’s menu, like wet burritos, and there have been a few changes, like changing the Birria taco from goat meat to beef to keep prices down. But it’s still owner Juan Barajas doing the cooking and a lot of the same customers stopping by the grab a bite to eat.

“On our first two days of opening, we had a lot of former clients come in,” Gaby Barajas, the daughter of owner Juan Barajas, said. “They all stated they missed us. … It was very emotional as well because throughout the 11 years that we worked here before, we established a relationship with a lot of our customers.”

PAGES AND PEONIES

Opened June 21

Romance bookstore Pages & Peonies opened in Walker this June to lines out the door, ending the grand opening day with empty shelves.

“Everyone was so nice, even when they got up to the checkout after waiting in line for hours. I feel they were just excited to be here and to meet other people who like the same things. So it was incredible,” said Jess Hodges, who owns the shop with Sarah Gramza-Howard.

The store first developed from an online shop Gramza-Howard had started, offering niche “spicy romance” books. The brick-and-mortar offers romance books — along with a small shelf with non-romance books — arranged by subgenre and tropes.

GOBLES ANTIQUE MALL

Opened July 12

The Gobles Antique Mall at 120 S State St. in Gobles. (Courtesy Lauren Todaro)

A new antique mall in Gobles offers 45 vendors across two floors, with items ranging from the 1600s to the 1990s. It was opened by couple Lauren and Joe Todaro, both of whom are avid antique collectors.

The couple opened the Gobles Antique Mall to share their passion for antiques and vintage items with their community. They said the community came out in force for their grand opening.

“We had a line when we cut our ribbon, and through the course of our first day and our Sunday opening, we had 2,300 people come through,” Lauren Todaro said. “We had really hoped for a few 100, and so had our vendors. But we were just astounded by the turn out. We had a lot of folks tell us they had never seen an antique mall that was standing room only, with no elbow room.”

MONTEJO’S COOKHOUSE

Opened July 25

A converted school bus offers a unique spot to eat lunch or dinner from a new Grand Rapids-area food truck. The owners of Montejo’s Cookhouse spent about a year converting the bus into a dining room with help from members of their church.

The food truck offers Cuban pizzas, personal pizzas with crispy cheese that are folded in half and eaten like a taco. Jazmin Montejo, who owns the food truck with her husband, said they spent months perfecting the recipe.

“We were eating pizzas for around a month or two months, every day at home,” she said with a laugh.

THE LIT BY THE PENNY LOAFER

Opened Aug. 2

The Lit GR, the former home of the Ladies Literary Club leaders, in Grand Rapids. (Oct. 29, 2024)

The curtains have opened again on the stage that once hosted the likes of Susan B. Anthony and three U.S. presidents. The historic Ladies Literary Club in Grand Rapids, first built in 1887, had been turned into wedding venue The Lit GR. But this year it was reopened to the public as the space was taken over by a new organization, Penny Loafer.

The Lit by the Penny Loafer offers a cafe, a library and study space, and a theater and event space. It puts the historical details of the building on full display, like a Tiffany stained glass window, books on the shelves that date back to the 1800s and the building’s original stage.

“Those are the original scuff marks from the bottoms of the shoes of three presidents who spoke here, and women who taught people in Grand Rapids how to read and write and where the Ladies Literary Center established an appreciation for classical literature and performance,” Penny Loafer owner Penny Hock said. “I find myself just standing on the stage looking out here, trying to imagine what it would have been like 130 years ago when they first did that. It’s electric.”

THE TOASTED PICKLE

Opened Aug. 12

Grand Haven staple The Toasted Pickle opened a new location, bringing the fast-casual takeout restaurant to Grand Rapids. On the menu are several scratch-made sandwiches, plus salads, fresh-squeezed lemonade and milkshakes. There’s also “pickle juice shots” in the lobby for all customers.

Run by Alec Avery, the son of the restaurant’s owners, the Grand Rapids location was packed as soon as it opened.

“We were expecting to be busy, but not like this. It’s really been a line out the door ever since we opened,” Avery said in August. “The community has just been so supportive and so friendly. It’s really been awesome.”

BARDERTOWN VIDEO

Opened Aug. 23

Bardertown Video in Wyoming. (Nov. 5, 2025)

A new store is offering an old format after BarderTown Video opened in Wyoming. The shop offers VHS tapes and VCRs, along with equipment like HDMI adapters.

The store is working to build a library of VHS tapes as it aims to generate both nostalgia and new memories for movie fans in the community.

“It’s just something that has always been so important to us,” said Rob Grimes, one of the shop’s owners. “We’ve also noticed that VHS, vinyl, cassettes — older media now, there’s a resurgence. People are really starting to like the idea of having a movie that they own physically in their home, or a movie that they can get a hold of and see, or something rare and out of print, where a lot of streaming services don’t usually provide that level of service.” 

KZOO CREAM

Opened Sept. 2

Kzoo Cream celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 2, 2025. (Courtesy Kzoo Cream/Kanopi Social)

A new cookie shop that opened in Kalamazoo uses a family secret recipe. Kristi Potts started Kzoo Cream in the beginning of the year, when she started making frosted whispers cookies — her mom’s secret cream cheese sugar cookie recipe made with almond extract — for her friends and family. That turned into a business selling cookies at farmers markets and by September, she had opened a brick-and-mortar store.

“It touches my heart to be able to share this cookie with the community that I grew up in,” she said. “For just my mom to still be living and to be able to witness all of these people loving her cookie recipe, it means so much to me. If that’s all that happens from this, then … I’m satisfied.”

Along with cookies, Kzoo Cream also offers ice cream, coffee, dirty sodas and lunch items.

THE LOVE CAFE

Opened Sept. 16

FILE – An event Love INC of Muskegon County hosted prior to opening the Love Cafe, a new pay-what-you-can restaurant. (Courtesy Love INC)

The bill is optional at a new restaurant in Muskegon. The Love Cafe, run by Love INC of Muskegon County, offers a pay-what-you-can format, alongside a job skills training program for back-of-house workers.

“As guests come into our restaurant, they’ll see that it’s a space that’s for everybody,” Mike Miller, the executive director of Love INC of Muskegon County, said. “It’s a space for people in need, but it’s also a space for people with plenty.”

He said there’s dignity that comes with being served in a restaurant, noting that while soup kitchens are great, they often don’t offer choices and are in spaces not designed to serve food.

TEXAS DE BRAZIL

Opened Sept. 18

A new steakhouse that opened inside the Woodland Mall in Kentwood. Texas de Brazil offers a churrascaria experience with rodizio-style dining, meaning servers come by throughout the meal and carve meat at the table. The meats on the menu include everything from filet mignon and lamb chops to Brazilian sausage and picanha, the chain’s specialty cut of beef.

There’s also a salad area where customers can help themselves to soups, salads, charcuterie and cheeses.

“We have the best food and the best service,” Texas De Brazil Director of Operations Rodrigo Davila said said when asked what sets it apart from other Brazilian-American steakhouses. “Why don’t you come try us, and you decide for yourself.”

HOTEL ROSE

Opened Sept. 26

The Hotel Rose officially opened Sept. 26, 2025.

A new hotel officially opened in downtown Rockford this fall. Spanning an entire block, the 4,000-square-foot, three-story Hotel Rose includes 54 guest rooms. There are also on-site restaurants Char + Barrel and MudPenny, along with retail space with tenants Kula Yoga and Direct Aesthetics.

It opened to a sold-out weekend.

“We are as busy as we hope to be,” Jason Wheeler with WDG said during the hotel’s grand opening. “We’re full tonight. We’re full tomorrow and we’re filling up next week as well.”

HOT ‘N NOW

Opened Oct. 13

A new chapter started for iconic Michigan chain Hot ‘n Now after a new location opened across the street from the Gun Lake Casino Resort, with more locations to follow. The once-popular chain had filed for bankruptcy in 2004, and up until this year only one location in Sturgis remained.

Gun Lake Investments, the nongaming investment arm for the Gun Lake Tribe, and developer Jeff Konczak have now acquired the brand as they aim to revive it, promising cheap prices and nostalgia.

“If you look at fast food, we’ve really needed to get back to value,” Konczak said. “Granted we’re not selling 39-cent hamburgers like we did when Hot ‘n Now started, but nothing is that price range and we don’t want that kind of quality. … This is a quality product at a value price for families.”

BAMBOO

Opened Dec. 4

The former UICA building opened in December as Bamboo, a coworking company that aims to serve as an entrepreneurial hub. It’s the company’s fifth location, with other spots in Ann Arbor, downtown Detroit, midtown Detroit and Royal Oak. The company purchased the former art gallery in the spring, starting renovations shortly after.

“This building was very challenging,” Bamboo CEO Amanda Lewan told News 8. “It’s an art gallery space, so it’s designed for very distinct, purposeful use. Our architect likes to remind us that it was designed for wall space, not floor space. So we had to connect different floor plates that were disconnected, fill in a little bit of space, so we could have more efficient use for commercial use.”

Bamboo offers office space, lounge seating and meeting rooms. It reopened the building’s gallery and theater spaces. The building is also the new home for Start Garden, which has offices and an event space to host things like pitch competitions.

HUB 07

Opened Dec. 6

A community center in Grand Rapids’ Boston Square neighborhood officially opened in December. HUB 07 — which stands for hope, unit, build and references the local 49507 zip code — hopes to bring other investments into the area.

The $27 million project offers services like health care services and child care services, along with space for community organizations. There’s a multipurpose room, coworking spaces, classroom spaces and will eventually have a cafe. Amplify GR, the nonprofit behind the project, is also working on an a nearby affordable housing complex.

“HUB 07 will be a part of additional 270 mixed-income housing units, both rental and homeownership opportunities, a future city of Grand Rapids park and many other spaces for local retail businesses,” Amplify GR Executive Director Jon Ippel told News 8 right before Hub 07 officially opened. “It’s our dream that all of this really is working in great harmony together.”

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