In 2006, the city of Zeeland voted to repeal its nearly century-old liquor ban, a decision some worried would lead to mayhem and disrepair. Ryan Snyder, owner of
Vitale's Zeeland (59 W. Washington), was one of the first to offer his restaurant in support of the repeal and is now reaping the rewards.
Nearly five years after receiving its liquor license, Vitale's has completed a 1,500-square-foot renovation project, bringing the restaurant to 4,000 square feet. The $200,000 project included expanding the kitchen, dining area, bar, bathrooms and waiting area, as well as adding a 600-square-foot outdoor patio that seats 40. Vitale's can now seat between 150 and 200 people depending on the season.
"[Before the expansion] there were a bunch of places that lacked space. One was the foyer, where people waited for tables," Snyder says. "They had to share it with people who were coming to pick up pizzas and ordering pizzas."
The restaurant often finds itself with long waits on weekends, and many customers walked out the door. Snyder hopes that having more dining space and more seating will help decrease wait times and give patrons a more comfortable space to sit and talk while waiting for a table.
In addition to more space, Snyder says there are now nine additional TVs in the bar area and they've added live music on Saturdays and team trivia on Wednesdays.
Snyder hopes the changes will help the restaurant continue to serve as a place for family-friendly dining while at the same time catering to the many enthusiastic amateur athletes in Zeeland. Vitale's regularly sponsors area sports teams and Snyder says serving those two very different crowds could be a challenge. The additional space allows both demographics to enjoy their dining experience.
Source: Ryan Snyder, Vitale's Zeeland
Writer: Charlsie Dewey, Freelance Reporter
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