Stories

Feature Story Bartender

All hail the bartender! Veteran West Michigan drink-slingers tell their tales

The bartender is a fixture in dives and restaurants and often serves as a sounding board for life's concerns. To celebrate the profession, four veteran bartenders took a moment to open their lives and careers, expressing the heart of bartending in West Michigan. Here are their stories, so raise a glass.

Development News freebed

Mary Free Bed expansion makes rooms at "The Inn"

As the final phase of its $66.4 million expansion and renovation project, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital recently opened 10 additional new rooms at the Inn at Mary Free Bed, a lodging alternative that provides a practical solution to two challenges facing Mary Free Bed’s longer-term rehabilitation patients. One, the Inn provides a home away from home for their family members. Two, patients who no longer need nursing care but aren’t ready to go home can stay with their families at the Inn as they continue rehabilitation. In 2017, more than 3,700 people stayed at the Inn. Mary Free Bed plans on adding another six rooms to the Inn, for a total of 22 rooms.


Innovation News Klask at Odd Side Ales in Grand Haven.

Klask!: "Silly wooden game" proving addictive in West Michigan breweries

Invented in 2013, Klask was featured on Danish national TV in 2014 and named "Danish Game of the Year." Soon after, the World Klask Foundation and national Klask associations formed. In September 2018, the Klask World Championship will take place in England—a West Michigan player will compete. 

Feature Story Zoe Carmichael

RapidChat: Zoe Carmichael on leading conversations with confidence

What goes into a good speech? Step back and let Zoe Carmichael, seven-year owner and speaker coach at Zoe Carmichael Consulting, advise you.  

Feature Story lm4

Defining Division: Maintaining and building community identity

Faced by the potential of future development, community members of South Division and Burton Heights share their insights on the strength of their community's identity. 

Feature Story CherryHealthClinic

UIX: Groundbreaking healthcare is all about clear communication

The healthcare industry experiences innovation at an astounding rate, but not all innovation is defined by the latest technology or the smallest tools. Interpersonal communication, and interprofessional practice, is the new face of healthcare innovation, and care professionals in West Michigan are helping this trend grow.

Development News blueprint

The Blueprint Collaborative takes coworking to an entrepreneurial level

The Blueprint Collaborative, 859 West Fulton, is a coworking and incubator space for entrepreneurs and small businesses in the construction, design, and real estate industry.

Feature Story Bill

Local deaf-blind adventurer partners with nonprofits to transcend barriers

When you’re legally deaf and blind, climbing the seventh highest mountain in the world may seem foolhardy. Foolhardy that is, unless you’re Bill Barkeley, local adventurer who partners with nonprofits to provide hope and possibility for all.

Feature Story ftconstruction066

Construction paves the way for a growing Grand Rapids

Every time you look outside your window, it's clear: GR continues to grow. Catch up on the many ways construction impacts our community.

Feature Story MNL Voices

Weirdly wonderfulness: Life with the "Geek Disorder"

Life with Asperger Syndrome isn't simple an straightforward. It's a collection of colors and experiences, and each person with the Syndrome is unique. In this VOICES essay, sixth grader Nora Standish describes her experience with Asperger's, shattering every stereotype about the Syndrome and inviting you into her world.

Feature Story Matthew Clayson

Game over: Enough excuses from Detroit to Grand Rapids

This Rapid Blog comes to us from Matt Clayson, who leads, launches, and scales outcome driven organizations and initiatives. Clayson explores bottom-up solutions for communities across the state, including coming together to solve common problems.

Development News DN619wealthy

619 Wealthy St. SE renovation brings more upscale retail to popular corridor

Eric Wynsma, Terra Firma Development, renovated  619 Wealthy Street SE, a building that has housed retail for most of its years since being built in 1925. The new space houses four new retail clients, including Fox Naturals and Thelma's Flowers.

Innovation News INgoldcoast

Doula group changing the paradigm in West Michigan

Gold Coast Doulas, a group of 16 diverse doulas living throughout the greater Grand Rapids area, provide a wide range of services to women giving birth primarily in the hospital, but also at home.Their doula team includes African-American and Spanish-speaking doulas, doulas from different income levels, and doulas from all types of West Michigan communities.

They can support clients no matter what their race, religion, ethnicity, class demographic, or sexual orientation.


Feature Story Gwadue Bossuah

RapidChat: Gwadue Bossuah on celebrating the highs and lows of being a local business owner

After four years of being in business, Gwadue Bossuah, creator and owner of FZIQUE full body cycling studio, takes a walk down memory lane with us. Remembering all of the highs and lows that brought him to where he is today, Gwadue plans on hosting an extra-special celebration this month at his new Midtown location.

Feature Story Ken Bair is the store manager of the new Bridge Street Market.

Neighborhoods of GR: WestSide evolution continues

According to local professional Paul Soltysiak, The WestSide is diverse with lots of history. It has a wonderful flavor that is tough to define unless one lives, works, or plays here often. It needs to be experienced to be understood. Explore the Westside from Soltysiak's perspective in this installment of Neighborhoods of GR.

Feature Story RyanVerWys

Cracking the affordable housing conundrum with creative solutions

While the state of the “housing crisis” is troubled and unclear, one thing is for sure: Grand Rapids’ community isn’t lacking the potential for innovative solutions.

Feature Story 1920s Fulton and Sheldon Intersection. Looking west on Fulton Street at Sheldon and Monroe Center.

Grand Rapids' streets of old still tell stories

From “bricks” made of cedar wood and soaked in creosote to sturdy but expensive cobblestones, GR's oldest streets are rich with history.

Development News parks

Roberto Clemente Park’s a natural: Two City departments collaborate on a remarkable park project

City of Grand Rapids Environmental Services Department  and Parks and Recreation are partnering on park renovation and  infrastructure upgrades to control stormwater runoff in the Godfrey Avenue/Rumsey Street area that result in a park design that will make Roberto Clemente Park one of the most fun places for kids to enjoy natural play and outdoor learning.


Feature Story Blog

Look at us: Seeing trans in times of misidentification

This Rapid Blog comes to us from Carlos Garay Negrón, a Trans Latinx activist, community advocate, musician, and queer/trans theorist. Their theory work is centered around intersectional analyses of trans and queer experience through the media lens, and their praxis is focused on empowering marginalized communities to enact transformative change.