Despite retail giants like Toys “R” Us and GR-based MC Sports closing their doors, GR recently took second place in the category of “Best Cities for New Small Business” in a LendingTree report. In this installment of Making it in GR, Rapid Growth observes the relationship between the current state of national retail and the local retail climate, as well as the effects of e-commerce on local business.

With flavors like Almond ‘Bout that Base' and Join the MoveMINT, Cone Appétit couples a joyful treat with a mission to end human trafficking.

The city has seen its fair share of art galleries over the years, but this year a new space opened up with their version of a modern urban gallery as Muse GR, and the rest is history. Publisher Tommy Allen sits down with Muse GR's Stephen Smith, M.Ed. and Taylor Smith.

Bruce Barcott — a Guggenheim Fellow in nonfiction and the author of "Weed the People: The Future of Legal Marijuana in America" — arrived in Grand Rapids to celebrate 420 Day with an informative lecture “Everyday Wisdom from an Extraordinary Industry: Ten Hard-Learned Business Lessons from the First Year of Legal Marijuana” in 2018. This interview with Rapid Growth's Publisher Tommy Allen is packed with info still relevant a year later.

Lisa Rice, President and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), will be the keynote speaker at the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan's 32nd Annual Luncheon & Workshop Series on April 25th at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. In this Q&A, Rice discusses how far we've come as a nation, and how far we have yet to go to achieve equity in housing.

As the Grand Rapids economy continues to boom and professionals of all stripes move into downtown, companies from all over the country are taking notice. Here are 9 companies relocating to or expanding within West Michigan.  

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of West Michigan (HCCWM) will host its 2019 Awards Gala, honoring six Latinx individuals and businesses who have exemplified success and commitment to community. The more than 800 people attending the sold-out event will see more than awards and award winners; they will gain important insights into the huge, positive economic impacts that Latinx businesses make on the entire region.