Eastown Access jun-jul 2014 - Eastown Community Association

Eastown Access
VOL. XLII No. 3
The Newsletter of the Eastown Community Association
June - July 2014
Save the Date
Feeding America
Mobile Food Pantry
July 23 & August 13
Southeast Academic
Center, 1250 Sigsbee
4pm-6pm
Volunteers needed, contact
info@eastown.org
Photo courtesy of GR Public Library
Eastown
Streetfair
Saturday, Sept 13
9am - 8pm
Wealthy St
Art - Music - Food Kids’ Activities - Street
Performers
Visit www.eastown.org for
more information
ECA NEWS
ECA Board Column
See page 2.
Eastown Reflections
M
By Greg Palmer
y family first moved to East
Grand Rapids when I was three,
on Coronado Drive (Ford Road
until just before we moved in, still a dirt
road at the beginning of the 1960s if you
can believe it). Coronado is off the corner
of San Jose, essentially one block east of
Plymouth, the eastern border of Eastown.
We then moved back to the Detroit area
when I was six, and I spent most of grade
1 and through grade 6 in the Birmingham
Schools and then moved back to EGR, at
the old Kindel place on Plymouth Road
near Franklin Street. I attended EGR
Junior High (now Middle School) and East
Grand Rapids High School.
After school, weekends and summers
we stopped at the neighboring stores,
including D&C Five-and-Ten, Remes
Drug Store and Jersey Junction for candy
and also ice cream, and to buy records
(ask your children or grandchildren if they
know what these are!). We also stopped
at Sinfonia on Wealthy and East Indian
Trading Company around the corner
on Lovett. We had fun in Eastown and
probably spent as much time there as we
spent in what is now known as Gaslight
Village—it was still called “Ramona” then
because of the former amusement park
of the same name on Wealthy Street from
Croswell Avenue to Reeds Lake.
Continued on page 6
places
E.A. Brady’s – A New
Butcher Shop with History
See page 8.
GREEN
Speaking for Trees
See page 9.
from the board
Offline Social Networking
Fostering a safe, diverse,
and walkable Eastown
neighborhood by creating
opportunities for neighbors
and friends to engage and
connect.
ECA Board Members
Chad Sytsma, President
Tony Martin, Vice-President
Christopher Cork, Treasurer
Courtney Myers-Keaton, Secretary
Heather Colletto
Shannon Cunningham
Alice Menninga-Richards
Jaya Rapp
ECA Committees
Green Space Committee
Development Committee
Neighborhood Events Committee
Block Captains & Public Safety
Committee
Access Committee
ECA/EBA Committee
Special Events
We welcome involvement in our
committees. Eastown Community
Association Board meetings are held on
the second Tuesday of every month at
6:00 pm in the ECA Office, 415 Ethel SE.
Eastown residents and business owners are
encouraged to attend.
Executive Director
Community Police Officer
Event Planning Intern
2
hat do you think of when
you hear the term “social
networking”? Logging on
to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to
“follow” friends and family that you don’t
see everyday? Catching up with people
from the comfort of your own couch?
You’re not alone. According to Pew
Research, 73% of online adults log on to
use social networking sites and many cite
the following reasons:
- Seeing photos or videos
- Receiving updates or comments
- Sharing with many people at once
415 Ethel SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
616.451.3025
info@eastown.org
www.eastown.org
ECA Staff
W
By Jaya Rapp, ECA Board Member
Lindsey Ruffin
Jeremy Huffman
Shelby Austin
Eastown Access / June - July 2014
While I am certainly a member of that
group and log on for all those reasons, I
can’t help but wonder if all that online
social networking is coming at the
expense of real-life, face-to-face social
networking. Online social networking
gives us the ability to connect with
hundreds of friends in an instant, but will
any of those “friends” be around when
you need the proverbial cup of sugar or
more likely, a jump for your car in the
dead of winter? Probably not.
creating a safety net that can help us when
we need it and allow us to help others
when they are in need. To me, it feels that
our neighborhood—Eastown—may be the
most important social network we belong
to!
And since we’re lucky enough to live in
Eastown, the network seems to be built in.
As one of Grand Rapids’ most walkable
neighborhoods, we Eastowners tend to be
out and about more, enjoying our
beautiful parks, shopping eclectic stores
and walking to the Farmers Market in
neighboring Midtown. This walkability
gives us the ability to log off and connect
with our friends and neighbors.
But did you know that you have a little
help when it comes to keeping your
network alive? The ECA is here to help
build community, and one of the most
fun ways to do that is through events! In
fact, we host more neighborhood events
than almost all of the other neighborhood
associations in Grand Rapids.
That’s where offline social networking has
the upper hand, allowing us to build
personal relationships with our neighbors,
Whether big like Streetfair and Bizarre
Bazaar or small like Picnic in the Park, the
events exist to help you get to know and
reconnect with your neighbors.
Continued on page 4
Eastown
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times a year. Place your ad today!
Christa Brenner Shannon Cunningham
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Send all inquiries & advertising files
submitted for publication.
and to info@eastown.org
Supported by CDBG funds via the City of
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EBA UPDATES
By Josh Hogeterp,
EBA Co-Chair and Online Manager, Redux
Books
T
Mondays at the Market
W
Photo by Lee Hardy
By Heather Young Salter
hat’s for dinner tonight? If it’s
Monday afternoon and you’re
up for a short walk, you can
put local produce, breads, artisan cheeses
and baked goods on the table. The Metro
Health/Aquinas College Farm Market
offers fresh foods and more every Monday
from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the college’s
Browne Center Parking Lot (at 2001
Robinson Road).
“This market is open on a day when the
city’s other markets are closed—and it’s
right in our neighborhood,” said Ellen
Kieras, an Eastown resident of 20 years.
“I plan to walk here with my kids.”
The market is designed to attract busy
Eastown families like hers with its
convenient location and evening hours.
Continued on page 7
he Eastown Business Association,
together with Uptown Marketing,
kicked off summer this year with a
special event called Eat.Shop.Rock. This
was the second year that we’ve put on this
event, but it was the first year that we had
our own night for the event, separate from
the other business districts in Uptown.
Many businesses stayed open late and
offered deals. Some businesses were
featuring live music also. The EBA closed
off the Hub parking lot and offered space
up to businesses to do something creative.
It was the first event that used the new
renovated Hub lot in its entirety, and we
were very happy. Lots of people came
down with their families to enjoy face
painting, cupcake decorating and creating
works of art with chalk on the blacktop.
The family activities flowed well into
the start of Vox Vidorra, a group that
performed for a large group of people
in the lot. It was great to see so many
families with kids dancing and enjoying
the music and local businesses! If you
missed the event this year, be sure to
check it out next year on a Thursday in
June (TBD), as we will surely throw the
event again—only bigger and better!
The EBA held a general membership
meeting since we last wrote an update. We
were able to update the businesses on what
the EBA is up to in 2014, and the meeting
also gave us an opportunity to vote for
2014 board members.
It’s a little late to make the announcement,
Continued on page 9
EBA BOARD MEMBERS
Josh Hogeterp, Co-Chair
Stacy Wolfgang, Co-Chair
Lyndi Charles, Treasurer
Kelly LeCoy
Lynn Happel
Ryan Ogle
Mary Scheidel
EBA COMMITTEE
Marketing
EBA/ECA COMMITTEE
Special Events
Website: www.eastowngr.com
Eastown Access / June - July 2014
3
COMMUNITY NOTES
Get Help to Get the Lead Out
T
he good news: Eastown is filled
with many beautiful old homes. The
bad news: many of those beautiful
old homes are filled with lead paint. More
good news: the city of Grand Rapids offers
financial assistance to landlords and low
to moderate-income homeowners with
children to get the lead out. Send inquires
to LHCP@grcity.org for more information
on the city’s Lead Hazard Control
Program, or call 456.3030.
Porch Light Initiative
T
his summer we want to see all
homes in Eastown with their porch
lights on. Turning your porch light
on is the easiest way to to promote safety
in your neighborhood. Contact the ECA
(451-3025) to get your free CFL lightbulb
from Consumer’s Energy.
P
Eastown Larcenies
lease do not keep valuable items
in vehicles. Larcenies increase
during summer months and we have
already had several since June 1st. These
thieves are getting laptops, wallets, cell
phones, credit cards, etc that have all been
left in vehicles. They cannot steal what
is not there. Do not leave valuables in
vehicles!
Little Free Library
M
By Amy Wolterstorff
y daughter and I recently
changed our route to Wilcox
Park, all because of the new
Little Free Library on the corner of Youell
and Byron. Erected in late April by
homeowners David Vessey, a philosopher,
and Mara Naselli, a writer and editor, the
library is an attractive wooden structure
painted to match their house. A sturdy pole
that puts it at eye level and a Plexiglasfronted door allow passersby to peruse
the library’s two shelves—containing
children’s books on top and books for
adults on the bottom.
The library is a way of “liberating books
from their shelves” and circulating them in
a spontaneous way within a neighborhood.
The idea is that anyone can take a book
and return it or replace it with another one.
4
Eastown Access / June - July 2014
Initially stocked by Naselli and Vessey, on
the day of my visit the library contained
an interesting assortment of books—
everything from kids’ board books to
Russian novels to how-to books. “I like
the idea of it being a document of a
community of readers,” said Naselli. She
and Vessey enjoy seeing what turns up.
“The day War and Peace showed up was
the most exciting day,” they said.
The response to the library has been
positive. Neighbors have been very
involved, and “No one walks by without
slowing down,” according to Vessey and
Naselli. Kids will sometimes pick up a
book on their way to the park and return
it on the way back. Vessey and Naselli’s
6½-year-old son Gabriel said, “I like them
too.” He and his brother, Benno, age 3½,
check out the book selection every day.
My own daughter put some thought into
selecting three books that she had enjoyed
and was ready to pass on to someone else.
She, like Benno and Gabriel, discovered
that the fun isn’t just in finding a book to
read but also in checking later to see if the
books she’s left have been taken.
Vessey and Naselli got the idea for
the library last year while living in
Minneapolis where they noticed Little
Free Libraries all over. The Little Free
Library organization was founded by two
Hudson, Wisconsin, residents who erected
the first Little Free Library in 2009. Now,
according to the website, littlefreelibrary.
org, more than 15,000 exist worldwide,
with five listed in Grand Rapids, including
a beautiful church-shaped one at Saint
Thomas the Apostle School. As library
stewards, Vessey and Naselli obtained
an official charter sign and number and
registered it on the map; they maintain
the library by keeping track of the books
and removing ones that don’t move. They
encourage others to put up a Little Free
Library too. Like them, you can order a
premade structure from the website, or
you can make your own. Either way, you
can join an international movement while
promoting reading and community in our
neighborhood.
ECA Report Continued from page 2
And thanks to the addition of our new
Events intern, Shelby, we’re able to do
a little more for you this summer.We’re
planning new events like a Bike Scavenger
Hunt that will lead you through
familiar (and more unfamiliar) parts of
Eastown all while encouraging you to
mingle with your friends and neighbors.
But we can’t keep events like this running
without a little help from you. We need
volunteers to help Shelby and the ECA
generate fun event ideas, plan events and
staff events. If you’re interested in
volunteering, contact us at
info@eastown.org.
ADVOCATING FOR EASTOWN
Rebel in Eastown
By Heather Young Salter
A
mid a driving snowstorm, Dan
Boyles and Chip Minor moved
their tiny shop on East Fulton to a
bigger space at 1409 Robinson Road, near
Foot Outfitters and Argos Books. Rebel
reopened in February 2014.
The boutique features a charmed and witty
assortment of gifts, women’s accessories
and home goods. Think retro-cool picnic
wares and throw pillows. Greeting cards
emblazoned with delightfully edgy
messages. Rebel is a perfect place to pick
up something special—serious or silly—
for your best gal.
At work on Rebel since 2010 in their East
Fulton location, Boyles and Minor had
been on the lookout for a new space for
two years, expecting to secure something
bigger and better in the same business
district. But one day in December, Boyles
spotted a sign in the window of their new
Eastown spot. “I pulled over the car and
called the number. We knew it was perfect
as soon as we walked in the door!” he
said.
Although it was scary to make a major
investment during a historically record
breaking winter for Grand Rapids, “we
now know it was the right decision,” said
Boyles of the move. “I think my favorite
part is that we got to see the true cult-like
devotion of our customers coming in,
covered in snow, in the middle of one of
the twenty blizzards, just because they
couldn’t wait to see the new space. They
were so excited to have a bigger place to
shop,” he said.
“Eastown’s energy, walkability and sense
of community makes us feel right at
home,” said Boyles. He and Minor were
also glad to discover that many of their
existing customers live, work, eat and
shop in Eastown already.
The pair has been involved in retail
for more than 15 years; Minor has
a background in accounting and
management, and Boyles is an
experienced retail buyer and visual
merchandiser.
Over the past four years, they have honed
their offering at Rebel, which now has a
Photo by Lee Hardy
focus on one-of-a-kind gifts. They make
signature art pieces in an workshop in
Zeeland. And they have cultivated a
network of artists who contribute to the
collection.
Minor is originally from San Diego and
Boyles grew up in the Holland area. The
pair moved to Nashville in the height of
the recession. “After many trips back to
West Michigan, and dreaming of our own
store, we felt that Grand Rapids, and its
energy to rebuild after the recession was
a perfect place to start a business,” said
Boyles.
With Rebel, Boyles and Minor are also
helping rally a sense of local pride and
nostalgia. “We are becoming known for
our Michigan-themed gifts,” said Boyles.
“We offer everything from ‘Made in
Michigan’ baby onesies to glassware, art
prints and cards. This time of year, we
send tons of little Michigan memories
back to all different parts of the country
and world.”
Standing Up for
Eastown
and the city of Grand Rapids
Rosalynn
Bliss
Commissioner
Coffees with Bliss:
July 9th at Noon at
Grand Coney on Michigan
August 5th at 4p.m. at
Connect at blissforgr.org,
Graydon’s on Plainfield facebook or call 889-1277
Eastown Access / June - July 2014
5
Better Location, Better
Business for Eastown Café
I
By Christa Brenner
f you’ve ever been to the Eastown
Café then you’ve met Hussin and
Halima Khani. For the last eight
years, this husband-and-wife duo has
been feeding Eastown an array of culinary
delights, from breakfast to baklava.
Their story started in kitty corner kitchens
—Hussin at the Eastown Café, and Halima
at The Pita House. It wasn’t long before
he was asking to have her transferred
across the street. A year and a half later
they were married and decided to buy the
Café and start a family. Their daughter
Rania will turn seven this year. Needless
to say they’ve been busy. Eastown Café is
literally a mom-and-pop shop—the couple
has worked 362 days a year since they
opened in 2006.
Since moving across the street this spring
they’re busier than ever, and have
extended their hours and hired help to
keep up with the increase in demand.
Their hope is that once the new help is
trained, they’ll be able to take a break and
enjoy the fruits of their labor.
After a life on the line, Hussin had a clear
vision of the perfect kitchen, so their new
location at 1499 Wealthy is a dream come
true for him. He was able to design the
entire workspace from start to finish with
their vast menu in mind—everything
from breakfast on the flat top to burgers on
the char-broiler to Halima’s signature
from-scratch baklava (there’s just enough
of the flaky phyllo and crushed pistachios
and almonds to hold the butter together).
Hussin’s specialty is barbeque, and the
Persian veggie and meat platter with rice
is expertly grilled after at least two days
marinating in olive oil and his special “Big
Boy Spice.”
Eastown has a reputation for excellent
breakfasts, and keeping with that tradition
the Café does not disappoint. Hussin and
Halima are rolling out a new feature, sure
to please their many regulars and draw
a new crowd. Monday through Friday
they will feature an early bird platter, and
for only $4.99 guests can enjoy a full
breakfast of toast, eggs, meat and hash
browns. Stop in and say hi, and tell them
Christa sent you.
6 Eastown Access / June - July 2014
Reflections Continued from page 1
But Eastown back then had more action
in the minds of most 12-year-old kids.
It had a big city feel to it, partly because
of the proximity of the Michigan-Cherry
and Wealthy Heights busses, now known
respectively as the #6 and #5 bus lines.
We could catch the Michigan coach on
Wealthy and be at one of the downtown
movie theaters in 15 minutes. Eastown
had a real soda fountain (Peterson’s Drug
Store, now the location of New Yorker
Urban Apparel, 1511 Wealthy Street)
where you could order a real vanilla
phosphate. It had all types of different
people, all different backgrounds. It had
a bar: the Educato family’s Yacht Club
Bar, presided over by the solemn barman
George, in his black vest and tie. We’d
open the door on our bikes and sneak a
look inside—big thrills! This space, sans
the Yacht Club’s art deco/“nautical” décor,
is now occupied by Billy’s Lounge). The
shopping district also had a (usually) firstrun movie theater, the Eastown, where
Uptown Assembly of God Church is
today, at 1470 Lake Drive. This, by the
way, was about the only context in which
I ever heard the appellation “Eastown”
being used back then. Even the merchant
association’s street sign, a big neon lightup Jetson’s-looking affair with a clock in
it, read “Welcome to Wealthy-Lake Drive
Shopping Center.” I wonder what became
of that sign.
And Eastown had a bowling alley, East
Recreation, in the back of the big old
streetcar barn that fronts the corner at
Wealthy and runs back to where Gojo
Ethiopian Restaurant is, 421 Norwood
Ave. You entered there, on the side of the
Building, on Norwood. The festivities at
“East Rec” were presided over by Nick
Konkle, almost as solemn and serious
as George at the Yacht Club, and Miss
Char Kardas, a city bowling league and
public links golf competitor of note in
the 1940s and 1950s who taught—or
sometimes called out—bowling lessons to
the younger patrons of the establishment.
(I remember her, after one of my louder
gutter balls, throwing up her hands in
despair and saying to my brother and me,
“Boys, promise me, 1971 is the year you
get serious about your bowlin’?!”.)
Miss Kardas also doubled as the manager
of the Hula Room, a cocktail lounge inside
East Rec overlooking the lanes and all
done up in 1950s Hawaiian décor. If it had
survived it would definitely be the hottest
retro place in town now. It was “genuine
ersatz,” as one friend put it.
Apart from these entertainments, however,
Eastown was a self-contained and selfsustaining business district then. One
could literally spend an entire half a day
there getting necessities. The old Eberhard
Grocery (a precursor to D&W) flagship
store was still at 1551 Wealthy, where
Striders Running Apparel, Spoonlickers
Yogurt and Papa John’s Pizza are now. As
for pizza, Lanza’s Restaurant was right
across the street, where Gino’s Pizza is
now, 1556 Wealthy. And next door to
Lanza’s was R&R, owned by a Mr. and
Mrs. Russell, a terrific two-story toy store
where G. Katsoris Shoe Repair is located
presently. It had a moving glass display
case of Schucco and other German and
English model cars; a treat for us to visit
if we had been “good” (which often we
weren’t) at Clement’s Young Ages, the
children’s clothing store up the street at
1450 Wealthy where Sami’s Pita house
presently operates. We hated going to
Clement’s Clothing because we perceived
it as fancy and fussy, and you had to
behave, but I am told it was quite the
place in its day, before it moved to the
Eastbrook Mall. Florence Eiseman handsmocked this and that. At Easter time and
in August the place was jam-packed with
mothers and grumbling boys.
And Mr. Katsoris’s father’s shoe repair
shop was farther down Lake Drive, at
Carlton in a neat old building with terra
cotta tile ornamentation (similar to the
Willard Building downtown at Jefferson
and Fulton), which also housed a Baskin
& Robbins “31 Flavors” ice cream
franchise (which later moved to where
Indochine Restaurant is now on Wealthy
Street). The building at Lake Drive and
Carlton was demolished for an Old Kent/
Fifth Third Bank branch, and the site is
now occupied by Eastown Veterinary
Clinic, 1350 Lake Drive. Nordstrom’s
Shoes was next door, West, to the present
Yesterdog on Wealthy and the Yesterdog
space itself, 1505 Wealthy St., was home
for many years to an old fashioned store
called Cary Dry Goods that sold, well, dry
goods, just as advertised. While I believe
the store did carry some apparel, mostly
what I recall were large bolts of cloth, just
as in the (really) old days.
There were at least three gas stations,
and there was Carroll’s Barber Shop,
where Mulligan’s Pub presently is. There
were two liquor stores on Lake Drive,
Ficeli Bros. at Glenwood and Orwant’s
“New Yorker” Fancy Foods, at Hampton.
There was a Kroger grocery store, later
Norwood Foods, a Spartan store of the
day, where CVS Pharmacy is now, at 1550
Lake Drive. There were two of the most
popular dentists with the EGR trade on
Lake Drive, one atop the aforementioned
Peterson Drugs and the other where
Gallery 154 is now, 1456 Lake Drive.
Tennis players and skiers went to the
origional Bill & Paul’s Sporthaus in that
old street car barn where Eastown Hookah
Lounge and Eastown Sports Bar are now,
and for many years it was the site of the
Intersection Bar. The list goes on and on.
Wood, PC, specializing in employment
law, litigation and historic preservation.
He also serves on Eastown Community
Association’s Development Committee.
I hope you enjoyed reading this and I hope
it gives you a sense of what the Eastown
shopping district was to the community.
The Eastown Access invites others to
share their memories for the community to
enjoy (and I invite you to email me with
any corrections or additions to mine at
palmerwood1@yahoo.com).
The idea originated a few years ago
with an Aquinas College student group
interested in sustainable business
practices. The students struggled to realize
their goal because many weren’t on
campus during the summer months when
markets are in full swing. With continued
interest, Beitner reached out to Metro
Health and found a capable partner.
An Eastown resident since the 1960s,
Greg Palmer has great memories of this
neighborhood “back in the day.” Greg
practices law with the firm of Palmer &
Market Continued from page 3
“It’s the only Monday evening market
within a 75-mile radius,” said Veronica
Beitner, manager of integrated campus
health services at Aquinas. Beitner is also
co-director of this summer market, along
with Emil Hanneson of Metro Health. “We
were amazed how many young families
came out on the first day,” said Beitner.
The healthcare provider hosts a Thursday
market in its Byron Center Metro Health
Village and had established relationships
with 50 market vendors, plus the ability to
accept many payment types, from credit
cards to food assistance program coupons.
Both organizations are involved as part
of a broader commitment to community,
sustainability, wellness and wellbeing.
“The market reinforces the cultural and
health shifts we want to create,” said
Beitner. “In Eastown, we have a walking
community that is very receptive to the
idea,” she said.
The Metro Health/Aquinas College market
gathers about 18 vendors and anticipates
a range of activities this summer, from
face painting and children’s activities
to a cookoff among local chefs using
ingredients from the market booths.
It runs through August 18 this year.
Next year, the plan is to relocate to a
larger Aquinas parking lot now under
construction in front of the Sturrus Sports
& Fitness Center on Fulton Street. The
market’s season also will expand, from
May 1 to October 1, so college students
returning in the fall can taste the fruits of
the idea they inspired.
CONGRESS ELEMENTARY
OUR SUCCESS STORY:
- Highest MAP student growth test score from fall to spring last school year; ranked in
the 86th national percentile.
- MEAP proficiency increased across the board for all content areas.
- One of best attendance rates in the district.
- Ranked among top schools for school safety; lowest suspension rate in the entire district.
- First ever School/Community garden; full implementation of
School/Community garden third grade curriculum.
ENROLL TODAY
Go to www.GRPS.org/EnrollToday or visit us!
940 Baldwin St SE, Grand Rapids, MI | 616.819.2201 | www.grps.org/congress
TAKE A TOUR
Come see for yourself about the great things
happening, meet the rock star teachers, and
see the amazing children at Congress.
Contact Principal Bridget Cheney
at 819-2201 or email cheneyb@grps.org.
“While there is strong emphasis
on academics, it is combined
with genuine care and concern
for the well-being of the children
and their families that infuses
the learning environment with
acceptance and warmth.”
Laura Dillivan, pictured above, with her son
Riley, a Congress Elementary student.
Eastown Access / June - July 2014 7
E.A. Brady’s – A New
Butcher Shop with
History
W
By Heather Colletto
hen you enter E.A. Brady’s, the
new butcher shop located across
from Bombay Cuisine on Lake
Drive, you’ll be welcomed by a case of
meat. A lot of meat. And the shop’s enthusiastic purveyors, brothers Aidan and Evan
Brady, will tell you all about it.
“We’ll have poultry and prepared deli
meats here; beef, pork, and lamb over
there,” says Aidan, gesturing at a rectangle
taped out on the floor in mid-June. “And
goat!” Evan adds. “It’s seasonal and hard
to find, but if you want goat, we will find
you goat.”
The brothers, who live in Eastown and
Fulton Heights, are both coming to “a
hobby turned passion turned career” as
butchers after working for their parents’
plastics company in Muskegon. But before
plastics, their family knew a thing or two
about meat. The Bradys have two sets of
great grandparents who owned and operated Michigan butcher shops and grocery
stores back in the day. Their mom’s first
job was weighing meats as a child at her
grandfather’s butcher shop.
Even their shop’s name is an homage
to their great-grandfather’s L.A. Brady
Grocery and Meats, which was advertised
with a custom carpet draped over a horse
that walked through town. While Aidan
isn’t sure if his large dog will tolerate such
a role, they’re confident Eastown residents
and many others will find their butcher
shop and keep coming back for specialty
sausages, smoked meats, stocks and more.
They promise a “butcher’s special” sandwich at lunch, featuring “whatever meat
we’re into at the time.” The shop will also
sell “meat accessories,” which encompass
everything from spice blends and hot
sauce to cutting boards and knives.
“Transparency” and “collaboration” are
two things the brothers mention a lot.
Transparency means the meat grinder and
smoker will be where you can see them,
but it also means they’ve developed relationships with local farmers (some now
mentors) and can tell you about where
the meat came from. “We believe that the
quality of meat has a lot to do with the
quality of the animal’s life,” Aidan says.
And collaboration means meaningful
relationships with the neighborhood and
with you, the customer. “We want you to
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be able to come in and ask us questions,”
says Evan. “And if we don’t know the
answer, we’ll go find it for you.” As Aidan
and Evan talk about the design of their
shop—its reclaimed wood and antique
subway tile, the stains on the floor from
Zondervan’s printing press—it’s clear they
are aware of the history of the neighborhood and building they now call home.
They are quick to talk about their respect
for other West Michigan butchers (they
name-drop all of them as inspirations) and
are eager to find their culinary niche. They
envision partnerships and events with local Eastown businesses and breweries.
Speaking of partnerships, Aidan and Evan
are interested in selling your wares if
you’ve got some quality meat accessories
to sell, and they’re willing to think outside
the box. “Can you make soap from our
leftover fat? We want to talk to you,” they
offer. Throw in their humble offering of
cheeses and local sodas, and you’ve got
everything you need for a picnic at Wilcox
Park.
E.A. Brady’s will be open Tuesday
through Sunday and is scheduled to open
this month. For official opening date and
shop hours, follow @eabradys on Twitter or visit the shop’s Facebook page at
facebook.com/eabradys.
All Real Estate is Local.
David Kirchgessner
As a life long resident of Eastown, East Hills and EGR,
I’m dedicated and passionate about the future of our
community. As a former ECA board member I have a
broad understanding of the wants, needs and goals of
homeowners within the Eastown neighborhood.
If you are considering buying or selling a home, or would
like an idea on what your home is worth in the current
market, don’t hesitate to give me a call.
David Kirchgessner | 616.617.4644 | david.kirchgessner@gmail.com
www.WestMichGroup.com | 2731 Breton Rd SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546
8 Eastown Access / June - July 2014
Speaking for Trees
I
By Shannon Cunningham
n 2011 the Green Grand Rapids
amendment to the city’s master plan
established a 40% tree canopy goal in
Grand Rapids. Recognizing the need to
involve citizens in expanding the urban
tree canopy, the City of Grand Rapids
and the Friends of Grand Rapids Parks
launched the Urban Forest Project with
core funding from the Grand Rapids
Community Foundation. This initiative
seeks to engage the entire community in
growing a larger, healthier urban forest
by increasing public awareness and
involvement.
“The forest canopy truly is a public
benefit,” said Urban Forest Project
Program Director Lee Mueller. “We need
it in our community so we provide a
robust menu of opportunities for people to
get involved, which starts with simple tree
planting in parks,” he continued. “From
there, we hope to encourage more people
to engage further.”
Through the Citizen Forestry program, for
example, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks
trains citizen volunteers to help them
become knowledgeable in tree planting,
maintenance and identification. Certified
Citizen Foresters educate, advocate, lead
and provide support for neighborhoodbased tree projects.
EBA Update Continued from page 3
“We are constantly working to cultivate
new Citizen Foresters for neighbors to
turn to when they have questions or need
help,” said Mueller. “The more Citizen
Foresters that we can develop, the more
impact we can have.”
but our 2014 board members are Stacy
Wolfgang (Wolfgang’s), Josh Hogeterp
(Redux Books), Lyndi Charles (Billy’s
and Mulligans), Kelly LeCoy (Uptown
Kitchen), Ryan Ogle (Blu House
Properties) and Mary Schneider (Connie’s
Cakes).
The project is established in the majority
of Grand Rapids neighborhoods, including
Eastown, where a few Citizen Foresters
reside.
Mueller encourages all residents to be
aware of the trees that are growing in our
communities and to get involved through
Urban Forest Project training classes.
Place-based volunteer-led projects that
add or celebrate trees may be eligible for
$1,000 or 20-tree mini-grants through the
Urban Forest Project.
“To reach the 40% canopy goal,”
said Mueller, “we need planting and
protecting.”
Upcoming workshops focus on tree
pruning and maintenance in July and tree
identification in August. Learn more at
www.urbanforestproject.com or contact
Lee Mueller at (616) 389-4687.
The EBA committees are still hard at
work. The Special Events Committee is
finalizing plans with the ECA for Bizarre
Bazaar, which should prove to be the best
Biz Baz yet. The Streetscape Committee
is organizing plantings throughout the
district, planning Eastown street signage
and updating our physical directories.
The Marketing Committee has been
interviewing intern candidates to help
with marketing and communication to
customers and businesses and should
have a new intern by the time this goes to
print. They also welcome a new member
to the committee: Chris McDonald, who is
the general manager of Terra GR.
Be sure to enjoy the great summer
weather, stop into some of your favorite
shops and restaurants and maybe check
out a business you’ve never been to!
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Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Eastown Access / June - July 2014
9
Warm Weather Fire Safety
By Lieutenant Sean Murray, Grand Rapids Fire Department
A
fter the winter we all just went
through, we absolutely deserve
warm, sunny, humid weather
where we can get out and meet and greet
our neighbors. Ahhhhhh. But there are still
some fire safety considerations to think
about during the summer months.
PREVENTION TIPS
1. Do not run window air conditioning
units through an extension cord. They
pull an excessive amount of energy, and
an extension cord can lead to overheated
electrical outlets. The same is true of space
heaters you may use during the winter
months.
2. Pay attention to your kitchen drapes
in relation to your gas stove. If there is
a pleasant breeze blowing your drapes
toward your burner... you get the picture.
3. Make sure you extinguish coals and
embers from a charcoal grill. Citywide this
summer, there have already been at least
two fires caused by careless disposal of
embers from a grill. Soak them. And soak
them again.
4. Outdoor fire pits and bonfires are
prohibited within Grand Rapids city limits.
Only grills are permitted. The powers
that be fear the slippery slope of people
burning leaves, brush or garbage.
5. Fireworks are a hoot. Pay attention to
where you are shooting them, where they
land, and how dry the grass and bushes
are.
Grand Rapids Fire Deptartment wants
you to be safe in your home!
The Residential Safety Program is a
voluntary solution to help homeowners
prevent fires. The RSP is designed to
reduce the number and severity of fires in
Grand Rapids. The GRFD are offering the
following:
During the hot, dry summer of 2012, there
were about a hundred grass fires in Grand
Rapids caused by fireworks.
· Free in home fire safety assessments
· Free smoke alarm upgrades and
installations
· One-on-one fire safety consultations
specific to the residence
Need more convincing? Ask the folks out
at St. Mary Magdalen parish in Kentwood
what can happen.
To qualify for the program, you must be a
homeowner, residing within the dwelling.
Rentals do not qualify at this time.
With these tips in mind, have fun. You
deserve it. But please use common sense
and courtesy.
Homeowners can ensure their safety by
scheduling an appointment. Contact the
Residential Safety Program at 456-3966.
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1505 Lake Dr. SE
Every Sunday 1-4pm
10 Eastown Access / June - July 2014
Cadillac
Blue Spruce Gallery
8838 Boone Rd.
Saturdays by Appt.
Muskegon
Big Blue Hydroponics
590 Ottawa St.
Saturdays 4-7
Clean & Green
If you’re not recycling your paper, glass
and cans, start now by calling the city for
a free recycling bin: 456-3232
Information
HANDY NUMBERS
Emergency 911
Police: Non-emergency
456-3400
Silent Observer
774-2345
Eastown Community
Association451-3025
Community Police
Officer Huffman
520-3478
Captain Payne
456-4487
Abandoned Cars
On City Streets
456-3310
On Private Property
456-3053
Housing Inspection
Code Violation
456-3053
Non-Emergency Police
456-3400
Street Maintenance
456-3232
Bob Crow, Calvin College
Dean of Student Development 526-6165
Heather Bloom Hall, Aquinas College
Director of Campus Life
632-2457
If you have electronic components you
need to get rid of, you can take them to:
Kent County Recycling Center
977 Wealthy SW/Grand Rapids
Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
CompRenew
629 Ionia SW/Grand Rapids
Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Have an item to recycle but not sure where
to take it? Visit www.recyclekent.org/ for
locations to accept most household items.
Used auto oil can be taken to the Auto
Zone, on Fuller just south of Leonard, for
free recycling.
If you wish to reduce the amount of junk
mail you receive, try:
www.41pounds.org or
www.dmachoice.org
Tired of telemarketing calls at dinnertime?
Register your phone number at
www.donotcall.gov
HANDY WEBSITES/EMAILS
Eastown Community Association:
www.eastown.org
Eastown Business Association:
www.eastowngr.com
The City of Grand Rapids:
www.grcity.us
Second Ward Commissioners
(North of Wealthy):
Rosalynn Bliss: rbliss@grcity.us
Ruth E. Kelly: rkelly@grcity.us
Third Ward Commissioners
(South of Wealthy):
Senita Lenear: slenear@grcity.us
Elias Lumpkins: elumpkins@grcity.us
The Rapid Bus System:
www.ridetherapid.org
Kent County:
www.accesskent.com
State of Michigan:
www.michigan.gov
Get the Lead Out!
www.healthyhomescoalition.org
Heart of West Michigan United Way
http://www.211.org or call 211
The Eastown Community Association is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization. Donations help us cover operating costs, hold events,
facilitate public dialogues on key issues, and support neighborhood improvement—all in service to the Eastown community.
We encourage you to make your donation online at www.eastown.org/donate or by sending in the form below. Checks and money
orders should be made out to the Eastown Community Association and can be sent to the ECA at 415 Ethel Ave SE.
Contribution $
Your gift at any level will help support the organization.
Name:
Address:
City:State:Zip:
Phone:Email:
I would like to volunteer for the following committee(s):
Green SpaceDevelopmentNeighborhood Events
Block Captain AccessSpecial Events
Eastown Access / June - July 2014 11
Eastown Community Association
415 Ethel Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506-9907
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
GRAND RAPIDS, MI
PERMIT NO. 277