Underwriting support from:
Mayor Heartwell address members of the City Commission
Localism is hitting hard in Grand Rapids, and Neighborhood Ventures' 20th Annual Neighborhood Business Awards (NBA), held on November 5 at Wealthy Theatre (1130 Wealthy St. SE), seemed like a great way to find out more about new local businesses.
The night started with some noshing on great local food from great local restaurants, including several award nominees. It turns out that Empanadas Deliciosas, usually known for their savory stuffed pastries, also makes a tasty flan (so much so that my companions ate at least 6 pieces. Each!). And I made sure to swing by the Brickroad Pizza booth to say hi!
Once the awards presentation started rolling local business celebs such as Shawn Biel, Renee Williams, Former Mayor John Logie and Mark Lewis took the stage, along with some of our city government: 4 commissioners, a local State representative, and our current Mayor, George Heartwell.
Highlights included:
- Lots of props for the Westside and bike related businesses!
- Mayor Heartwell was presented with a [G-RAP] t-shirt
- There was a double mayor moment with both Logie and Heartwell onstage!
- The state approved Enhanced Historic Preservation Tax Credits for Kendall College of Art & Design / Ferris State University to renovate the old federal Building located at Division and Pearl.
Historical recounts include
- Former Mayor Lyman Parks was in office during the Grand Rapids Riots
- Loeks Theaters are celebrating 65 years as a GR business, their first theater was located on Pearl Street and was called the Midtown Theater
- Former Mayor Gerald Helmholdt started the business associations in GR
After a bit of banter, the John H Logie Neighborhood Business Champion Award was awarded to Bing Goei from Eastern Floral for his innovative Entrepreneurial Center, a small-business incubator located in the former Kendall Furniture factory at 818 Buttorworth SW. From there, the awards just started rolling.
There were two awards in each category, the first was selected by a NBA committee who visited over 100 sites and businesses in order to choose finalists. The second category was a People’s Choice selected by over 800 Rapid Growth Media readers!
Winners include:
Green Award
Peoples Choice: Fulton Street Farmers Market
Best Business Exterior
Peoples Choice: Wealthy Bakery
Best Business Renovation
Peoples Choice: Red Jet Café
Best Interior Renovation
Peoples Choice: Bombay Cuisine
Best Long Standing Business
Peoples Choice: Choo Choo Grill
Best Neighborhood Restaurant
Peoples Choice: Marie Catrib's
Best New Business
Peoples Choice: Commute Grand Rapids Bike Shop
Best New Construction- Large
McGraw Construction - Bicycle Factory
Peoples Choice: The Hauenstein Center at St. Mary's
Best New Construction- small project
Peoples Choice: Electric Cheetah / Bear Manor
Best Nonprofit Project
Grand Rapids Community foundation
Peoples Choice: Grand Rapids Public Schools: Houseman Field
Best Promotion
Peoples Choice: the Cottage Bar 20th annual Chili Cook-off
Best Reuse of a Building
Peoples Choice: The Winchester
Best Window Display
Peoples Choice: Wealthy at Charles
Gerald R Helmholdt Grand Award
Disclosure: Jenn Schaub is a community organizer with the Neighborhood Revitilazation program at Dwelling Place. She was largely responsible for the winning promotional efforts of the Avenue for the Arts. -ed.
The Rapidian, a program of the 501(c)3 nonprofit Community Media Center, relies on the community’s support to help cover the cost of training reporters and publishing content.
We need your help.
If each of our readers and content creators who values this community platform help support its creation and maintenance, The Rapidian can continue to educate and facilitate a conversation around issues for years to come.
Please support The Rapidian and make a contribution today.
Comments, like all content, are held to The Rapidian standards of civility and open identity as outlined in our Terms of Use and Values Statement. We reserve the right to remove any content that does not hold to these standards.