January/February 2022
Features
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A guide for Grand Rapidians
Each year, we entrust our readers with the task of choosing the Best Of pretty much everything in Grand Rapids.
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The best is all right here
Each year, Grand Rapids Magazine readers get to declare the Best Of Grand Rapids winners. Readers then get to add a long directory of people, places, and things to eat and drink to their see-and-do list, courtesy of suggestions from people with similar interests.
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Weather is a treat for Bacca
Ellen Bacca was named WOOD TV8’s chief meteorologist in July 2021, heading up an esteemed crew of weathercasters.
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Making his mark
Michael Pfleghaar came to Grand Rapids in 1983.
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Breaking a barrier
In 1947, employment options for Black Grand Rapidians were limited mostly to hotels, restaurants, domestic work or hard labor.
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We ate so you can, too
For nearly five months, I’ve gorged myself eating out at restaurants across Grand Rapids, asking anyone and everyone their favorite joints and then stopping in to taste the fare.
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Food + Drink
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Pressing matters in cider
For most small businesses, the pandemic presented some incredibly challenging times.
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Chicken chili on the stove
Winter is a great time to spice up dinner, or a weekend lunch, with some chili.
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Don’t miss Maggie’s
Bridge Street has absolutely exploded the past few years and Grand Rapidians can find pretty much all they want along a tiny stretch of it just west of the Grand River.
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Soup’s on for Grand Rapids
The weather is cold, but thankfully Grand Rapids restaurants are serving up a tasty array of soups to keep diners warm. From a hearty stew to a broth-y ramen, here are some of the best the city has to offer.
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All hands on deck
On the shores of Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids sits an eatery both steeped in nostalgia and current with the desires of today’s diners.
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Coming of age
There’s a secret in the spirits world for fans of great whiskeys: añejo tequila.
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Look + Feel
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Straight from the salon
Braving Michigan winters is a feat in itself, but coming up with outfits that keep you warm and look good? That’s a totally different game.
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The impossible mile
Johnny Agar loves sports. He loves watching baseball, hockey, football, basketball, and just about every other sport.
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Pop of color
Home is where we make our most precious memories, but your home’s aesthetic could be keeping you from remembering them long-term.
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Double threat
A year ago, Michigan was deep in the grip of a surge in COVID-19 cases. Hospitals were full of patients — and with vaccines in their early phases, there wasn’t much to do but stay masked and wait.
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Getting social with sports
He didn’t realize it at the time, but Chris Wessely’s calling dialed him up while he was a poor college student studying abroad in Japan. Wessely didn’t find his inspiration in his political science or Japanese language textbooks. Instead, the Grand Rapids native whose primary culinary specialty was inexpensive ketchup and mayonnaise sandwiches, got a […]
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Staying fit in just 10 minutes a day
It almost sounds too good to be true. With just incremental, 10-minute investments in personal exercise each day, a person can dramatically change their overall wellness by losing weight and toning their body and, most importantly, they can feel better overall.
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Embracing the eclectic
Some people shine brighter simply by embracing their uniqueness. Local stylist and creative visionary Grace Kelly fully epitomizes this strategy.
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People + Places
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New era for Bell’s Brewery
The West Michigan beer world was shaken in November when news broke that Michigan beer pioneer Larry Bell sold Bell’s Brewery. Bell’s was one of the nation’s largest independent and family-owned breweries, brewing up some of the most beloved beers in the industry, like Two Hearted Ale.
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Putting GR back on the map
January and February 2020 appeared to set a great trajectory for tourism growth in West Michigan.
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Growing a financial brand
Sandy Jelinski has been the Lake Michigan Credit Union chief executive officer for more than two decades, helping the credit union grow into a major West Michigan financial institution.
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Images of Michigan
For more than 50 years, Todd Reed has photographed the beautiful scenery in Michigan.
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Wine for the people
Here is something important to remember about George W.C. Walker III: Before he was 21 years old, he was in West Michigan, already studying for his sommelier exam.
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GRAM director transitioning out
Following more than a decade at the helm of the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Dana Friis-Hansen announced he will leave his role as director and CEO at the beginning of next year.
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Chelios scores with own tequila
Chris Chelios spent 26 seasons in the National Hockey League, tied for most ever with Detroit Red Wings great Gordie Howe.
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A big year for downtown Grand Rapids cuisine
Even restaurants that have emerged from the past two years seemingly unscathed still have experienced their ups and downs.
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Turning the pages at Grand Rapids Public Library
People who know Jessica Anne Bratt describe her as something of a library wunderkind — a 34-year-old who was promoted last year to become the Grand Rapids Public Library’s first Black assistant director.
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