Kzoo Station: A Community Kitchen + Eatery aims to bring more food options to neighborhood
(GRAND RAPIDS, MI) – Two local community-based organizations are partnering to renovate a shuttered auto repair building at the corner of Oakdale Street SE and Kalamazoo Avenue SE in the Boston Square district into an incubator kitchen that aims to bolster food business for the neighborhood. SpringGR and Amplify GR are partnering to open Kzoo Station: A Community Kitchen + Eatery at 1445 Kalamazoo Street SE.
In October, construction crews from Boston Square-based contractor Preferred Construction Group started renovating the 1,416 SF former Good Shepherd Auto Repair building to create a commercial kitchen and a multitenant retail food business space that will provide opportunities for those looking to grow or start a food business. The architect behind the design is Isaac V. Norris & Associates, a longtime black-owned Boston Square business. Kzoo Station is expected to open next summer.
For years, neighbors have asked for increased opportunity to build or launch more black-, brown-, and women-owned businesses. Simultaneously residents voiced the need for more local food options that reflect the neighborhood.
“Spring GR is looking forward to identifying and cultivating primarily neighborhood-based food businesses that will operate out of Kzoo Station,” said Arlene Campbell, Director, SpringGR. “Kzoo Station will eventually offer takeout options for customers from the businesses working within the kitchen, so it will be fun to create a food hub at this busy intersection.”
Named together with residents and community stakeholders, Kzoo Station will be developed by Amplify GR who will also continue to lead resident engagement linking SpringGR with neighborhood-based food entrepreneurs to utilize the space. The incubator kitchen will be run by SpringGR and offer neighbors access, resources, and learning opportunities within a commercial kitchen to test or grow their food businesses. Plans are being created for a retail space that will allow customers to buy the hyper-local food cooked up in the kitchen.
“The goal of this endeavor is to provide access to entrepreneurial opportunities and food options that reflect the community,” said Danielle Williams, director of economic opportunities, Amplify GR (left). “We are excited because Kzoo Station is a response to what neighbors have expressed they would like to see in their community. It also represents the first project in the collective community design known as Boston Square Together – one of many steps toward a growing neighborhood that prioritizes equitable outcomes.
When opened, Kzoo Station will have addressed two priorities identified by neighbors through the Boston Square Together initiative: accessible entrepreneurial opportunities for residents; and access to food options that reflect the neighborhood culture.
In addition, Amplify GR received a Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) grant that will support produce and dry good procurement from neighborhood grocer South East Market. In turn, it will also support the market’s supply chain of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers from Michigan. More on the grant here.
Boston Square Together is collective community design of a 10-acre parcel in the center of the Boston Square neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is run by a partnership between local organizations, businesses, and residents who work together to create and execute a shared vision for the heart of Boston Square.
More information on Kzoo Station is available at amplifygr.org here. Local businesses looking to grow their food business, have an idea for a food business, or know someone who has a food business, are encouraged to contact SpringGR to learn more about the opportunity.
About SpringGR
Launched in 2014, SpringGR is an entrepreneurial training program located in Grand Rapids, MI. This program provides training, mentoring, and networking opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs from neighborhoods with few entrepreneurial opportunities to develop a thriving business. Since the launch of SpringGR in 2014, 680 participants have completed the program. Learn more at springgr.com.
About Amplify GR
Amplify GR (AGR) is a nonprofit in Grand Rapids, Michigan that seeks to widen pathways so that more residents can participate in and benefit from neighborhood growth in the Boston Square, Cottage Grove communities, and surrounding areas. Together with residents, businesses, community organizations, and funders, they identify and achieve shared goals in four areas of impact: Jobs and Entrepreneurship, Housing, Education, and Community Well-being. AGR also uses the principles of Purpose Built Communities that can be found in 28 other cities across the United States that focus on creating greater racial equity, economic mobility, and improved health outcomes in defined neighborhoods. Learn more at amplifygr.org.
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