KALAMAZOO, MI — A second location of downtown Grand Rapids’ The Grand Woods Lounge will be opening its doors in Kalamazoo at the site of the former Arcadia Brewing Company, according to a news release from a public relations firm representing the bar and eatery.

The site at 701 E. Michigan Ave. at the edge of Kalamazoo’s downtown is the home of Arcadia Brewing Co., which continued to operate after the business was taken over by First National Bank of Michigan, the original owner’s mortgage lender, earlier this year.

The location closed beginning Wednesday, Sept. 18, and the business is working on renovations and “trying to get up and running as soon as possible,” Andrea Bitely of Truscott Rossman said. She said the company did not release anything additional about the expected timeline.

“We’re excited to offer Kalamazoo diners with another option in an amazing new space in the very near future,” said Dax Hylarides, a managing partner at The Grand Woods Lounge in Grand Rapids.

Lansing-based Urban Feast has overseen operations at Arcadia Brewing Co. at the request of the bank after it foreclosured on the property earlier this year, according to a Sept. 18 news release from public relations firm Truscott Rossman. The business has been advised to cease all brewing activity to make way for the immediate redevelopment of the building and property into a full-service restaurant and contract brewing facility, according to the news release.

Urban Feast is the management company that includes Troppo in Lansing, Tavern and Tap in Lansing, Tavern on the Square GR in Grand Rapids, Fieldhouse in East Lansing, and The Grand Woods Lounge in Grand Rapids. Additionally, the company manages Arcadia Ales & Smokehouse in Lansing, which opened in 2018 through a partnership with the Arcadia Brewing Co.

“After years of searching for the perfect spot for our resort restaurant, we are excited to have the opportunity to be part of downtown Kalamazoo’s established dining and nightlife scene," Hylarides said. “Our goal is always to provide a special and unique place to unwind and appreciate the Kalamazoo River all while enjoying top-notch food, drinks and entertainment and of course as many locally produced beer offerings that we can find.”

The developers are actively seeking those interested in the operation or purchase of the contract brewing operation at the Kalamazoo site. Those interested are encouraged to contact chuck@egco.us.

A rendering provided by the public relations firm shows a vision of what The Grand Woods Kalamazoo location will look like, with the word “Woods” on the large steel structure on the front of the building.

A rendering for The Grand Woods in Kalamazoo, which will open at the site of Arcadia Brewing Co., on the Kalamazoo River. (Courtesy | Truscott Rossman)

The announcement comes days after Arcadia Brewing Co. held a weekend sale on remaining beer, offering 75% off, according to a social media post from the company.

Tim Suprise first opened Arcadia Brewing Co. in Battle Creek in 1996. The Kalamazoo location opened in 2014 at 701 E. Michigan., a brownfield site on the bank of the Kalamazoo River.

Developers received a number of incentives, including $1 million in state grants and a $200,000 low-interest loan through the local Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

The authority terminated the mortgage on the property while there was $173,474.17 that had not been paid back.

Five years after opening in Kalamazoo, in March 2019, ownership of the property was transferred from Enmar LLC to First National Bank of Michigan. Tim Suprise, who was both president of Enmar and CEO of Arcadia Brewing Co., signed a document transferring ownership to the bank, according to county property records.

Past-due property taxes from 2016 and fees assessed on the property, totaling $5,388.74, were paid to the Kalamazoo County Treasurer’s office on March 20, stopping a process that otherwise could have resulted in foreclosure if the bill was still unpaid on April 1.

The bank announced in May "proposed successors” to Arcadia Brewing Co. West Michigan Brewing Co. would continue to run the brewing facilities onsite and Urban Feast would direct the brewpub’s transformation into a full-service restaurant, the bank said at the time.

The changes seen at Arcadia Brewing this year will have no impact on the two Community Revitalization Program grants, totaling $1 million, approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund in 2012, according to a spokesperson from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.