We only had a short time to visit so focused our walking and looking in the area around Van Andel Arena. This provided a surprisingly lively subject, even if it was a little top heavy with beer-related establishments.
Grand Rapids Brewing Company
HopCat
J. Gardella’s Tavern
Tavern on the Green
Liked the touch of sign painting here.
Grand Woods
Mural
Downtown Ambassadors
Utility Box Painting
And, while we didn’t have time to catch a photo, we did see the Founders compound too, but that is another story for another visit and future post.
Visit in 2026
The Black People’s Free Store mural, was painted by Detroit artist Ijania Cortez in 2021. Located at 235 Division Ave S in the Heartside neighborhood of Grand Rapids, Michigan, the public artwork is part of the Heartside Historic Murals project. It is a tribute dedicated to Richard Martel, Bernard Ware, and Carl Smith, three community activists who operated the Black People’s Free Store during the 1970s. The facility provided free essential goods, services, and resources to empower the local Black community.
Calumet Flats is located at 303 Division Ave S. The four-story, red-brick property is a beautifully preserved historic building in the Heartside neighborhood. Managed as an affordable housing community by Dwelling Place of Grand Rapids, it contains multi-family residential apartments on the upper floors and commercial retail space on the ground level.
This image shows a public sidewalk installation featuring a brick bench and integrated street planter, situated directly across from the Calumet Flats building on Division Ave S. The planter is filled with ornamental fountain grass (Pennisetum), a choice commonly used in urban landscaping for its hardiness, minimal maintenance requirements, and visual texture. This streetscape infrastructure is part of the ongoing neighborhood beautification and pedestrian-friendly initiatives in the Heartside district.
Pekich Park, a public urban park located at 2 Cherry St SW at the intersection of Division Ave S and Cherry St in the Heartside neighborhood. The defining backdrop of the park is a large three-dimensional, trompe l’oeil wall mural painted by acclaimed American muralist Richard Haas. The artwork is a highly detailed, stylized depiction honoring the historical logging and furniture manufacturing industries that catalyzed Grand Rapids’ economic development and earned it the moniker “Furniture City” in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
The historic commercial block on the east side of Division Ave S, just north from the street corner at Cherry St SW. The row features classic late 19th and early 20th-century Italianate and commercial brick architecture, housing storefronts such as Ascentcare (139 Division Ave S) and local specialty shops. This block is part of the Avenue for the Arts corridor, a creative community hub in the Heartside neighborhood known for its mix of artist studios, galleries, residential lofts, and grassroots public art spaces.
The historic facade of 117 Division Ave S is a beautifully preserved building features intricate Beaux-Arts architectural detailing, including an ornate white terra-cotta frame, an oval accent window, and an elaborate decorative crest along the roofline. Today, the ground level houses Tellers Lounge, an intimate upscale cocktail and wine bar known for its sophisticated atmosphere and artisanal small plates. Flanking the building to the left is Tone Chasers Music, a boutique musical instrument shop specializing in guitars and gear.
A painted utility box artwork titled “T is for Temple Grandin” was created by local artist Valerie Wahna in 2019. Located near the corner of Division Ave S and Oakes St SW in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the piece depicts the world-renowned animal behaviorist and autism advocate Dr. Temple Grandin. The box is part of the Rad American Women A-Z public art project and walking tour hosted by GR Walks. The community initiative transformed city utility boxes into vibrant tributes celebrating influential historic and contemporary women, based on the bestselling children’s book by Kate Schatz and Miriam Klein Stahl.
This image displays the window display of the One Oh Six Gallery, situated at 106 Division Ave S. The SoDiv commercial corridor branding, celebrates the neighborhood’s identity with the slogan: “SoDiverse, SoDistinct, SoDynamic; SODIV.” One Oh Six Gallery is Grand Rapids’ largest community art gallery. Owned by the affordable housing and revitalization non-profit Dwelling Place and managed by Avenue for the Arts, it serves as a central hub and launching pad for emerging creators in West Michigan. The distinctive “ONE OH SIX” geometric visual identity and typography hand-painted on the glass was designed by local creative firm Slowpoke Studio.
This mural pays homage to Chinese American restaurants that were located in the Heartside Neighborhood. Highlighting two restaurants, Sun Sai Gai and Tea Garden Cafe, which introduced Chinese cuisine and fed the community for decades. In 1880 less than 30 Chinese men lived in Michigan, racism and laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 kept most Chinese out of the country or prohibited them from obtaining citizenship until it was repealed in 1943. As a result, Chinese immigrants built their own communities and businesses. Grand Rapids had its own Chinatown in the 1900s. Tea Garden Cafe was established in 1924 by a Chinese family who lived above the restaurant in the 300 block of Division. Chan Tai Wo, popularly known as “Charlie Chan” and cousins Chan Hoy and Charles Young, operated the Tea Garden Cafe for twenty years. In 1949, Fong Toy and Alvin Chin opened Sun Sai Gai at 19 S. Division, Chin lived just across the street at 24 1/2 S. Division. Sun Sai Gai translates to “New Prosperity,” and their investment showed. A small restaurant with just thirteen booths and eleven tables, Chinese lanterns hung from the green ceiling with brown paneling and red flecked wallpaper lining the walls. These restaurants were pride and joy for many Chinese neighbors.
Art Rat Gallery is located at 46 Division Ave S. Continuing north along the Avenue for the Arts, this independent gallery serves as a lively exhibition venue and retail space showcasing fine art, prints, apparel, and handmade goods from a diverse collective of regional and national artists.
Portland Loo public restroom is installed on the streetscape of downtown Grand Rapids. The Portland Loo is a highly specialized, prefabricated urban restroom designed specifically to balance privacy with public safety, boasting an all-gender, ADA-accessible structure with graffiti-resistant steel walls and open-air ventilation louvers. Maintenance and cleaning services for this specific unit are handled by the Downtown Ambassadors program managed by Downtown Grand Rapids Inc.
A modern, smart-city pedestrian wayfinding kiosk is positioned on the sidewalk of South Division Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Installed as part of a comprehensive city-wide navigation project, these high-profile pillars feature a dark navy and blue design incorporating the city’s signature wave motifs. The upper section provides directional pointers to key regional staples and civic amenities including:
- Public Restrooms (such as the Portland Loo station nearby)
- The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum
- Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
- Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC)
- Van Andel Arena
The middle section hosts a large, static neighborhood orientation map complete with a localized “You Are Here” pointer, building footprints, street layouts, and a landmark index to help visitors orient themselves and navigate the downtown grid on foot.
The intersection of Division Ave S and Fulton St, marks the exact dividing point between Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, and Southeast street addresses in downtown Grand Rapids. The building featured on the corner is the historic Fulton Tower, which houses commercial street-level storefronts including RÚM Escape, a localized breakout room entertainment venue. The streetscape is outfitted with bright orange seasonal planters, pedestrian benches, a public bike rack, and a designated parking zone for shared electric scooters.
This image captures the sidewalk looking north on Division Ave N, just past the intersection at Fulton St. The building on the right houses the Downtown Convenience Store, located at 13 Division Ave N. Across the street in the background, you can see the modern facade of the Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) Secchia Piazza, a culinary education facility situated on the corner of Fulton St and Division Ave.