shopgirl

they owed a boatload (and i mean a boatload) of backtaxes...they were playing with fire...

dean is a fantastic photographer and this will be - when renovated - his photography studio! he has been a long time heartside studio renter and has decided to join the excitement on wealthy - it's fantastic!

Amen on the circus. This building's situation is a cat with a long long long tail. They don't pay prop taxes, it's in a Ren Zone. And in my ever snide tone regarding this property i have to say it looked even worse on the first coat the other day when they painted it peach

apparently the developer who bought the building for too much money doesn't have enough money to start the demolition on the back and the renovations on the front, so another developer has bought it and is making at least a few strides, like the signs. more to come...

unfortunately they're calling it quits - at least temporarily - in the retail setting. she is selling her things online and at occasional shows around town/allegan, etc.

I'll add my two cents too! Without pics though i always wished the "beer" building would turn into an ice cream/hot dog walk up kind of place...however, when talking to the WSB owners (who just bought it) they said there's no way to bring it up to code. after you take out the cinder block dimensions, the inside is less than 6 feet in width. not enough for today's requirements GR Grid Girl mentioned the buildings across from the bakery being owned by Jeff Bentley. He does in fact own that building, lives in the house across Wealthy and the empty lot next to it. He flat out refuses to sell, and believe me, there have been offers. There is a huge family history there with a ton of legalities that hopefully sooner than later could be reconciled and someone could make that a VERY cool spot. "Developing soon" buildings are in much the same situation. The owner wants a TON of money for these properties. Many people have made offers - including one who even started demolition upstairs - i had high hopes for that, but everything keeps falling through and he's fired yet another realtor. if anyone wants to buy it and can speak Spanish well, you could maybe try to cut a deal again. though he's rather set on his price - even though he bought it for a couple thousand bucks a bunch of years back. eToys IS a hair salon and it is owned by Ron and his wife, of Ron's Car Wash, NW corner of Eastern/Wealthy The white building with blue trim that has a Coldwell Banker SOLD sign out front...rumor has it...a brewery? but i have only heard that from one mouth and it wasn't the horse's mouth. When those buildings come up for sale, the big question is who will be brave enough to join in the Wealthy Street retail resurgence!? My theme song with these old buildings & new retail, an exerpt from George Harrison's "Got My Mind Set on You", But it's gonna take money a whole lotta spending money It's gonna take plenty of money to do it right child. It's gonna take time a whole lotta precious time It's gonna take patience and time to do it to do it... ah yes, you know the rest.

**** re: four friends; one really can't "guarantee" they'd be open. sometimes it's about a lot more than profit. Those of us small business owners - and i can speak for FF/WSBakery - that go to church and have families and work 18 hour days the rest of the week need some time off too! we respect that people need places to go but there's the opportunity cost for us too. it's a tough decision either way! from what i hear, FF/WSB has committed to the never open on sunday factor. for what it's worth.