GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Michigan-based Cottage Inn, known for their gourmet pizza and sides, is expanding further into West Michigan!
The first Kent County location opened on Wealthy Street SE Tuesday morning.
Co-owner JD Witherell said they picked Grand Rapids partially because of the energy and walkability of Eastown.
"I mean, we love it here," Witherell said. "This is our first franchise. We chose Grand Rapids to start. We picked Eastown because it's a great atmosphere, a great area. Love the foot traffic."
This is the first Cottage Inn to open in Kent County. The other locations in West Michigan are in Allendale and Kalamazoo. Witherell said they hope to add an additional store on Grand Rapids' west side.
He said Cottage Inn has an advantage over other franchises because everything—from their flour mixture to the cheese blend to the sauce—is proprietary.
"We have really good pizza. We have a good atmosphere, good environment, you know, we have really good managers," he said. "Our product is great. I think our product is better than, you know, most pizza out there."
To recognize Tuesday being their opening day, some specials are being offered. You can get a medium cheese or pepperoni pizza for $8. There are also free gifts and the chance to win free pizza for a year.
Currently, there are more than 50 Cottage Inn stores between Michigan and Ohio, and the company plans to expand further into the Midwest.
The Wealthy Street location is open from Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to midnight, and from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
On its website for the Grand Rapids store, it says they are hiring for all positions.