HOLLAND, Mich. — 13 ON YOUR SIDE is celebrating Black History Month by highlighting people making a difference in our communities. A Holland man is proving the power of perseverance through his new restaurant.
Larry Brothers has gone through many ups and downs, and even after losing his father and biggest supporter, he's never given up on his dream of opening a place for good food, good community and good times.
"This has been a dream for at least 12 years," Brothers said. "I always wanted to own a restaurant, I just didn't know how to start or what to do."
But he figured it out. Later this month, his very own food joint will open along Washington Avenue in Holland, called Nadine's Fish Tips 'n Wings.
"Don't give up," Brothers said, "and there's always someone who loves you more than you love yourself and is willing to help you get through."
But the road to get to this point hasn't always been easy.
Brothers grew up in the projects of Chicago until he was 16, when he moved to West Michigan and lived with extended family. The lakeshore is then where he stayed, and it's where he met his wife of 26 years, Michelle. They created a life together and raised their three children, two daughters and a son, in Holland.
Brothers' youngest child, his 15-year-old son, was born with Cerebral Palsy, and is confined to a wheelchair and has battled health struggles for his entire life. When he was little, Brothers decided to stay home full-time to care for him while his wife worked.
During his five years as a stay-at-home dad, Brothers realized he had a passion for cooking and for food. So he took the next step and enrolled in the Culinary Institute of Michigan at Baker College in Muskegon, and graduated in 2012. He then worked in fast food as a manager but quickly grew his repertoire and was hired on as the the manager for the Bistro at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Holland. He's been there for six years now, but struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic when business was slowing to a halt.
"That's when I decided to write a business plan for a restaurant," said Brothers.
He always had a dream to open a Chicago-style street food restaurant with his father, who was also his biggest supporter. Unfortunately, that dream came to a halt when his dad passed away in 2018.
"It took a while for me to get motivated again," said Brothers, "but he'd always tell me to never give up so I knew I had to continue to go for it."
Nadine's Fish Tips 'n Wings will offer Chicago-style street food like hot dogs, deep-fried catfish steaks, rib tips and pressure-fried wings.
"I just love that kind of food and the culture," said Brothers, "so I wanted to bring that vibe and that Chicago feel here to Holland."
Nadine's will also have daily specials, online specials and daily healthy options. But Brothers' favorite menu item? Catfish.
"Growing up, my father would host catfish fry's every other Friday," he said, "and it was a really nice tradition I always remember."
And how did the restaurant get its name?
"Nadine had a nice ring with the best menu items, and it's my mom's name," Brothers explained, "and she's a pretty awesome person."
"She only believed it when I finally drove her to the store and showed her the sign," he laughed.
During this process, Brothers also created "T.E.A.M. Restaurant Group, LLC."
"I decided to call it that because it stands for 'Together Everyone Achieves More,'" Brothers said.
Nadine's is the first restaurant that T.E.A.M. owns, but Brothers said he has big plans for the future.
"In the coming years, I want to bring on as many people as I can and build a bigger company," he said. "I want to buy restaurants, manage them, maybe do trainings. I want to do it all."
But Brothers said he couldn't have done any of this alone. He started by going to major banks for a loan, but was denied. That's when Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW) stepped up and gave him a $50,000 loan to get started.
"I thought they only helped women," said Brothers, "but they proved me wrong and really liked my story and my ideas and I was so grateful."
Brothers needed a little bit more help to get the restaurant ready and market it to the community, and luckily a Grand Rapids-based racial equity lender called Rende Progress Capital (RPC), gave Brothers a $10,000 loan in January.
"I almost gave up, but you have to stay positive, and ask for help," Brothers said. "Don't be afraid to ask for help and treat people how you want to be treated."
The atmosphere and ambiance of the Chicago-style restaurant is also very important for Brothers.
"We're just a big family, and we take care of each other," he said, "and I want this place to represent that."
"When you open the doors to Nadine's, you're going to feel that vibe of family, fun and happiness," Brothers added, "and that's just me in a nutshell."
And the decorations inside are also part of it's atmosphere, with 90's R&B and Hip-Hop playing and a retro PacMan arcade game in the corner.
"I just wanted to have that vibe," said Brothers, "and if you come in those doors and you feel like you want to dance, we'll all be dancing right there with you."
There's also another special piece of interior design at Nadine's. On the walls are pictures of famous Black influential people with their inspirational quotes, which were a gift from Brothers' two daughters.
"Those were such an amazing Father's Day gift from them," said Brothers, "and I think it's because they know those quotes are how I live my life, and how I want to carry myself."
His favorite quote is one that really represents everything he's been through and where he's going now.
"We are the change we have been waiting for," said Brothers. "And that's so true. You are the only person who can do something about the change they want to make. It takes you."
Nadine's Fish Tips 'n Wings will host it's grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 26 starting at 3 p.m. at 1111 Washington Ave., Suite F in Holland. Larry says he can't wait to see where this new journey will take him.
You can learn more about Nadine's Fish Tips 'n Wings by visiting their Instagram or Facebook page.
RELATED VIDEO:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.