x
Breaking News
More () »

West side businesses to offer special deals, live music for Small Business Saturday

With prizes up for grabs and plenty of discounts to offer, Westside businesses in Grand Rapids are hoping to grow their local shopping scene.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A collection of local businesses in the city’s west side and Monroe Center-area are offering a bundle of deals and experiences for this year’s Small Business Saturday.

Deemed their 2nd-annual “Holly Sip and Shop Hop,” organizer and Art of Life Gallery co-owner Tia Riva said many of the stores participating are local families with roots in the area’s westside.

In 2021, seven businesses took part. This year, it has grown to ten.

Customers can pick up a punch card at any of the participating locations to begin the “Shop Hop.” Those who get an initial from all ten businesses will be entered into a drawing. A total of three will be selected to win a gift basket full of more than $100 in merchandise.

According to the event’s website, each venue will be offering specials, as well as host live music with local guest artists.

Those participating include:

While the presence of local shopping in the west side may be lower compared to Grand Rapids’ downtown and east side, the hope is that the event will continue to grow their commerce scene.

“That's why we're doing the event,” Riva said. “So people know that we're here, and they know where we are and what we have to offer. So slowly, but surely, everybody will know about us.”

Shakedown Street, a ‘70s-like homage to the Grateful Dead along Leonard Street, has served as an eclectic boutique and smoke shop for 30 years. As a returning business for the “Shop Hop” this year, they’ll be featuring live music inside the store.

“I'm just excited to see everybody's smiling faces tomorrow,and having live music is always exciting,” Shakedown Street owner Rhonda Miller said. “People get very smiley when they hear good music and they've kind of stick around and shop a little longer to hear their favorite song.”

Adding that small businesses is a staple of the community, Miller said it was exciting when a Small Business Saturday-like push came to the area’s westside.

“You have a lot of really great little shops and little restaurants that are popping up,” she said. “It's been a lot of fun – I'm really happy to see Leonard Street growing.”

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.

Before You Leave, Check This Out