GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A part of Grand Rapids' Westside has been transformed.
The new space is called Muse, and the grand opening ribbon-cutting was Friday afternoon. Muse replaces an old adult book store that stood on the corner of Leonard Street and McReynolds Avenue NW for more than 50 years.
The city of Grand Rapids complained about the eyesore for years.
A young Grand Rapids couple, Taylor and Stephen Smith, completely renovated the inside and outside of the building and turned it into an interactive art galley and creative collaboration space for artists to use. The two say they plan on hosting a myriad of different events, including live art demonstrations, classes and photo shoots.
"We're inviting creatives from all over the city to take a photo, or a class and get inspired," Taylor explained during Muse's ribbon-cutting after party.
The couple bought the building back in 2016 and have worked to open it since.
"We didn't initially like the building, but we came back. And even though it was in rough shape, we liked the potential that the space had," Stephen said. "We decided to invest in the potential."
Now, artists can rent the space out and use lights, backdrops and props that the Smiths have made available. Muse also has the capacity to host private events.
"We created this space for you to come and be inspired -- this place is a blank canvas," Stephen said. "If you have any idea, Muse is the place to come and explore it."
Stephen and Taylor Smith have used community resources in developing their business. Stephen has been with Grand Rapids Public Schools for seven years and Taylor works for World Renew.
For more information on Muse, visit www.musegr.com or find them on Facebook.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the WZZM 13 app now.
April Stevens is a multi-platform producer at WZZM 13. Have a news tip? Email news@wzzm13.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.
