EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated with a statement from the DeVos family.
A longstanding Grand Rapids Big Boy restaurant located at the potential site of a proposed soccer stadium project has abruptly closed its doors, Crain’s Grand Rapids Business has learned.
A sign on the front door of the establishment Tuesday read, “Sorry this location is now closed” and the Google listing for the restaurant states that it is permanently closed. The restaurant was nearing its 60th year in operation, having opened its doors in 1964.
With this closure, the franchise’s only remaining greater Grand Rapids locations are at 4950 Wilson Ave. SW in Wyoming and 13961 White Creek Ave. NE in Cedar Springs.
The property at 407 Pearl St. NW is owned by an entity affiliated with DP Fox Ventures LLC, which purchased the property in July 2022 for $3.175 million. DP Fox serves as the family office of Dan and Pamella DeVos.
“Dan and Pamella DeVos acquired this land because they believed it held tremendous potential for a future community use benefitting West Michigan residents, employees and visitors. The current tenant vacating the site provides the opportunity for advancing exploration of future uses in the weeks and months ahead,” DeVos family spokesperson Nick Wasmiller said in an email to Crain’s Grand Rapids.
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Grand Action 2.0 has been considering the location for a proposed 8,500-capacity soccer stadium.
As of November, Grand Action 2.0 has not disclosed a location for the stadium. However, preliminary renderings of the stadium appear to show it located adjacent to the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, a site executives previously confirmed was under consideration for the project.
Grand Action 2.0 Executive Director Kara Wood in November stated that groundbreaking on the stadium could begin “as early as next year.”
She also said Grand Action 2.0 is close to announcing the soccer stadium location after conducting “very significant site location analysis,” with downtown being “higher on the priority list than other sites.”
Crain’s Grand Rapids Business reached out to the restaurant and franchisee, who did not return requests for comment.
The Grand Rapids City of the Whole Committee voted unanimously to approve a resolution consenting to a memorandum of understanding for the development of a future soccer stadium. The Grand Rapids City Commission later approved the resolution.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners approved the memorandum of understanding at its Nov. 30 meeting.
The soccer stadium MOU allows the due diligence process for the development to continue, and is modeled after a similar agreement around Acrisure Amphitheater. The CAA expects to own the venue once it is developed, similar to other major projects in the city like the DeVos Place, DeVos Performance Hall and Van Andel Arena.
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