MUSKEGON, MI - BoomTown Market in downtown Muskegon opened just in time for the biggest event of year.
The convenience grocery store on the first floor of Lake View Lofts apartment building, 351 W. Western Ave., opened on Friday, July 19, during the Rebel Road and Bike Time motorcycle rally events. The rally runs through Sunday, July 21.
Picnic tables are set up outside the market along with drink coolers. Inside, patrons will find convenience food items, beer and wine, cigarettes and more.
By noon Friday, there was a line at the cash register.
“Keep coming back because it’s going to be different every day,” said owner Dana Precious, who said she’s been working around the clock - along with an “amazing” team -- to open for the motorcycle rally. The rally is expected to attract up to 40,000 people.
Customers who stopped by Friday first saw a Muskegon-made display featuring The 490 Bakery, What’s Your Jam, McDonald’s candies, Chef Char pie slices and BoomTown shirts. Other Muskegon items include Ice Box Brand ice cream bars, Morat’s bakery donuts and sandwiches, Sam’s Cheese and items from The Fish Monger’s Wife.
“I’m really pushing Muskegon-made artisan food,” Precious said.
Other items on the shelves and in the coolers include dog food, chips, candy, paper towel, garbage bags, salsa, hummus, cold coffee beverages, energy drinks, sunblock, soap, feminine products, bread and pop.
The wall displays and shelving are temporary, there’s no decor and the cash register is set up on a long folding table - but they’ll get the job done for now.
Next week, customers will find fresh meat and fish, produce items and a wider selection of dry goods, Precious said.
The store is expected to be welcomed by downtown residents who are growing in number with the ongoing construction of new housing.
Right now, only the front half of the store is visible as the back half remains under construction, she said. The goal is to be fully open by the end of the year. At that time, there will be a kitchen to make in-house grab and go items and soups, and a fireplace featuring seating and a collection of newspapers.
“I’m calling it an anti-grocery store, and I mean that in a good way,” Precious said. “I want it to be a casual hang out where you might meet a friend.”
BoomTown announced in June that it was changing locations from the renovated Highpoint Flats apartment building, 285 W. Western Ave., to the newly constructed Lake View Lofts where the store has about twice the square footage.
Since then, Precious has been in a race to open in time for the rally weekend.
“Think of it as a pre-party,” a sign above the door reads.
The store has gotten an enthusiastic response from the community with congratulations via social media from Downtown Muskegon Now, Taste of Muskegon and other organizations. Most BoomTown Facebook posts leading up the opening have garnered 50 or more reactions, plus comments and shares.
“This is something that will get people downtown to live here,” Cindy Larsen, president of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, said on Friday afternoon as she meandered the store. She left with a full brown paper bag.
In June, the business received glowing praise from city of Muskegon elected officials who applauded it as a unique and necessary addition to Muskegon’s growing downtown landscape.
The market is expected to have an edgy and spunky atmosphere when its finished. The market’s logo depicts a winking young woman wearing a red bandana and displaying a heart tattoo on her arm with the initials “BTM.”
Precious has deep roots in Muskegon. Her late father, Ralph Precious, was a former Muskegon County administrator and her mother, Sylvia Precious, was the owner of the former Port City Princess, a boat that cruises Muskegon Lake and has since been renamed the Aquastar.
In June, the Muskegon City Commission approved a $55,000, five-year loan with 2 percent interest. The funds came from the city’s Economic Revolving Loan Fund. Interior construction is expected to cost about $289,000, according to a letter Precious wrote to the city. Other funding is coming from investors and Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW).
Dana Precious lived in Los Angeles for several years before recently returning to Muskegon to add to its growth.
“It’s full of energy, it’s vibrant and it’s moving forward,” she told city commissioners. “I saw that and wanted to come home.”
BoomTown is one of two grocery stores in the heart of the fast-growing downtown, joining the Health Hutt, 356 W. Western Ave., that opened in the Century Club in 2018.
Lake View Lofts is a new multi-use building that remains under construction. The six-story building features 20 apartments on four floors and two floors of commercial and retail space. The second floor will be occupied by Muskegon-based marketing firm Revel.
Construction on a second identical Lake View Lofts building is expected to begin late this summer. It will abut the first building.
The first floor of Highpoint Flats is expected to be home to Family Financial Credit Union, which was announced in March. Other commercial uses on the first two floors include ground-floor management offices, a lounge and a gym for residents. The eight-story building has 47 apartments on the upper six floors.
Both Lake View Lofts and Highpoint Flats are part of the revitalization of downtown Muskegon that has been ongoing since the demolition of the Muskegon Mall - more than a decade ago - but has accelerated in the past few years.
New residents also are moving downtown with the development of Berkshire Muskegon senior living, Terrace Point Landing, Heritage Square townhomes and Heritage Square Commons, the Amazon building, Terrace Flats Apartments and Western Place condos.
Other developments include the ongoing renovations of the L.C. Walker Arena, rebranding of the Delta Hotels by Marriott, the upcoming construction of a convention center, and the planned Leonard building and Jefferson Apartments.