Harmony Brewing plans expansion in Eastown

Harmony Brewing plans expansion in Eastown
Barry VanDyke and Jackson VanDyke of Harmony Brewing Co.

GRAND RAPIDS — The owners of an Eastown brewpub have plans for a significant expansion.

Harmony Brewing Co. LLC — located near the corner of Lake Drive and Wealthy Street — plans to acquire the adjacent Subway restaurant property and expand bar and restaurant service to the building, which is located at 1540 Wealthy St. SE.

Bear Manor filed documents with the Grand Rapids Planning Commission detailing the plans.

Lance Zoerhof, a senior counsel at Warner Norcross & Judd LLP representing Harmony Brewing’s sister company, Bear Manor Properties LLC, wrote to city planners that his clients plan to invest around $800,000 with the expansion, which includes the cost of acquiring the real estate.

The Subway property is owned by Grand Rapids-based HHH Properties LLC, registered to Thomas Humphries, a Subway franchisee, according to state records.

“This project, like Bear Manor’s other Eastown and Uptown projects, will have a positive economic impact,” Zoerhof wrote to the city’s planning department.

Principals with Harmony Brewing confirmed the expansion to MiBiz in an emailed statement.

“We have been busting at the seams pretty much from day one in Eastown,” co-owner Barry Van Dyke said in a statement. “This will allow us to continue doing all of the things that we’ve been really successful at with more elbow room for our customers and staff.”

The expansion would allow for increased dining capacity, the addition of eight on-site parking spaces and about 35 full-time and part-time jobs, according to the planning commission documents.

The expansion would also allow for added indoor and outdoor seating, as well as building a second kitchen solely for carry-out and delivery pizza.

The Harmony Brewing executives hope to close on the deal by mid-June.

Planning commissioners are expected to consider the request at their meeting on June 8.

In addition to Harmony Brewing Company, Bear Manor owns Harmony Hall, another brewpub and restaurant at the corner of Bridge Street and Seward Avenue on Grand Rapids’ west side. The company also owns a number of commercial and residential properties in multiple neighborhoods of the city.

In his letter to the planning commission, Zoerhof noted that the company has invested more than $4 million into real estate around the city.