In January, the cold cooped up customers and the snow spilled onto street parking, making for a “scary” month for small businesses in Grand Rapids, according to the owner of Fika.
“This is the scariest I’ve ever seen it,” said Nick Van Liere, who opened the vegan and gluten free restaurant and coffee shop on Plainfield Avenue in May.
“The weather has not provided a safe way to get into local businesses,” he said. “The sidewalks are a mess. The roads are a mess.”
Van Liere, who also owns Rise Authentic Baking Co., a bakery on Fulton Street, says he’s had to consider making some “challenging” decisions in the past month…