An iconic Grand Rapids eatery is making a comeback!
I used to love going to Arnie’s Restaurants for breakfast back in the day – so I’m excited about this!
👇BELOW: MORE THAN 40 NEW RESTAURANTS OPENED IN WEST MICHIGAN LAST YEAR👇
What Happened to Arnie’s Restaurants in Grand Rapids?
If you’re a native West-Michigander, you likely remember Arnie’s Restaurants, known for their homemade breads, soups, and breakfasts. And of course, Arnie’s baked goods are still sold in area grocery stores.
Arnie’s Bakery was founded by the Sonneveldt family in Grand Rapids in 1905. It would later be named Buttercup Bakery. Decades later owner Arnold Sonneveldt Jr. partnered with Arne Fahlen, a baker from Sweden and once head of research and development for Awrey’s Bakery in Detroit.
In 1972, the pair opened the first Arnie’s Restaurant in Rockford. Six years later they opened the Breton village location. The Fahlens eventually bought out the Sonneveldts and everything was consolidated under the Arnie’s name. More restaurants were opened: one on 54th Street in Wyoming and two in Grand Rapids, with one on Leonard Street and at Centerpointe Mall on 28th Street. In 2014, Arnie’s at Centerpointe relocated to a new spot nearby on the East Beltine.
The restaurants were closed and rebranded as Beer City Bread Co. in 2020… and then of course, the pandemic hit…