March 19 HBA Breakfast Club recap
This month’s meeting featured the brand-new Cafe OTONO, shop hops and activations, and our brand-new board. OTONO spills the beans on…
This month’s meeting featured the brand-new Cafe OTONO, shop hops and activations, and our brand-new board.
OTONO spills the beans on its new cafe. OTONO was the first shop in the new wave of upcycled fashion businesses along South Division Avenue. Now, it’s blazing new trails with Cafe OTONO, a bustling full-service coffee counter within the store. Co-owner Emmanuel Ibarra talked about the heat he and partner Alana Sawicki hope to bring to Grand Rapids’ downtown blend.
After a couple of weeks in “soft open” mode, the cafe held a grand opening March 15; OTONO is working with Coucou Bakehouse to offer a variety of pastries along with its espresso drinks and teas. (The team eventually plans to add grab-and-go sandwiches to its menu.) Business has been brisk, Emmanuel said, with the line stretching out the door opening day.
In September, OTONO moved from 317 Division Ave. S (a space now occupied by NIDO Gallery on a block shared by August Connection, Cocoon Art Space and Khloe Mae Bridal) to 25 Division Ave. S (next door to Rewind GR and Second Vibess). “We would have struggled a lot if it weren’t for our neighbors,” Emmanuel said. We don’t see them as competitors. We’re all together competing against the mall or online shopping.
Amanda described how Bamboo started about 10 years ago in downtown Detroit as a collaboration among business owners who wanted co-working space. (The company h“We wouldn’t have succeeded if it weren’t for the other businesses also attracting people to the street and the corridor. An atmosphere like that keeps people coming back, and bringing their friends. And the shops aren’t just about shopping but also creating events, creating experiences for people and contributing to the culture.
“There was a time when downtown was the place Grand Rapids went to shop, but that changed once the malls were created,” Emmanuel said. “Now people are coming around to the idea that it’s a vibrant shopping destination — but there’s still a lot of work we can do to change that perception.”
… And much more! In other Breakfast Club news, attendees ratified the 2025 slate of HBA board members to serve through March 2026 … Second Vibess co-owners Kaitlynn Fitzpatrick and Camille Steverson talked about their plans for shop hops to activate Heartside’s vintage stores in 2025, starting with an event May 17 … HBA Vice President Josie Garcia (Cocoon Art Space) provided an update on the association’s third annual FAM on SoDIV activation, scheduled for June 7, as well as First Friday art walks that include Cocoon as well as AllArtWorks, ArtRat Gallery, Arts Marketplace, Avenue for the Arts and Lafontsee Galleries’ new downtown location at the Plaza Towers … … GRPD Sgt. Daryl Howard reviewed how the police worked with the HBA and the community to head off a rise in criminal behavior on the South Division near Goodrich St. The department deployed a camera to monitor the street and assigned a police escort for Public Works employees cleaning the area, and officers continue to prioritize complaints, observations and requests by neighborhood businesses.
