Exploring Cherry Street in Grand Rapids

While downtown Grand Rapids boasts the city’s largest concentration of shopping and dining destinations, there are numerous neighborhood business districts offering their own distinct pleasures. Many of them are in Uptown, starting just a mile east of downtown – and one of the most charming of these is Cherry Street.

You can follow Cherry St. east out of downtown Grand Rapids from a number of north-south streets, including Cesar E. Chavez, Ionia, Commerce, Division, Sheldon, La Grave, and Jefferson avenues.

Take any of those cross streets to Cherry St. and within a few blocks you’ll pass by Trinity Health Grand Rapids Hospital before entering a stretch of Heritage Hill, one of the nation’s largest urban historic districts. Many of the buildings there – like the castle-like Fox House (455 Cherry) and the Greek Revivalesque Sanford House (540 Cherry) date back to the mid-1800s.

The Oakwood Manor at 547 Cherry – Heritage’s Hill’s tallest building at seven stories – was built in 1923 to offer gracious apartment living in the city. The apartments have been modernized and the building now includes The Commons, a 70s-themed restaurant open to the public. 

Continue east past Cherry Park (home to a splash pad, bike repair station, and pickleball, tennis, and basketball courts) to Eastern Ave. Beyond that, Cherry St. is paved with bricks, just as it was a century ago. In the next third of a mile, you’ll encounter 20+ places to shop, dine, and sip, housed in historic buildings with distinctive looks and stories.

Wide sidewalks and clearly marked pedestrian crossings make it easy to walk this stretch. Metered parking is available for on-street spaces and several businesses offer free parking, as noted below.

Shopping on Cherry

Hopscotch Children’s Store 

Shop Hopscotch for unique toys, books, games, baby gear, diapers, wearables, bath products and more. This family-owned store focuses on products from fair trade artisans, small domestic manufacturers, and sustainable/eco-conscious sources. It’s a cozy, welcoming alternative to impersonal box stores. Open noon-6pm Monday-Friday and 11am-6pm Saturday. 909 Cherry St. SE.

Windsor Cottage

This upscale consignment store in a century-old building contains a wide variety of impeccably curated and artfully arranged furniture and accessories. Windsor Cottage is a great place to find gently used, high-quality pieces that will make your house feel like a home. Interior design services are also available. Open 10am-5pm Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm Saturday and 11am-4pm Sunday. 923 Cherry St. SE.

Covet

“Wearables for leisure + living + lazing” is the promise at Covet, a women’s clothing store that caters to every type of body. The emphasis is on chic casual wear – dresses, pants, shorts, sweaters, tees, tops, outerwear, and more – that make the wearer feel comfortable and confident. Open at 11am Tuesday-Sunday, closes at 5pm Tuesday-Thursday & Saturday, 6pm Friday and 4pm Sunday. Check their Instagram page for new arrivals and styling ideas. 953 Cherry St. SE.

Commune 

Commune is a modern home décor shop offering a wide selection of home goods and accessories perfect for decorating and gift-giving. There’s a bit of a West Coast vibe to the product curation and presentation, setting it apart from other local home boutiques. Another great follow on Instagram. Open at 11am Tuesday-Sunday, closes at 6pm Tuesday-Thursday & Saturday, 7pm Friday and 4pm Sunday. 954 Cherry St. SE.

Honey Jewelry

A high-end jewelry store founded by a California-to-Grand Rapids transplant (and certified gemologist), Honey Jewelry crafts one-of-a-kind engagement rings, wedding rings, earrings, bracelets, and more. Honey specializes in diamonds and offers a wide variety of ethically sourced earth-mined and lab-grown gems. 9:30am-5pm Tuesday-Friday and 9:30am-4pm Saturday. 956 Cherry St. SE.

Gemini Handmade

Shop this family-operated leather goods studio and gift shop for an astonishing array of handcrafted items, from leather belts, bags, and accessories to jewelry, housewares, and paper goods. Open 11am-7pm Tuesday-Saturday and 11am-4pm Sunday. Gemini Handmade also hosts crafting events, classes, and workshops in the store. 963 Cherry St. SE.

Books & Mortar

This “proudly progressive, consciously curated, and fiercely independent bookshop” is stocked with a broad selection of books reflecting a diverse range of voices, perspectives, and narratives. Books & Mortar also welcomes book clubs, author events, and educational programs that nurture and empower the community. Open 11am-6pm Monday-Saturday and 11am-4pm Sunday. 966 Cherry St. SE.

Adored Boutique

Adored Boutique is a store with a mission: its stylish, high-quality apparel, accessories, home goods, gift items, and health & beauty products are sourced from vendors who employ survivors of exploitation, including sex and labor trafficking, and individuals who are vulnerable to exploitation. Their sustainable living wages help break the cycle and prevent exploitation for future generations. Open 11am-5pm Tuesday-Thursday & Saturday, 11am-6pm Friday. 968 Cherry St. SE.

Leon & Son Wine

Leon and Son owner Chris Leon opened his first wine shop in Brooklyn, NY in 2015. It’s been named one of the country’s best wine stores by Wine & Spirits, New York, GQ, and Brooklyn Magazines. Leon and his wife, who grew up in East Grand Rapids, opened this second location in 2019, carrying a highly curated selection of about 550 wines, focused on smaller producers. Open noon-7pm Tuesday-Wednesday, noon-8pm Thursday-Saturday and 10am-5pm Sunday. 972 Cherry St. SE.

New Design Floral

While New Design Floral specializes in custom bouquets and vase arrangements for pickup or delivery, the store is also stocked with flowers, house plants, containers, and accessories for retail sale. Stop in to brighten your day, whether or not you make a purchase. Open 10am-4pm Monday-Wednesday, 10am-6pm Thursday-Friday and 10am-2pm Saturday. 973 Cherry St. SE.

Metal Art Studio

Metal Art Studio has been bringing high-quality, fair-trade, handcrafted fine jewelry to Grand Rapids since 1990. Browse collections of acclaimed jewelers from around the world or work with in-house expert jewelers on a custom-designed ring, necklace, earring, or bracelet. Onsite jewelry repair/redesign services, too. Open 10am-5pm Tuesday-Thursday, 10am-6pm Friday, and 11am-3pm Saturday. 978 Cherry St. SE.

Dining on Cherry

Partage

Partage offers hot drinks and grab-and-go food items, from soups and sandwiches to pies and pastries, in a cozy café setting open from 11am-2pm Tuesday-Friday. When you come for lunch, you can pick up chef-prepared at-home meal kits that just need to be reheated in your oven. 834 Cherry St. SE.

Grove

A frequent winner of local best restaurant awards, Grove sources ingredients from local family farms and sustainable providers to create thoughtful, inspiring cuisine that rotates with the seasons. Open for dinner Tuesday-Saturday. Grove offers limited off-street parking with handicap accessibility. 919 Cherry St. SE.

The Green Well

Eco-friendly gastropub serves an eclectic food menu and delectable craft drinks for lunch and dinner, 7 days a week. The outdoor patio is a coveted spot in warm weather. Patrons of The Green Well may park for free in the lot behind the restaurant – enter from Cherry St. just east of the building. 924 Cherry St. SE.

Brewery Vivant

Housed in a refurbished historic funeral home, Brewery Vivant specializes in rustic European-inspired beers and a creative menu of from-scratch fare made with locally sourced ingredients. Enjoy your meal on the patio in warm weather. Open for lunch and dinner Friday-Sunday and from 3pm-10pm Monday-Thursday. A parking lot behind the brewery is accessible from both Cherry St. and Lake Dr. 925 Cherry St. SE.

Maru Sushi

Maru Sushi is a chef-driven Japanese restaurant offering unique sushi rolls, hibachi eats, wine, beer, and cocktails. Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week, with Happy Hour food & drink specials from 3p-5pm Monday-Friday. 927 Cherry St. SE.

Le Bon Macaron

Enjoy coffee, espresso, gourmet tea, soda, macarons, and scones in this lovely French-inspired café. Le Bon Macaron makes more than 100 flavors of macaron, with the café selection changing daily. You can also order macarons to go. Opens at 10am every day and closes at 6pm Monday-Thursday, 9pm Saturday & Sunday, and 5pm Sunday. 951 Cherry St. SE.

Furniture City Creamery

Furniture City Creamery sources local ingredients to handcraft its own ice creams, waffle cones, sauces, and other sweet treats, including dairy-free and vegan options. The flavors change daily and range from the usual chocolate and vanilla to more creative options like Fruity Pebbles and Peanut Butter Oreo. You can get a pup cup for your dog, too. Open every day, year-round. 958 Cherry St. SE.

The Cherie Inn

This European style boasts that it’s Grand Rapids’ longest-running restaurant, dating back to 1924. The Cherie Inn is located in a century-old building featuring original tin ceilings, original art, and 40s-era made-in-Grand Rapids furniture. It serves breakfast and lunch from 8am-2pm Wednesday through Sunday. Classy but casual, with a killer Eggs Benedict. 969 Cherry St. SE.

KCM

KCM is a Japanese Korean restaurant located just around the corner from Cherry St. The restaurant is unadorned and unpretentious, but its homestyle Asian comfort food is absolutely amazing – its Hire Katsu Curry, a deep-fried pork tenderloin cutlet served with curry rice – was named one of the 23 Best American Dishes of 2023 by the New York Times. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday. 209 Diamond Ave. SE.

Coffee, Tea & Cocktails on Cherry

Chateau Grand Rapids

Inspired by European cafés that serve coffee and wine throughout the day, Chateau Grand Rapids is a wine bar and coffee shop open every day from 8am-3:30pm. It also offers an evening menu of shareables (and wine pours beer and spirits) from 4pm-10pm Wednesday-Sunday and 4pm-midnight Friday & Saturday. The emphasis here is on European wines, with an ever-changing selection offered by the glass and a bottle list of more than 170 options. 955 Cherry St. SE.

Less Traveled

Less Traveled is a cocktail bar operated by the city’s largest distillery, Long Road Distillers. Patrons can enjoy Long Road’s acclaimed lineup of vodkas, botanicals, whiskeys, brandies and liqueurs. Cocktails are crafted from scratch, in house, using fresh, local ingredients. The patio outside the front door is great for people-watching. Open 5pm-11pm Tuesday-Thursday and 4pm-midnight Friday & Saturday. 959 Cherry St. SE.

Kava Kasa

Kava is a root from the South Pacific made into a cold brew tea that promotes a feeling of relaxation and is said to have an array of additional health benefits. Kava Kasa is Michigan’s only kava bar, and it also offers a variety of organic and exotic loose-leaf teas, coffees, wellness drinks, and more. Enjoy your drink in the café or take it with you to sip on the go. Open late morning to late night, 7 days a week. 962 Cherry St. SE.

Pickwick  Tavern

A neighborhood gathering spot since 1934, the Pickwick Tavern is the second oldest bar in Grand Rapids. It looks basically the same as it did 90 years ago, and it remains a cash-only business. The drinks are affordable and the service is friendly. Open 4pm-11pm Monday-Saturday and 5pm-10pm Sunday. 970 Cherry St. SE.

Hours are subject to change, so it’s always a good idea to check websites or social media pages before you visit.