Dan and Pam Marsh, owners of Red Ginger, have purchased the Garfield Center retail strip center, and plan to open a restaurant there this fall. The eatery will open on the south end of the center where the Thimbleberry Kids resale shop is now located. Garfield Center (pictured) is on S. Garfield Avenue between Carver and Parsons. Other Garfield Center tenants include HoneyBaked Ham, The UPS Store, Nails Tek, and others. The entire center is 17,140 square feet and is fully leased.

Pam Marsh tells The Ticker the restaurant will be "healthy fast/casual,” serving breakfast and lunch, with dining in and takeout. The couple will also explore options for delivery. The restaurant — as yet unnamed — will be open from 7:30am-4:00pm (closed for dinner).

“It’s a concept we’ve been working on for a couple years,” Marsh says, “and we’ve been looking for just the right space. We’ll feature healthy, organic, sustainable foods. I’d call it 'healthy comfort food.'"

Marsh says the location is ideal because it is still within Traverse City limits, far enough away to not compete directly with downtown restaurants, yet still in a high traffic corridor.

Thimbleberry will be moving out in July, when initial construction on the space will begin. Marsh says the hope is to open by November 1. The restaurant will seat approximately 60.

Other openings, closings, and moves…
Traverse City Whiskey Company is preparing for its next major phase of growth with the purchase of the former Cherry Growers fruit processing facility at 9440 South Center Highway.

The 34-acre property is the planned future site of a new distillery, rick houses, and a visitor center with a tasting room. The distillery will include end-to-end production – including mashing, fermentation, and distillation – and will eventually increase the company’s capacity from 400 to up to 4,000 barrels per year. “We learned early on that unlike distilleries that focus on clear spirits, because of our aging process we need a lot of room for barrel storage,” says owner Chris Fredrickson. “We realized this building could be a great home for us and would position us well for future growth.”

Fredrickson says the company will continue to maintain its Fourteenth Street location as a tasting room and experimental distilling site, with the majority of the company’s production relocating to the new facility. The company is working with Elmwood Township on zoning approvals to accommodate the tasting room on the new property – allowing for educational tours and product sampling – and plans to take a phased approach over the next two years to renovating the building, installing new equipment, and doubling the production staff.

In other beverage-related news, video game arcade The Coin Slot has opened a corner bar called The Keg Stand inside its East Front Street location. The bar offers six craft brews on tap from The Workshop Brewing Company, allowing customers to have a beer while playing games. The company will celebrate the addition with a grand opening party on June 12. On Randolph Street, Tilley’s Party Store and Disc Golf has installed a new craft brew tap system allowing customers to buy growlers of beer. The store is the first packaged liquor distributor in Traverse City to offer the service and plans to host tasting events with local breweries focusing “on unique beers and beer that is not available in bottles,” says partner Eric Piedmonte.                                 

Glen Arbor clothing and accessory store Coastal opened in a new location this weekend in the heart of the Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District on M22. The company will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday from 4-6:30pm to celebrate the move. Next door to the new store, M22 Glen Arbor has launched a new outdoor wine bar patio offering 16 custom-blended wines from Black Star Farms, cider, and non-alcoholic drinks. The patio will be open afternoons and evenings through October and will host live music on Thursday nights in July and August.

Discount retail store Merchandise Outlet is opening a new Traverse City location. The company is currently renovating the former Family Dollar space at 1127 South Garfield Avenue and is in the process of hiring cashiers, associates, and receivers. The Michigan chain specializes in a wide variety of inventory offered at “a fraction of major retail prices,” according to the company. In Traverse City’s Warehouse District, Maindeck Supply Co. – a new apparel line and retail store – held a grand opening celebration this weekend at 229 Garland Street. The company offers hand-printed and Michigan-made apparel and headwear.

Also in downtown Traverse City, Crepes & Co. has opened its doors within the State Street Marketplace on State Street. French chef Vanessa Grasset offers both savory and sweet crepes featuring Michigan products including Cooper Family’s jams, Sleeping Bear Dunes honey, Moomers ice cream, and Great River Organic Milling buckwheat, among other products.

Finally, Inspire Art Gallery is closing its doors within Leelanau Studios on Cherry Bend Road. “We are sorry to announce Inspire Art Gallery will be closing May 31…due to unforeseen circumstances,” the store posted on its Facebook page. “We are exploring the possibility of an online gallery. Stay tuned!” The gallery is offering a closing sale featuring discounts up to 30 percent on many of its pieces.