12/4/23 - New Coffee Shop Supported By Area Veterans

(Grand Rapids, Mich.) -  The City and local nonprofit HAS HEART unveiled improvements to the historic building at Veterans Memorial Park (22 Sheldon Ave. NE). The new HAS HEART coffee shop and veteran-focused creative organization will be open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. HAS HEART is actively hiring and training veterans and their partners to help with operations.

Renovations to the historic building began in 2022 and total $916,000. Upgrades include structural and accessibility improvements, indoor and outdoor café seating, a retail space, and art display areas to showcase local veteran artists. The City’s capital improvement fund and parks millage fund each contributed $250,000 for building improvements. The Downtown Development Authority and HAS HEART contributed $166,000 and $250,000 respectively for construction and the interior and exterior furnishings.

The [HAS HEART] Coffee Shop is more than just a coffee shop within a beautiful historic building, it has become a home base for the community. Located on the park grounds of the Grand Rapids Veterans Memorial Park, this historic building was transformed into the connector of the past and present as a conduit for conversations and relationships between veterans and civilians.

Through a partnership with the Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation, Madcap Coffee, and many others, [HAS HEART] is able to continue to fulfill its mission of bringing worlds together through art, design, and now: coffee.

Curious about what this building once looked like and was used for? Visit our “Reno Process” page to take a historic stroll back from when it was built in the 1920s and its step-by-step revitalization process into the HAS HEART Coffee Shop.