From the moment that we opened the doors, Muskegon has welcomed us with open arms. We’ve had highs and lows and through them all we’ve been surrounded by love and support, thank you Muskegon!

Business, Family, Restaurant Startup, Small businessShawn ChurchAugust 12, 2019waitingtobecomesomething, feedthepeople, startwithbeautifulfood, bar, newbeginnings, buildingmenusandbuildings, newblogger, restaurantstory, buildingourdream, lovemuskegon, Teamchurch, Eatlocal, builtbyfamily, restaurantdesign, familybusiness, containerarchitecture, behindtheline, Ittakesavillage, grateful, muskegon, nipotesitaliankitchen, italianfood, repurposed, restaurateur, lavazzacoffee, downtownmuskegonnow, threesquaredinc, localfood, familymeal, muskegonnow, friendship, nipotesresearch, shippingcontainer, nipotes, containerrestaurant, startup, watchmuskegon, welovedowntown, littleblessings, restaurantstartup, #restaurantstartup, cantcontainit, upcycled, loveyourneighbor, gogreen, coffee, family, muskegonmichigan, gelato, lavazza, downtownmuskegon, knowehereyourfoodcomesfrom, flourpower, upcycle, containerconstruction, detroitshippingcompany, Heartofthehouse, ilovemuskegon, thatsfriendship, local, Wearedowntownmuskegon, watchusgomuskegon, restaurant, iheartmuskegon, shippingcontainerarchitecture, buildingadream, Family, gomkg, builtwithlove, containerdesign, teamchurch, contained

Dolce Vita

The final touches of the restaurant are beginning to take shape...

Shawn ChurchJune 30, 2019nipote, shippingcontainer, #restaurantstartup, shippingcontainerarchitecture, drinklikeanitalian, lovemuskegon, Teamchurch, lovedowntown, architecture, Family, containerarchitecture, restaurantstory, iheartlavazza, thatsfriendship, nipotesitaliankitchen, lavazza, Ittakesavillage, design, cargotecture, contained, nipoteswife, muskegonmichigan, buildingmenusandbuildings, Heartofthehouse, cargoarchitecture, containerconstruction, buildingadream, startup, artandarchitecture, bar, betterwithfriends, builtbyfamily, decor, builtwithlove, lavazzacoffee, becomingabuilding, nipotespractice, aperolspritz, buildingourdream, espresso, nipotes, teamchurch, restaurantstartup, downtownmuskegonnow, countyourblessings, Businessoffamily, italianfood, bialetti, cantcontainit, chipsandspritz, italiancoffee, team church, behindtheline, iheartmuskegon, downtownmuskegon, coooksinthekitchen, containerrestaurant, becomingnipoteswife, begrateful, restaurantdesign, downtown, containerdesign, becomingnipotes, architecturalrevolution, familybusiness, belocalsupportlocal, restaurantdecor, buildit, Wearedowntownmuskegon, coffee, friendship, construction, familymeal Comments

Finding Balance... Glass Balls

When I shared this blog with Jeff his first reaction was that it was pretty personal. I struggled with it as well. It’s not about the construction, menu or design but it is about one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in this adventure...

Small business, Business, Working Mom, Family, Balance, Restaurant Startup, Mom, PersonalShawn ChurchJanuary 27, 2019family, watchmuskegongo, begrateful, lovemuskegon, Flymkg, allthelove, blessed, bringyourkidtoworkday, firmfoundation, nipotes, luckywife, puremichigan, macchiato, restaurantstartup, Wearedowntownmuskegon, countyourblessings, newblogger, muskegon, thinkinsideofthebox, enjoythejourney, partnersmeeting, downtownmuskegon, nipotesitaliankitchen, airportnavigator, ilovemuskegon, belocalsupportlocal, Teamchurch, builtwithlove, watchusgomuskegon, gnocchi, myhubbyrocks, gomkg, teamchurch, shippingcontainer, Balance, watchmuskegon, muskegonmichigan, lovedowntown, Workingmom, builtbyfamily, iheartmuskegon, Family, containerarchitecture, Travelingmom, upcycle, nipoteswife, Firm foundation, uptown, inthekitchenwithkids, restaurantstory, uptownmuskegon, Businessoffamily, riccottagnocchi, shippingcontainerarchitecture, restaurateur, buildingadream, containerdesign, becomingnipotesComment

Be the Willow

If you know me personally, you know that planning is not my forte. I don’t have a need to have a plan, and I have always found a way to get things accomplished despite that trait...

Business, Travel, Personal, New, Restaurant StartupShawn ChurchDecember 30, 2018becomingabuilding, lookatthebrightside, luckywife, eatlocal, architecturalrevolution, restaurateur, nipotesitaliankitchen, countyourblessings, ecofriendly, nipote, muskegonbornmuskegonbread, begrateful, shippingcontainerarchitecture, waitingtobecomesomething, muskegonnow, upcycled, gogreen, salvagedbeauty, becomingnipotes, clayave, lovedowntown, thinkinsideofthebox, containerdesign, littleblessings, madewithlove, restaurant, downtownmuskegon, basiloneverything, downtown, restaurantstartup, downtownmuskegonnow, nipotesresearch, buildingadream, containerbar, Mlive, newblogger, roofsanddecksandfloorsohmy, watchmuskegongo, teamchurch, restaurantdesign, Firm foundation, ilovemuskegon, sunshine, knowyourfarmer, startwithbeautifulfood, shippingcontainer, family, bringyourkidtoworkday, design, Eatlocal, uptown, upcycle, firmfoundation, #mlive, framily, herecomesthesun, breakingground, nipotes, builtwithlove, feedthepeople, cargotecture, cantcontainit, shippingcontainerart, tablefortwo, familymeal, Bethewillow, grateful, actsoflove, containerarchitecture, nipoteswife, i💛yellow, watchusgomuskegon, watchmuskegon, buckconstruction, threesquaredinc, artandarchitecture, Ittakesavillage, restaurantstory, iheartmuskegon, Heartofthecity, reuse, welovedowntown, supportlocalbusiness, exploretheworld, belocalsupportlocal, paintthetownyellow, construction, uptownmuskegon, Businessoffamily, partnersmeeting, friendship, builtbyfamily, Family, newbeginnings, blessed, Teamchurch, Wearedowntownmuskegon, uptowngirls, architecture, interiordesign, #restaurantstartup, Heartofthehouse, localfood Comments

Partners in Hospitality

I’ve always felt that the restaurant business is rooted in hospitality and a passion to serve others. As we look for vendors, farms, shops to partner with these two things have been prevalent throughout West Michigan...

Business, Personal, Restaurant Startup, NewShawn ChurchDecember 9, 2018nipotes, uptowngirls, ecofriendly, startwithbeautifulfood, teamchurch, builtbyfamily, #gfs, Paella, chefstable, Friedbasil, watchmuskegon, uptown, lovedowntown, eatlocal, oliveoil, tastetesting, tastetestingfornipotes, restaurantstartup, gomkg, restaurantstory, waitingtobecomesomething, iheartbasil, prosciutto, salvagedbeauty, lovemuskegon, restaurantdesign, #restaurantstartup, Eatlocal, partnersmeeting, newblogger, nipotesresearch, family, downtownmuskegon, #gordonfoodservice, cantcontainit, localfood, Family, menudevelopment, nipotesitaliankitchen, #testkitchen, Businessoffamily, supportlocalbusiness, seasaltflakes, knowehereyourfoodcomesfrom, ilovemuskegon, Teamchurch, watchmuskegongo, firedoor, belocalsupportlocal, cheese, watchusgomuskegon, restaurateur, muskegon, iheartmuskegon, Wearedowntownmuskegon, nipote, restoration, myhubbyrocks, familymeal, buildingadream, coooksinthekitchen, feedthepeople, becomingnipotes, uptownmuskegon, local, nipotespractice, beautifuldoors, nipoteswife, restaurant, whatdietComment

Happily Broken-hearted

Jeff and I had the chance to be part of an amazing local event last month. Community enCompass puts on the Taste and See each year which is a progressive dinner tour in the core City of Muskegon...

New, Business, Personal, Restaurant StartupShawn ChurchOctober 21, 2018restaurantstartup, restaurantstory, lovemuskegon, downtownmuskegon, becomingbruschetta, iheartmuskegon, muskegonrocks, architecture, salvagedbeauty, belocalsupportlocal, knowyourfarmer, downtown, lovedowntown, #restaurantstartup, blessed, costolutoflorentinotomatoes, farmerandyrocks, downtownmuskegonnow, bruschetta, Radicalneighborliness, loveyourneighbor, feedthepeople, iheartbasil, muskegonhistory, heirloomtomatoes, nipote, restoration, Businessoffamily, nipotesresearch, nipotes, slowdowntogofast, heritagetomatoes, revitalize, nipoteswife, firedoor, restaurant, ilovemuskegon, Heartofthecity, emergentstrategy, Wearedowntownmuskegon, communityencompass, watchusgomuskegon, Heartofthehouse, localfood, Tasteandsee, Family, newblogger, nipotespractice, eatlocal, nipotesitaliankitchen, welovedowntown Comments

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Our lead designer says that the bigger the drawings get the closer we are to breaking ground, so we must be getting close!

The Rush

Opening a restaurant is exciting, it’s scary and like a restaurant itself it’s filled with rushes and lulls. The last couple of weeks we have had lots of momentum, some celebrations and even a little pasta.

NIPOTE'S WIFE