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

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

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.

Inspired Food in an Inspired Space

If you’ve been following our adventure you know that we are about to build the first full service restaurant constructed out of shipping containers in West Michigan. When we began thinking about upcycling our building we looked for others that had done the same thing.

We Can’t Contain It!

When we realized we had to tear down the building and start from scratch we knew we had an opportunity to do something incredibly unique and exciting. We wanted to do something that not only stood out but also had a small footprint.

Downtown-the heart of the city

I love downtown, there’s a reason when we looked for a brick and mortar we chose to be downtown, to invest in and to be a part of its resurgence...

What’s in a name?

We’ve had lots of questions about the name of the restaurant but I thought instead of just telling you what it means I’d give you the story behind it.

NIPOTE'S WIFE