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

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

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...

Here's to new beginnings

Well friends we are making progress and sometime next week the building will come down. Despite the fact that the building is in shambles and lacks a foundation it makes me a little sad. This building, in its glory was someone else’s new beginning.

Shawn ChurchMarch 25, 2018nipotes, newblogger, containerarchitecture, watchmuskegon, nipoteswife, downtownmuskegonnow, nipotesitaliankitchen, cantcontainit, restaurantstartup, newbeginnings, dodgeComment

A bottle of red by headlamp

Lots of people think about opening a restaurant, some even attempt it and a rare few find success. With odds like that it can be difficult to try but last fall my incredibly brave husband took a leap of faith and quit his job to become a restaurateur...without an actual restaurant, or even a building.

Shawn ChurchMarch 16, 2018restaurant, cantcontainit, nipotes, restaurantstartup, gomkg, eatlogal, containerarchitecture, restaurateur, nipoteswife, nipotesitaliankitchen, cheeselady, refosco, downtownmuskegonnow, watchmuskegon Comments

NIPOTE'S WIFE