GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A new wine shop is now open in downtown Grand Rapids.
Grand Vin is located at 15 Ionia Ave. SW, near the Van Andel Arena. The roughly 600-square-foot storefront was previously home to Go Java Coffee, which closed in July.
The new wine shop officially opened Nov. 9. It’s owned by certified sommelier Tom Grimm and his wife, Kim, who live in Grand Rapids.
After more than a decade working as an account manager selling industrial fluid power and automation systems, Tom Grimm pivoted to hospitality by working in a wine bar and studying to become a sommelier. When he passed the Certified Sommelier Examination last year, he earned a scholarship as the top performer.
The Grimms’ new shop showcases wines and local specialty grocery items that come from businesses that are also family owned and operated and practice ethical and responsible farming. The owners say their shelves are stocked with wines from benchmark regions, classic varietals and “iconic producers,” as well as a rotating selection of “up-and-coming producers who are willing to push the bounds” of traditional wine.
Tom Grimm aims to “make wine more approachable” with a three-tiered monthly wine club that introduces food pairings and private in-home wine tastings.
According to plans outlined to the Grand Rapids Planning Commission in September, Grand Vin intends to offer wine tastings. Each customer could sample up to three wines and purchase bottles of wine to take home.
Grand Vin is open from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Kimberly Grimm says while she will keep her job as a software engineer, she’ll still be “intimately involved with the operations of store.”
