CEDAR SPRINGS, MI — Scott and Jody Arp operate The Red Bird Bistro and Grill with a simple motto: provide homestyle cooking with an artisan flare.
The approach can be seen throughout the Cedar Springs restaurant, where hamburgers are made from organic, Michigan-raised beef, the seafood is fresh and never frozen, and tomatoes and root vegetables are purchased from Ingraberg Farms in Rockford.
“It’s more natural,” Jody Arp said of her focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. “It’s better for your body. It’s just all around a healthier option.”
Jody Arp spent more than two decades in the restaurant business before she and her husband, Scott, opened The Red Bird in July 2019 at 22 N. Main St. NE in Cedar Springs.
The couple opened the restaurant in the northern Kent County city because they saw demand for a place that offered high-end dishes such as glazed and grilled pork chops alongside specials such as an $8.99 burger and fry meal on Wednesdays.
The Red Bird also offers a full bar, with wine, draft beers and cocktails.
“We kind of chose Cedar Springs because its off the beaten path,” Jody Arp said. “We wanted to put our restaurant somewhere where there was a need for it, that there wasn’t anything quite like it in that area. We kind of just feel in love with this area and were able to find a location.”
Arp said the restaurant has been well-received by the community, and that business was strong from its opening through early this year.
But then the coronavirus pandemic hit.
Like other restaurants, The Red Bird shifted to takeout and delivery after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered bars and restaurants to close their dining rooms to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Business took a hit, Arp says, and sales fell by about 75 percent. Activity picked up when Whitmer lifted that order and allowed restaurants to resume indoor dining service at a reduced capacity. Sales are now down by about half compared with pre-pandemic levels, she says.
“I’m worried with the amount of money coming in and the amount of money we have to put out with our bills,” Arp said. “Most of our bills are still at 100 percent when we’re only making 50 percent of the sales.”
There are also additional costs such as personal protective gear for staff, she said. The restaurant requires all employees to wear masks, tables are kept six feet apart, and it’s following a four-step process for cleaning and wiping down tables when customers leave.
Despite the challenges, Arp is confident The Red Bird will survive the pandemic.
“We’re optimistic that we’re going to make it through this,” she said. “We have lots of great people in this community, lots of regulars that are making sure to support us during this time.”
The Red Bird Bistro and Grill is open Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., as well as 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. The restaurant can be reached at (616) 263-9784 or online at redbirdbg.com.
Every Tuesday, we’ll be spotlighting one local restaurant. Have a suggestion for a featured Grand Rapids Local Eats? Email the author, bmcvicar@mlive.com.
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August 11, 2020 at 06:00PM
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Local Eats: The Red Bird Bistro and Grill offers ‘farm to table’ dining in Cedar Springs - mlive.com
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