By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org

The Division Arts Festival on Saturday, June 1 will feature more than family-friendly activities, live music and vendors. Attendees will also be within walking distance of 11 brick and mortar restaurants serving a diverse array of dining and to-go options.

“This area of the community is incredibly diverse, and there are a lot of creative, cool things going on here that go under the radar,” said Hunter Van Klompenberg, one of the owners of The Stray art café.

One of those “cool things” includes a variety of international food choices.

International cuisine at your fingertips

Two food trucks and 11 brick and mortar restaurants will be within 1-2 minutes walking distance of Festival activities.

The Honeybees Kitchen and Catering food truck specializing in Caribbean and soul food will be available, as well as gourmet burgers and loaded fries from Dune Buggy food truck.

Brick and mortar restaurants include several international options for diners:

Café Boba – Taiwanese Style Boba Drinks, Coffee, & Ice Cream

Arias SuperMarket – Mexican 

El Ganadero – Mexican

Wei Wei Palace – Cantonese

B&N Sandwiches – Bahn MI Sub Sandwiches and other Vietnamese Specialties

Saigon Garden – Vietnamese

Pho Soc Trang – Vietnamese Soup Restaurant

Fat Man’s Fish Fry – Seafood

Brann’s Steakhouse – Classic American

The Stray – Café, New American Cuisine

Joe’s Pizza King – Pizza & Subs

Diversity, comfort and creativity

The Stray art café menu offers more than just coffee for those who walk in the door. A variety of choices include delicious flatbreads, soups, salads, desserts and more. Drink options include tea, soda, beer, wine and – of course – coffee.

Coffee enthusiasts can also peruse the works of various local artists showcased at The Stray as they enjoy their beverages. To-go orders are accepted during Festival hours, as well as indoor dining.

Owned by the Van Klompenberg family, The Stray works to bring diversity and community to a place of comfort and creativity.

Though officially hosted by the Division Avenue Business Association (DABA), The Stray has stepped in to help with Festival logistics each year.

“I already work here at The Stray doing the music booking and that kind of thing for our Friday and Saturday evenings. It led naturally to artists I’d already developed a relationship with that I could invite back for this,” said Van Klompenberg.

His mother, Karen Van Klompenberg, is Creative Director at The Stray and manages the consignment art. Her connections with local artists also help with the inner workings of the Festival.

Van Klompenberg said they have continued to make the Division Arts Festival an annual event because they truly enjoy it.

“It’s a lot of fun to throw a party for the neighborhood,” said Van Klompenberg with a smile.

Connection and support

“It’s the simple things,” said Van Klompenberg, gesturing around the dining area of El Ganadero Mexican Grille where he stood.

“I come to lunch here occasionally, just chat with them, that sort of thing. That’s the easy way to say hello and support each other.”

Relationships with other business owners and patrons is important to Van Klompenberg. Those connections are formed through small actions.

That connection was evident as El Ganadero owner Manuel Cardiel met Van Klompenberg with a wide smile.

With efficient movements, combined with several smiles and upbeat conversation, Cardiel promptly created two fresh plates of tacos for Van Klompenberg and this reporter.

Cardiel, his wife Concepción and their children can be found at El Ganadero daily, serving fresh and authentic Mexican cuisine.

Nurturing cultural diversity

Café Boba, a Taiwanese boba café owned by Ted & Yili Bonarski, will also be welcoming patrons during the Festival – and offering a 10% discount on all orders.

A wide variety of boba drinks, coffee and ice cream are available, and can be customized to the patron’s preferences. A parade featuring a 20-foot dragon will also be part of the festivities as a way to honor Yili’s Chinese heritage.

Established in 2003 as Boba Latte under previous owners, the boba café closed in summer of 2013. Having moved his financial services office into the second-floor rooms of the building in 2006, Ted Bonarski bought the café in December 2013, renaming it Café Boba.

And Bonarski is committed to allowing diversity to flourish in their neighborhood.

“We are embedded in this neighborhood, which is multicultural, and we want to keep it that way,” said Bonarski.

Bonarski also ensures every item they offer is high-quality.

“We saw bubble waffles as street food in Shanghai,” said Bonarski. “We bought a waffle machine and brought it back to the U.S. Friends own China City over on Eastern [and] they helped us perfect the recipe for the waffle.

“All of the coffee that we serve comes from Herman’s Boy, and nowhere else. We make the Vietnamese iced coffee, Café Sua Da, fresh. A lot of Vietnamese have given us input into the right strengths and the right tastes, so our Vietnamese iced coffee is very good.”

All coffee ordered is fresh, ground at the time of order with an AeroPress, then served to the customer.

More than a just boba and ice cream

Customers who walk into Café Boba will find a welcoming atmosphere designed by Bonarski’s daughter. A popular feature is the long, polished wood counter made from reclaimed barn wood from Michigan barns – and built by Bonarski himself.

But what Bonarski is most proud of is the family-friendly environment that brings in residents of all ages.

“We get the latchkey kids [from Kelloggsville and Godwin] that will come and hang out here after school until their parents can pick them up,” said Bonarski. 

“We have one or two social workers that will bring kids in here to sit and talk to them. We had a group come in a week or so ago Thursday and take over the whole table and play Dungeons and Dragons for 4 to 5 hours.”

Bonarski extends that nurturing atmosphere to his employees as well, ensuring they have a healthy work environment.

“We’ve had so many kids come through, work for us as a first job, come out of a shell, and become outgoing people who could handle the world outside because they’re facing customers and taking orders every day,” said Bonarski. “It is very important to us that it be a healthy environment.”

And that, Bonarski added, is something we should do all the time. “You take what you find and make it better.”

Be in the know: additional festival details

Set at the intersection of 43rd Street and Division Avenue, the Division Arts Festival runs Saturday, June 1 from 2 – 9 p.m.

The Festival will feature live music, with a social drinking zone nearby for those who would like a beverage while enjoying the music. There will also be 50+ vendors with art, handmade goods and crafts, and an interactive narrative art walk for children.

Attendees may also be periodically surprised by a sudden monologue from strategically placed local theater artists.

“The overall reason for the Festival is to bring recognition and excitement to the [Division Avenue] neighborhood, the businessest there, and the people,” said Van Klompenberg.

Safety Notes

Division Avenue will close down to two lanes of traffic, and 43rd Street will be shut down on both sides of Division.

Give ‘Em a Break Safety will help with traffic control. A crosswalk will also be put in for safety.

Vendors with tents will line each side of Division Avenue.

“It will be really easy to walk across the street [and] up and down the neighborhood,” said Van Klompenberg.

Updates and Event Lineups

The Division Arts Festival is organized by the Division Avenue Business Association and generously sponsored by LMCU, Godwin Plumbing & Hardware, Rivertown Credit Union, Marge’s Donut Den, Brann’s Restaurant, Gordon Food Service, The King Family, The Stray and the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming.

For the lineup and more information, click here. Follow @division.fest on All Events in Grand Rapids for updates!