Grove, a popular restaurant in the East Hills neighborhood of Grand Rapids, is shutting  its doors for good and will reopen as a pop-up, carry-out chicken restaurant.

Wood TV 8 reports that Grove temporarily closed March 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Although the owners had hoped to reopen after Michigan's Stay at Home order was lifted, they say, "it became clear early in the crisis that Grove’s intimate-setting concept would no longer work in a post-pandemic, social-distancing dining environment."

In a post to Facebook, Essence Restaurant Group, which also operates The Green Well and Bistro Bella Vita, shared about their change in plans for Grove:

On Friday, May 1, the space will transform into a pop-up carryout concept called Jimmy Berger's Chicken Shack Pop-Up, headed by Grove’s Head Chef Mike Borraccio. Mike has had this concept in mind for a while now, and we thought this would be the perfect time to introduce it to Grand Rapids. This is the type of concept that the Essence Senior Leadership team was planning to introduce in the near future. Like we said, the future is now. The new normal is the right time!

As you might have guessed, chicken will be the central culinary theme of the new restaurant. Jimmy Berger's (a twist on Essence managing partner James Berg’s name) will serve various rub-roasted chickens, Parmesan chicken sandwiches, and sides like baked beans, hand-cut waffle fries, mashed potatoes, and braised greens.

Essence says that operating as a “pop-up” concept will allow them to quickly adjust menu items and add new offerings based on customer feedback and dining habits.

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