Tina opened 7 Mares in Boston Square in 1999, and the rule hasn't changed since: feed people the way you'd feed your own family. That means the tortillas are made by hand and the salsas are made fresh, and it means she cooks on a grill she's worked so long she knows it by feel. Twenty-five years in, she still treats every plate going out the window like her name is on it, because it is.

For years, Teresa Folden ran a soul café in Boston Square, in the same building she's in today. Then she got sick, had brain surgery, and had to close the doors and stay down for six years. She never let the dream go. "I kept the faith," she says, and in 2026 she opened that building back up as the only ice cream parlor in the neighborhood.

Odessa Yonkers grew up in 49507 and spent years watching heart disease and diabetes work through her community, taking people early and quietly, and she got tired of how little was being done about it. The help that existed wasn't built for the people who needed it most. So she built what was missing.

Grand Rapids has plenty of places to get something done. It has far fewer places to simply see itself. And one of its most vibrant art forms, the beauty industry, one of the strongest engines of independent entrepreneurship in any community, has almost always happened behind closed doors: invisible craft, disconnected artistry, talent the city walks past without ever seeing. Brittney Williams got tired of walking past it. So she built the room.

Every community has a feel. Della makes sure this one has a sound. Della Soul Records is a record store, which is true and also not the whole story. The albums are the reason people walk in for the first time. What keeps them coming back is that Della built the place so you'd want to stay in it.

The Kitchen Incubator at Kzoo Station is a shared commercial kitchen dedicated to empowering food entrepreneurs. Whether you’re launching a catering business, developing a product line, or opening a food truck, this program provides the resources, mentorship, and space to bring your culinary dreams to life.

For Last Mile Cafe, coffee has always been about more than what's in the cup. Founded by Arick Davis and Sarah Laman-Davis, Last Mile Cafe is a Black-owned and woman-owned Grand Rapids coffee company built around a commitment to people, community and the planet.

For 35 years Mahogany's Island of Beauty has had a home in Boston Square. Maxine Goodwyn has been at it long enough to do hair for mothers, their daughters, and their granddaughters. It's not just a space where customers come and go. It's community, transformation, beauty, and, for many people, an extension of home.

A century in, Modern Hardware is still exactly where it's always been, and still committed to staying. Because a hardware store that knows its neighbors is more than a place to grab a tool. It's part of what holds a community together.

At Oakdale Community Bikes, the tools are free and so is the help. It's a volunteer-run, non-profit shop in Grand Rapids where you fix your own bike. Do it yourself, but not by yourself. Craig and the volunteer mechanics hand you the right wrench and walk you through whatever the bike needs.

The Hot Spot is a community metalsmithing studio offering jewelry-making and TIG welding classes and providing space for those who want to continue their craft.

With over 43 Years of automotive experience, TMT Automotive has been a trusted service in the Boston Square Community. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment. If your car is having trouble we can provide a solution!

The universe greets you when you walk in. Ruth built a place where you get to have pieces of it on your plate. Universal Ruth is a Caribbean restaurant, which is true and also not the whole story. The jerk chicken is the reason people walk in the first time. What keeps them coming back is that Ruth built the place to feel like home for everybody, not just the people who already had one here.

Wishes sits in Boston Square, and there's a catch worth knowing before you go. You can't get it delivered. Not DoorDash, not Uber Eats, not any app on your phone. If you want what people around here call the best burger in Grand Rapids, you have to walk in and get in line like everybody else, which is exactly how Des wants it. He'd rather hand you the food himself than send it out the door to sit in somebody's back seat.