It appears that Gordon Food Service will be moving and expanding on Mall Drive in Benton Township.
G-F-S is working with architects and planners to remodel and re-purpose the former Staples office store at Mall Drive and Cinema Way into a bigger Gordon Food Service location. Plans and drawings have been made available to contractors on the Grand Rapids Builders Exchange, suggesting the project will be put out for construction bids soon, according to a building industry source.
Currently, G-F-S is located at 1350 Mall Drive, on the ‘Lowe’s end’ of a small strip shopping center. The move to 1485 Mall Drive would put it on the busy corner across from Walmart and near Best Buy—a significantly more visible spot for the Gordon Food Service retail outlet.
Gordon is a leading vendor for restaurants and other commercial kitchens. However, it also sells to the public, usually in larger quantities than a conventional supermarket. Many of its products are ‘ready to cook’, vs ‘from scratch’, making it a favorite of busy consumers, especially large families.
In a recent conversation about retail development in Benton Township, a highly experienced—but uninvolved– real estate developer told MoodyOnTheMarket.com that Gordon Food Service would be the perfect new tenant for the former Staples location. (Perhaps he should buy a lottery ticket!)
We have reached out to G-F-S headquarters in Grand Rapids for comment, but have not heard back.
by Gayle Olson, MOTM Contributor
