Beloved Michigan Restaurant Reopens After Long Closure

It's always sad when a local restaurant closes. There are so many chain restaurants out there, so having local restaurants that thrive is just a special thing in any city. Most of my favorite spots to eat are locally-owned- the food is just so fresh and always made with love.

This is a feel-good story, as I'm happy to report that a popular Michigan restaurant is back in action after closing for more than a year during the pandemic. The pandemic, obviously, forced many local eating spots to close down, and some are reopening now, which is great news.

In February 2021, Big E's Sports Grill closed its West Michigan locations due to the pandemic and issues that ensued from that. The West Michigan locations included Big E's in Holland, downtown Grand Rapids, and East Beltline in Grand Rapids.

Now, the good news is that Big E's in Holland just reopened its doors this week. The restaurant shared the news in a Facebook post, stating, "Today is the day, Big E's Sports Grill is BACK!!!! Come see us today for the Michigan vs Villanova at 7:29. Our team has been working and training hard to prepare for this day. We can't wait to see you!" They added that their new hours of operation will be Thursday through Sunday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Just in time for the NCAA Tournament and watching all that basketball action. No word yet on when the other locations will reopen, but this is certainly a good start. The restaurant also has a beautiful patio, so the reopening is just in time for the warm spring and summer months, too. Do you have a favorite local restaurant that is reopening following being closed due to the pandemic? If so, let me know on social media, and I might do a story on them!

I happen to think that Michigan has plenty of amazing places to live. From the beauty of the UP to the hustle and bustle of the major cities, Michigan really has something for everyone. If you've ever wondered what would be the best place in Michigan to live, we have the answer.

Niche has released the outlet's annual Best Places to Live rankings, which ranks the best cities and communities to live in judging by a variety of criteria. According to Niche, the results were based on several key factors, such as the quality of local schools, crime rates, housing trends, employment statistics and access to amenities. Using all of that data, they put together a list of the best cities to live in Michigan for 2022.

Going outside of Michigan, the handful of cities at the top of the list includes Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania; City Center, California; Penn Wynee, Pennsylvania; and Houserville, Pennsylvania. Gosh, that's a lot of love for Pennsylvania. I've been to that state many times, and it's beautiful, but I had no idea it had so many cities that would be considered the best in the U.S. In Michigan, the highest-rated city was Okemos, coming in at No. 12 for the entire country. I am very familiar with Okemos and totally agree it's a great place to be, so that result doesn't really surprise me.

Read on for the full list of the 35 best places to live in Michigan via Niche. Is your favorite Michigan city here? I was surprised to see Ann Arbor at No. 12, since they are usually No. 1 on these lists. That said, No. 12 is pretty great. I was also hoping to see Detroit on here. Needless to say, all the cities on here are deserving, but remember to venture outside of this list, since Michigan is packed with great spots to live.

This list is courtesy of Niche.

https://www.michigan.org/city/okemos

https://www.michigan.org/city/troy

https://www.michigan.org/city/bloomfield-township

https://www.michigan.org/city/huntington-woods

https://www.villagebeverlyhills.com/

https://www.michigan.org/city/grosse-pointe-park

https://www.michigan.org/city/novi

https://www.michigan.org/city/east-grand-rapids

https://www.ci.northville.mi.us/

https://www.michigan.org/city/haslett

https://www.michigan.org/city/ann-arbor

https://www.michigan.org/city/birmingham

https://loditownshipmi.org/history/

https://www.grossepointefarms.org/

https://www.michigan.org/city/farmington

https://www.romi.gov/

https://www.berkleymich.org/

https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/n/eastgate-grand-rapids-mi/

https://www.twp.northville.mi.us/

https://www.michigan.org/city/grosse-pointe

https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/n/eastown-grand-rapids-mi/

https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/n/fulton-heights-grand-rapids-mi/

https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/forest-hills-kent-mi/

https://www.michigan.org/property/franklin-cider-mill

https://www.pittsfield-mi.gov/

http://www.larkintownship.org/

https://www.rochesterhills.org/

https://www.michigan.org/city/pleasant-ridge

https://www.gpwmi.us/

https://www.michigan.org/city/farmington-hills

https://www.downtownrochestermi.com/

http://www.oaklandtownship.org/community_info/about_oakland_township/index.php

https://www.michigan.org/city/st-joseph

https://www.plymouthmi.gov/

https://www.michigan.org/city/ottawa-lake