A new brewery and restaurant expansion are coming to The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, while several eateries and shops are opening in downtown Traverse City in The Ticker’s latest look at restaurant and retail news.

The Village at Grand Traverse Commons
Husband-and-wife duo Jamie and Andrew Kidwell-Brix like to brew beer “with a sense of place.” The couple, who recently relocated from Ann Arbor, cite that passion as the reason they chose the Commons to be the home of their new brewery Earthen Ales.

“For us, it’s more than just serving a good pint of beer,” says Jamie. “It’s about creating a space for our community and sharing our stories through beer. That’s why being at the Commons is exciting…there’s a great sense of community there.”

Earthen Ales will be a 10-barrel brewhouse in Building 60, also home to Oneupweb and Elf café. The taproom, which is slated to open in late summer or early fall, will offer 100 seats, an outdoor patio and 6-8 taps on draft to start. The taproom won’t offer food, instead encouraging patrons to eat at or bring food from neighboring Commons businesses.

Jamie says the couple hopes to host special events and take advantage of the “great outdoor space and trails” just outside their door. “Traverse City has such a great beer culture,” she says. “We’re excited to become a part of that.”

Around the corner at the Commons, Italian restaurant PepeNero is prepping for a major move and expansion within Building 50. The eatery is relocating to the first floor of the Kirkbride Hall building, with a targeted opening date of early July. The new site is under construction now.

“With quite a large kitchen, more spacious dining room, a beautiful lounge area and great location, we think is the perfect place for us to push our high standards to the next level,” owners Giorgio and Monica Lo Greco wrote in a statement announcing the news.

Downtown Traverse City
Just in time for peak season, several new downtown businesses are opening or preparing to open their doors.

New women’s clothing boutique Pink Anchor opened Wednesday at 121 East Front Street in the Front Row Center building. Jennifer Okragleski’s shop offers a “a colorful and timeless collection of U.S. designers,” as well as jewelry, handbags, shoes and accessories.

Pierre and Anne Pujos – owners of Pavlova Salon & Day Spa and The Exchange – have opened new boutique Flea at 238 East Front Street (the former Muriel’s space). The store offers upscale women’s clothing, accessories and apothecary/beauty products.

At 441 East Front Street, Debra Coburn is launching new studio Glass Artz. Coburn offers a slate of classes on glass fusion and glass mosaics in which customers can create products ranging from jewelry to dishes to wind chimes to garden stakes. Coburn’s own glass pieces are also on display and for sale in the studio. For a class schedule, email Coburn.

Oenophiles will soon have several new options on Front Street. City commissioners tonight (Monday) will consider approving a winery tasting room license for Shady Lane Cellars at 215 East Front Street. The space is home to Grand Traverse Distillery’s tasting room now; if approved, both businesses will offer tastings on-site.

Ari Mokdad is hoping for an early July opening of new wine bar Olives & Wine in the Corner Loft building at 201 East Front Street. The 80-seat establishment will have a full liquor license and offer Mediterranean small plates and mezze platters, a popular form of Arabic shared appetizers. A wine machine will offer access to 56 wines available by the glass. “It will be a range of really affordable wines to the more expensive ones,” says Mokdad. She notes individual pour options will make high-end wines “more accessible” for guests.

On the eatery front, The Shed beer garden opened Friday behind Blue Tractor in Old Town. The 75-capacity outdoor venue offers an array of $3 sliders served from a food truck, a 1955 Chevy “Beer Truck” outfitted with ten draft tap handles, large picnic tables and several fire pits.

Harvest owner Simon Joseph tells The Ticker his latest venture, Japanese eatery Gaijin, will open “by the end of the week” at 136 East Front Street. The restaurant’s menu will focus on traditional Japanese ramen, as well as dishes such as dumplings and bao buns. A liquor license is pending; Joseph says Gaijin will serve “signature sodas and non-alcoholic beverages” to start, with the beverage menu highlighting saké and Japanese beer and whiskey as soon as the license arrives.