Restaurant and Retail News: J&S Hamburg Kingsley, Hammered Heifer, Frank’s 231, Umai Eats, ERIK's and More

Multiple new restaurants are launching in Grand Traverse County, including J&S Hamburg expanding to Kingsley, smashed burger restaurant The Hammered Heifer coming to the former Rich’s Roadside Café space, former Farm Club chef Dan Compton opening a “meat-and-three” Southern-inspired restaurant called Frank’s 231, and sushi spot Umai Eats operating on South Airport Road. The Ticker has the latest on these and more restaurant/retail updates from across the region.

Restaurants
A new dining option is coming to Kingsley. Tiffany and Jason McQueer are targeting a mid-July opening of J&S Hamburg Kingsley in the former Cast Iron Kitchen space at 413 Main Street. Tiffany says the restaurant will have “the same great atmosphere as the one we have (on South Airport Road) in Traverse City,” plus a few surprises to come. The McQueers already have a cooler for Project Feed the Kids – the duo’s nonprofit program that provides free packed meals for the community – stationed in Kingsley and have long ties to the area.

“It’s going to be great for the Kingsley community,” Tiffany says. “We have been there for over 20 years. We’ve looked at (that space) for the last 10 years. The opportunity came up a few times, and now we’re going for it.” The McQueers are completing interior renovations – “it’s going to be a whole new look,” Tiffany says – and hiring to expand their team. Days/hours of operation will be announced in the future. Terry Beia of Southtown Property Management – which owns several commercial properties in Kingsley and has been wooing multiple businesses there the last several years – says the “entire village is thrilled with Tiffany and Jason’s decision to open another J&S location in Kingsley.”

Another family with long-time local ties is opening a new restaurant in Honor. Mogen McCallister – son of Hofbrau owner Brian McCallister and a Hofbrau employee for nearly 10 years – is targeting a late June opening of The Hammered Heifer. The eatery will be located at 15273 Honor Highway in the space formerly held by Rich’s Roadside Café and Paige’s Roadside Market & Pizza. The menu will feature smash burgers, soups and salads, veggie and chicken burgers, weekly specials, and a full bar.

A pole barn previously used for storage is being converted into an expanded dining area. A patio, picnic tables, and outdoors games like cornhole (plus possible ax throwing in the future) are all planned for the site. Mogen says he’s looking at potential hours of 11am-11pm seven days a week. In addition to his father’s restaurant, Mogen’s brother operates the KI (Kingsley Inn) in Kingsley – with the family all involved in and supporting the various projects. “I can’t break the family streak,” Mogen laughs. “They all have faith in me.”

In Traverse City, former Farm Club chef Dan Compton and his wife Charlotte are aiming for a late June opening of Frank’s 231. Inspired by Southern-style “meat-and-three” restaurants – where customers choose a main protein and three sides – the eatery will be located at 1779 S Garfield Ave (Suite A) in the former Cicero’s Pizza space across from the Cherryland Center. Dan’s background – including as a butcher, sausage maker, and long-time Chicago chef – has centered on a farm-to-table philosophy.

“It’s almost a cliché now, but I’ve actually done it,” he says. “I do pickling and preserving so that summer crops are available to season food in the winter. I’ve gotten to know small farmers working at Farm Club, so I’ll be working with folks like Loma, Lakeview, and Second Spring.”

While Dan will be putting his sausage-making skills to work for the “meat” part of a “meat-and-three,” he says he loves working with produce and will offer several veggie sides and sandwiches, such as a griddled goat cheese sandwich with massaged kale and caramelized onion relish. Cornbread, buttermilk biscuits, and bacon-baked beans are examples of likely sides. The “three” part will also be optional, with customers also able to choose just one or two sides. Frank’s 231 will likely start out four days a week – Friday-Monday 12pm-8pm – with carryout and dine-in seating for about 25. The business won’t have a liquor license but will likely have Northwoods Soda, Leelanau Tea, and “other interesting NA beverage options,” Dan says.

Around the corner on South Airport Road, Xee Yang – a sushi chef with 25 years of experience – and partner Xee Lao have opened Umai Eats in the former Papa John’s Pizza space at 1338 South Airport Road. The menu’s focus is sushi, onigiri, and poké, with bento and dinner special options to come. Dine-in, carryout, delivery, online ordering, and DoorDash are all available, with targeted hours of Monday-Friday 11am-8pm and Saturday-Sunday 12pm-8pm. The business is in a “soft launch” phase through June (and is closed through Wednesday this week), with an expected grand opening date to be announced after the National Cherry Festival.

Delamar Traverse City is preparing to debut a new all-day café called Maison, which will occupy the former Bistro space. Maison will blend “the spirit of northern Michigan hospitality with the charm of European café culture,” according to a Delamar release, and feature fresh-baked pastries from The Mill and coffee from Panther Coffee. Breakfast and lunch offerings will include a rotating selection of artisan sandwiches, seasonal bites, and grab-and-go options available to both guests and locals.

Multiple dining options previously covered by The Ticker have officially opened their doors – and a few have closed or are moving. Brunch spot Sisters on West Front Street, Nittolo’s Little Italy in the Warehouse District, and Tacos & Tequila (in the former Pacificoast space) are all now open. Korean food truck Heart N Seoul has returned to Earthen Ales for the summer, while De Food Truck is targeting a Friday or Saturday soft opening at the Interlochen Depot at 2689 J. Maddy Parkway. At The Coin Slot, taco truck Somewhere Over the Trompo and frozen custard/ice cream stand Super Cone are now officially up and running. The Coin Slot also plans to start offering Sunday pop-ups from Pakistani street food vendor Jadoo Bites – and has been making way for a new concept to anchor the indoor kitchen space occupied by Two Sons Pizza. Two Sons owner Steve Tyson announced that his three-year lease expires at the end of 2025, and he’ll be moving to a new TBD space that will offer more room and an expanded menu. In the meantime, Two Sons is open daily 11am-midnight for the summer season and has started accepting cash, Tyson says.

On Old Mission Peninsula, Seven Hills has added beer to its beverage offerings and is partnering with Heron Creek Food & Farms to provide evening dining options Sunday-Thursday. In Elk Rapids, Jac’s Family Restaurant has permanently closed its doors – with the owner citing a need to focus on health and family.

In other news...
After being sold in 2021 to cycling brand Specialized, McLain’s Cycle & Fitness is going through another period of transition. The company closed its Eighth Street store and has consolidated operations at its Garfield Avenue location. That store has reopened under the national ERIK’S brand as a bike and winter sports shop “offering top-brand bicycles, e-bikes, gear, accessories, apparel, skis, snowboards, outerwear, bindings, and more.”

As first reported in The Ticker, Meijer is opening its third Grand Traverse County store next to Menards at Chums Corner. Blair Township trustees recently approved Meijer’s special use/site plan application, clearing a major hurdle for the store to move forward. External Communications Manager Erin Cataldo says the company is still “working through some additional approvals,” however, “so it’s too early to share timing” on the planned groundbreaking and store opening. Among the issues that will need to be addressed is access to the new store, including a potential new signalized intersection a half mile from the US-31/M-37 intersection.

Also at Chums Corner, new spirits shop GT Liquor has opened its doors in the former Rite Aid space. The company offers a “huge selection of premium liquor, craft beer, and fine wine all under one roof,” according to a post from manager Kevin Singh. Another liquor store appears to be on the way in Grand Traverse County: A sign has gone up at the former Reclectia building at 1132 South Garfield Ave announcing that a business called TC Liquor is opening there soon.