2. This family owned business was founded by Richard Woodrick in 1977. The first Ric's Food Center was in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. The company expanded adding a second store, the Ric's Food Center of Interlochen in 1984. Andy Woodrick, the son of Richard Woodrick, joined the company in 1990. The third store, the Ric's Food Center of Ithaca was added in 1991. Three years later in 1994, the fourth store was added, Ric's Food Center of Hemlock. In 1997, Andy Woodrick purchased the companies from his father. Currently, plans are underway for a fifth store, the Ric's Food Center of Cannon Township (Rockford), which is near Grand Rapids, and is tentatively scheduled for completion in the fall of 2007. All Ric's stores offer a very good selection of products, competative pricing, and a clean and friendly place to shop, but above all Ric's Food Centers pride themselves on their customer service. Truly a Smile Down Every Aisle .
18. Tol said he believes in a philosophy of conservation. With a background of rehabilitating buildings and spaces, the tol company’s offices are located in the Minnhaar building in downtown Grand Rapids, which is a good example of that philosophy of making use of resources. That structure was one of the first redevelopments of loft living space in Grand Rapids. The smaller lots and close proximity to stores and services of Town Square also reflect that attitude. "People are becoming aware that we can't keep abusing our resources," Tol said. "They are going the other way—walk where I can walk, ride a bike.“ Site preparation for the property made it a highly visible project for neighbors and township planners, who fielded questions from residents about the "mountain of dirt" the development created last summer. Part of the site preparation included moving lots—and lots—of soil. Putting in the underground water retention ponds—two of the largest in the state—was part of that highly visible process, as was shipping off site 55,000 yards of soil and bringing in or balancing 95,000 yards. Tol said working with the township was a big part of the project and in some ways a financial partnership. The township and the company shared cost on two demographic studies. As part of the approval process, Tol invested in the abutting roads. "We put in $150,000 on Belding Road and $110,00 on Myers Lake Road," Tol said. Widening the road, adding lanes and investing in crosswalks and sidewalks put the developer in nearly half a million in road improvements. "That is a huge improvement in traffic flow that we paid for," he added. Neighbors to the project have also shown interest in the new grocery store and retail opportunities. "We've heard ‘when, when, when?’" Tol said of the grocery store's grand opening. Ric's Food Center is slated to open February 1, 2008, and the first townhome on the property is scheduled to be ready for show next week. Both milestones are a relief to the planners. "It's exciting," said Mason. "You work on something like this building project for so long and you never think it's going to happen. When it does it's a nice surprise.“
19. Ric's should be a nice surprise, too, Tol believes. "When you walk into this store, it will be 'Wow!'" he said. Possibly partial, Tol called the store "the best looking grocery on the planet," and said grocer Andy Woodrick is an "artist" in his profession. "It's a great thing. It's a wonderful thing. He'll bring in a lot of shops," Tol added. Woodrick purchased Ric's Food Centers from his father Richard Woodrick in 1997. The senior Woodrick owned four stores and was the "W" partner in D&W. With just the grocery one townhome nearly complete, passersby do not yet see the vision Tol Company has for the completed project. A $400,000 landscaping budget will pay for tree-lined streets, rain gardens, a village green, fenced dog park, gazebo, and water feature. There will also be a clubhouse with a pool and gathering area. These amenities will be circled by the grocery and office structures on Belding Road and 85 single-family homes and 41 two- and three-bedroom townhomes. The neighborhood style of the development will have the most dense use of property on the edges, with the recreational/social space in the center, also typical of the old-style neighborhood tone. "All houses have rear- or side-entry garages with many having rear-entry alleys. Garage doors will not show from the street. It's designed to bring neighbors together," Tol explained. He said the compact nature of the community and smaller lots and homes keep prices reasonable. Despite a slumped residential market, Tol believes the townhomes priced in the $185,000 range and homes starting at $169,000 will sell well. "They are very upscale and everything is the best quality, but it's not lavish," Tol noted. "This is quaint in the middle of quaint," noted Mason. Residents can look forward to watching the Square fill in as more of the property is developed. Despite the longer-than-expected timeline for the openings of both residential and retail, Tol is pleased with his pocket community. "There are projects that should be done and projects that shouldn't be done," he said. "This is a good fit and a smart project. On a development like this, you can only go so fast. It's like driving a car and there is always someone in front of you. Otherwise we would have been there months ago, years ago."
