Love INC opening a second store at Chinook Pier
Tue, May 20, 2008 
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BY LEN PAINTER
lpainter@grandhaventribune.com
Love INC wants to expand the love.
The local organization that provides assistance to those in need is opening a second thrift store — this one at Chinook Pier in Grand Haven. The store will open on Wednesday, May 28, and will remain open through Labor Day.
Love INC Executive Director Eric Morgan said this morning that the Grand Haven store will have a different niche from its store in Spring Lake.
"Our primary purpose is to be warm, friendly and generous to everyone who visits," Morgan said.
Unlike the Spring Lake store, furniture won't be sold at the Grand Haven facility. Morgan said the Chinook Pier store will feature such items as sweatshirts, T-shirts, artwork and antiques — products of interest to tourists.
To give the store added appeal, a piano will be put in the store so customers can be entertained while browsing through the goods.
"People can come in just to listen to music," Morgan said. "We're really excited about this opportunity."
The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and will be staffed by volunteers. Morgan said the store's proceeds will go to assisting local residents.
Morgan said he was approached by Grand Haven City Manager Pat McGinnis about opening a store at Chinook Pier.
"He told me that the city had a situation that could benefit the city and us. He said he wanted a quality store — just like the one we have in Spring Lake," Morgan said.
Morgan said he took Love INC board members to look at the site and that the board unanimously voted to proceed with opening a second store.
Morgan said Love INC has a lease until Labor Day. He's not sure what the city has in mind after Labor Day.
McGinnis said he has been looking for new tenants for Chinook Pier after Downtown Development Authority officials indicated that they wanted to see improvements at the site.
"It's not a good thing to have empty space," said McGinnis. "It gives the impression that things aren't going well."
Love INC was contacted because of Morgan's reputation for doing a good job and getting things done, McGinnis said.
Love INC's new store will be located in the building that formerly housed an art shop and Dockside Gallery. Under the terms of the lease, Love INC will pay about $900 a month for the lease and the city will receive 10 percent of the proceeds to cover its costs.
A similar agreement has been worked out with a Grand Haven High School organization to sell apparel at another site at Chinook Pier.
McGinnis said the city is still working on finding a tenant for the former B.C. Pizza store that was severely damaged in a fire last January.
