It has been more than a year and a half since The Sovengard first confirmed that it was moving to a new space at 1232 Bridge St. NW, about a mile west from the original location which the restaurant has called home for the past six years. According to owner Rick Muschiana, the team is anticipated to reopen around March 2024.
The Sovengard originally planned to take over the space across the street of the selected address, which would require the demolishment of two existing buildings to build a fresh one-story restaurant. During that process, the restaurant team decided the space across the street, previously used as a thrift store, was a far better choice. The restaurant will upgrade with space for events, a biergarten, and a covered four-season porch for outdoor seating at the new location.
The Sovengard was a Scandinavian-inspired concept that originally opened in 2016 in the lower level of 443 Bridge St. NW on Grand Rapids’ West Side in 2016. The restaurant also established a biergarten in the back of the building. The restaurant expanded and began occupying the upper floor in 2018. The restaurant prides itself in featuring hyper-local, seasonal, and responsibly sourced ingredients.
The facade work for the new building was almost complete, according to a Facebook post shared by the business in October, showing a sneak peek of restored 1930s tilework. An update this month showed the restaurant also preserved the 100-year-old maple wood floor and that interior work was moving forward smoothly.
