Smitty’s highlights community with expansive bottle shop

Meet Joel ‘Smitty’ Smitter, owner and proprietor of Smitty’s Specialty Beverage in the Eastown neighborhood of Grand Rapids. You’ll see him in this TARDIS-like building (bigger on the inside) many days out of the week, along with his two sons, Joel and Jared.

This is a family-owned, family-operated business, and a staple of this neighborhood since opening in 1982, and, believe me, the wide variety of clientele that frequent this shop are appreciative for it.

“We really pride ourselves on customer service and being a full service store. We’ve got great staff with a ton of product knowledge — they are much better than I am — and a great selection,” says Smitty. “We are told that — according to the state liquor licensing — [we are] the largest independent liquor license in the state of Michigan.”

The liquor selection — many of which are Michigan made — is huge, and the craft beer section extensive. With a recent revamp and expansion of the building about three years ago, Smitty’s grew eve

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