Even back in April of 2022 as he watched it burn, owner Barry Elzinga knew he’d bring back Zeeland’s Community Restaurant.
“The night it was burning I was standing out on Main Street in front of the building and I had it in my head already, ‘How am I going to bring this back and I’m going to bring this place back.’”
The restaurant was a total loss, but that never deterred Elzinga. It had been a staple in the community since the 1960’s, back when there were only two or three restaurants in the entire town. Elzinga says it was always important to bring it back to the community.
“It’s such a staple to this town, an icon that’s been here so long that I felt I would be letting people down if I didn’t do everything I could to try and get it back.”
Elzinga says the new space won’t look much different from the old and the menu will be a familiar one, but he, his family and staff look forward to welcoming guests both old and new to the rebuilt Community Restaurant.
“It’s been a landmark in this town for a long time and people know it. They come here to meet people and that’s what I’m looking to have them do in the future.”
The Community Restaurant in Zeeland opens today.
