GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — There are very few places like it.
For 50 years, Yesterdog in Eastown has been relatively untouched by time or change, and that’s just how people like it.
“I think it's just when things are constantly changing, this is a place you come, and it's you just know what to expect, and it's always the same, and it's just that sense of you're just you feel like you're, you're home,” Co-Owner Lisa Rapoport told me.
A time capsule.
But one thing is different, the ownership, and that's not a bad thing.
About a year ago, Lisa and fiancé Pat Connor took over the tongs from longtime owner Bill Lewis. And became a part of this place in a way they never thought they would.
“We grew up coming here as kids, and it's just an iconic part of the community that people really swarm to and have childhood memories and generations and all the good stuff,” said Pat.
That is why the duo is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the Yesterdog of yesterday and not changing what’s made this place so special. From the menu to the pictures on the walls and names carved in seats.
“I think it's just a place where everybody feels welcome. I think where the community comes together,” Pat added.
Including moments that make Yesterdog more than a spot to just grab a bite to eat.
“I was talking to a woman that was sitting in the booth, and she said, 'I come here once a month, and I have lunch with my husband.' And I said, Oh, that's great!" Pat told me. "It was packed up front and waiting five minutes, 5-10, minutes. Her husband's not coming, and she points to his picture of him in a yesterday dog shirt sitting on a tank in Iraq, who passed away. And she comes and says next his pictures, and it gave me chills."
That is just one of the stories that showcase how much this place means to people, and is worth celebrating.
That’s why July 21 through the 23, Pat and Lisa are planning giveaways, special pricing, and a lot more to mark 50 years of making memories and hotdogs.
“We've watched so many places in this community that have been institutions that have been important parts of this community disappear or fall into the wrong hands and get run into the ground, and we couldn't let that happen to Yesterdog," Lisa said. "I mean, it's just it's too important to too many people, and it's part of the culture of this community.”
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