HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — What was once an empty space and a plan on paper is now Legacy Winery & Spirits in downtown Hudsonville.
For co-owners Anjalie and Lance Wassink, opening the doors has been a long time coming.
"We waited for so long. We waited for so long for this and we really had to fight for it. I mean, we brought all the new concepts to Michigan. They helped us make new state law around barrel thieving, and it's been a lot because we're the first of everything," Anjalie Wassink said.
That barrel thieving experience is now ready for customers to try. The couple says it's a first-of-its-kind experience in Michigan, letting customers sample bourbon straight from the barrel.
"You get to try bourbon, uncut, unfiltered, straight from the barrel, the way God intended. So, if you come here, you get to try five different unique barrels, and try it straight from the barrel, full proof," Lance Wassink said.
After trying all 5, customers can pick their favorite and have a bottle filled straight from the barrel to take home.
The menu also includes cocktails and mocktails, with wine expected to be added once final licensing is in place.
Legacy is currently in its soft opening, giving some customers an early look at the new space.
"For a soft opening, I think they're doing incredible. I walked around, talked to a few of my friends that were here. Everybody's having a good time. The space is absolutely beautiful. The cocktails are fantastic. Everybody just seems to be loving it," customer Mark Dempsey said.
The opening also comes as that part of Hudsonville continues to grow. Jack Groot has lived in Hudsonville for about 30 years and serves on the city's Downtown Development Authority. He says Terra Square helped set that growth in motion.
"Terra Square was really the foundation, was the the impetus of what began for the strategic plan of downtown Hudsonville... and what you see around here with the retail stores, the restaurants, everything that's going on, and now the housing, the apartments that are going up, is all spurred from that growth," Groot said.
That downtown development also played a role in where Anjalie and Lance decided to open Legacy.
"We grew up in the area, we've watched it completely transform. So we wanted to be a part of the big transformation," Anjalie Wassink said.
Legacy's official grand opening is set for August 22. The couple says they hope this is just the beginning of their place in the community.
"We really want to be just like a staple to the city, I think, where people want to gather here with us," Anjalie Wassink said.
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