A proposal from Meijer to construct an mExpress gas station and convenience store at 631/633 E. 24th St. could lead to the demolition of a building constructed less than three years ago.
The property, formerly home to Gateway Mission’s The Spoon, is currently listed for sale at $3 million — according to LoopNet. The grocery brand’s possible plan was presented during a recent study session of the Holland Planning Commission, and would include a 3,650-square-foot store, six pump islands and 12 gas pumps, along with site and landscape changes. It would not replace an existing station on 16th Street.
Initial renderings confirm The Spoon would be removed.
The Spoon was a social enterprise restaurant focused on vocational training. The restaurant, which offered dine-in and takeout breakfast and lunch service (plus a cafe) opened in late 2023 and closed in March 2025. Until now, it was unclear whether the nonprofit would attempt to reopen the restaurant or make use of the newly constructed building in another way.
“COVID reshaped the restaurant industry in ways that made it increasingly difficult for a mission-driven training restaurant to operate effectively,” Gateway Executive Director Jay Riemersma wrote in a statement to The Sentinel.
Riemersma said the program trained six students, all of whom are now employed. He didn’t comment on how much The Spoon cost to construct, but admitted it would be hard seeing the building torn down.
“It’s certainly not easy to close a chapter like that, especially knowing the building represented a meaningful season of ministry for us,” he wrote. “The Spoon was a tool to serve people, and our focus remains on the lives that were impacted and the mission moving forward.”
Riemersma said the organization will work to repurpose or donate equipment and materials from the building, should demolition proceed.
“(It’s) our desire that nothing ends up in the landfill,” he said. “We intend to repurpose, reuse or resell everything the same way we do at our nationally recognized thrift store.”
In a statement, Meijer wrote the project remains under review.
“We’re currently going through the due diligence and site evaluation process, so no plans have been finalized,” the company wrote. “We appreciate the interest and will be in a better position to share more information in the future.”
— Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: If demoed, Gateway would ‘repurpose, reuse’ materials from The Spoon
Reporting by Austin Metz, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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