March 24, 2025 • 8 mins
Sam Stover, Founder and Managing Partner of Gimme's Par and Grill joins us to discuss their new restaurant and golf/sports facility in downtown Grand Rapids!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Talk of the Town on news Radio with thirteen
hundred and one oh six nine f M. Steve Kelly,
Lawrence Smith, Brett Pikita. Sam Stover is the founder and
managing partner of Gimme's Par and Grill. Sam, thank you
so much for coming in today.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
It's like right outside our window, Schmidi's been there already
with the family. It's right at the corner of Lewis
in Ottawa. So, Sam, what inspired the concept of Gimme's
par and Grill and how does it stand out from
other dining spots.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
My background as I'm a PGA golf professional, and I
felt like this was a great opportunity to help get
more people into golf, and while doing that, I figured
that we might as well add a few other entertainment
value opportunities with it, and then having a full service
(00:49):
restaurant and bar just enhances overall experience.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
So I was actually very impressed. We first walked in
because you do hear the golf simulator side of things.
We did the all sport area, which was incredible. But
your restaurant is laid out perfectly. You've got screens everywhere
you have a fantastic staff that's catering to everything. You
have casual dining, you have entertainment. People get it all
with gimmes.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
They do. You know.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
It was a great opportunity for us with the location
and when we laid out the facility, having it be
a two story building, we figured that the main level
could be focused on full service dining and we wanted
to have a couple of our multi sport bays on
that first level for sightline. So when you walk in,
it gives you that what's that, what are they doing?
(01:38):
How do I get to do that opportunity? And then
we take them upstairs, which is a different atmosphere where
it's more full entertainment. You have seven simulators up there.
Of the seven simulators, three of them also have the
multi sport component, and one of them.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Is a large VIP bay.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
It has an eighteen foot screen versus all of the
others have fifteen foot screen, so it just gives that
private party opportunity as well. So it's just been a
great opportunity and the location has been awesome for us.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
So SAM golf simulators have been out there enough where
people know what kind of to expect with that, but
I'm still getting over multi sports simular, So what does
that mean?
Speaker 2 (02:17):
What sports are involved? What can you do?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Great question? So multisport was something we added. So golf, Yes,
golf simulators have been out there for a while and
they're getting better all the time. They're putting a lot
more research and development into that. We're fortunate we use
track Man technology, which is the same as what the
tour players use all the time when they're training. So
that to us was very and centful for golf. But
(02:42):
then it's like what else, how else do we add
to the patron to come in and enjoy our facility.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
So the multi sport is you can do cornhole.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, foot golf, disc golf, bowling,
and my kids favorite zombie.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
Dodgeball's favorite too, Zombie dodgeball.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
I mean my three daughters right after we opened the simulations,
before we actually open to the public, so that we
had an idea of how all this worked, they were
in there playing zombie dodgeball and for days, right, So
that was a that was a family favorite.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Golf was just if you had a bad drive.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
We're talking to Sam Stover, he is the founder and
managing partner of Gimme's par and Grill and you can
find it right at the corner of Lewis in Ottawa.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
It's just downtown Grand Rapids.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
So I'm hungry. Take me back to food now, talk
to a signature dish. Is signature drinks on the menu.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Absolutely so signature dish. We have a few different items
that we we really love to brag about. Again, we
are elevated bar food. Everything is handmade, so signature appetizer
that we do or share bowls. We do a potato
golf ball that is deep fried. We do steak tips,
(04:07):
and then our nachos are probably the most popular item
on that side of the menu. Entrees we do ribs
and salmon, and burgers are probably our number one seller
as well. We do a couple of different variety burgers,
but burgers are really really popular for us.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
I can confirm those nachos work out of this world.
And when you walk in, there's so many things to do.
Like you said that siteline immediately. While this place is fun,
but there's just so much in one location. We could
have spent all day. There is there a certain vibe
you guys are going for that you've been working towards, so.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Yes and no.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
The sense that yes in the vibe that we are
going for is we want to have a place where
people want to come down enjoy time as a family,
or time with their friends or bilo cell a birthday
with somebody. We also do private parties, so the vibe
is kind of all over. It's not really specific. If
you look at the time when you were there, like
(05:10):
early in the day, you have more families there, right,
and as the day goes on, then you start to
have a little bit older generation that's coming in and
enjoying either golf or the multi sport. As I said before,
the number of forty and fifty birthday party celebrations were having.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Yeah, it's been great.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
And then as the night goes on, we get into
a little bit of younger crowd or they're just they
love the entertainment side, you know, not just sitting around
a bar, but having a whole different atmosphere with whether
it's the multi sport and playing football or soccer and
or utilizing the TrackMan golf technology. The crowd just continues
(05:49):
to grow as the night gets a little later.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Sam, one of the great things too.
Speaker 5 (05:54):
As you know you have daughters at play high school sports.
Is that coaches always are looking for something differ when
they want to do a team bonding experience, or maybe
the parents do as well. I see this as a
perfect fit. Can people call you and make a reservation
for something like that?
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
We are hosting a number of different team parties already,
whether it's you know, soccer or baseball or hockey. But
those are opportunities for teams to come in there, sit down,
have some great food, interact with each other, and build
that camaraderie that they have that just helps them on
the field or on the ice.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Talk to us a little bit about what makes this
an ideal location. As I'm looking at it, I can
see two parking garages out our window. I mean there's
street level parking too, But what else about downtown Grand Rapids.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
So the great thing is is we're in the heart
of the hotel district, right, so there's hotels all around us.
The other thing is we also are in the heart
of the social district. So you can show up to
our place, have dinner, and take your drink with you
down to Van Andel and watch a hockey game or
watch the Eyes or the Gold or Concert right. So
(07:04):
the other thing is is we're not far from the
JW or the Amway or any of the other local hotels,
but we are right in the heart of the hotel district,
so outtown, out of town guests are able to get
to us very easily.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
You had talked about the atmosphere changing throughout the day.
Families love it. The younger crowd coming for games love it.
The forty and fifty year old celebrating a birthday. Somebody
who's passed Gimme's par and grill thinking, man, I should
get in there. What do you hope people take from
an experience at Gimmes.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
The experience is that it's unique to Grand Rapids, all right,
So this is one of a kind for Grand Rapids
right now, and that they can come in and that
not only have great food, but entertainment that when they
leave there, they're gonna be like, I want to come
back and do this with these friends, or with my kids,
or with my relatives. Someplaces that is easy to get
(07:54):
to and brings a lot of entertainment value to them
while enjoying great food.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
It's at Lewis and Ottawa Downtown Grand Rapids, Gimmes part
and Grill Founding A founder and managing partner Sam Stover
a pleasure and best wishes on the new endeavor. Thanks
for coming in, Thank you so much for having me.
This is Talk of the Town on Wood Radio.
It's Talk of the Town on news Radio with thirteen
hundred and one oh six nine f M. Steve Kelly,
Lawrence Smith, Brett Pikita. Sam Stover is the founder and
managing partner of Gimme's Par and Grill. Sam, thank you
so much for coming in today.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
It's like right outside our window, Schmidi's been there already
with the family. It's right at the corner of Lewis
in Ottawa. So, Sam, what inspired the concept of Gimme's
par and Grill and how does it stand out from
other dining spots.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
My background as I'm a PGA golf professional, and I
felt like this was a great opportunity to help get
more people into golf, and while doing that, I figured
that we might as well add a few other entertainment
value opportunities with it, and then having a full service
(00:49):
restaurant and bar just enhances overall experience.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
So I was actually very impressed. We first walked in
because you do hear the golf simulator side of things.
We did the all sport area, which was incredible. But
your restaurant is laid out perfectly. You've got screens everywhere
you have a fantastic staff that's catering to everything. You
have casual dining, you have entertainment. People get it all
with gimmes.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
They do. You know.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
It was a great opportunity for us with the location
and when we laid out the facility, having it be
a two story building, we figured that the main level
could be focused on full service dining and we wanted
to have a couple of our multi sport bays on
that first level for sightline. So when you walk in,
it gives you that what's that, what are they doing?
(01:38):
How do I get to do that opportunity? And then
we take them upstairs, which is a different atmosphere where
it's more full entertainment. You have seven simulators up there.
Of the seven simulators, three of them also have the
multi sport component, and one of them.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Is a large VIP bay.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
It has an eighteen foot screen versus all of the
others have fifteen foot screen, so it just gives that
private party opportunity as well. So it's just been a
great opportunity and the location has been awesome for us.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
So SAM golf simulators have been out there enough where
people know what kind of to expect with that, but
I'm still getting over multi sports simular, So what does
that mean?
Speaker 2 (02:17):
What sports are involved? What can you do?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Great question? So multisport was something we added. So golf, Yes,
golf simulators have been out there for a while and
they're getting better all the time. They're putting a lot
more research and development into that. We're fortunate we use
track Man technology, which is the same as what the
tour players use all the time when they're training. So
that to us was very and centful for golf. But
(02:42):
then it's like what else, how else do we add
to the patron to come in and enjoy our facility.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
So the multi sport is you can do cornhole.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, foot golf, disc golf, bowling,
and my kids favorite zombie.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
Dodgeball's favorite too, Zombie dodgeball.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
I mean my three daughters right after we opened the simulations,
before we actually open to the public, so that we
had an idea of how all this worked, they were
in there playing zombie dodgeball and for days, right, So
that was a that was a family favorite.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Golf was just if you had a bad drive.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
We're talking to Sam Stover, he is the founder and
managing partner of Gimme's par and Grill and you can
find it right at the corner of Lewis in Ottawa.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
It's just downtown Grand Rapids.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
So I'm hungry. Take me back to food now, talk
to a signature dish. Is signature drinks on the menu.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Absolutely so signature dish. We have a few different items
that we we really love to brag about. Again, we
are elevated bar food. Everything is handmade, so signature appetizer
that we do or share bowls. We do a potato
golf ball that is deep fried. We do steak tips,
(04:07):
and then our nachos are probably the most popular item
on that side of the menu. Entrees we do ribs
and salmon, and burgers are probably our number one seller
as well. We do a couple of different variety burgers,
but burgers are really really popular for us.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
I can confirm those nachos work out of this world.
And when you walk in, there's so many things to do.
Like you said that siteline immediately. While this place is fun,
but there's just so much in one location. We could
have spent all day. There is there a certain vibe
you guys are going for that you've been working towards, so.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Yes and no.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
The sense that yes in the vibe that we are
going for is we want to have a place where
people want to come down enjoy time as a family,
or time with their friends or bilo cell a birthday
with somebody. We also do private parties, so the vibe
is kind of all over. It's not really specific. If
you look at the time when you were there, like
(05:10):
early in the day, you have more families there, right,
and as the day goes on, then you start to
have a little bit older generation that's coming in and
enjoying either golf or the multi sport. As I said before,
the number of forty and fifty birthday party celebrations were having.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Yeah, it's been great.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
And then as the night goes on, we get into
a little bit of younger crowd or they're just they
love the entertainment side, you know, not just sitting around
a bar, but having a whole different atmosphere with whether
it's the multi sport and playing football or soccer and
or utilizing the TrackMan golf technology. The crowd just continues
(05:49):
to grow as the night gets a little later.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Sam, one of the great things too.
Speaker 5 (05:54):
As you know you have daughters at play high school sports.
Is that coaches always are looking for something differ when
they want to do a team bonding experience, or maybe
the parents do as well. I see this as a
perfect fit. Can people call you and make a reservation
for something like that?
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
We are hosting a number of different team parties already,
whether it's you know, soccer or baseball or hockey. But
those are opportunities for teams to come in there, sit down,
have some great food, interact with each other, and build
that camaraderie that they have that just helps them on
the field or on the ice.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Talk to us a little bit about what makes this
an ideal location. As I'm looking at it, I can
see two parking garages out our window. I mean there's
street level parking too, But what else about downtown Grand Rapids.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
So the great thing is is we're in the heart
of the hotel district, right, so there's hotels all around us.
The other thing is we also are in the heart
of the social district. So you can show up to
our place, have dinner, and take your drink with you
down to Van Andel and watch a hockey game or
watch the Eyes or the Gold or Concert right. So
(07:04):
the other thing is is we're not far from the
JW or the Amway or any of the other local hotels,
but we are right in the heart of the hotel district,
so outtown, out of town guests are able to get
to us very easily.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
You had talked about the atmosphere changing throughout the day.
Families love it. The younger crowd coming for games love it.
The forty and fifty year old celebrating a birthday. Somebody
who's passed Gimme's par and grill thinking, man, I should
get in there. What do you hope people take from
an experience at Gimmes.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
The experience is that it's unique to Grand Rapids, all right,
So this is one of a kind for Grand Rapids
right now, and that they can come in and that
not only have great food, but entertainment that when they
leave there, they're gonna be like, I want to come
back and do this with these friends, or with my kids,
or with my relatives. Someplaces that is easy to get
(07:54):
to and brings a lot of entertainment value to them
while enjoying great food.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
It's at Lewis and Ottawa Downtown Grand Rapids, Gimmes part
and Grill Founding A founder and managing partner Sam Stover
a pleasure and best wishes on the new endeavor. Thanks
for coming in, Thank you so much for having me.
This is Talk of the Town on Wood Radio.
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