Sweet Yo's Downtown Grand Rapids Appears Closed: What's Next?

Downtown Grand Rapids has said goodbye to another local business. Already this year, we watched Biggby Coffee in McKay Tower close its doors, followed by the departure of Rev Juice Bar. Now, it appears Sweet Yo's Frozen Yogurt has officially served its last swirl downtown GR.

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Signs Point to Closure on Monroe Center

I work downtown, just a short walk from Sweet Yo's, and I had no idea it closed!

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After spotting a Reddit thread discussing the closure, I popped over to the spot on Monroe Center. Indeed, all lights were off at the fro-yo and ice cream joint, and the inside appears to be all cleared out.

While Google and Yelp still list the shop as open, the official Facebook page has been dark since April. I also noticed that two of Sweet Yo's other locations, Gaslight Village and Forest Hills, were marked closed on Yelp recently. So then I placed multiple calls to what I thought was Sweet Yo's remaining location in Grandville to see if anyone could confirm the news. It just rang a few times and then went to voicemail...

At this point I'd say all signs point to a quiet end for a dessert destination that first brought its build-your-own froyo to downtown Grand Rapids back in 2012.

So what should move into this prime strip of Monroe Center real estate?

If you are craving something sweet nearby, Sugar Bar is right next door serving up gelato, macarons, and cocktails, with Kilwins just around the corner.

A Look Back at 134 Monroe Center's History

Longtime locals might remember that this block near Rosa Parks Circle has quite the foodie history. Before Sweet Yo's took over 134 Monroe Center in 2012, the storefront was home to Mediterranean spots like Pita House and Olive Express.

Right next door at 132 Monroe Center, we had the beloved hot dog spot The Dog Pit before Sugar Bar moved into the space.

What Locals Want to Replace Sweet Yo's

In that same Reddit thread discussing the shut down, locals jumped in with plenty of ideas for what should come next.

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The overwhelming fan favorite? Bringing back a dedicated hot dog joint like The Dog Pit.

Other suggestions include:

A 24-Hour Diner: Downtown is sorely lacking late-night food options, making this an ideal location for round-the-clock breakfast and diner classics.
A Dedicated Taqueria: Locals pointed out the distinct lack of a quick-service California or Mexican style taco spot right in the downtown core.
Mediterranean or Shawarma: Bringing back wraps, shawarma, or a fast-casual pita setup would bring things full circle for the block.
An Adult Barcade: A spot featuring classic arcade games on free play alongside craft drinks, provided the footprint is big enough.

Honestly, I'd be into any of those!

What would you love to see open up near Rosa Parks Circle?

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