If I Had One Day to Convince My Best Friend to Move Back to Grand Rapidsā¦
Sep 08, 2026
Steve Drake skips the tourist itinerary and shares the Grand Rapids he’d show his best friend of nearly 40 years.
Read Time: 90 Seconds
What would you do if you had one day to convince your best friend to move to Grand Rapids?
That was Steve Drake’s assignment this week on Coffee with Steve & Margaux.
His imaginary guest? John “Johnny” Horn, Steve’s college roommate and best friend since 1988, who now lives in St. Louis.
And Steve made one thing clear:
“I’m not showing him Tourist Grand Rapids. I’m showing him MY Grand Rapids.”
So naturally, the day starts with a workout at CKO Kickboxing—although Steve wisely chooses the 7:30 AM class instead of 5:30. š
Once Johnny arrives, they’re heading somewhere he genuinely misses: Meijer. No shopping list necessary.
Lunch? Yesterdog in Eastown. Not fancy. Not new. But woven into the memories of growing up around Grand Rapids.
Then comes the stop that means the most: a visit to the tree planted in honor of Johnny’s late father at Kent Country Club. After nearly 40 years of friendship, some places carry more meaning than any travel guide ever could.
From there, Steve would walk Johnny through downtown Grand Rapids—the river, neighborhoods, new projects and all the change happening across the city.
As Steve puts it:
“He knows the Grand Rapids I came from. I want him to see the Grand Rapids I live in now.”
The night ends exactly how two longtime friends and movie buffs should: a movie at Studio Park, followed by late-night Adobe nachos on Bridge Street.
And maybe that’s what makes West Michigan such an extraordinary place to call home.
It isn’t only the attractions.
It’s the people, places, traditions and memories that become yours.
This week, Steve isn’t showing us the best of Grand Rapids.
He’s showing us his Grand Rapids.
And somehow, that might be an even better reason to move here.
Keywords
Grand Rapids Michigan, moving to Grand Rapids, living in Grand Rapids Michigan, West Michigan lifestyle, things to do in Grand Rapids, visit Grand Rapids, move to West Michigan, Eastown Grand Rapids, Yesterdog Grand Rapids, Studio Park Grand Rapids, Bridge Street Grand Rapids, Meijer Michigan, CKO Grand Rapids, downtown Grand Rapids, best places to live in Michigan, West Michigan real estate, Coffee with Steve and Margaux