Newaygo: The Nott Takes a Bow... TGIF- Traffic Gets Insane on Fridays... An Early End to Bridgework

By Ken DeLaat

It seems there’s a New Kid in Town that goes by the name of Newaygo Old Town Tavern (a.k.a. “The Nott”). Apparently, there’s a bit of a ‘soft’ opening today (“We are Open and We’re Nott”) and what better time than the Friday when it seems somewhere near half of our southern neighbors are driving through.
If you recall the wonderful little destination shoppe of culinary craftsmanship known as Gala Gourmet, The Nott has set up residence in this downtown site and they’re looking to provide “Old Newaygo charm serving up warm food and cold drinks with an inviting atmosphere for all” 
I’m personally intrigued by the Old Newaygo charm part, being an older Newaygo person. That is, if 28 years qualifies as residency.
Oh, and there’s a billiard hall. I’ve always had a fondness for bars with pool tables. During younger years in Grand Rapids many hours were spent in places like Snug Harbor and the Last Chance with a group of friends competing with each other on the tables, arguing about sports and knocking down cheap beer.
This is outstanding news, a fine addition to the food/drink/entertainment landscape of the downtown area. And seeing that classic building come to life again is a huge bonus.
So here’s a huge welcome to The Nott.
See you soon. 
And in the meantime….
Rack ‘em.

One of the cool things about living north of our Metro neighbors and the cities and towns extending to the Chicago area and beyond is Friday afternoons in the summer. The caravan of cars, trucks and motor homes hauling trailers, campers, boats, bikes, and 4 wheelers, who pack it up and make the trip to the place we get to live in all the time. 
Of course, many travel far beyond the Near North and yet our local campgrounds are regularly filled, the local lakes get a lot of action, our eateries see a significant uptick in diners and the grocery stores are filled with the 3-4 item folks scoring some combination of beer, pop, hot dog buns, graham crackers  marshmallows, chocolate bars, charcoal, etc.
Friday, as we approached the kick-off-to-summer Memorial Day Weekend, was certainly no exception as I found myself coming through town from the north.They were lined up far beyond the crest of the hill and about even with the  Little Mitten Landscape building (shameless plug for LM). And it wasn't even 3pm yet
It reminded me of years ago when we lived in Manistee. A friend and I spent a summer evening sitting on a deck from which US 31 could be seen in the distance. On Fridays it was jammed with people crawling their way north.
“You know why all those people are so anxious to get up here where we live?” he said.  “It’s the way they feel when they’re up here. They’re out of the city or suburbs and it’s slower, quieter, and prettier. While up here they’ll talk about how nice it would be to move up here, but they mostly don’t.”
Then he paused and said, “And you know, that’s not all bad for the rest of us.”

Speaking of traveling through Newaygo, I don' t imagine anyone is disappointed that the bridge work on 37 has been wrapped up. Kudos to the crew who performed the work. When the announcement of the project was made local social media (LSM) drew all the folks who love to get angry about such things, questioning the need and if needed the likelihood of errors made previously. Of course, the theories abounded as they do these days.
But I’m looking at our article announcing the project and the end date is June 27th.
https://www.nearnorthnow.com/news/m-37-bridge-repairs-in-newaygo-start-march-24.
 And while certain this was a worst-case scenario? It didn't happen. More than a month early and saving us the possibility of Friday traffic this weekend backed up to around Bailey.

Happy Summer, all. I’ve heard the weather is on a 60-day gradual warming trend.

"Spring flew swiftly by, and summer came; and if the village had been beautiful at first, it was now in the full glow and luxuriance of its richness.- Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist
​