This summer, Color Wheel Cafe opened its doors within Grand Rapids’ Fris Supply Shop. The new area of the art store is a haven for local creatives looking to explore their artistic abilities through a cafe-style menu.
The cafe’s menu, rather than food and coffee, offers a range of “art experiences” for people to order and create with, including air-dry clay, watercolors and acrylic paint. Visitors are seated at eclectic tables and after they order, are given supplies situated in baskets with checkered deli paper. Anyone can visit with or without a reservation, depending on their party size, and can add refreshments from a mini fridge to their tab.
Color Wheel Cafe is run in-house by those working in the local supply store. Employees are looking for more artists to try out their menu of creative experiences.
“We’ve been trying to market it (on) Instagram and TikTok,” said Rachel Doura, a Fris Art Supply employee who helped inspire the store’s new addition.
Grand Valley State University student Samantha Smith is looking forward to visiting Color Wheel Cafe after seeing it advertised online.
“I think it’s such an original concept,” Smith said. “It’s going to be a great opportunity, especially as a person who loves art.”
The cafe offers creative opportunities for individuals who consider themselves artistically-inclined, as well as those with less experience. As the stress of the semester continues to build, this artistic outlet could be a way for students to connect with their inner artist alongside their friends.
“I feel like this would be a really fun thing for me and some friends to try,” Smith said.
Since the cafe has become a permanent fixture in the store, employees plan to continue developing new refreshments for those working on art and reservation options for bigger parties.
“We just thought that Grand Rapids didn’t have anything like this,” Doura said. “Also, as we get closer to fall, people want to do stuff indoors more than they do in the summer.”
Due to the cafe being located in Fris Art Supply, all of the supplies ordered off the menu can be purchased from the store afterward to continue creating from home.
“I think it’s great,” Doura said. “If you try materials off our menu, then you can buy the same thing from our store afterward.”
Smith thinks the new cafe offers a way for community members to connect with others interested in art.
“I think art can be really healing for society,” Smith said. “Having this near us and accessible is really important.”
As the weather gets colder, employees at Fris Art Supply hope people will take advantage of the new space and give Color Wheel Cafe a try. The cafe is open Monday through Friday for artists of all experience levels.
