By Scott Sullivan
Editor
The Douglas Planning Commission Thursday, Aug. 14 will weigh a Consumers Credit Union special land use request to create a drive-though/drive-in 1,185-square-foot commercial bank office at the former Kalico Kitchen site, 312 Ferry St.
A public hearing is scheduled for the proposal in city hall, 86 W. Center St., at the PC’s regular meeting starting at 6 p.m.
Applicant Nicholas Loeks of Bosch Construction is seeking a special use for the 0.9-acre now-vacant parcel in the C-2 General Commercial District on behalf of CCU, which has a purchase agreement with its current owner.
The pie-shaped parcel, bordered by Blue Star Highway on its east side, was home to the Kalico Kitchen, for 36 years.
Catherine Wilt opened it as a Southern-style breakfast/lunch restaurant in 1977 but in later years spent much of her time in Arizona due to personal health reasons.
The business began to founder and in 2009 was cited for the first in a string of Allegan County Health Department violations.
In April 2013 Wilt brought in Richard Irvine, a celebrity chef and host of the Food Network’s “Kitchen Impossible” show, to give the establishment a 48-hour, $10,000 makeover.
Diner curiosity spiked a brief surge in business, but Wilt was hurt by the show’s depiction of her and lack of cleanliness of the restaurant.
The Health Department shut it down in December 2013 and the property fell into receivership.
Frederick Eagle “Fritz” Royce bought the parcel in 2016 and with his wife transformed it into a short-lived Stonewall Corners vegan ice cream and pizza parlor, then rented it out as the Thai restaurant, which also didn’t last long.
On Sept. 30, 2019 a drunk driver ran his vehicle through a power pole, sign and the building front, transforming the Douglas southern gateway structure into an eccentrically-colored drive-in with faux and askew pagoda.
Owners of Isabel’s Market + Eatery bought it from Royce in fall 2020 and razed the building the next February. The site has sat vacant since.
CCU proposes hosting two member service representative offices in the building, an internal ITM (Integrated Teller Machine), plus break room and work room for employees. The ITM is similar to an ATM but has extended features and allows customers to speak with a representative on a screen to perform transactions.
Consumers is also proposing a remote/standalone ITM unit on the west side of the site for members who wish to remain in their vehicles for transactions.
The standalone ITM would function as such during business hours and as a standard ATM during non-business hours.
The bank proposes eight parking spaces (one barrier- free) and have access of both Ferry Street and Blue Star Highway.
