KALAMAZOO, MI – Joey and Jenna Gamrat started putting together charcuterie boards during the pandemic, and it wasn’t long before a business idea was born.
In short, Joey Gamrat said, “We started making boards because we were bored at home. And we realized that we have a passion for it. Nobody went out and did anything. It was a fun way to get together. “
When more boards were made, including a two-meter-high wicker table prepared for a friend’s wedding, family and friends asked if the couple had any ambitions to make a career out of it.
“Opening a restaurant a year ago was definitely not planned,” says Jenna Gamrat, 25. “But COVID changed that.”
The couple will soon move to the former Tibbs Brewing Co. site at 402 S. Burdick St. in downtown Kalamazoo. Tibbs, on the corner of South Lovell Street, closed in October 2020 after a seven-year run next to the Kalamazoo State Theater, with COVID-19 restrictions cited as the main reason.
Related: Tibbs Brewery Shuts Down Downtown Kalamazoo After 7 Years Citing COVID Restrictions
Joey Gamrat, 24, said the couple hope to honor the tradition of Tibbs as well as all of the other businesses that previously occupied the space and that he is in the process of collecting old photographs that he will put together in the form of a mural to on display at The Grazing Table to pay tribute to these earlier deals.
“It’s cool to be in Kalamazoo for the first brick and mortar, especially in connection with the State Theater, there is so much history here,” he said.
Charcuterie, he said, is giving them the opportunity to bring the community together the same way they could bring friends and family together about the pandemic.
The secret of a good board is not the food, but the people with whom you enjoy it.
“It’s not about what’s on the board, but about the friends you have at the table, the family you have at the table, the laughter,” he said.
Of course, a good Manchego cheese drizzled with hot honey also helps, he says with a laugh.
The boards prepared by the Gamrats contain up to 10 seasonal cheeses as well as bread, meat and seasonal fruit. Individually wrapped panels are also prepared in advance for customers to pick up, eat at one of the restaurant’s indoor or outdoor tables, or bring them back to the office to eat.
Those who dine or hang out in the parameters of the city’s social district can also enjoy a well-paired glass of wine or beer with their meal, which is meant to be a tapas indulgence rather than a full meal.
Specialty boards can also be created with vegan cheese options and meat substitutes for people with gluten allergies and even vegans, Jenna Gamrat said.
In addition, a sales room in the restaurant has everything you need to make your own boards, including a variety of cheeses, jams, jellies and crackers, along with wooden boards, picnic baskets, blankets and more. Many of these items are made in Michigan and / or come from companies owned by women or black people, Joey Gamrat said.
As a wedding photographer and owner of Flourishing Tree Photography, Jenna Gamrat would like to bring her photographic touch to the new space. There will be a photo booth wall highlighted by a giant neon sign that reads “Life is Gouda” and offers photo opportunities for people who walk in, she said.
Her event experience, coupled with her husband’s background in the hospitality industry, also fits well with the couple’s catering plans. In addition to the grab-and-go boards and cheese, jams, and jellies available at the Grazing Table itself, the couple will offer two catering options, Joey Gamrat said.
One of those options is to order a prepared board to pick up for your event and the other is to rent it to build a pasture table at the event itself, he said.
As a scheduled opening date in the first week of October, the couple plans to work five days a week from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., although they will be open later for state theater shows and downtown events. They assume they are closed on Sundays and another day during the week.
On this other day, the Gamrats plan to host events with admission tickets, such as courses on how to make charcuterie, and courses and tastings on pairing wine and cheese. The events will be perfect for stag and hen parties, corporate team buildings, and things like girls’ nights, Jenna Gamrat said.
“We want to be a place that welcomes everyone and is community-based,” said Joey Gamrat. “Our hope is to be here for many, many years.”
For more information, email TheGrazingTableKalamazoo@gmail.com or visit the company on Facebook.
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