Construction Stalls at Biggy Coffee in Allegan, MI
It's been over a year since the Michigan-based franchise Biggby announced a new location in Allegan, which has residents wondering whether the coffee chain still has plans to open its doors. A new storefront at 805 Marshall St. has been under construction since July 2021 but progress appears to have come to a standstill.
Biggby formally announced its first Allegan location at the former Quality Auto shop back on December 23, 2020 with plans to open the following year, but as of this writing the building is still unoccupied. For years, Allegan residents have needed to drive over to Plainwell to get their Bear Cub Latte fix, so when the owners of the Holland and Zeeland Biggby franchises announced plans to build a new shop in town, Allegan coffee lovers were excited to say the least!
What's the Holdup?
Construction of the Allegan location has stalled several times. In May 2021 Biggby explained it had experienced unforeseen setbacks but assured residents plans to open by Summer 2021 were still moving forward. However, an update in July stated permits on the new location had only recently been approved and construction was set to begin at the end of that month. The company has hosted several rounds of open interviews, but an official opening date has yet to be announced and there is no mention of the Allegan location on the Biggby website.
That's not to say the building hasn't seen any progress at all, but little has changed in a year. In recent months the exterior was completed, the signage was installed, and just last week the drive-thru kiosks were added. The Allegan location's official Facebook page now simply says, "Coming early 2022" but some residents have speculated February 8th could be the new opening date.
I'm a coffee fanatic myself and I drive past that building every day, so much like my fellow Allegan citizens I feel like it's taunting my tastebuds the longer the building sits there empty! With winter officially here, I need my Nutty Squirrel Latte now more than ever! For the time being, Allegan residents will either need to visit the only other coffee shop in town, Mugshots, or drive to Plainwell to get caffeinated.