Irving's Market Profile

The Kalamazoo Mall is home to many vibrant local restaurants and businesses, each one unique in its own way.  While it is possible to find a less original Quiznos or Jimmy John’s by straying off the mall, if you look a little harder you will not have to surrender yourself to the same sandwich you can find just about anywhere.  Tucked away in the Kalamazoo City Centre lives Irving’s Market, a local market and deli.  

            Walking down the mall, you won’t find a store front but you will spy a sign sitting next to the entrances of the Kalamazoo City Centre highlighting Irving’s offerings.  The market is dimly lit and relaxing music, from jazz to light rock, pours into the space, inviting customers to slow down as they peruse the sandwiches, soups, and salads.  The sandwiches are on display behind a glass case, labeling each one, gourmet choices like Chicken Pesto Artichoke and Turkey Avocado, or classics like a Reuben or an Italian.  Sandwiches can be ordered hot or cold.  Next door neighbors to the sandwich case is where all sorts of cold salads are on display: Spinach Feta Pasta, Fresh Mozzarella Tomato, Tarragon Chicken Salad and more.  As the lunch rush comes in the owner, Kip Plew, stations himself near the sandwiches and chats with customers.  As they order, he writes their name down on a white lunch bag along with their order and hands it off to servers behind the counter who load up the Panini presses with customers’ sandwiches.  As sandwiches are grilled, customers look around the rest of the market, choosing from an array of beverages that line the walls of the market, anything from Coca Cola to Fiji Water.  Not feeling a sandwich?  Build your own salad at the salad bar and choose from a variety of ingredients.  Once you’ve made your decisions, head back to the counter and make your purchase.

            Irving’s Market has been around since February of 2005 when its doors were opened.  The building used to be the home of the Gilmore Brothers Department Store until the store closed in 1999 after over a 100 years of business.   The building was then bought in 2000 by the Meyer C. Weiner Company, a prominent developer known in Kalamazoo.  They wanted to convert the building into apartments on the fifth and sixth floors.  Plew and a friend were in the commercial construction business at the time and helped with the construction of the apartments.  The first floor was originally planned to be the first floor lobby of the Rave Movie Theater located across the street, with escalators traveling across the street from the lobby to where the theaters would be.  But the plan fell through.  Plew didn’t think anything of it until he was told the original plans for the theater’s lobby weren’t going through.  When he found out there weren’t any plans for the first floor of the building, he was surprised and thought “if I was gonna do something down here, put in a little coffee shop or a convenience store or whatever, I simply started with the idea of ‘what would I call it?’”  Irving S. Gilmore used to be a customer of Plew’s in the early eighties, a very valuable customer to him, and a big philanthropist in Kalamazoo.  Plew with goosebumps on his arms, realized that “this is where Irving S. Gilmore lived.”  With this idea, and a blessing from Irving S. Gilmore’s niece, Irving’s Market was born.

            At the same time that Walgreens announced its closing in Downtown Kalamazoo, brainstorming for Irving’s Market had started.  The closing of Walgreens meant no one downtown couldn’t buy “even a pack of gum,” said Plew.  He sent out a survey to downtown businesses asking about items that people needed.  The idea of Irving’s went from a convenience store to a mini-market to a deli.  Plew did all the renovations himself and finally Irving’s Market was created.

            Irving’s Market caters to a number of different people, people who live in the building, people who work downtown, and people who simply enjoy the atmosphere.  Irving’s has a lot of regulars.  They come in to pick up hot breakfast in the morning, to grab lunch, to stay and have lunch, to pick up food for dinner, or to pick up some ingredients.  Not only does Irving’s offer a variety of prepared food, all made in house from scratch, they offer a good amount of groceries and produce.  Yes, a place downtown where customers can buy fresh produce: lemons, limes, avocados, tomatoes, and cucumbers are all found in the produce section.  Irving’s tries to buy local as much as possible through local suppliers and when produce is in season.  Bags of Water Street Coffee and Kalamazoo Coffee Company are sold nearby the barista’s station.  Michigan wines and microbrews are located along the back wall.

            As the lunch rush dies down at about one o’clock, Irving’s still gets some stragglers.  “Hi Michael!” is heard across  the market, as the assumed Michael waves, then quickly heads out the door with a white lunch bag in hand.  Irving’s biggest business time of day is over but they’ll be coming back tomorrow.