Blake & Britt Around Town: The Stray Café

WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) — Nestled in a former auto repair shop, The Stray Café has its sights on more than just serving coffee.

Featuring a stage and open until 10 p.m. on weekends, the café on the corner of S. Division Avenue and 43rd Street prides itself on hosting live music, live artists and a menu that features both brews and bites. It was founded on the idea of being a community-centric space.

Owner Chip VanKlompenberg emphasizes The Stray keeps the focus on the stage.

“We just realized there wasn’t a lot of places in West Michigan that were a small venue, but a venue set up where the artists were front and center, not background entertainment,” he said.

The logo, which features a dog, also has meaning to the VanKlompenbergs.

“Our dog that’s pictured in the logo was a rescue dog for us, so it came out of that,” he said, “but it more came out of the fact that we wanted a place where people felt comfortable coming in. And as we were looking through names, we had a person say, ‘You know, if I was walking down the street by myself and saw a place called The Stray, I might be just curious enough to go in and feel comfortable enough to go in,’ and I said, ‘Perfect. That’s what we’re looking for.'”

Even when the stage is empty, patrons have come to appreciate the café’s eclectic environment. Works of art hang on nearly every wall and come from West Michigan artists. Kris Langerak, who was enjoying coffee with colleagues, is among those who enjoy the aesthetic.

“It’s just a great spot for us to be able to have a meeting to step away from the office,” Langerak said.

The Stray also occasionally hosts artists on stage during the day to showcase their work in action.

“We’ll have an artist in here,” said VanKlompenberg, pointing to an easel set up on stage. “That’s one of our artists on consignment, and she’ll be on stage painting live. People can walk up to her and ask her questions about her technique and that kind of stuff.”

Front-of-house manager Ronson Harrington has embraced the community-centric mission of The Stray.

“The relationships here are what truly mean the world to me,” he said. “Getting to create drinks and make things of the most excellence that we can possibly do is really, really fun to strive for.”

A musician himself, Harrington recognizes the importance of highlighting local acts.

“The amount of talent that’s in West Michigan is unbelievable, and we can host them in a listening room environment where everyone is really here for the artists and celebrates them. It’s a really special experience,” he said.

In addition to a coffee-centric menu, The Stray serves breakfast, lunch and dinner entrees, as well as draft beer and wine.

The café is set to host jazz acts Michael Hudson-Casanova and The Tommy Pancy Quartet on Friday night from 7-10 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Free performances are planned for both Saturday and Sunday .

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