Juju Bird to open in Downtown Market this Fall

Posted on August 29, 2018 by Downtown Market

Blon and Yang Hang, brothers and owners of local Thai food favorite Rak Thai, announced today they will open a second business inside the Grand Rapids Downtown Market this fall. Juju Bird will serve buttermilk fried chicken, wings, chicken tenders, fried chicken sandwiches and sides like mashed potatoes and gravy and deli salads with options for take out, eat-in and catering.

“Everyone loves fried chicken, all over the world. It’s a go-to comfort food,” said Blon Hang, co-owner. “We’ve just had our best year ever at Rak Thai, and we’re excited to experiment with a brand new idea at the Downtown Market.”

Juju Bird plans to source non-GMO, all natural chicken, with the goal of creating Grand Rapids’ go-to fried chicken restaurant for a broad variety of tastes. The Hangs have been in the restaurant business for 10 years, and in addition to owning and managing Thai restaurants in Grand Rapids, they grew up working in their parents’ Chinese restaurant in Northern Michigan.

“Local startups are deeply enriching our city, and it requires strong entrepreneurial people and spaces that the Downtown Market can connect together,” said Mike Morin, Start Garden CEO and Downtown Market leasing committee member. “Cities succeed when they create the economic conditions for placemaking, which delivers with it an audience for ambitious entrepreneurs like Yang and Blon to thrive.”

Juju Bird will be in the space previously occupied by Making Thyme Kitchen, which is expanding into a standalone brick-and-mortar location in Alger Heights this fall. Construction in the space will begin September 2. Juju Bird is planning an October opening.