Skywalk Deli hopes to reopen soon | News

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) -- A popular Grand Rapids restaurant that's being forced to shut down may soon re-open in a bigger space.

Skywalk Deli will serve its last sandwich at its current location on Friday. Franklin Partners, which owns the building where the deli is located, plans to rent the space that Skywalk occupies to Panera Bread.

Deli owner, Chris Fehsenfeld, isn't giving up though. He's moving his equipment to a larger space 50 yards away where he hopes to expand the business by adding a food market. All he needs now are investors. Chris Fehsenfeld says, "If this all works out, this deal works out, we'll actually be facing Panera so I'd like to give them a run for their money. I don't have anything against Panera at all. I just think that local business needs to stay downtown and people like it. It's been a good ten year run. I hope to have ten more."

Fehsenfeld says he's waiting on a proposal by Amway which already invested in a competing deli.

Skywalk Deli will close for good at 3 on Friday afternoon, then re-open about an hour later for a goodbye party for customers.