Tommy Allen

2 weeks ago | secondwavemedia.com | Tommy Allen

Every spring, Hastings — a peaceful town with around 7,500 residents — undergoes a remarkable transformation. During the weekend of the Barry-Roubaix gravel cycling race, the town’s population nearly doubles. "We conservatively estimate around 8,000 people attend," says Matt Acker, co-owner of Pavement Ends Inc., which organizes the race. Established in 2009 with just a few hundred participants, Barry-Roubaix is now acknowledged as the largest gravel road race globally.

2 weeks ago | rapidgrowthmedia.com | Tommy Allen

As museums nationwide are urged to evolve beyond mere passive repositories, the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is leading the charge in transformation, assuming its role as an educational hub and community partner.

3 weeks ago | rapidgrowthmedia.com | Tommy Allen

Every spring, Hastings — a peaceful town with around 7,500 residents — undergoes a remarkable transformation. During the weekend of the Barry-Roubaix gravel cycling race, the town’s population nearly doubles. "We conservatively estimate around 8,000 people attend," says Matt Acker, co-owner of Pavement Ends Inc., which organizes the race. Established in 2009 with just a few hundred participants, Barry-Roubaix is now acknowledged as the largest gravel road race globally.

3 weeks ago | rapidgrowthmedia.com | Tommy Allen

For years, the Literacy Matters series has demonstrated how West Michigan's libraries are transforming into vibrant civic institutions, adapting, inspiring, broadening everyone's access to knowledge, and expanding our intellectual curiosity.​While libraries nationwide face challenges, our local establishments shine as symbols of creativity, inclusion, and community solutions. Below, we highlight five of the many stories that Rapid Growth has produced through our local journalists.

1 month ago | rapidgrowthmedia.com | Tommy Allen

Situated in the heart of Creston's Cheshire neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Kingma's Market exemplifies the effectiveness of community-oriented solutions for Michigan food and beverage entrepreneurs within the challenging grocery sector. With the leadership of owner Alan Hartline, a former Spartan Nash executive with extensive experience in the food sector, Kingma’s has adeptly faced the challenges of running a small urban market.