Rowster Coffee

When Rowster Coffee set out to open their fourth location in Grand Rapids’ Belknap neighborhood, they partnered with Construction Simplified to bring the 1,100 SF café to life. Though small in scale, the project posed unique challenges: a tight footprint, plumbing- and electrical-heavy requirements, and the need for a visually compelling space.

As Construction Manager, we applied our large-project mindset to this compact build—providing detailed preconstruction budgeting, value engineering, and trade scope development from the earliest design phase. This early involvement helped simplify construction methods and eliminate costly changes down the line—all while protecting the project’s architectural vision.

With an aggressive 8-week schedule aimed at opening in time for nearby university traffic, CS tightly coordinated daily production, preplanning, and subcontractor execution. The result: a high-impact, high-efficiency café opened right on schedule, with thoughtful design and disciplined execution that respected every dollar and day—proof that small projects deserve big thinking.