Flowers Mill

Moments after driving through the entrances gates to Flowers Mill, I spotted a Lemonade stand at the end of a driveway, or rather, the neighborhood entrepreneurs—four kids under the age of 9—spotted me. Since it was 90 bazillion degrees on this day, I decided to stop. (Even though it was my first stop and I had only been away from the air-conditioned interior of my car for half a millisecond). I greeted them and they scrambled to fulfill my order of one small lemonade.  “Are you a health inspector?” one of them questioned. “No,” I laughed, though I was carrying a clipboard and business cards–easy mistake. “I’m writing articles about neighborhoods in Grand Rapids.” “Oh,” he said, “Well ours is the best. Put it as the best.”

After talking to some of the older (yet no less friendly) occupants of the neighborhood, I can see what these kids were talking about. Flowers Mill is more than a collection of houses in proximity to one another—they’re a real community. One home owner outlined some of the community organized events in the last year, which included an Easter-egg hunt and a Halloween party for the kids, ladies’ night out, and ethnic food nights hosted by multicultural neighbors.

If it’s not the spectacular location, spacious lots, or family-friendly environment that attracts you to this neighborhood, let it be the lemonade—it was just that good!

Check out a sister neighborhood, Flowers Crossing.