Food Dance plans popup market amid pandemic struggles

Food Dance has been a pillar of the downtown Kalamazoo restaurant community for more than 25 years. Like most restaurants in Michigan, it has had to close its doors during the fall COVID shutdown, which was just extended into mid-January.

In an effort to shore up its business, Food Dance plans a two-day popup market this week to sell off food and supplies. Then it plans to shut its doors until the spring.

Founder Julie Stanley confirmed to MLive that it has formally laid off all of its staff. She hopes to reopen in March if the restaurant industry looks like it can rebound by then.

“It’s devastatingly sad for me,” she said. “I put my heart and soul into the company and I know that we made a giant difference in this community, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t sustain it.”

The popup market will be open on Tuesday and Wednesday from noon to 7pm at its location on East Michigan Avenue.

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