A new “tropical paradise” is opening soon in downtown Grand Rapids.

Max’s South Seas Hideaway, a tiki-themed restaurant, will open on Oct. 19 in the old Waldron Building, at 58 Ionia Ave. SW.

The restaurant is a passion project for its three co-owners: Mark Sellers, owner of BarFly Ventures; Gecko, a Hawaii-based tiki and Polynesian artist; and Martin Cate, a James Beard-winning author, bar owner, and mixologist.

The three-story, 18,475-square-foot building was transformed into a Polynesian pop world by a team of tradespeople and artists, along with local general contractors Wolverine Construction and Phoenix Construction.

Sellers’ personal collection of modern and mid-century tiki artifacts will be featured at Max’s.

Sellers said, “When you step inside Max’s, you’ll enter a fantasy world unlike anything previously seen in Grand Rapids.”

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