GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — As Michigan lawmakers hash out final details on new paid leave and minimum wage legislation, small business owners like David Vander Meer, fourth-generation owner of Vann’s Pastry Shoppe in Grand Rapids, are bracing for impact.
“This is the oldest bakery in Grand Rapids. Our building has only ever been Vann’s Pastry since 1942,” Vander Meer said. Despite the shop’s deep community roots, the looming legislation has him concerned for its future.
