Zeeland, Michigan

DISQUALIFIED.      

After visiting this small town, we at SmallTownGems were befuddled as to assigning a grade to Zeeland.  In a way it reminds me of an old western movie set built in the desert of southern California.  When the Hollywood producer films the gunfight in the middle of main street, the storefronts looked real enough.  But if you walk behind the storefronts, you see nothing but 2x4 bracing to keep the storefront facade from falling backward into the desert sand.  Zeeland has plenty of attractive, restored, historic storefronts in its commercial district.  Unfortunately, most of them are empty or closed to business.  If you don’t plan to shop, eat or drink once you get there, we highly recommend a trip to Zeeland.  The town planners and benefactors have done everything possible to improve their town’s streetscape to attract tourists.  Let’s hope Zeeland eventually fulfills its Field of Dreams prophecy.