Exclusive club with speakeasy, rooftop lounge eyed for downtown Grand Rapids

The Commerce Club would cost $10,000 per year to join and feature luxury amenities like overnight suites.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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A Grand Rapids businessman named Jeff Lambert is planning to transform a historic five-story building and neighboring one-story building in downtown Grand Rapids into a high-end, members-only club called the Commerce Club. The club would feature a speakeasy-style bar, cigar lounge, rooftop patio, co-working space, and 18-19 private overnight suites. Membership is expected to cost around $10,000 per year.

Why it matters

The Commerce Club would provide a new luxury gathering space for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals in the growing Grand Rapids area, drawing inspiration from exclusive clubs in cities like Detroit and Chicago. Its unique amenities and membership model aim to attract a younger and more diverse audience compared to the recently closed University Club of Grand Rapids.

The details

The Commerce Club would be located in a historic five-story building at 61 Commerce Ave. SW that Lambert bought in 2022 for $3 million, as well as a neighboring one-story building at 59 Commerce Ave. SW that he bought in 2025. Plans call for a speakeasy-style bar, cigar lounge, and private founders room in the basement, a coffee bar and café on the ground floor, an event space called The Mint on the second floor, and 18-19 private lodging suites on the fourth and fifth floors. There would also be a rooftop lounge atop the five-story building.

  • Lambert bought the five-story building at 61 Commerce Ave. SW in December 2022 for $3 million.
  • Lambert bought the neighboring one-story building at 59 Commerce Ave. SW in late 2025, but did not disclose the purchase price.
  • The Grand Rapids Planning Commission approved a special land use permit for the project on February 12, 2026.
  • Lambert hopes to begin construction on the project in April 2026.
  • Lambert aims to open the Commerce Club in the first quarter of 2027.

The players

Jeff Lambert

A Grand Rapids businessman who is the driving force behind the Commerce Club project. He is the U.S. Executive Chairman of Lambert by LLYC, a marketing and public relations firm.

Rylee Kellogg

A West Michigan native who previously worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles and is collaborating with Lambert on the concept for the Commerce Club.

Hiram Jackson

The Detroit-based CEO of Real Times Media and the publisher of the Michigan Chronicle, a Black-owned newspaper, who is one of the 50 founders investing in the Commerce Club.

Greg Williams

The CEO of Acrisure, who is one of the founders investing in the Commerce Club.

Steve Jbara

The president of the Grand Rapids Gold basketball team, who is one of the founders investing in the Commerce Club.

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What they’re saying

“It should feel international but also familiar. So you're going to see someone that you know and also meet someone that you don't. You should feel special but not exclusive.”

— Jeff Lambert, Grand Rapids businessman (mlive.com)

“I was incredibly impressed with the way that the city had grown since I had last been here. One of the things that I felt passionate about was having a place like Commerce Club here while the city is growing, because I think it will be that gathering spot to bring people together.”

— Rylee Kellogg, Collaborator on the Commerce Club project (mlive.com)

What’s next

Before moving forward, the Commerce Club must be approved by the Grand Rapids Historic Preservation Commission, which reviews projects that make exterior renovations to a building within a city historic district.

The takeaway

The Commerce Club aims to provide a new high-end, members-only gathering space for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals in the growing Grand Rapids area, offering luxury amenities like a speakeasy, rooftop lounge, and overnight suites. Its unique membership model and diverse group of founders hope to attract a younger and more diverse audience compared to the recently closed University Club of Grand Rapids.