The flurry of building and remodeling activity on West Superior and North Main streets in downtown Wayland continues, and nearby just off Maple Street, it appears a duplex residential unit is being constructed.
The corner at West Superior and North Main has been a longtime eyesore and vacant building. Some observers have labeled it “The Corner Curse” because owners of businesses there have struggled and failed since the old Gurney’s IGA grocery closed in 1974,
Though the owner of the buildings, Salvatore Uccello, has not responded to e-mailed inquiries, a building permit on the side door of the old Gurney building (North Main Street entrance) indicates there are plans for second floor apartments while the window on the corner shows boxes and restaurant equipment on the main floor.
Meanwhile, the former Giuseppe’s Pizza next door, which suffered a fire a little more than a year ago, looks like it might be used as a place for kitchen and preparation of food for the dining area.
There have been reports that the upper floor of the old Gurney building will be apartments and the rear of the main floor building is being remodeled into two efficiency apartments.
The former Giuseppe’s building was the site for a long time of the Cook’s Jewelry business.
A two-unit duplex is going up along the alley behind former Wayland Motor.
Uccello purchased the old Gurney building in 2014. It sat idle for many of the past 40 years and was reported to be owned recently by Jason Watts, son of former Allegan County Clerk-Register of Deeds Joyce Watts and attorney John Watts of Allegan.
It was home to Gurney’s IGA for about 40 years, starting in the 1930s when Jack Gurney bought it 
from the Cozzens family, which had a family grocery business. The store remained in the Gurney family until 1974 when Walt Gurney closed it.
Gurney’s IGA, Harding’s Market, A & P and Kroger were the four grocery stores in downtown Wayland throughout much of mid-century. However, only Harding’s remains today, and it has moved from downtown to a strip mall next to the U.S.-131 expressway.
Mr. and Mrs. Darryl Anderson bought the old Gurney’s building and had the building remodeled and turned into a restaurant and ice cream parlor in 1976. They continued the soft-serve ice cream business on the east side of the building on North Main Street.
It was sold to a family from Grand Rapids that operated Rosita’s Mexican Restaurant in the late 1980s and into the 1990s. However, the family became involved in a dispute with city government over use of the upstairs of the building and it was sold again, this time to a Greek man who had the building extensively painted, but the business failed.
The eatery was vacant for a spell until someone came along to start a “Dog Gone It” restaurant. Then the building was home to a couple that made and sold embroidered T-shirts, but that closed as well, and the building again became vacant.
Kevin and Deb Mast opened the Wayland Resale Store, a thrift store, in December 2012, but later had problems with the lease and closed its doors in 2014.
PHOTOS: The former Giuseppe’s Pizza damaged a year ago by fire and adjacent former Gurney’s may soon become part of one restaurant downtown.
A duplex is going up along the alley immediately to the west of the former Wayland Motor Sales lot.
Destroy this piece of junk!