News Photo by Darby Hinkley The friendly Hungry Hippie staff welcomes you to their new location on Ripley Boulevard. Pictured, from left, are Emily Coleman, Olivia Huffaker, Ben Darga, Chrissy Taratuta, and owner Greg Konwinski.

ALPENA — You don’t have to be a hippie to eat here, but it does have a groovy vibe.

All are welcome at the new year-round indoor location of Hungry Hippie at 510 N. Ripley Boulevard, which opened Nov. 18.

“We started out as a food cart in the back of Lee’s Mini Golf in 2014,” said owner Greg Konwinski. “I wanted to do something on my own. I’d never been in food before, but it felt like a good avenue to pursue.”

He came up with the name “out of the blue,” he said.

“Back then, I was into all the music festivals and yoga stuff, so I would have considered myself, like, a modern-day hippie,” Konwinski said. “I did a lot of couch surfing, traveling, sleeping in my car, and that kind of stuff.”

After the food cart gained a little traction, he moved into the domed building on State Avenue, which will continue to operate as a second location in the warmer months. He operated a location within the Alpena Mall for the last couple of years, but, since the mall is being turned into manufacturing space, he decided to look for a new standalone building.

“It’s kind of taken on a life of its own since then, to where the brand is really something unique,” Konwinski said. “Now, it’s a trademark brand, so that nobody else can take it. And we really look forward to doing more with the branding and really moving that forward.”

T-shirts, stickers, and hats are available for purchase at the restaurant, which features bright yellow walls and a fun and funky vibe, complete with just the right music, from Tom Petty to Nirvana to The Beatles, and everything groovy.

For those who haven’t tried the Hippie yet, the menu is not full of weird stuff. There are all kinds of healthy, hearty options, from a simple grilled cheese sandwich to many vegetarian options, including the popular Tree Hugger bowl, as well as kid’s choices such as the Bambino Bowl, and daily specials such as Shrimps and Giggles, and much more. There’s plenty of meat for the carnivores, too, from pulled pork to chicken to brisket.

Konwinski is happy with the new location, for various reasons.

“I wanted to have a spot that we could have a separate line for delivery,” he said, “to be able to split the food-making up, so, in times where we’re busy, we’re able to double or close to double our capacity for what we can make.”

He said peak hours are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“That’s when we do the majority of our business,” Konwinski said. “It would speed both operations up. And, being in the middle of town, I thought this was pretty centrally located, and I thought that this would be a good area, easy in and out of Ripley, and there’s also a second building here. We will eventually do something with that, as well.”

He added that the property was “the right price, and a good fit.”

The building is roughly triple the size of the dome on State Avenue.

“That is not a facility that’s conducive to doing a full scale, with all the prep and everything, but we make it work,” he said. “It’s like living in a motorhome with five people every day. The size of it has its drawbacks, but it’s a really good location, and every square inch of it is really efficient.”

Konwinski anticipates that the dome location will be open from June to the end of August going forward.

“We have enough business to support two during that time,” he explained.

He noted that more and more people have come out to try his restaurant, of all different ages and backgrounds.

“Word of mouth, I think, has done really well,” Konwinski said. “We’ve seen the demographic that comes here change a lot over time. It’s a pretty wide mix of young/old people, men and women.”

He said Hungry Hippie customers are the coolest. He hasn’t had any issues with complaints or tension relating to the coronavirus pandemic, he said.

“All of our customers are awesome,” Konwinski said. “I think that we will continue to grow at a smaller, organic pace, and, eventually, if someone wants to come, they will, and if not, that’s the way it goes.”

He said his staff is very friendly and loyal.

“We have really good people working here,” Konwinski said. “When we need somebody, a good person falls from the sky.”

He added that he’s happy to be a part of the small business community in Alpena, and he has high hopes for the future of this area of Northeast Michigan.

“You just have to keep building something, and, I think, if it gets cool enough, eventually, I think, everybody will be interested in at least giving it a try,” he said.

Darby Hinkley is Lifestyles editor. She can be reached at 989-358-5691 or dhinkley@thealpenanews.com.