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Broadway Bar on hunt for modern day ‘Grinch’

Posted at 10:43 PM, Nov 11, 2015
and last updated 2015-11-11 22:43:59-05

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- A Grand Rapids west side watering hole is known for spreading holiday cheer with some elaborate decorations, but this year may not be as merry and bright as years past.

The Broadway Bar, located at 740 Broadway Ave. NW, recently found an unpleasant surprise. Managers discovered a piece missing from their holiday collection and now they're seeking your help to find whoever took the holiday cheer.

"North Pole on the West Side, that's what I call it anyway," said Thomas Schuitema, a manager at the Broadway Bar.

Schuitema is the man behind the Broadway Bar's decor, "decking its halls" for the past 22 years.

Over the years, Schuitema has collected his fair share of moving figurines, from Santas to reindeer to dogs. He says he has more than 100, some older than 60 years.

This Christmas, Schuitema is looking to get one of them back after someone helped themselves to one of the bar's animated toys, taking to social media to say this:

If you want to steal Christmas, do it in Whoville, they'll be much nicer about it than we will. This video was captured on Sunday, November 8th. As you can see, this person (and we know who you are) decided to help herself to one of the animated toys that are put out for the enjoyment of our patrons, young and old, during the Holiday Season. We ask that you return it and all is forgiven; however, if you decide to keep it, we will ask the GRPD to help us get it back.

"I've got a lot of old ones you can't replace, I bring them out every year and people keep stealing them," Schuitema said.

He says each toy costs roughly $15, but Schuitema says it's not about the price.

"I do this every year for the kids," he said.

They're hoping whoever took that toy will soon remember the true meaning behind the holiday season.

"It's not the value of the toy, it's what the toy means to all of the individuals that come here to get the experience of Christmas, because look around, this is Christmas."

If you want to check out the Broadway Bar's decorations for yourself. Schuitema says they'll be up until the third week of January.

Managers say reservations are filling up fast.