# Plainwell's 1887 Paper Mill Reborn as Million-Dollar Classic Auto Destination
PLAINWELL, Mich. -- A paper mill that once employed hundreds of people and helped shape Plainwell's identity is getting a completely different future.
The historic property, which has sat largely unused since closing in 2000, is being transformed into the Michigan Classic Auto Mill: a destination centered around classic cars, restoration, events and eventually other businesses and restaurants.
From Paper to Pistons
The people behind the redevelopment are husband and wife Darius and Rimante Grigaliunas, owners of Classic Auto Factory in DeKalb, Illinois.
The couple decided to take on the massive project and move their family to Michigan after seeing an opportunity to turn a long-vacant industrial property into something that could bring people together.
"We were looking for a destination location that was a redemption of an area to bring something to the community and bring people together," Darius said.
A 137-Year History
The Plainwell mill dates back to 1887, when the Michigan Paper Company established operations at the site. For more than a century, the mill produced paper and provided jobs for generations of local families.
The mill eventually closed in 2000 after more than 110 years of operations. What followed was nearly 26 years of limited activity on the massive property.
A 20-Year Cleanup
The City of Plainwell eventually took ownership and began working through the complicated process of preparing the site for redevelopment. Environmental contamination was among the biggest challenges because the property is part of a Superfund site.
Plainwell City Manager Justin Lakamper said roughly 60 to 70 percent of the buildings that once stood on the property have been demolished over the past decade, along with extensive environmental remediation.
"This is a 20-year project in the making," Lakamper said.
City leaders said several potential investors considered the property over the years but walked away after seeing the amount of work required. That changed when the Grigaliunases came along.
Darius had already successfully operated a classic automobile business in DeKalb, Illinois, and had experience taking on a large industrial building. A former college teammate and friend also helped point him toward the Plainwell property.
For Mayor Brad Keeler, that experience made the couple stand out.
"It took very special people to do this because he has already done this in another big building like this in DeKalb, Illinois," Keeler said. "He already knew how to do it and he stepped right up."
Sold for $1
The city ultimately sold the remaining vacant buildings to the couple for $1.
Keeler said the price was not about giving away a valuable property. It was about finding someone willing to take responsibility for a site that required extensive work before it could become productive again.
Multimillion-Dollar Vision
The couple says that work includes infrastructure that had been absent for years, including lighting, electricity, plumbing and utilities, along with continued environmental work.
Darius estimates the redevelopment will be a multimillion-dollar investment over several years.
"This is a three to five year journey. This is not something that you just flip," Darius said.
A Family Relocation
The couple moved their family from Illinois to Michigan eight months ago, initially living in an apartment before recently moving into a house.
They have been together since 2008 and have three children, including 12-year-old son Benediktas and 9-year-old twin daughters Salomeja and Antanina.
For Rimante, originally from Lithuania, the move also represents a personal connection to American car culture. She remembers stepping off the plane on her first trip to the United States and being amazed by the variety of cars on American roads.
"I walked out of the plane and I was like, oh my gosh, what is going on? There's a yellow one and a red one and the green one and an orange one," Rimante said.
Ducks in Plainwell
The couple has incorporated its family into the identity of the project. Ducks appear throughout the property and branding, a reference to the family's belief that they stay calm on the outside while constantly working behind the scenes.
Their son even describes himself as a little duck following his parents and sisters through the family's latest adventure.
Full Circle for Former Workers
Some of the people currently working on the renovation once worked inside the paper mill when it was still operating.
Lakamper said seeing former mill workers return to the property in a new role is a full-circle moment.
"This is something that will put us on the map as a destination," Lakamper said.
What's Coming
The city also expects the redevelopment to bring new jobs, additional tax revenue and more visitors to Plainwell. Because the city owned the vacant property, it did not generate the same tax revenue that an operating business can provide. Putting the property back into productive use is expected to change that.
The couple's vision includes classic car restoration and storage, a showroom, live music, family activities and green space. They also plan to eventually add restaurants and potentially other recreational or entertainment offerings.
Rimante said the goal is for visitors to experience the historic building while also having a reason to spend time in the community.
Grand Opening October 3
The first major opportunity for the public to see the transformation is scheduled for Oct. 3, when the Michigan Classic Auto Mill plans to hold its grand opening.
The event is expected to include classic cars, live music and a children's area, while also giving people an opportunity to walk inside the historic mill and see the changes for themselves.
For the Grigaliunases, however, the grand opening is only the beginning.
"I just want people to see a diamond for the community," Darius said.
The couple plans to continue developing the property over the next several years, with restaurants and other businesses among the possibilities.