Owner, The Exchange Bar and Grill
Grant Baidas has an acute ability to spot potential. His first venture after college was in a leadership position with General RV, which his grandfather started in 1964 and is now the nation’s largest family-owned recreational vehicle dealer. Not content to rest on past success, Grant launched an e-commerce division for General RV, eventually expanding it to a virtual store. He rose to the level of head of e-commerce operations and became part-owner.
Recently, Grant channeled his entrepreneurial passion into reviving a tavern in Northville, Michigan, with a rich history. From 1900 to 1936, it was the Exchange Hotel, and later it welcomed patrons under a variety of names including Poole’s Tavern, Getzie’s Pub, Little Joe’s Bar and Smith Tavern. Grant renamed the tavern The Exchange Bar and Grill as a tribute to its historic roots. The family friendly gathering place is freshly renovated and features a new rooftop and additional seating to welcome the community, and according to some, Northville’s best burger.
It’s hard not to be inspired by the passion Grant has for the entrepreneurial spirit and empowering others to follow their dreams. He shares that his lessons from Northwood taught him to never quit, event while starting a dream in the middle of a pandemic. He states that when it comes to business, “fear is a good thing, it’s just about overcoming it to be successful.”
Grant graduated from Northwood with a degree in business management in 2010 and has been an engaged alumnus and annual donor ever since. Grant served on the NU Gala committee for three years, and in 2017, he was awarded the Northwood University Young Alumni Award.
