Meet Molly!

Molly Chipouras has been enjoying her summers in South Haven since she was in high school, where she created some of her most cherished memories. And now, years later, she returns to her favorite town as a homeowner, where she spends time building memories year-round with her friends, husband, and two kids, visiting the local businesses she’s always enjoyed.

Growing up in Kalamazoo, Molly was just a 45-minute drive from the beautiful town of South Haven, where she and her friends used to spend weekends on the beach, and dining and shopping at their favorite local spots downtown, like Captain Nemos and Clementines. She always dreamt of owning her own home there one day - a dream that’s come to life through helping other families create their own memories in her favorite beach town.  

“South Haven has been a big part of my life,” said Molly, a Michigan native. “I’ve always spent time here with the people I love most, and now I get to experience it with my kids and see them enjoy it as much as I always have. Their favorite activity is playing at the park down the block from our home. We take them there two to three times a day, and practically have to beg to leave each time…we love it.”

When Molly married, she and her husband took many day trips on weekends out to South Haven, and always talked about owning their own home there. And in the summer of 2020, they finally made it happen.

“We took the risk of buying a property not knowing what was going to come of the economy. So we ultimately decided to rent the property when we were not enjoying it ourselves to help pay the mortgage and afford to keep it for our family for years to come.”

 Molly still visits the South Haven with her friends as she did in high school. Every November, she and her friends take a “girl’s trip” to the town, where they spend Friday nights at Taste for dinner and shop and walk all of downtown on Saturday. And of course, each day is started with a cup of coffee from Snake Oil Roasters, her personal favorite.

When she’s not shopping with friends or playing at the beach and park with her family, Molly and her husband look for ways to give back to the community they love calling home. “My husband and I give to the South Haven Vacation Rental Community Fund, which gives back to local high schoolers and invests in other community projects, like the outdoor pavilion that’s being built in the city for community members and visitors to enjoy.

“We’re not just here to enjoy the town for what it has to offer - we’re part of this community, and we take pride in that and want to help it grow so that other families can enjoy it, too, for decades to come.”