News
Latest
Signs of Spring—in Fall
Scientists have a name and a theory for those untimely blooms.
“We’re Storytellers.”
A new chapter in the legacy of Downtown Home and Garden.
Her Pivot Foot Is Planted at U-M
Barnes Arico’s next big leap: steering her team through a new era in college athletics.
Dark Patterns in the Tattoo Business
Artists warn of impostors scamming customers.
The Gelman Plume: Waiting for a Remedy
Eight months after the Superfund designation, where do things stand with the city’s water supply?
Gretchen Gives the House Away
Gretchen Preston is entrusting her early childhood education company to its employees.Community
Latest
A Better Way to Disagree
Braver Angels movement calls for more productive dialogue across the political divide.
Don’t Just Stand There
A U-M club gets involved in improving transit for passengers, before they board.
How Slippery Rock Scored a Place in Big House Tradition
A longtime PA announcer stumbled upon a Pennsylvania college with a funny name, and turned it into a surefire crowd pleaser. (Boo Shippensburg!)
Chris Joseph
Musician, performer, and educator who reaches for the high notes
A Tireless Advocate for Saline’s Children
Life’s challenges propel a career serving teens, foster kids, and students with special needs.
A Family and Farm that Grew Together
From a modest plot of “unimproved pasture,” the Schlosses developed Washtenaw Meats and strong ties to Dexter.Fun Stuff
Latest
Hail to the Evictors
The Foster Bridge
Minor Landmarks | November 2026
Hub William Mural
I Spy Update | November 2026
Elect Ed Nimby
Fake Ad Update | November 2026
Cork Run
Fake Ad Update | October 2026
The York Sign
Minor Landmarks | October 2026
Making It
Spirit of Ann Arbor
I Spy Update | October 2026Business
Latest
“We’re Storytellers.”
A new chapter in the legacy of Downtown Home and Garden.Dark Patterns in the Tattoo Business
Artists warn of impostors scamming customers.Gretchen Gives the House Away
Gretchen Preston is entrusting her early childhood education company to its employees.
Reckoning With the Loss of Kline’s Lot
Construction project has business owners grumbling about parking: “Where are people going to go?”
Doors Open at the Big House of Dorms
What will Wolverine Village mean for the city’s housing market?
Defying Density
Opponents of a Glazier Way townhouse project say it plainly: Not in our backyard.
On the Ballot in November: A New Power Structure
Ann Arbor voters will decide whether to create a municipal electric utility that would ultimately replace DTE.
Fueling Up With Fried Chicken
Blazin Coop stands out for its location and Halal offerings.Marketplace
Latest
Blimpy Burger Returns in a Less-Stressful Form
Expect “tactful banter” rather than taunts from the cooks as you order.
Ziggi’s Coffee
A chance remark inspires a drive- thru coffee shop.
Golden Pancake Cafe
Breakfast place adds to a family’s west side empire.
Concrete Chelsea Boardshop
A father-and-son skateboard shop keeps the town shredding
JDs Stage Bistro
Dinner and a show (and pizza), courtesy of Jeff Daniels
The Arboretum Music Venue
A tribute to Tree Town, featuring live acts, refreshments, and plant life.
The Enchanted Depot
A historic building becomes a book store.
For Clothes That Deserve a Second Chance
Sister-brother team envisions Purgatory Exchange as a judgment-free resale shop.Culture
Latest
Cosmo Whyte’s Under the Quiet, Beyond the Eye
A new retrospective takes the stage at Stamps.
Bastard at the Purple Rose
Devin Scillian’s Wild Family Ride
New Tricks at the Creature Conservancy
Armadillos, rainforest animals, & tortoise yoga
The Artist as Historian
We Hold These Truths … at UMMA
K-Culture Meets Classical Music at Hill Auditorium
SeAH Korean Art Song Gala
Touché, My Friend
Athena at Theatre Nova
A Fourth Attempt at Forever
Emma’s Wedding(s) at the Purple Rose
Follow the Balloons!
Gallery Night in KerrytownSince 1976
The Ann Arbor Observer has been putting readers in touch with our town. Packed with concise and insightful news of people, politics, education, shopping, dining, and entertainment, our newsprint magazine has a monthly circulation of 53,000.
Ann Arbor Observer City Guides
Guide to Ann Arbor shopping, dining, senior services, health care, and schools. Mailed free to Ann Arbor residents, with a bonus circulation of 500 for retail, real estate offices, and U-M.