2016 August

An Observer staffer who lives in east Ann Arbor describes the businesses around Packard and Platt as having a “low-energy charm.” The quiet backwater of shops, restaurants, and services can make you grateful that...

When Roger Pothus named his clothing store Renaissance in the early 1970s, he probably didn’t realize how apt the name would be: he has been revamping his store at regular intervals ever since. In forty-five years,...

In 2007 Zingerman’s unveiled its “Vision 2020,” setting out broad goals for what the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses (ZCoB) would look like in 2020. According to the document, although “back in...

Asked how tempting it is to have his own bar in the back of his building, Brad Payeur says “I found out I can’t afford to drink here.”Glasshouse Brewing, which Brad owns with his identical twin, Brent, and...