Art Fair Bingo Board
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2026 July
Fifty Years of Observing Ann Arbor
When we were reflecting on how to report on our fiftieth anniversary, we decided to turn the mirror to our audience, and ask how the Observer has impacted them beyond staying up on what’s happening in our corner of the world. We were delighted to hear not just from readers, but also advertisers, former employees, and past and present contributors. It was a powerful reminder of how tightly the Observer is knit into this community. Here now are some of the stories they shared. Some are surprising, some are funny, some gave us goosebumps, and you might want to get the tissues, just in case.
Read MoreJuly 2026 Marketplace Closings
Tios and Ginger Deli end their run on E. Liberty; bank branches to close as Fifth Third, Comerica consolidate.
Read MoreA Remedy for the Homesick NFL Fan
The Huddle, highlighting licensed sports merchandise primarily from throughout the NFL, is now in play at Briarwood Mall. It’s an in-person alternative to online shopping for fans of out-of-market teams, offering Packers clocks, Browns mugs, Steelers oven mitts, and Dolphins steak knives, for example.
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Sewing Studio Reinforces the Social Fabric
From a spacious segment of a former factory on Felch St., Marengo Sewing Studio offers apparel fabrics for what sewist and owner Kate English calls “elevated basics,” patterns from indie designers, a large format pattern printer, supplies and accessories, Janome sewing machines, classes, and a social sewing night on Thursdays.
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New Briarwood Anchor: Dick’s Sporting Goods
The nation’s largest retailer of its type, Dick’s Sporting Goods is leveling up its Ann Arbor presence beginning with a grand opening weekend June 26–28 at Briarwood Mall.
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Good to the Last Crumb
“This is the Good to the Last Crumb mural by Jesse Kassel,” says Cathy Chow. The mural graces “the west-facing wall of the historic Pretzel Bell Building at 120 E. Liberty St.,” says David Frye, citing the A2 Art Center Murals website. “The full mural includes (among other things) a pretzel and a bell.”
Read MorePeeking In on Hummus Republic, Dip Scoop
The core offering at Hummus Republic is a Chipotle-style customizable choice of wraps, pitas, or bowls filled with a base, plus hummus, proteins, vegetables, and dressings. Dip Scoop will have twelve varieties of Hershey’s Ice Cream with toppings, milkshakes, smoothies, and slushies.
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Patricia M. Garcia
Patricia Garcia was born in Grand Rapids, the second of three daughters, and the family later moved to Lansing and Kalamazoo to follow her father’s career. A World War II Navy veteran who served on the USS Howorth, he worked as a barber when Garcia was young, and her mother stayed home. She recalls visiting his shop on her days off of school: “We’d play checkers with my dad and spin in his chair, and he’d cut our bangs.”
Read MoreShibam Adds an Outpost on S. Main
Shibam Coffee Co., the newest addition to the burgeoning Yemeni coffeehouse scene, may be part of a chain, but it’s also a family business, locally owned and operated. Found in the ground floor retail space of the Brady on S. Main, it’s the first hospitality venture for accountant Amjed Oudeif and his father and brother. The Ypsilanti Twp. family is partnering on the franchise of the Dearborn-based parent company, which now has nineteen stores, with ten more in the works.
Read MoreLetter to the Editor: EV Rebates
The city’s plan to spend $500,000 to give qualified residents about $4,000 to $7,500 to buy a new or used EV shows poor judgement at the very least.
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The 8 Ball Saloon
Let’s celebrate National Dive Bar Day—a real thing! July 7—and toast Ann Arbor’s only remaining true dive,* the 8 Ball Saloon. Tucked beneath the Blind Pig, it’s the place where musicians, pool sharks, students, townies, punks, and insomniacs slide in for cheap drinks, pool, darts, and free popcorn while the rest of town worries about its LinkedIn profile.
Read MoreNew Kitchen Rules at Wolverine Pickleball
Wolverine Pickleball, the indoor/outdoor playground and lounge for grown-ups, is now serving up some elevated fare. The Den provides a permanent kitchen for both casual dining and catered events.
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There’s a New Shroom Shop Among Us
Since 2020, when Ann Arbor essentially decriminalized entheogenic plants and fungi, no fewer than ten storefronts have sprung up throughout town. The newest shop is Psilly on S. Main, owned by Kyle Price and his sister, Cari Johnson, who started the business five years ago as a delivery service. “We’ve kind of aimed toward the mental health portion of this business,” Page says. “Not that we don’t have people that come in for recreational purposes, but that seems to be kind of our area. We work with some doctors in the area that are doing integrated plant medicine with their therapy.”
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Bespoke K9 Tayloring
We received 160 entries correctly identifying the Fake Ad for Bespoke K9 Tayloring on page 61 of the June issue.
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Follow the Balloons!
Gallery Nights opens the doors of seven galleries, plus coffee shops and artist-friendly boutiques throughout Kerrytown on the final Thursday evening of every summer month from 5–8 p.m. Every participating business has a set of balloons floating in front of their door to invite you in. This choose-your-own-adventure of engaging activities is designed to break down the barriers between professional artists and the public with a smorgasbord of eclectic, diverse art-making and art-viewing—all for free.
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Questions Worth Asking
The musical Fiddler on the Roof opens with the protagonist Tevye saying, “Each one of us is a...
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Meeting Points
We spoke with three painters, one from each fair, whose work engages with “intersections,” a concept that encompasses much of what the fairs are all about: exploring points of connection and embracing individuality and commonality at once.
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Running Into Trouble
“[A] 140-home enclave set on rolling hills between the Huron River and Whitmore Lake Road” and “a masterpiece of the landscaper’s art.” That’s how a June 2005 Observer piece, “The Buried History of Barton Hills,” described Barton Hills Village (BHV). Two decades later, there’s trouble in paradise.
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A Century in Ann Arbor
“I love Ann Arbor for its ability to move forward with an open heart,” says Margaret Laird. “That’s what Ann Arbor is.”
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