Tree of Life
I spy “the ‘Tree of Life’ statue on the corner of State St. and North University,” writes Catrin Koselka.
Read More
Ann Arbor
The Rise of Busch’s
The company’s stores in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, Lenawee, and Washtenaw Counties employ 1,600 people. Busch’s is privately held and doesn’t disclose sales figures, but ZoomInfo.com lists them at $296 million annually.
Read MoreA Crowded Map, Starchitects, and the Historic Occupants of a Historic House
There are more than 270 sales charted here, and we wish we could say the market is suddenly roaring. In truth, that crowd of triangles and circles reflects the assessors of Scio and Superior townships catching up after not uploading their sales to the state’s online database for months.
Read More
A Boy on a Schwinn
I think my life hit its peak when I had a bike and two dollars in my pocket.
Read More
Joetta Mae Mial
Joetta was someone who appreciated life and exemplified kindness. She will be remembered for her warmth, generosity, and the undeniably loving spirit she brought into the world.
Read More
Spendthrift
“‘This isn’t Lycra U’ is very cute,” writes Steve Worden, “and using a U and you for (w) for the record, is one of your cleverer name arrangements.”
Read More
AADL’s Summer Game
Since its modernization, the Summer Game has increased significantly in popularity. Retyi says that last summer they hit record numbers of participants, amassing nearly 15,000 sign-ups. This year, they’re on track to beat that record; more than 11,000 players and 3,000 lawn signs with redeemable codes for Summer Game points have been registered already.
Read More
A Greco-Roman Mural on Summit St.
“I spied with my little eye a mural at the entrance to [the] building at 124 W. Summit St.,” writes Isabel McEwen. It’s “in a little garden that backs up to the train tracks on the east border of … Water Hill,” says Dyke McEwen. “I visit friends nearby,” adds Dave Bicknell, “and always look to make sure it’s still there.”
This content is for subscribers only.
Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now
Already a member? Log in here
From Coney Islands to Turkish Cuisine
Inspired by a trip to Turkey in 2023, Eddie Alasad of Sterling Heights branched out from several Leo’s Coney Islands he owns to launch Turkish Village Cuisine in Dearborn last year. Now he’s customizing the concept for a college town with an all-day, every-day combination of full-service and fast-casual fare.
Read More
Coming Home
“I always missed Ann Arbor—the slower pace of life, seeing familiar faces around town, being close to my family and friends of fifteen-plus years,” Carter says. She enjoys “going back to all of the wonderful restaurants, shops, museums, libraries, parks, and events that I loved growing up and now getting to share that with my family.”
Read MoreWhen Walking at Briarwood Cost $42,000
They allege their parents were coerced with high-pressure sales tactics to purchase wildly overpriced skin care products and devices. One man, who asked not to be identified, said his father, an Ann Arborite with dementia and sciatica, paid them more than $42,000 while walking in the mall for exercise between mid-December and mid-February.
Read More
State Line Fireworks
While the team at Fake Ad Central was collating this month’s responses, the Czar happened to get his water quality report, and did something few people have probably ever done: read it.
Read MoreThat Brutalist Church on E. Huron
“It won an award for its unusual design—a concrete slab building, with windowless interior walls [and] indirect natural light,” reader Louisa Griffes wrote in response to Sally Bjork’s 2021 Observer I Spy contest. It “was named Holy Toaster because of its slab-sided design,” added Terri Klein Gordinier.
Read More
Zibby Oneal
Zibby Oneal, author of several acclaimed young adult novels and a lecturer in English at the University of Michigan, died on January 23, 2025, at her home in Ann Arbor, MI. She was 90 years old.
Read More
Leah Litman
Litman brings a blend of humor and scholarship to her new book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes. Pop culture references that include Barbie, Game of Thrones, and Taylor Swift help illustrate her witty analytic history of key SCOTUS rulings.
Read More
Driver’s Ed for All
Three Pioneer High School moms have joined forces to fund driver’s education classes for thirty-six Pioneer students in the upcoming school year. It’s a pilot project for their new Drive Forward Foundation, which aspires to provide fully funded driver’s education for underserved students throughout Washtenaw County.
Read MoreTorn and Frayed and MF Shrooms
Offering mostly vintage fashions plucked from estate sales and the like, Torn and Frayed (its name evoking a deep cut from the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main St.) took the spot long occupied by Stadium Pharmacy.
Read MoreAt Kerrytown, a Knife Store and a Bigger Nuuyuu
The departure of one longtime merchant from Kerrytown Market & Shops has made room for two newer businesses to grow.
Read MoreOnce Upon a Grill Exits
Furrokh Khan has closed Once Upon a Grill at 3148 Packard after nine years. Largely a one-person take-out operation, it was known for its authentic kati rolls and biryani dishes.
Read MoreSubs and Wings Join the Guys
Two more quick-service eateries have opened in the latest Meijer out-lot building in Scio Twp. Penn Station East Coast Subs and Wing Snob have joined Five Guys (Marketplace Changes, June) and an upcoming UPS Store.
Read More