Retail :
Featured Stories
Concentrate Staff
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Maybe you haven't noticed but more and more businesses have been moving into Ypsilanti, fueling a drive to revive the downtown as a vibrant commercial destination. So, how do things look at street level? To answer that question we've invited local business owners to talk about how they're doing and where things are going. Sign up now for this May 2 event!
Richard Retyi
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Pundits have been ringing the death knell for independent bookstores for years. As we move into a digital future the printed word's demise is inevitable, they say. That hasn't stopped Hilary Lowe and Michael Gustafson's plans to open Literati Bookstore in downtown Ann Arbor. Concentrate's Richard Retyi chats with some local veterans about how the duo can prove the naysayers wrong.
Concentrate Staff
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Change is inevitable. Slowly but surely Ann Arbor's downtown is reflecting that fact as old businesses fade away and new businesses move in. Concentrate's January speaker event looks at downtown's next generation of entrepreneur - who they are, the challenges they face, the experiences they've had, and the things they'd like to see in our community. Join us for a spirited conversation at The Bar At Braun Ct. TOMORROW for happy hour. Sign up now, space is limited!
Patrick Dunn
Wednesday, January 09, 2013
Maybe they learned it from playing games. After the four partners who owned toy company Giddy Up sold their business in 2011 they had to decide what to do next. So, they moved their pieces back to start and launched another toy company - Kahootz. First on the agenda? Introducing a new generation to a classic favorite: Spirograph.
Doug Coombe
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
The Ann Arbor Art Fairs inspired The Shadow Art Fair. The Shadow Art Fair begat The Krampus Ball. And so it goes, on and on, one artistic endeavor fueling the next. Concentrate's ace photographer Doug Coombe introduces you to the crafty folks who populate winter's ever-growing indie art fair scene.
Patrick Dunn
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
This ain't just another version of Monopoly. Or another excuse to push a pop-o-matic. Board games have grown up and they're attracting a new and diverse generation of devotees. Employing smarts, strategy, and social engagement, these challenging and often cooperative games have found both popular and economic success in Ann Arbor.
Tanya Muzumdar
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
After the fall of many of Southeast Michigan's urban trees to the emerald ash borer and other misfortunes, a group of sustainability-minded individuals were left standing. Concentrate talks with Urbanwood, a partnership that's now a national model of recycling trees into green products.
Tanya Muzumdar
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
Art Fairs as a business incubator? There was a time when that was possible ...and Bradley Cross is proof. Founder and owner of Harmony Hollow Bell Works, he's built his successful Ann Arbor studio into one of the only three bell making companies in the United States.
Tanya Muzumdar
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
It's an electric scooter showroom. And a book store. And a place for social events. The Detroit Scooter Salon and Taiwan Bookstore in Ypsilanti is truly a destination unto itself, redefining the notion of what it means to create a "third place" in your community.
Richard Retyi
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
In an age of corporate big box shopping and free-shipping, tax-dodging Internet sales, cash mobs are using tweets and Facebook posts to support local retail. This local first flash mob movement is gaining momentum across the country with Ann Arbor and Detroit joining 200 other groups to participate in the first ever International Cash Mob Day on March 24th. Will you be there?
Nicole Rupersburg
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Where can you get pastries, coffee, fashion, and furniture under one roof? Oh, and a little opera and theater too? The Mix Marketplace is the latest cool idea to pop up in Ypsilanti's increasingly DIY downtown. It's where retail, community, and culture meet to create a one-of-a-kind destination. Concentrate gets the skinny.
Concentrate Staff
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Looking for that perfect gift to send to your out-of-state friends or distant relatives? How about a care package of Michigan-made products? To provide you with a little inspiration, Concentrate has gathered together the videos we've made about local companies.
Jon Zemke
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
The idea of establishing a pedestrian mall in downtown Ann Arbor has long been discussed but never acted upon. Concentrate's Jon Zemke looks at how some communities have found great success with their people-only plazas, but most have encountered failure. Would Tree Town buck the odds or struggle like the rest?
Constance Crump
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
As Ann Arbor's Main Street becomes all about food and restaurants, the blocks that make up State and Liberty are blossoming with retail. More specifically, fashion. Concentrate takes a look at how everything old is new again for this downtown business district.
Constance Crump
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Communities across Michigan are waving the Buy Local flag in support of independent businesses and homegrown entrepreneurs. But it's more than just a nice sentiment, it's an important strategy for building a vibrant and robust local economy.