Cupcake businesses no creampuffs in downtown Ann Arbor

What does it say about a city when it’s downtown has not one but two cupcake-based businesses? Quite a lot apparently.”I think it’s a quality of life indicator if there ever was one,” says Susan Pollay, executive director of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority. “Not only do we have two cupcake stores, we have two dog biscuits/food stores. It says a lot about downtown Ann Arbor as a place that encourages these types of unique businesses.”The Cupcake Station, first opened in Birmingham, just opened on Liberty Street about one block east of Main Street. It joins Cake Nouveau on Fourth Avenue. Cupcake businesses aren’t necessarily the stores that leaders of cities usually drool over. They don’t have the status of say a Trader Joe’s or an Urban Outfitters, but it is exactly the kind of small, quirky business that once filled downtown.Some have said that the exit of stores like Fantasy Attic and Harry’s Army Surplus only to be replaced with more and more restaurants and bars has chipped away at the strength of downtown. Perhaps cupcakes will be part of what makes it stronger.Source: Susan Pollay, executive director of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development AuthorityWriter: Jon Zemke