A staple of any culturally vibrant community is its live music scene. But how do the venues that provide that scene survive in high-priced downtowns and the growing digital economy? Concentrate's Richard Retyi does a deep dive into the business of booking bands for Ann Arbor's and Ypsilanti's stages.
They have clients that travel from as far as a thousand miles away. Some offer their employees health and retirement benefits. Others have attracted loyal customers via social media and late night hours. They are the crème de la crème of Ann Arbor's hair salons.
Why order a vodka tonic when you can have The Last Word? Or, better, a drink recipe that's created on site and with locally sourced ingredients? Custom cocktails (aka "mixology") have come to Ann Arbor and fans of unique libations are embracing the trio of downtown venues that sling more than just beer and shots.
Maker Works is the future of manufacturing. Tom Root, managinmg partner of Zingerman's Mail Order, has help found the ultimate D.I.Y. workshop, a place where members can access high-tech machines and learn to bring their designs to fruition.
With society's embrace of digital media, communication, and storage, public libraries are struggling to chart their future. From copyright to ownership to access, the tension between public and private concerns are as complicated as they are contentious. Luckily, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have leaders who understand that our local libraries must innovative and evolve in order to keep pace with technology.
It's one the earliest rites of manhood: the trip to the barbershop. And we're not talking half-priced haircut mills at the mall. Ann Arbor still has a few red-white-and-blue pole chop shops. Some even offer a straight-razor shave. Concentrate's Richard Retyi hops into the chair to find out how these old school barbershops survive in a downtown overrun with beauty salons.
It's not all about angel investing and venture capital at Concentrate. Some times you've got to focus on the little guy or gal. Which is what Kickstarter does, helping innovative ideas and people to find investment. From food to photography to music and movies, folks in Ann Arbor and Ypsi have used the crowd-sourcing financial service to get their pet projects off the ground.
Better than a belly flop but not quite a dive, Ann Arbor businesses are starting to leverage social media as a way to connect with customers. Richard Retyi surveys who's doing what on the Internet and how it's helping their bottom line.
To the untrained eye, Adam Lowenstein and Justin Herrick look like accidental entrepreneurs. Tossing aside their academic studies, the former Californians opened a burrito joint and just kept growing. From Big Ten Burrito to Goodtime Charley's to Alley Bar to the alt-fueled BTB party buses, the two friends have built a small kingdom of successful businesses.
Man does not live by bread alone. Frequently there must be beverage. Preferably fermented. And should bread fail to soak up said beverage, well, bar food must fill the void. Concentrate hails Ann Arbor's best pubs, cafes, and joints for libations and grub.
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