Ann Arbor native revives Blue Front with craft beer focus

The life of a longtime Ann Arbor establishment is getting extended and refreshed with the reopening of the Blue Front on Packard under new ownership and a new look. Ann Arbor native Adam Gottschalk opened his completely renovated version of the beer store last week after receiving a hot tip about the business opportunity just five months ago from his father.  "It's been kind of a weird and very quick journey," says Gottschalk, whose parents manage the residential units above the store. "My dad said, 'Blue Front closed, why don't you move back and open up your own store? You have to decide by Monday.'" Gottschalk was already following his passion for beer working for a beer retailer in Chicago, so it didn't take much for he and his wife to make the decision to take the leap. Since then, the approximately 1,500 square foot building has been totally renovated, including new floors, walls, ceilings, coolers and more.  "People are always saying, 'I used to come in there all the time,'" Gottschalk says. "We want it to be that again. We're trying to bring back that neighborhood feel." Along with that cozy aesthetic, the new Blue Front offers about 600 different beers and 150 wines. Gottschalk hopes to eventually expand his wine selection more, as well as offer weekly beer tastings in the shop. He recently hired his first employee, and expects to hire one to two additional staff members in the future.  Source: Adam Gottschalk, Blue Front Writer: Natalie Burg