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.
As we reported back in June, Zingerman's classes aren't just yummy, they're attracting out-of-town tourists. Excerpt: "Students in the four-day program, which costs $1,000, can specialize in breads, pastries or a combined "world tour" course of international baked goods. Two-day courses, at $500, focus on either pastries or breads. Bake-cation classes are limited to 12 students to allow for one-on-one instruction, and Zingerman's staff members take care of measuring the ingredients and cleaning up afterward." Read the rest of the story here.
Visiting TechArb, writer Alexis Madrigal of The Atlantic witnesses a seed change in the way college students view entrepreneurship. THe name of his article says it all, "These Students Love Startups Like the Animal House Guys Loved Beer" Excerpt: "I mean, I'm not even in Generation X and I find it easy to be cynical about this kind of excitement for putting one's shoulder to the capitalist wheel. At the same time, their excitement is infectious. I spent the rest of my time at TechArb excitedly talking with students about the companies they're trying to build and before I knew it, two hours had gone by and I was still not quite ready to leave. These are kids who probably first heard "Start Me Up" on a Microsoft commercial. You say you want a revolution? Well, you know, we all want to change the world." Read the rest here.
The remaking of Washtenaw Avenue, the busiest throughway in Washtenaw County in terms of traffic volume, has begun. Reimagine Washtenaw, a coalition of representatives from the cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti and Pittsfield and Ypsilanti townships, and other organizations, is using a portion of the county's $3 million HUD Community Challenge Planning grant to hire consultants to study and recommend options to make the corridor friendlier to all transportation forms and improve the efficiency of public transit. "Part of the challenge right now is there are so many bus stops along the route," says Nathan Voght, project manager for Reimagine Washtenaw. "Because of the corridor lacking sidewalks, you have to have more bus stops to let people get to those stops. And if we can consolidate those by working with the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, it actually makes the service more efficient." Smith Group JJR and Parsons Brinkerhoff will be doing a right of way study, designing AATA bus stops, and recommending locations for additional bike lanes, sidewalks, and other non-motorized facilities, including possibly mid-block crossings, according to Nathan Voght, project manager for Reimagine Washtenaw. The study will wrap up in September of 2013. Meanwhile, MDOT's addition of sidewalks on both sides of Washtenaw underneath the U.S. 23 overpass is expected to be complete by November, Voght says. And the construction of Arbor Hills Crossing, a 90,000-square-foot office and retail center across from Whole Foods is under way. "What's great about that is that [the city of] Ann Arbor modified some of their zoning regulations to help push the vision for the corridor," making it better-suited for alternative transportation methods, says Voght. "They for example required parking to be not in the front yard – so it would be in the side yard, or the rear yard – and required the buildings to have a maximum setback from the street instead of the traditional minimum setback." The city has an easement for a wide sidewalk and an AATA transit stop in front of the center. "That's the irony of these corridors, is we built them thinking they're so great, you can get in your car and get to any of these businesses, but it's gotten to the point where you tolerate the corridor instead of experience it in a positive way. We can change that," Voght says. Source: Nathan Voght, project manager for Reimagine Washtenaw Writer: Tanya Muzumdar
It looks like thirteen is a lucky number. On its guest list of 13 awesome cities for start-ups, Business2Community ranks Ann Arbor alongside Chicago, Portland, and Madison. Excerpt: “Ann Arbor has a thriving entrepreneurship community due to the University of Michigan, Michigan economic development initiatives and, most importantly, entrepreneurs that choose to grow their companies here. Plus the quality of life is fantastic: There’s plenty of art, culture and shopping, but it only takes 15 minutes to get from the edge of town to city center (unless there’s a football game!)." Read the rest here.
Garlic lovers now have oodles more alternatives to the heaping bin of single-selection generic white garlic bulbs at most grocery stores. Dick and Diana Dyer, owners of Dyer Family Organic Farm (aka Dick's Pretty Good Garlic), grow 40 varieties on their Superior Township farm. "A lot of people think garlic is garlic until they taste the differences between these varieties and then they think, well, there's kind of a range of flavors," Dick Dyer says. "Actually that garlic in the big commodity grocery stores is typically up to 10 months old by the time it gets on the shelf and 80% of it comes from China...by the time it gets to the market it's lost a lot of the quality of fresher garlic," he adds. Each year the Dyers, who are finishing their third season of commercial growing, plant garlic on a half-acre plot – enough for 20,000 plants. Dyer estimates they've sold 15,000 heads of garlic so far this year, with 2,000 remaining. "The other 3,000 will serve as seed stock for growing the 20,000 heads we have to plant in October." The Dyers supply area restaurants, including The Grange, Ravens Club, Zingerman's Deli, Zingerman's Roadhouse, among others. They also usually have about 10 varieties on hand at area farmers' markets -- the downtown Ypsilanti market on Tuesdays; the Kerrytown market on Wednesdays; Ann Arbor's Westside Farmer's Market on Thursdays; and the Dixboro market on Fridays. However, "this is the last week we'll be selling at all four farmers markets. We're just about sold out for this year," says Dick Dyer. They will continue sales at the Dixboro market until the rest of the crop is gone. The couple are the sole employees of the farm, which also offers seasonal items: vinegar flavored with garlic scapes and chive blossoms, honey from their bee hives, and other vegetables including baby pumpkins and zucchini. And they eat what they sow. Personally, the Dyers use garlic in just about every dish. They've even got a recipe for your snack shelf: garlic brittle. Source: Dick Dyer, co-owner, Dyer Family Organic Farm Writer: Tanya Muzumdar
Having one solar-powered, green-minded brewpub in your community is pretty awesome. Having two is twice the awesome. Excerpt: "The Corner Brewery’s $250,000 “Green Brewery Project” includes solar-thermal, photovoltaic, and geo-thermal technologies along with new windows, awnings and energy-efficient chiller equipment. It is expected to provide almost all of the brewery’s hot water needs and up to 15 percent of its electricity, while knocking $20,000 each year off energy bills." Read the rest here.
Those looking for a respite from Ann Arbor's go-go entrepreneurial and test-cramming culture have a new spa to look forward to with the planned opening of Jessica's Skin & Body Care Apothecary at 301 N. Fifth Avenue next month. Owner and esthetician Jessica Elkins will be relocating from a room in the A2 Yoga Building. "Currently my location is open for services by appointment only so it will be wonderful to have a store that is open to the public. Our current clients will no longer have to book an appointment to pick up products," Elkins says in an email. The 1,200 square-foot, two-story building is to have new floors and custom cabinetry in its two facial rooms, massage room, and retail area. Mineral makeup, body scrubs, and made-to-order organic body oils and body scrubs will be for sale. Besides Elkins, the spa and apothecary will have seven to eight employees, including four estheticians, a trio of massage therapists, and one or two receptionists. Elkins is planning a grand opening event on Saturday, October 20, with appointments available the next day. The opening is subject to city permit approvals, but the build is on schedule, she says. Source: Jessica Elkins, owner, Jessica's Skin & Body Care Apothecary Writer: Tanya Muzumdar
Cataphora has tripled the size of its downtown Ann Arbor office thanks to its internship program that is serving as a feeder system for new employees. The Silicon Valley-based software firm's executive team has strong ties to the University of Michigan, prompting it to open a software engineering center in Ann Arbor's vibrant downtown last fall. It has since grown to three employees and a handful of interns and is looking to hire three more now. It's two last hires have been interns in the Ann Arbor office. "We're going to keep growing organically," says Chris Kurecka, the Michigan Engineering Manager for Cataphora. Cataphora has watched its overall business grow in recent months thanks to new clients based in the Midwest and East Coast. The Ann Arbor office is serving a critical role in maintaining and building that client base. "Being in the same time zone or an hour plane rise away is reassuring to them," Kurecka says. " Source: Chris Kurecka, the Michigan Engineering Manager for Cataphora Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
DeNovo Sciences continues to hit its milestones again and again, raising seven figures worth of seed capital, growing its team, and pushing forward the development of its cancer warning system. The Michigan Life Sciences and Innovation Center-based start-up has raised in excess of $1 million since winning the $500,000 first place prize at the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition last year. "I was looking for $1 million," says Kalyan Handique, CEO of DeNovo Sciences. "I was happy to get $1.75 million from a network of angel investors and the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund and some grants." DeNovo Sciences is developing a platform for early detection of cancer from blood as an alternative to painful biopsies. It got its start in Ypsilanti and has since moved to the Ann Arbor SPARK managed Michigan Life Sciences and Innovation Center in Plymouth. There it has grown to four full-time employees and eight part-time consultants. It is in the process of hiring a researcher now. The company is also hitting some of its development milestones, successfully using its technology to capture cancer cells in the blood. Handique expects to begin commercializing the product next year and have the full product platform available by 2014. His team is also gearing up to raise $6 million in a Series A round next year and land some corporate partnerships. "We're beginning to speak to corporate partners who would benefit from our technology," Handique says. Source: Kalyan Handique, CEO of DeNovo Sciences Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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