Zingerman’s considers plans for expansion

An Ann Arbor institution is giving itself a bit more elbow room. Zingerman’s, a longtime staple of local foodies, is looking to revamp and expand its current space at the corner of Detroit and Kingsley streets in Kerrytown.

 

“We do have some rough plans sketched out now,” says Pete Sickman-Garner, marketing manager for Zingerman’s. “Basically we’re still trying to find out whether it’s feasible.”

 

Zingerman’s is a restaurant that offers everything from deli sandwiches to baked goods to artisanal cheeses and meats. About 200 workers share a small work place in an old two-story storefront on Detroit Street. This has created a real overcrowding problem that is forcing Zingerman’s to turn away business, according to Sickman-Garner.

 

Among the ideas being considered are creating a catering kitchen, space for just deli and expanding the second-floor office space so it includes things like a conference room. The owners are also looking at the feasibility of incorporating an nearby condemned home that burned a few years ago into the expansion plans.

 

“We want to do it,” Sickman-Garne says. “We’re really hopeful about it, but there is nothing concrete as far as plans yet.”

 

In the mean time, Zingerman’s is working with its architects and city officials to come up with a plan that will provide adequate space while respecting the history and integrity of the surrounding neighborhood.

 

Source: Pete Sickman-Garne, marketing manager for Zingerman’s
Writer: Jon Zemke