Business Section

Library Friends Make Space by Cutting Prices

A cart full of gift-quality books at the Friends of the Library.

A cart full of gift-quality books at the Friends of the Library bookshop.

The Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library receives over 200,000 books every year, but they found out on Dec. 4 that the area they use for sorting them will soon be shrinking by half. The other half of the space that they use currently will be needed to accommodate equipment and materials from the Washtenaw Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, which the AADL recently assimilated. Part of the strategy to ease the space crunch is to suspend acceptance of donations effective immediately. Expect to see signage in the library to that effect soon. [Full Story]

Holiday Shopping: Kerrytown

The distinctive carillon tower at Kerrytown Market and Shoppes.

The distinctive carillon tower at Kerrytown Market & Shops.

This month, The Chronicle is highlighting Ann Arbor area businesses where you might find just what you need for people on your holiday gift-giving list. Our reports are a sampling – we welcome readers and business owners to add their own suggestions in the comments section. We’ve previously looked at local shops selling used/rare books, and made some suggestions for the political junkies in your life. Today, we’ll look at a few of the shops in Ann Arbor’s Kerrytown district.

For the kids: On the second floor of Kerrytown Market & Shops, two adjacent stores cater to kids. Elephant Ears sells clothing for children up to 12 years old, plus items like umbrellas and bedding. Next door, Mudpuddles Toys carries games, books, puppets, Thomas the Train and all manner of kits for wintry-day projects.

Kids can also meet Santa at Kerrytown on Saturdays this month from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The shops will have carolers singing holiday songs as well, similar to the festivities reported in a recent Stopped. Watched. item. [Full Story]

Know Your DDA Board: Keith Orr

Keith Orr

Keith Orr's tables don't wobble thanks to shims with the brand name Shove-it. It means patrons don't have to get creative with sugar packets to level out their eating and drinking surface.

People keep throwing snowballs at Keith Orr. But not in real life. They only do it on Facebook, which is a social networking website. Or at least The Chronicle witnessed no snowballs thrown in his direction at the aut BAR on Tuesday morning for the hour before it opened for lunch at 11 a.m. The Chronicle spent that hour talking to Orr about his recent appointment to the board of the Downtown Development Authority. His first board meeting was Dec. 3.

By way of background, the DDA board needs to meet certain objective criteria as a group: 1 seat for the mayor or city administrator; 1 seat for a resident of the DDA District; 7 seats for downtown property owners, downtown employees or individuals with an interest in downtown real estate, 3 seats for citizens-at-large. [Full Story]

Meeting Watch: DDA board (3 Dec 2008)

Wednesday’s noon meeting of the Downtown Development Authority board saw one transportation initiative move forward: funding for a fourth Zipcar for downtown was approved. A second resolution was returned to the transportation committee: the board was not ready to approve an increase from $50,000 to $160,000 for its share of a north-south connector study.

Also on the agenda was an amendment to a parking agreement between the city, the DDA, and Village Green, which is developing the City Apartments project on the southeast corner of First and Washington. Even though the resolution was passed, Jon Frank, VP of development for Village Green, didn’t get the language he needed in the resolution, which means that City Apartments project will require some additional back and forth before the final Ts are crossed.

Among other news, in verbal summaries of various committee reports, came word from operations committee chair Roger Hewitt that the pilot valet parking program will begin on Dec. 15 at the Maynard Street structure. [Full Story]

The Future of Journalism

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Dick Ryan recalls President Ford's response to a proposed bailout of New York city.

“I’ve never seen reporters so excited as when they’re talking about their Twitters,” remarked Gil Klein, moderator of a panel discussion Wednesday night at the Gerald R. Ford Library in Ann Arbor. The discussion was part of a nationwide tour of similar events hosted by the National Press Club as a part of the organization’s 100th anniversary. Klein, director of the National Press Club’s Centennial Forums, mentioned the micro-blogging platform Twitter in the current context of the tremendous period of innovation in the field of journalism.

But the consensus among panelists … [Full Story]

Holiday Shopping: Used & Rare Books

A selection of books from West Side Book Shop on East Liberty.

A selection of books from West Side Book Shop. This first American edition of "Moby Dick" (the green book, next to its blue leather case) is priced at $45,000.

This month, The Chronicle is highlighting Ann Arbor area businesses where you might find just what you need for people on your holiday gift-giving list. Our reports are meant as a sampling, and we urge readers and business owners to add their own favorite spots in the comments section.

Today, we take a look at some of the local shops that sell rare and used books.

West Side Book Shop

Many of the items in this shop are older than the building at 113 W. Liberty, a structure from the 1880s where West Side Book Shop is housed. Collectors regularly visit, but proprietor Jay Platt and Doug Price – who sells vintage maps and photographs in the store – have worked to make this a top-to-bottom bookshop. Their selection is aimed to appeal to even the most casual used-book buyer. [Full Story]

Flecks of Holiday Paint

Monica Bortz works on give the middle window at Champion House a festive holiday theme.

Monica Bortz works on giving the middle window at Champion House a festive holiday theme.

Rory Fleck learned to paint holiday themes on store windows from his uncle. Now he’s dabbing greens, reds and whites of acrylic latex on store windows himself. And he gets to spend the time working together with his girlfriend, Monica Bortz, who says this is her first year painting. [Full Story]

UM Pitches Plan to Close Monroe Street

proposed area

Yellow: new law school building to be constructed in place of surface parking. Blue: student commons to be renovated. Monroe Street is the road just north of the new law school building. (Click image for larger view.)

Glimpsing through the door of room 116 of Hutchins Hall at UM Law School on Tuesday evening, The Chronicle could see what seemed like a late-evening class in session. Not sure of the room number we wanted, it was with some caution that we nosed further into the room. Ah. The familiar faces of Tony Derezinski, newly elected Ann Arbor city council representative of Ward 2, and Dave … [Full Story]

Column: Stew on This

For the past several months I have been attending the city of Ann Arbor’s pension board meetings. At the last meeting on Nov. 20, the atmosphere in the room was a little quieter than it had been in previous months. The city of Ann Arbor Employees’ Retirement System board of trustees was preparing to receive the latest report on the monthly performance of the city’s Pension Fund.

Willie Powell, the executive director of the retirement system, needed a couple of tries to get the grim news out: plan assets had dropped $30 million (preliminary) in October, and combined with a $50 million drop in September, the asset value was now just below $300 million – down 33% year to date. I noticed a definite groan coming from the vicinity of Tom Crawford, chief financial officer for the city of Ann Arbor. [Full Story]

Meeting Watch: City Council (1 Dec 2008)

City Council’s meeting Monday evening yielded few surprises, with council giving final approval to the City Apartments PUD and its site plan, and moving the City Place PUD along to a second reading (with some reluctance). And after hearing a progress report on the police-courts project, council approved an amendment to the architect’s agreement in the amount of $411,003. Also, with no discussion of what the fund agreement is, council passed a memorandum of intent and fund agreement for development of a skatepark at Veterans Memorial Park. [Full Story]

Third Monthly Milestone Message

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Today marks the third month of publication of The Ann Arbor Chronicle. As we have on the previous monthly milestones, we take this opportunity to touch base directly with readers.

We’ve made a couple of minor changes to the layout. The left sidebar is now a bit cleaner, partly because we’ve consolidated some material into the top shaded box.

In response to reader suggestions, we’ve also made the the link to the Tip Jar as prominent as we know how. It’s sitting in the masthead where the news stand price is typically displayed for a printed publication (upper right).

Also based partly on reader input, the frame for the advertisements now contains a link (at the bottom) to a … [Full Story]

Holiday Shopping: All Things Political

Brian Mackie, Washtenaw County prosecutor, with his dogs in the Political Pets of Washtenaw County 2009 calendar.

Brian Mackie, Washtenaw County prosecutor, with his dogs in the Political Pets of Washtenaw County 2009 calendar. The calendar raises funds for the Community Action Network and Humane Society of Huron Valley.

Throughout the month of December, The Chronicle is highlighting Ann Arbor area businesses and nonprofits to help feed your local shopping habit – or to give you reasons to start one. Our lists are meant as a sampling, and we encourage readers and business owners to add their own favorite finds in the comments section.

We know many of you didn’t totally satisfy your fix during the past election season, so here are some ways to keep you or your favorite political junkies happy for the holidays. [Full Story]

Art in the Barn

David Menefee serenades shoppers at Sunday's Art in the Barn.

David Menefee serenades shoppers at Sunday's Art in the Barn.

Off of West Huron, just west of the railroad tracks, is a compound of buildings that houses an eclectic mix of businesses. And on one day for each of the past eight years, a building within this compound known as The Yellow Barn transforms into a venue for local artists and holiday shoppers.

On Sunday, 17 artists gathered for this year’s show, many of them regulars from previous years, plus some first-timers. Despite the crappy economy and threat of this season’s first major snowstorm, there were a steady stream of customers when The Chronicle dropped by around noon. [Full Story]

From the Diag Down Liberty

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Angeline Hazime saw even the performance artist (?) outside Hatcher Library as a prospective recruit for her Take the Walk campaign.

Outside Hatcher Library, a guy decked out completely in black and dark gray – from his patent leather dress shoes, to his overcoat, to his fedora, to a black knit face covering – stood silently, paging every once in a while through a USA Today newspaper. It was the day after Black Friday, and The Chronicle was beginning an afternoon walk from the UM Diag westward along the Liberty Street corridor.

Outdoor performance was the common thread of the walk. The theme started with that apparent performance art piece, continued to a standard bell-ringing number at a Salvation Army kettle, was punctuated by the “Michael Jackson guy” in the alley adjacent to the Michigan Theater, and finished with news of an appearance next Saturday at Downtown Home & Garden by Santa and Mrs. Claus. [Full Story]

Saying Good-bye to Steve & Barry’s

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Charlise Brown holds a going-out-of-business sign on Friday at the southeast corner of Main and Liberty. The Steve & Barry's store is at 301 S. State.

Holding a sign that was about twice her height, Charlise Brown stood at the corner of Main and Liberty on Friday, bundled up in a hat, earmuffs, scarf and other winter gear.

“Yeah, it’s pretty cold,” she said, pulling down the scarf that warmed the lower part of her face. She and three others will be positioned around town through Sunday, paid to advertise the going-out-of-business sale at Steve & Barry’s clothing store at 301 S. State St. [Full Story]

Chronicle Thankful to Be Vermin-Free

Chantelle checks a beard for signs of lice.

Chantel Greene of The Lice Brigade checks a beard for signs of lice.

Even when you’re sure you don’t have head lice, an inspection for signs of infestation can cause a few butterflies to take flight in your belly. Especially when the owner of The Lice Brigade, Sarah Casello-Rees, tells you at the start that you can have head lice and not even know it.

The intense itching and scratching some people experience is an allergic reaction to the saliva of the louse. So if you’re not allergic, you could have the little critters crawling all over your head and not realize it. Even if they find signs of lice, The Lice Brigade doesn’t just diagnose – they’ll get rid of your lice and their nits (egg sacks) manually, without pediculicides (i.e., chemicals). That’s right, a “nit picker” is an actual job. [Full Story]

Who’s Open for Dinner on Thanksgiving?

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A reader, Betty, of the website Chowhound.com for “those who live to eat” wonders what Ann Arbor area restaurants will be open on Thanksgiving. She’ll be in town for a brief visit, and the alternative to going out to eat a Thanksgiving meal at a restaurant doesn’t sound attractive: “[T]hree people eating takeout in a dorm room doesn’t sound very appetizing!”

The readers at Chowhound.com provide some ‘usual suspects’ suggestions, but as of Nov. 19, Betty said she’s starting fresh with the search. Part of that effort included contacting The Chronicle with her query. She adds parenthetically: “Other cities list such things on their CVB sites or in the paper.”

Oh, boy. Betty knows how to get Ann … [Full Story]

HD Totter Watch: Potter on a Totter

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Teapot on display at Yourist Studio Gallery.

Teapot on display at Yourist Studio Gallery.

Many readers of Teeter Talk will have surely seen Yourist Pottery Gallery’s sign from the Plymouth Road side as they’ve headed into or out of Ann Arbor across Broadway Bridge. A smaller number will have seen the signage from the more lightly traveled Broadway Street side. And some readers will have also seen the place from the inside. Last Friday, I took the totter to the potter: Kay Yourist.

Navigating a 12-foot long board amongst some really pretty pottery is not for the faint of heart. But we managed to do it without wrecking the place, preserving the perfect safety record of the totter to date.

Skeptics who think I must have busted a pot or two are invited to verify for themselves that the floor is not littered with shards of broken pots–when Yourist Pottery hosts its annual holiday sale. The opening reception for that (including wine and appetizers) is Friday, 5 December from 6pm-9pm. [Full Story]

Dine Away from Home for Homeless

SOS

Here at The Chronicle, we enjoy any opportunity for a road trip, and we’ve spotted one in the form of a fundraiser that combines dining and donations.

The fundraising effort for SOS Community Services is called Dine Out to Help the Homeless. It’s a two-day affair, ending on this Saturday, Nov. 22. According to Kate Zellers, development associate for SOS, the nonprofit has teamed up with seven area purveyors of food and beverage to solicit contributions from diners this weekend. Customers can make their contribution to SOS in the form of an extra “menu item” for the donation – a special dish that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside even if you only enjoy a small portion. [Full Story]

Making Connections Creatively at Wild Swan

Hilary Cohen and Sandy Ryder of Wild Swan Theater demonstrate an improv bit at Tuesday night's Creative Connections event.

Hilary Cohen and Sandy Ryder, co-founders and artistic directors of Wild Swan Theater, do a bit of improv at Tuesday night's Creative Connections event.

Hilary Cohen and Sandy Ryder stood in front of about 30 people, not saying a word. Then Ryder mimed the motion of stroking her whiskers – she’s a cat! Cohen mimed back, slapping her thigh – a dog! They teased, attacked, retreated, as their audience watched and laughed.

Then, however, it was time for the audience to pair up and try it themselves. “You know, there’s a reason why I’m a visual artist, not a theater artist,” someone quipped.

Tuesday evening’s antics reflected the setting – Wild Swan Theater – as well as the forum: Creative Connections, a monthly networking event for the area’s cultural community.

[Full Story]

Feedback Wanted: Downtown Zoning Revisions

City of Ann Arbor systems planner Wendy Rampson responds to a question from Ed Walsh, a citizen who attended Monday's A2D2 briefing in city council chambers.

At a work session sometime in January 2009, city council is expected to discuss proposed zoning changes to downtown Ann Arbor, which have emerged from a process involving consultants, staff, and the public over more than two years. But before that, the A2D2 steering committee, which consists of Roger Hewitt (DDA), Marcia Higgins (city council) and Evan Pratt (planning commission), will meet in the Larcom Building’s sixth-floor conference room on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. to review comments and feedback accumulated to date. (That is a public meeting, but there is no public participation component.) [Full Story]

Bringing Home the Fight Against Homelessness

Ellen Schulmeister, executive director of the Shelter Association.

Ellen Schulmeister, executive director of the Shelter Association, was honored at Thursday night's awards dinner. Behind her, from left, are Diane Davidson, Bob Guenzel, Judy Rumelhart and Chuck Kieffer.

It takes a community to end homelessness – that message was repeated like a mantra at Thursday night’s dinner for the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County at the Michigan League ballroom, which brought together many of the people responsible for working toward that goal over the past 25 years.

Foremost among them was Ellen Schulmeister, the association’s executive director, who was honored at the event – much to her surprise. [Full Story]

Mums, Merlot and Moroccan Spiced Lamb

Pot & Box bouquets for sale at Everyday Wines.

Pot & Box bouquets for sale at Everyday Wines.

Economic development doesn’t always hinge on bureaucracies or government funding. It also happens organically, when small businesses find ways to help each other blossom.

You can see that phenomenon in person at Everyday Wines, a Kerrytown shop owned by Mary Campbell. She’s now providing space for two other businesses – Pot & Box and A Knife’s Work – to sell flowers and food there, giving the store the feel of a small European market. [Full Story]

Chipping in for Thanksgiving Dinners

The Frito-Lay Blue Team loads boxes of food in the Food Gatherers warehouse.

The Frito-Lay blue team loads boxes of food in the Food Gatherers warehouse on Wednesday night.

At 7 p.m. Wednesday evening, the offices of Food Gatherers at 1 Carrot Way were fairly quiet, with just a handful of people milling around, chatting and checking out the display of old food products. (Anyone remember PDQ drink mix?)

That scene changed dramatically at 7:05, when the first of four chartered buses started dropping off Frito-Lay sales reps, coming for a marathon volunteer effort to pack food boxes for Thanksgiving meals. By 7:25, the volume level had ratcheted up with roughly 200 people crammed in elbow to elbow, ready to get to work. [Full Story]

A2: Geeks Camp

On A2geeks.org Dug Song thanks SPARK for providing space at SPARK Central to host Arbcamp 2008 on Thursday, December 18, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. According to the organizing page, “We hope to have [Arbcamp] feed the a2geeks conference in Spring 2009, and test the waters for an Ignite event, perhaps at the Michigan Theater, next year.” [Source]

Buyouts Hit The Ann Arbor News

People working at The Ann Arbor News are facing some life-changing decisions today: This morning, management at The News and all seven other newspapers owned by the Newhouse family in Michigan announced a massive round of buyouts and plans to consolidate some operations in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. [Full Story]

Meeting Watch: County Board (6 Nov 2008)

At their Nov. 6 working session, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners heard from leaders of the Detroit Region Aerotropolis initiative, the Ann Arbor Community Success project and Ann Arbor Spark, who all gave reports about their efforts to bring jobs to this area and who laid the groundwork to ask for funding and resources from the county. [Full Story]

When Concrete and Water Don’t Mix

Cleaning up concrete spill

"Butter," in a red shirt, is the driver of the cement mixer truck that spilled a bit of its load. He's assisted in his cleanup effort by two workers who were radioed to come lend a hand.

When Amy Whitesall filed a Stopped. Watched. item about a concrete spill downtown, The Chronicle wondered if it would still be there by the time we hoofed it over to Huron and Fifth where the spill had occurred.

Yep, still there, but three guys from Superior Materials were attacking the pile of wet cement in the pedestrian walkway with shovels and a broom. (Superior Materials of Farmington Hills bought out Killins Concrete on the west side of Ann Arbor at Liberty and Wagoner about a year ago, but the three-man crew work out of the old Killins location). [Full Story]

Open Season on Library Furniture, Computers

SuperGeek deals at the library's equipment sale.

SuperGeek deals at the library's equipment sale. The sign was crafted by Eli Neiburger, the library's technology manager.

When the library opened its lower level doors Sunday at noon for a rare equipment sale, a few dozen people were already there, waiting to get first pick. Some actually ran into the room.

“It was crazy,” says Ken Nieman, associate director for the Ann Arbor District Library. [Full Story]

Not Only CEOs Are Connecting

audience

Some of the 40 or so people who attended Friday morning's CEO Connect event at Zingerman's Roadhouse.

Kim Cameron projected an image on the screen and asked people what they saw. “Mars,” someone guessed.   Someone else thought it was an aerial satellite photo, presumably of planet Earth.

It was a cow, Cameron revealed, at which point the group murmured a collective “Aaah!”

The cow’s head was defined by the lighter shadings in the image. “When you look at the light,” Cameron said, “everything changes.” It’s not the image that changes, it’s your perspective on it.

The exercise was an effective illustration of Cameron’s message: Being positive can yield enormous results, both physiologically and in your business. [Full Story]