OT: Is Ann Arbor Becoming Lame?
There was another great record store on the corner of Liberty and State whose name escapes me - it's one that Iggy Pop supposedly worked at - I think it got bought by Sam Goody or something when I was a freshman, and now it's gone too. The year before I came to school, Tower Records closed. Those were chain stores, but decent places none the less.
Slowly, NYPD is taking over a four mile stretch on East Williams. Pizza House I think is now a sports bar. I think I even heard a rumor that they were going to stop allowing people to free base crack in the bathrooms at the Fleetwood.
How much longer until Wazoo, Encore, and Underground Sounds are gone for good? It seems every time I come back to town, I'm greeted with the fact that places I once loved are on the fritz or entirely gone and the only development involves luxury condos and chains that only belong in the burbs like BW3s.
October 6th, 2008 at 7:26 PM ^
October 7th, 2008 at 1:48 AM ^
The place is great. Period.
October 7th, 2008 at 10:13 AM ^
things constantly change and while I know it can be shocking (what the fuck is up with the blue leprechaun! I want Touchdowns back, even though I never liked the place that much) Ann Arbor is still awesome. I moved back here with my wife a few months ago, also a class of 97 grad, and it was the best decision we've probably ever made.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:32 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 7:38 PM ^
" I think I even heard a rumor that they were going to stop allowing people to free base crack in the bathrooms at the Fleetwood."
Hhahahahahahahhaahhaahahahahah. Well played sir.
October 6th, 2008 at 7:40 PM ^
chunkums - it's not that the exact same stuff isn't there, it's the type of stuff they're building (ice cream parlor after ice cream parlor, low grade eateries with the word "bistro" slapped in the title, etc). And if I wanted chains I'd hang out near my parent's house or go to East Lansing. Dammit, I knew I was going to come off sounding like a crusty old-timer.
Also, not that anyone seems to care, but the store I was trying to remember was called Discount Records.
October 6th, 2008 at 7:45 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 8:00 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 8:00 PM ^
I hadn't thought about School Kids in years. Whenever I see the threads about places to eat, etc., I don't recognize half of them any more. PM64 is right, though. No one will ever take away memories like seeing Buddy Guy or Matt Murphy at Ricks and I have the hearing loss to prove it.
Ease up on that "your generation" stuff, though.
October 6th, 2008 at 8:22 PM ^
Sorry man, I didn't want to make you guys feel old, but I was trying to put it in a way that would make sense. No hard feelings?
October 6th, 2008 at 8:06 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 9:27 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 11:18 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 8:07 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 9:46 PM ^
PJs records is pretty cool, mostly because the owner is weird as balls. One day I went in there and he had really long hair. The next time I want in, which was like a month later, he was bald. Not shaved head bald, but I Can't Grow Hair On My Head Anymore bald. I realized that his long hair was really just a fucking crazy long comb over.
October 6th, 2008 at 8:08 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 8:08 PM ^
PattyMax, I may not be of "your generation" (I graduated 8 years ago), but I sorta hope that the Ben and Jerry's and Potbelly's that came in place of the places os is referring to don't "mean much" to your generation. I realize that places I liked are going to get torn down, and that makes sense. It's the fact that these cool, independent, quirky businesses are getting torn down and replaced by corporate chains, like B&J and Potbellys (FTR: I like Potbellys).
This isn't, however, isolated to Ann Arbor - look at every town. If you go to Austin, there's a huge initiative for the city to buy vacant storefronts before corporations can move chains in. It's what happens in the past few decades - corporate business pushes out small businesses.
October 6th, 2008 at 8:35 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 8:22 PM ^
You just needed to be willing to look and dust it off.
I recommend the Ramen. Generic mac and cheese at $.23 a box was always good too.
October 6th, 2008 at 9:40 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 9:44 PM ^
I'm pretty sure it was still there last I was in Ann Arbor.
The Bagel Store next to it has been closed for years, which is why Shakey Jake moved to the other side of town.
October 12th, 2008 at 7:27 PM ^
October 7th, 2008 at 11:42 AM ^
VC is still here (I'm looking at it right now).
It may close for a year or so to build another UTowers type building in the place of the Bagel Factory.
As far as cool unique Ann Arbor businesses, there may be some leaving, but new ones keep coming. Quickie Burger is great.
Also: R.I.P. Leopold Bros.
October 9th, 2008 at 8:52 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 8:23 PM ^
October 8th, 2008 at 5:52 PM ^
October 10th, 2008 at 6:12 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 8:34 PM ^
a2 is not lame because:
1) getting caught with tree is still only a slap on the wrist compared to anywhere else
2) further reinforcing #1, the cops are NOT tough in ann arbor. for instance, if you think they are, then go to east lansing. its routine to see people get maced up there.
3) big ten burrito, panch, no thai, za's, pizza house, and bell's pizza are all you need to eat for 4, maybe 5 years.
4) sgt. peppers; just the fact that it lies in the heart of the student neighborhood is awesome. i mean, it only caters to students and it's single purpose is to intoxicate every student, regardless of age. this may just be a student of michigan point, but whatever.
5) there are many facets to a2 nightlife. you can goto south U (or skeeps) for the ridiculous undergrad scene, or class it up a bit on main street if you must, or if you're a hippie you can goto the other side of main street to bars like circus and monkey bar. you'll probably find brian there.
6) although hippies normally smell, are lost and confused. they are now the people who run the city and having them in charge makes things real lax. so while people of your generation were probably the hippies, they've grown up to run this joint'. which leads me to my last reason as to why a2 is not lame...
7) getting caught with tree is still only a slap on the wrist compared to anywhere else. and extremely easy to purchase/find/have in minutes.
oh and dominicks is beautiful and nobody else has it but us
October 6th, 2008 at 8:38 PM ^
Thank you Turbo. That is the point I was trying to make.
And W00T on #1!!!
October 6th, 2008 at 9:42 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 10:01 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 8:31 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 8:34 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 8:41 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 8:53 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 9:15 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 9:55 PM ^
I lived on North Campus my last two years. I hated it. There was nothing to do but run away from skunks and walk to Hollywood Video.
This was way back in 2004 though. I've driven through North Campus on a number of occasions since and I gotta say - though the exterior has gotten a very minor facelift, I can tell the seedy underbelly is still there. And by seedy underbelly, I'm talking about asian grad students playing XBox and watching television.
October 6th, 2008 at 9:45 PM ^
October 8th, 2008 at 5:51 PM ^
October 10th, 2008 at 6:15 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 8:51 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 9:08 PM ^
Well, I see your point. Local businesses do add a lot of character to a city.
But losing the record stores was basically inevitable. That's more of an industry problem than an Ann Arbor problem. Someone mentioned PJs, which is pretty damn cool. I also can't figure out how you stay in business selling records for a dollar.
October 6th, 2008 at 9:36 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 9:42 PM ^
I'd heard that McKinley is looking to purchase the land that Encore is located on because they wanted to expand the building that Bar Louie is in.
Wazoo has been doing pretty well, from what I've heard.
October 6th, 2008 at 9:43 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 9:46 PM ^
October 10th, 2008 at 6:17 PM ^
October 10th, 2008 at 8:15 PM ^
October 6th, 2008 at 11:27 PM ^
Record stores everywhere are going under. Independent record stores are/will have a hard time with digital music and everything. It's not just in Ann Arbor, they're going out of business everywhere. They're not really a fair example.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:28 PM ^