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Morning, Ann Arbor! Summer drops in for one shimmering 84-degree day, ducks out for a cold snap that has us digging for fleece on Wednesday, then sneaks back in for the weekend. Welcome to May in Michigan. A lot of new faces here, welcome!
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The Mothfire Brewing team celebrates at its brewery in Ann Arbor
🍺 Mothfire Just Brewed the Best DIPA in Michigan
Mothfire Brewing on Ellsworth took home a silver medal at the World Beer Cup for Panda, an 8% hazy double IPA with notes of candied pineapple, pink Starburst, and honeysuckle. Out of 128 entries in the Juicy or Hazy Imperial IPA category, only one beer in the country beat them. It's the first Michigan IPA to medal at this level in over a decade. MLive
Storm damage at Veterans Memorial Park ice arena following the April tornado in Ann Arbor
🌳 Vets Park Comes Back from the Tornado
A month after the April 15 tornado ripped a wall off the ice arena, the city quietly reopened the playground, the pop-up dog park on ball field #4, the skatepark, and ballfields #3 and #5 last Friday. It's the first piece of normal in that part of town since the storm. The ice arena, though, is officially out for the 2026-27 season. The hockey programs are shifting to Buhr Park for the year. WEMU
Ann Arbor firefighters respond to a fire at Arbor Farms Market on May 10
🥬 Arbor Farms Reopens After Sunday Fire
Wiring in the signage above the main entrance caught fire late Sunday night, May 10, sending smoke through the interior of Arbor Farms Market. Fire damage was limited to the exterior. Estimated cost: about $100,000 plus lost goods. Fire Chief Mike Kennedy said the side entrance was untouched, so the store reopened Tuesday while crews fix the front. Walk around the building, grab a kombucha. WEMU
Bruegger’s Bagels on North University Avenue. (MLive)
🥯 Bruegger's Hangs Up Its Aprons on North U
The bagel shop at 709 N. University closed for good last Tuesday, May 12. The handwritten sign on the door read, "It's been a pleasure. We are hanging up our aprons." It's part of a Panera Brands rebrand turning every Michigan Bruegger's into an Einstein Bros. MLive
Pastries at The Boro are coming to Downtown at 617 E Liberty in Summer 2026
🥐 New Bakery Coming to Downtown
The Pulpo Group, the folks behind Sava's, Aventura, and The Dixboro Project, are opening a bakery downtown. Orijin Bakery lands at 617 E. Liberty St. taking over the spot where Molly's Cupcakes closed back in April. It's a partnership between Sava Farah and pastry chef Jin Capobianco Gorian, whose custom cakes and viennoiserie have had folks lining up at The Boro out in Dixboro for three years now. Expect her sweet pastries plus some new savory breads. Orijin Bakery
10K Steps Is a Myth–Try This Instead
When motivation is lacking, jumping into heavy routines is the fastest way to burn out. That’s why millions of people are turning to walking as the foundation of their fitness journey.
Walking lets you enjoy the outdoors, clear your head, and practice mindfulness. It’s simple, sustainable, and can support lasting weight loss if you know how much you need. The “10,000 steps a day” rule is outdated; everyone’s lifestyle is different.
With Simple, you’ll get access to habit-based coaching that’s helped users lose over 18 million pounds. Take the quiz to discover your personalized walking target.
Road closures are leading to frustrated downtown business owners
🚧 Downtown Construction is a Drag to Business Owners
Ann Arbor is in what the city calls maybe its busiest construction season ever, with 30+ street projects going at once, and some downtown shop owners say they got blindsided. The South Fourth Ave. dig (closed through Nov. 5) has Ferne Boutique and The GetUp Vintage watching the sidewalks empty out. "Nobody is strolling around when it's hard to park," said GetUp's Lindsey Leyland.
Don’t forget to support a local small business this week. ❤️
North Main transportation study open house runs May 19–21
🏛️ Your Three Days to Shape North Main
The city and DDA are turning the DDA office in Kerrytown Market (415 N. Fifth, 2nd floor) into a public design studio May 19-21. They want your take on what to do with North Main between Huron and West Huron River Drive, possibly fewer travel lanes, possibly roundabouts, definitely better sidewalks. Drop in Tuesday 1-3:30, Wednesday 4-6, or come to the full open house Thursday 5:30-7:30. Engage Ann Arbor
A2Zero program launched a new insulation grant initiative for multifamily housing.
🏘️ A2 + DTE Will Pay Landlords to Insulate
The city's Office of Sustainability and DTE rolled out Insulate Ann Arbor last week, a pilot that hands multifamily landlords up to $75,000 (or 50% of project costs) for insulation and air-sealing upgrades. Income-qualified buildings can pull up to $250,000 (or 90%). Total program pot: $1 million. If you rent and your bedroom is 58 degrees every January, this is the thing to email your landlord about. Concentrate Media
On the Market
1932 Brock Ct — $345,000 3 bed | 1 bath | 960 sqft 1952 ranch on a quiet Bryant cul-de-sac. Vaulted living room and a picture window aimed at the front lawn.
706 S 7th St — $674,000 3 bed | 2 bath | 1,593 sqft 107-year-old Old West Side Craftsman bungalow that got a brand-new foundation in 2022. Historic character with new bones underneath.
2105 Devonshire Rd — $1,700,000 5 bed | 3.5 bath | 3,570 sqft 1927 Tudor on half a landscaped acre in Ann Arbor Hills. Gated entry, game room, and the kind of trim work nobody installs anymore.
Adoptable Humane Society Pets
Spudley — 9 yrs | Large Male | Orange Domestic Shorthair Sweet, laidback senior orange cat who wants a warm lap and a forever family. Meet Spudley
Lulu — 7 yrs | Large Female | Pit/Terrier mix A goofy, smart, uber-loving senior who lives for tennis balls and food puzzles. Needs to be the only pet in the house. Meet Lulu
Cheesy Nacho — 4 yrs | Medium Female | Black Domestic Shorthair HSHV's longest-staying cat (with us since November) is a sassy little princess looking for someone to rule. Meet Cheesy Nacho
That's all for now! Have a great week in Tree Town!
— Ryan, James, and the Michigander Team
P.S. - If you like what you read, subscribe below.
P.P.S. - The Avett Brothers (with Mike Patton) and Ira Glass are both coming to Top of the Park back-to-back nights, June 19 and 20. The full Ann Arbor Summer Festival lineup just dropped and Blimpy Burger is on the food truck list. Season preview
P.P.P.S. - Ann Arbor made the Wall Street Journal last week. The headline: "Ann Arbor Would Like to Report a 'Massacre' of Its Trees." DTE responded to Fox 2 that more than half of power outages come from branches on lines, and the V-shaped canopies should fill back in within five years. Fox 2
P.P.P.P.S. - We just hit 500+ followers on Instagram, about 10% of our readers. Mental math is hard, but that means 90% of you don't follow us on there. Join the fun! Michigander IG
P.P.P.P.P.S - The 33rd annual Ann Arbor Garden Walk is Saturday, June 13, 10 to 4. Seven private gardens around town, $15 early bird through June 1, kids free. Proceeds stay local. Sign us up. Garden Walk
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