A2 Real Estate Serves Up Beer, Bikes, Burgers

This post was authored by Daniel Feinglos.

This week in Ann Arbor, we learned about new open-air beer gardens, giant breweries, Indian groceries, and high-end bicycle shops. Regardless of whether you’re looking to pack in those calories or shed them in style, Ann Arbor’s got you covered.

Ann Arbor’s latest answer to Detroit’s Tashmoo is well underway: with construction ongoing, the city has approved the transfer of a liquor license to Bill’s Beer Garden. The warm-weather drinking establishment is a project of Mark Hodesh and the eponymous Bill Zolkowski, and is being built on part of the parking lot of Hodesh’s Downtown Home and Garden. It will be connected by a corridor to the nearby Mark’s Carts — another part of the small yet delicious Hodesh empire. With a planned opening in mid-July, it’s not too early to peer into the beer garden’s construction site and scope out the best seats. [AnnArbor.com]

Over in Dexter, the company that runs the Jolly Pumpkin Brewery has received council approval to apply for new state liquor licenses for a 68,000 square foot brewery and tasting room in the old Martinrea/Pilot auto parts warehouse. The company, which already has locations in Dexter, Ann Arbor, and Traverse City as well as a planned one in Royal Oak, still needs approval for a rezoning because tasting rooms are apparently slightly less industrial than the space’s current zoning allows. [AnnArbor.com]

In continuing Arborland developments from last week, the one-time mall will shortly be home to Ann Arbor’s second Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Located in the Washtenaw-fronting outparcel building along with Starbucks and Noodles and Co., the restaurant is scheduled to open on June 4. [AnnArbor.com]

Farther along the Washtenaw corridor, the Patel Brothers Indian grocery chain will be opening its fourth Metro Detroit store in the former Once Upon a Child space just east of US-23 in Pittsfield Township. In completely unrelated news, Curbed could really go for a samosa. [AnnArbor.com]

Rumors of places to live, bikes to ride there, and custom t-shirts to wear on the way

While we didn’t expect to hear a lot of real estate news from the the Mackinac Policy Conference, the gathering saw City Place developer Jeff Helminski tell AnnArbor.com about a new residential development that he’s working on. Helminski says that he's identified a property, but doesn’t have a specific type of residential in mind yet. [AnnArbor.com]

Underground Printing, an apparel and custom printing store founded in a U-M dorm room, will be opening its fourth Ann Arbor store in the former Blockbuster on Ann Arbor-Saline Road near Busch’s. Although the chain currently operates 18 stores in 10 states, this will be its largest retail outlet. [AnnArbor.com]

A storefront that was set to serve Belgian waffles will instead be providing the world with high-end bicycles. Transition Rack, which specializes in road and triathlon bikes and currently occupies space beneath the Afternoon Delight cafe on E. Liberty, will literally be moving up in the world (as well as doubling in size) as it transitions to street-level space a block away at 217 S. Fourth St. [AnnArbor.com]

Thanks for visiting. Be careful around the roadwork on your way back to Detroit, and remember that you’re always welcome to stop by for a beer and some homemade rogan josh.

· Bill's Beer Garden: City approves liquor license transfer as construction continues [AnnArbor.com]
· Jolly Pumpkin gets Dexter's OK for 3 liquor licenses at proposed new facility [AnnArbor.com]
· Five Guys Burgers and Fries set to open second Ann Arbor location, hiring staff of 40 [AnnArbor.com]
· Business changes on Washtenaw Avenue in Ann Arbor [AnnArbor.com]
· Developer Jeff Helminski talks about City Place and hints at his next project in Ann Arbor [AnnArbor.com]
· Underground Printing to open 4th Ann Arbor store in ex-Blockbuster Video [AnnArbor.com]
· Bike shop signs deal to expand into downtown Ann Arbor storefront [AnnArbor.com]