Cultivating Conversations

Cultivating Conversations Cultivating Conversations How a downtown parking lot became a city-wide cultural asset

How a downtown parking lot became a city-wide cultural asset

Downtown Home & Garden has served

the Ann Arbor community since 1906.

Today it sells organic garden supplies and related interesting stuff.

Wallace

Located one block from Main Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan,

it offers handy on-site parking when buying bulk bird seed.

Founder Mark Hodesh and business partner Bill Zolkowski

realized this daytime parking lot held untapped potential.

THE URBAN INNOVATOR’S QUESTION:

What can happen here?

Mark and Bill had an idea for making greater use of

this property after regular hours.

They also saw how Ann Arbor could benefit from a

lively social gathering place for people of all ages

and origins.

Mark and Bill met here, across the street, four decades ago.

In 2012, they collaborated to animate the parking lot…

…in the evening after regular retail business hours.

Bill’s Beer Garden soon became the place to be.

Shared tables and a convivial setting

make it easy to start a conversation.

Traditional barriers to socializing are minimized.

The space is visually connected to the street.

Views to the interior add interest for people walking downtown.

Downtown Home & Garden

It is a place for extraordinary performances…

University Musical Society Season Opener:

My Brightest Diamond with Detroit Party

Marching Band at Downtown Home & Garden

and Bill’s Beer Garden, 11 Sept 2015

…like the Detroit Party Marching Band…

…as well as everyday socializing.

In a world of ordinary places,

what other elements make

Bill’s Beer Garden beloved?

- special character

- real; genuine

- presence of Bill

- evolved over time

- comfortable and sheltered

- textured, not slick and shiny

- connections to nature

- aesthetically attractive

- obvious that owners truly care

Here’s to Bill’s Beer Garden and to seeing possibilities…

Local entrepreneur

Jane Hughes with

Bill Zolkowski of

Bill’s Beer Garden

…by asking the innovator’s question:

What can happen here?

photos & text:

Sharon VanderKaay

@svkaay