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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

Cultivating Conversations

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Page 1: 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

Page 2: Cultivating Conversations

Downtown Home & Garden has served

the Ann Arbor community since 1906.

Page 3: Cultivating Conversations

Today it sells organic garden supplies and related interesting stuff.

Wallace

Page 4: Cultivating Conversations

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

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

Page 5: Cultivating Conversations

Founder Mark Hodesh and business partner Bill Zolkowski

realized this daytime parking lot held untapped potential.

Page 6: Cultivating Conversations

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.

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

Page 8: Cultivating Conversations

In 2012, they collaborated to animate the parking lot…

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…in the evening after regular retail business hours.

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

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Shared tables and a convivial setting

make it easy to start a conversation.

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Traditional barriers to socializing are minimized.

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The space is visually connected to the street.

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Views to the interior add interest for people walking downtown.

Downtown Home & Garden

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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

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…like the Detroit Party Marching Band…

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…as well as everyday socializing.

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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

Page 19: Cultivating Conversations

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

Local entrepreneur

Jane Hughes with

Bill Zolkowski of

Bill’s Beer Garden

Page 20: Cultivating Conversations

…by asking the innovator’s question:

What can happen here?

photos & text:

Sharon VanderKaay

@svkaay