Ah, Depot Town, Riverside Park, Eastern Michigan University. Ypsilanti is all about the perfect summer festival. Its walkable neighborhoods boast vintage housing to die for and its downtown historic district is the third largest in Michigan -- only Detroit and Grand Rapids have larger ones. Its independent music and art scenes are thriving, and it boasts a diversity and community spirit very few other Metro Detroit cities can touch.
Grab a sandwich at Beezy's. Catch an
outre performance at the
Dreamland Puppet Theatre. Down a Michigan brew at Frog Island or
Corner Brewery. Check out the latest art show at Riverside Gallery or lust after an antique architectural find at
Materials Unlimited.
At nearly 200 years old, this storied community's history has yet to be written. After all, name another city in Michigan that holds an annual summer festival dedicated to
Elvis and the biannual DIY fest, the
Shadow Art Fair?
Nicole Rupersburg
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Where can you get pastries, coffee, fashion, and furniture under one roof? Oh, and a little opera and theater too? The Mix Marketplace is the latest cool idea to pop up in Ypsilanti's increasingly DIY downtown. It's where retail, community, and culture meet to create a one-of-a-kind destination. Concentrate gets the skinny.
Kelly Quintanilla
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Is it tea or is it an alcoholic beverage? For Rachel and Tarek Kanaan, owners of Unity Vibration Kombucha, the state's question had potentially far-reaching consequences for their probiotic drink business. But instead of over-reacting, they adapted by adding kombucha beer to their product line. It's turned out to be one of the best decisions they ever made.
Jon Zemke
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
One excels at style. The other, substance. But when it comes to nurturing an entrepreneurial ecosystem, both matter. Jon Zemke attends Silicon Valley's quarterly Founder Showcase and our own annual business plan competition, Accelerate Michigan, and finds a clash of both cultures and community.
Concentrate Staff
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
From neo folk to hip-hop to rock and pop to electronica, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have a vibrant community of musicians, labels, and producers. Is it an industry or a scene? We'll be exploring the topic at Concentrate's speaker event tonight. Sign up up now!
Nicole Rupersburg
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
It was an economic development scheme that paid dividends and then some. Back in 1901, Ypsilanti deeded land to the Michigan Ladder Company in exchange for a hand full of jobs. One hundred ten years later, the company is still manufacturing their trademark wood ladders. And 95% of their business comes from outside the state.
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