Development News

Zingerman's expands coffee options near Ann Arbor Airport

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

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Ann Arbor

People can get a cup of Zingerman's coffee in two locations, and the newest one is in one of Ann Arbor's most unlikely spots.

Zingerman's Coffee is opening a retail-and-processing site in an industrial area on Plaza Drive, in the Airport Plaza Business Park next to the world-famous eatery's bake house and creamery. The Zingerman's brand houses a family of businesses that all specialize in creating food or services around food, such as bread, customer service and coffee.

Although the original deli serves as the officials face and base of the umbrella company, many of its offshoots have facilities outside of the Kerrytown location to meet demand. Zingerman's Coffee has had to turn down business because its previous facilities weren't big enough. Its new 6,400 square feet is expected to solve that problem while giving lovers of Zingerman's coffee one more place to enjoy their product.

"One of the things we like to say is you can buy the products where they're made," says Pete Sickman-Garner, marketing manager for Zingerman's.

Zingerman's Coffee products are only available at the Kerrytown location for the time being. The new location won't have the same coffee-shop theme as the main coffee house, but it promises to have the Zingerman's flavor that gives the business its unique character.

For years Zingerman's has stood it ground at its original location, turning down opportunities to franchise or open new locations outside of Washtenaw County. Zingerman's has looked at the idea of opening a Ypsilanti location because so many of its employees live in that emerging Bohemia that the founders so readily identify with, however, nothing has yet to come from that idea. It is still looking at expanding its Kerrytown location.

Source: Pete Sickman-Garner, marketing manager for Zingerman's
Writer: Jon Zemke