Social drinking has expanded across downtown Ann Arbor. This development comes just as the latest semester of University of Michigan students has settled in, and summer’s usual brisk business of sidewalks filled with bar goers and restaurant patrons would normally be done for the summer, but now there will be even less need to elbow your way through enclosed bars for your next drink.
“We’re excited to expand the social district footprint beyond Main Street, incorporating more of the downtown area,” Main Street Area Association Executive Director Ashley Schafer said in a press release. “Over the past two years, Main Street has successfully managed the social district only within the Main Street boundaries, benefiting our local businesses and community. This expansion reflects the continued collaborative efforts of our associations, creating an even more vibrant and welcoming experience for both residents and visitors.”
The Michigan Liquor Control Board and Ann Arbor’s city council have both approved a plan to create a unified social district for bars and alcohol-serving restaurants from Main Street through State Street. So rather than only being able to drink alcohol within those businesses, you will be allowed to carry dedicated cups full of your drink around as you pursue downtown, within clearly marked areas.
“I think it will be very good on certain days,” Jeffery Moore, the co-owner of Ashley’s, said in an interview. This new arrangement is something Moore has been advocating for since the pandemic because “I could be full inside and still sell a drink to someone whose walking. So that’s extra capacity.”
Social districts have been around for a while, and really got a heyday during the pandemic, as cites as big as New York and as small as Saline were trying anything they could think of to keep their downtowns’ restaurants and bars from closing permanently. Ann Arbor’s new district is a combined effort from the State Street District and Main Street Ann Arbor; business non-profits profiting their neighboring areas of downtown. The resolution that was passed combines their social districts into on, so a bar goer won’ have to pay attention to which district they are in or navigate any gap between the two.
That is why circular stickers have appeared near intersections on Ann Arbor’s sidewalks. They are designed to be clear markers of where the social district begins and ends. You’re within the district if you are on the green side of the circle.
“This initiative goes beyond business – it’s about building bridges within our community. After decades of developing our distinct identities, we have a unique chance to come together and amplify what makes downtown Ann Arbor special,” Angela Heflin, the executive director of the State Street District, said in the same press release. Helfin added that her organization “is excited to bring shared resources to the table and jointly lead the Social District initiative with Main Street, ensuring a cohesive and exciting experience for the community as a whole. It’s about more than just growth; it’s about connection, unity, and creating a downtown that reflects the strength of our combined efforts.”
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Washington and Liberty Streets are the main corridors of where you can take your beverages, along with certain blocks north and south of it, as well as all streets in between the two from First to Thayer, as you can see in the attached map. A full list of businesses participating in the scheme can be found at Love Local.
Love Local’s website also comes with a useful FAQ page. For example, you can participate in the district from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. Social District cups aren’t supposed to be reused, so you’ll need a new one for every drink you consume, and outside alcohol isn’t allowed.
“Sold here” stickers will be displayed prominently at participating businesses. Other stickers will make it clear which businesses want to participate and which would rather not.
Applications to become a participating business are quick and easy according to Moore. He said the whole process of filling out a quick form and applying to the Michigan Liquor Control Board took a grand total of 10 days before Ashley’s was approved.
“Yes, we sell food and drink,” Moore said of how the A2SD fits into his philosophical approach to the restaurant and bar business. “But in a lot of aspects, we rent seats. … If it rains and I can’t make that up the next day, if I’m going to be full that’s the maximum I can do. If you look a Chick-Fil-A, they don’t make their money on people coming in to dine; it’s that drive thru lane. And that’s what that is,” he said of the introduction of the A2SD. “It’s our drive thru lane.”
Drew Saunders is a freelance business and environmental journalist who grew up just outside of Ann Arbor. He covers local business developments, embraces his foodie side with reviews restaurants, obsesses over Michigan's environmental state, loves movies, and feels spoiled by the music he gets to review for Ann Arbor!
