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looks like typewriter keys, designed by to local farms and food producers. The
Oliver Uberti. He also envisioned the shop on Liberty Street consists of a cute
out-of-the-box mural that now graces coffee bar up front and a small grocery
one of the exterior walls. Owners Hilary to the left, with produce labeled with
and Michael Gustafson selected fifteen the name of the farm and locally made
favorite phrases written by customers goods like jams and pickles. Around the
on the basement typewriter (open to corner is a greenhouse area with a long
the public), and Uberti painted them community table as well as benches and
onto the building in typewriter font. smaller tables scattered throughout the
Phrases range from the humorous space for sipping lattes or studying.
(“I like turtles”) to the profound
(“Typewriters remind us that words Another item on my Ann Arbor
are sound. What have we lost now that checklist had been to scout out a fairy
words are silent?”). door, a tiny door that reveals a view
of a miniature world behind it. The
We did a little loop and ended up on concept of fairy doors is the brainchild
Fifth Street to grab a bite at Earthen Jar, of Jonathan B. Wright, a graphic
a casual pay-by-weight vegetarian Indian design teacher at a local college. The
restaurant with many vegan options as tradition started when his children
well. The yellow dal was my favorite, began “discovering” fairy doors in the
with the curried potatoes a close runner- family home. The fairies expanded,
up. Though the restaurant is sparse on with the first public fairy door popping
decor, it’s big on flavor and kindness. up outside Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea
The owner is a huge Bob Marley fan, on April 7, 2005. The fairy doors have
and some scattered photo memorabilia become so popular, Wright’s website,
can be found on the walls. urban-fairies.com, offers fairy-door
seekers a downloadable map to guide
With our bellies full, the final stop of their quest. Officially, Wright does not
the night was The Ark, where we took build the fairy doors; the fairies do.
in a concert featuring blues guitarist
Matt Andersen. This intimate venue On Stella’s suggestion, I took a
is considered to be one of the premier walk through the historic district of
music clubs in the country. It’s a Kerrytown, located on the north side of
testament to Ann Arbor’s commitment downtown. I was especially interested
to the arts that places like The Ark in learning about the history of the
attract so many top performers. Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Referred to as an everyday
Church on North Fourth Avenue, which year-round farmer’s market,
DAY THREE was completed in 1896 and served as
intricate jewelry. Stella modeled (and After walking past the charming Argus a hub for the black community until Argus Farm Stop arose from
bought) a fabulous navy trench coat Farm Stop countless times on my way 1971, when they built a bigger church a realization that customers
made of velvet corduroy, which made downtown, I made a point to visit and on John A. Woods Drive. As the wall wanted a regular place to buy
her look like a movie star. look around. Referred to as an everyday display (courtesy of the Downtown food from local farms. Opened
year-round farmer’s market, Argus Ann Arbor Historical Street Exhibit in 2014, the business has paid
We crossed the street and continued Farm Stop arose from a realization that program) explains, the black community over $5 million to local farms
up Washington Street, and we were customers wanted a regular place to buy was mainly located in Kerrytown due
quickly in front of Literati Bookstore, food from local farms. Opened in 2014, to segregated housing practices at the and food producers.
easily recognizable by the sign that the business has paid over $5 million time. The Ann Arbor African American
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