Bird Seed and Beer!

It's no news that Ann Arbor scores at the top of all kinds of Top 10 lists, but I would like to suggest a new rating:  a quirkiness index.

The other night we decided to run into Downtown Home and Garden because our chickadees were sitting on their empty feeders and shouting at us.  This is our favorite place to buy birdseed, because of the selection, local sourcing, and the fact that you can measure what you want, rather than buying it in large plastic bags!  (The price is also competitive.)

Old school:  measure your seed and write the weight on the sack

While we were shopping, we ran into some friends that we had not seen for awhile, and decided to hang out for a bit while the store closed, and Bill's Beer Garden opened.



We spent a great couple of hours enjoying the early evening and catching up.  And what does that score on the quirkiness index-- (your favorite 100 year old former livery stable turned urban emporium, converting to outdoor beer garden in the evening)?  I'd give it a 9.  Oh wait!

You're hungry?  Walk through the drive-through part of the store, and visit Mark's Carts for a snack or dinner.  And you can bring your food back to enjoy with that great Michigan brew.

Bring the kids!  The vibe is like a neighborhood BBQ.

And I think that makes it a 10 out of 10 on the quirky (and awesome) scale.




It's so refreshing to be away from the "cookie-cutter" chain stores and restaurants, and find an experience that is completely unique to Ann Arbor.  Thanks, Mark Hodesh!