Unraveling Our Close-Knit Community
Explosive allegations at the Artisans’ Market threaten to pit knitter against crocheter, dollmaker against varietal honey producer, in a battle for the soul of Tree Town. When an upstart knitter attempted a hostile takeover of the craft bazaar, “Veteran artisans … raised questions about [her] ability to produce so many sweaters,” writes Judy McGovern. “The result? Sweatergate,” a scandal the likes of which hasn’t been seen in A2 since Birdlistgate.
Saturday’s market isn’t any different. Buying and reselling of spring and summer bedding plants is rampant. There’s talk of purchased frozen baked goods and cheesy bread sticks from Little Ceasars Pizza. Don’t get em started on the hanging flower baskets.
posted by Denise on April 16th, 2007 at 2:11 amWho’s managing the market?
Let’s have a moment for the word “disputatious,” shall we?
posted by heidi on April 16th, 2007 at 2:30 amI thought the Soul of Tree Town belonged to whomever had the greatest right to nourish its roots. If you want a coffin, the People’s Co-Op can sell you the right to requset one.
posted by toasty on April 16th, 2007 at 3:44 amIsn’t this covered in the City’s bylaws somewhere?: “The Soul Of Tree Town shall only be dispensed in tiny increments, as designated prudent by the City, and as necessary to carefully balance the City’s lucrative artistic reputation against the lush downtown economy effectively void of supporting it.”
I can’t say i fully agree with the artist’s course of action as described, but i also couldn’t help but think, “What? A local artist believing that an A^2 institution could be so much cooler than it is? Color me shocked…”
“Sometimes rabble-rousers have a point - even if they’re mistaken about tactics,” says Judy in her closing line. I guess it’s perfectly okay to point out that the City’s brimming with unrealized creative potential, so long as you don’t piss off the establishment trying to do anything about it.
*sigh*
posted by _earthshine_ on April 16th, 2007 at 12:22 pmI was hoping for a “Bathgate joke.
posted by Brandon on April 16th, 2007 at 1:35 pmMmmmmmm…. Little Caeser’s crazy bread? Where? What booth? Finally, a reason to go to the market!
posted by Monica on April 16th, 2007 at 3:19 pmThere was rumor of embezzlement by one of the Market’s workers, from the sunday artisan market.
posted by Phil on April 16th, 2007 at 6:29 pmWhat about the out-of-state tomatos? Was that last year?
posted by LittleB on April 16th, 2007 at 10:00 pmPeople were trucking up florida tomatos before they could possibly
be in season in Michigan and selling them at the farmers market.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Oh, thanks, AAiO. Ironically, the absurdity’s just what I needed to read right now. Makes my own life look nice and ordered in comparison.
Or at least sane. Geoffrey Fieger and knit sweaters. Comedy gold.
“But in a city with no town square, green or gathering place on one hand, and a keen interest in a lively downtown on the other, the market site is an asset that oughtn’t be forgotten.”
An asset how? I love the farmer’s market, but living across the street from it got to be a major annoyance when a suburban day-tourist is blocking the driveway with his minivan. A “town square, green, or gathering place” for actual residents, it is not. Except maybe Community High kids on lunch break. It’s an asset to me (as I have no car and during season did most of my grocery shopping there), but I don’t think in the way the writer intended.
I suppose you could claim the Diag as such a gathering place, but Ann Arbor is completely independent from U-M, no?
posted by Anonymous on April 17th, 2007 at 5:42 pmOh, and AAIO, I had hoped for a Weezer reference. Am I the only one who remembers him, lying on the floor? He had come undone!
PS— the soul of Ann Arbor’s been run off to Ypsi. Oddly enough, that Fourth Ave neighborhood used to be the area with the most claim to soul (granting the magic negro stereotype).
posted by js on April 18th, 2007 at 12:41 pmunfortunately the weezer ref was already played out about 4 postings ago.
who knew that there would be a need for 2 sweater based posting titles. too bad there’s not some buffy sweather themed quote that works.
posted by Miko on April 18th, 2007 at 3:39 pmI thought the market was for people who grow or make their own products. Why isn’t the manager doing her job?
posted by janet on April 19th, 2007 at 7:23 amI am familiar with the cheeesy bread vendor. Do not agree with this practice.
The manager recenly received a complaint against a cherry grower and did nothing about it! Are the cherries grown by this vendor or not??? What is the manager doing?
posted by Fred D. on April 21st, 2007 at 10:33 am