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Arena Owner: Too Much Liquor in A2

“I think it will change the whole feel of downtown … Every little space in this town, people will try to sell liquor,” laments a community member. Is it Joan Lowenstein or one of her crypto-prohibitionist fellow members of Campus Community Conversations? Nope, the concerned citizen is none other than the owner of the Arena, who’s not thrilled about the 800 liquor licenses about to become available in A2. Similarly, we were very upset when we learned that just anyone can go to Wordpress or Typepad and start a blog.

16 Responses to “Arena Owner: Too Much Liquor in A2”


  1. Can’t wait for them to put a café-bar in that unused space at the old Eaton factory. Then I can stop by and get liquored up before going to the polls (to be the only grad student in the city to vote on school board issues). Maybe I’ll organize a referendum to gerrymander the fifth ward into the shape of a fat joint…

    posted by sustierras on May 6th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

  2. Of all the possibilities that might lure me back to Ann Arbor, 800 new liquor licenses is a good start.

    posted by js on May 6th, 2008 at 1:33 pm

  3. 800 new sports bars! Thats what Ann Arbor needs! I can’t wait! (pukes in mouth) Don’t forget, Condos for everyone (who makes more then 100,000 a year)! The rest of you pee-ons get back to Ypsi! We only need you for food service jobs!
    Don’t come back js, nothings changed for the better and it’s only getting worse. More uptight upper crusty bastards is all we have to look forward to. If I hadn’t bought a house here I would join you in Cali.

    posted by Power to the townies! on May 6th, 2008 at 4:56 pm

  4. Harvard of the Midwest!

    http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/98-the-ivy-league/

    posted by Brandon on May 7th, 2008 at 12:39 pm

  5. i assume these liquor licenses are assorted? this might mean not only more opportunities for competition in the bar scene but also in the liquor stores. Love the beer selection, loathe the prices…. sometimes just loathing all around.

    posted by fgc on May 7th, 2008 at 2:24 pm

  6. Yeah, seriously–why the hell is Bell’s 4.50 a pint around here? (It’s cheaper in Pennsylvania, where the state Liquor Control Board runs things like the Cosa Nostra.) Maybe a little competition would help.

    posted by ex-suburbanite on May 8th, 2008 at 10:06 am

  7. I hope the Le Dog guy starts selling booze. I’d enjoy my Lobster Bisque with a bourbon chaser. It would also be nice to get a Martini while having my shoes repaired at Park’s.

    posted by Parking Structure Dude! on May 9th, 2008 at 8:15 am

  8. It would be great to have roaming beer vendors like Tiger Stadium. An army of Blue shirts carrying ice filled crates bellowing “Blue, Bud Light, Bud”

    One could be lying in the Diag or a park and just raise your hand. I’d tip too if they pour with little foam.

    posted by Ypsidweller on May 9th, 2008 at 11:29 am

  9. try getting a pint of bell’s at the firefly… SIX BUCKS.

    posted by nunya on May 9th, 2008 at 11:38 am

  10. Heh. Y’know, all the bars I go to out here don’t charge more than $5 for a microbrew.

    And man, I can walk to this amazing Indian restaurant where nothing’s over $6.95, even though it’s a pretty nice sit-down restaurant.

    You guys in Ann Arbor sound like you’re paying big city prices for little city bullshit.

    posted by js on May 9th, 2008 at 9:02 pm

  11. I can get microbrews at Haabs in Ypsi m-f for $2, 5-7PM (in a chilled mug), best deal in town. The food & service is great too. $6 is too much.

    posted by maryd on May 10th, 2008 at 5:03 pm

  12. Ypsilanti is underrated

    posted by Ypsidweller on May 10th, 2008 at 6:40 pm

  13. Agreed with ypsidweller–I can’t wait to move this fall to Ypsi!

    posted by ex-suburbanite on May 10th, 2008 at 8:37 pm

  14. Arbor Brewing is $3 at happy hour (all day Monday) and the Mug Club at Grizzly Peak makes it $2.50 all the time and $1.50 at happy hour. Leopold’s never had one, although they had that flip Thursday thing where you MIGHT get half off, no guarantees.

    posted by a2oldie on May 12th, 2008 at 10:59 am

  15. And once marijuana is legalized, it can then be sold at the farmers Market!!!

    posted by fuzzbollah on May 12th, 2008 at 4:09 pm

  16. Hell, I live in New York and microbrew/importy pints are normally $4/$5.

    posted by Brandon on May 13th, 2008 at 8:22 pm

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