Tuesday, June 1, 2004

Seth Lower / The Detroit News Joel Wollborg shoots pool at the Full Moon in Ann Arbor. The bar is a popular hangout during Pistons games.

Ann Arbor and Brighton: Fun on the Fringe

Suburbanites head west to shop, party

Concerts, theaters, clubs, restaurants draw people of all ages to diverse spots

By Steve Pardo / The Detroit News

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BRIGHTON — With an influx of restaurants and shopping, downtown Brighton is turning into an entertainment destination in Livingston County and far west Oakland County. And that’s exactly what city leaders hoped and planned for.

Community leaders have even applied to be named one of Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s “Cool Cities.”

“We’ve encouraged our merchants to stay open later, and some of them have,” said Kim Castle, the city’s director of community development and planning. “Part of the nightlife is walking around Main Street and being able to check out the stores.”

There’s live music at the Stout Irish pub daily. And live music every Friday at the Brighton Bar and Grill. The MJR Brighton Town Square Cinema — recently expanded to 20 screens — is just west of downtown on Grand River.

Shoppers jam the local farmers market on Saturday, and there are concerts at the Mill Pond downtown on summer Sundays.

Due south, Ann Arbor is reporting an influx of visitors from outside Washtenaw County. The western suburban creep has made it a reasonable drive for a new crop of people looking for things to do — especially concerts, theater, clubs and restaurants nurtured by the college town and atmosphere.

Joel Wollborg of Plymouth prefers Ann Arbor to Detroit or the other suburbs.

“There’s not as much nightlife in Detroit,” said Wollborg, 23, an engineer and U-M graduate. “In Ann Arbor, you’ve got a larger amount of things to draw on. It’s a fairly happening place, and something’s always going on.”

The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum is a popular weekend destination for families. And there’s a constant stream of stage productions, recitals, a vast and hugely popular summer art fair, and a thriving farmers market.

“At the end of May, the student population drops dramatically,” said Robert Fraser, Ann Arbor’s city administrator. “What you then begin to see is a steady concentration of cars in the parking lots and structures. It seems clear we’ve got a lot more people driving here in this warm weather.”

It can be difficult to find parking in Ann Arbor. Visitors can count on driving around or walking several blocks if they choose one of the 10 downtown parking structures, and expect to pay about $1-$1.25 an hour.

You can reach Steve Pardo at (517) 552-5503 or spardo@detnews.com.