Starbucks, Great Clips among tenants now open at Ann Arbor's Plymouth Road Plaza
Developer Louis Johnson, left, general contractor Dave Hughes of Vanston/O'Brien Inc. and developer Jack Edelstein stand outside the new Plymouth Road Plaza in Ann Arbor.
Lizzy Alfs | AnnArbor.com
Tenants in the two-story, 21,000-square-foot Plymouth Road Plaza are: DFCU Financial, Great Clips, The Big Salad, LaVida Massage and Starbucks Coffee. The developers still are marketing 9,000 square feet of office space on the second floor for lease.
“This is the best location for us. It’s right on the road, so it’s very visible. The building is brand new so I had the ability to build-out exactly how I wanted to,” said Julie Gabriel, owner of the LaVida Massage franchise.
Local developers Louis Johnson and Jack Edelstein, in a partnership with Plymouth Road Mall owner Vern Hutton, received city approvals for the project in 2007, but it was sidelined when the economy turned south.
Edelstein said improving economic factors and U-M’s purchase of the former Pfizer site revived the development this year. It’s situated on a 1-acre parcel on the underutilized parking lot in front of Plymouth Road Mall, just east of Nixon Road.
The project’s general contractor was Dave Hughes of Vanston/O’Brien.
Great Clips and Starbucks Coffee are officially open for business, while LaVida Massage will celebrate its grand opening on Monday, April 1. Gabriel said the massage center focuses on custom massages and facials. She’s also looking to get involved with events in the Ann Arbor area.
“Being involved in the community is important to me, as well as all of my therapists,” she said.
The Big Salad, which was founded in 2008 in Grosse Pointe, is planning to open Wednesday, April 3.
“There aren’t many (fast-casual and healthful) restaurant options,” said franchise owner Kevin Vlazny. “I like it. I’m excited.”
The Big Salad and Starbucks have outdoor patio seating, while Starbucks and DFCU Financial have drive-thru lanes. The credit union is aiming for a May 13 opening.
Edelstein estimated there will be 80 employees working at the new development, which doesn’t include the second-floor office space.
“Having a new building with this type of image and all the customers that are going to come to this, it’s going to be harmonious with what’s going on (in the mall) behind it,” Johnson said.
The center will have a grand opening celebration from 2 to 6 p.m. on April 26 with a live band and special promotions.
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Comments
Stephen Rosenblum
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 7:09 p.m.
I find the fact that one of the owners of the Plymouth Mall decided to slit the throats of the owners of the Songbird Cafe by leasing to a Starbucks right across the parking lot is appalling and greedy. The family that opened the Songbird Cafe spent a fortune rehabilitating the old Flim Flam space and have created a lovely cafe there which they personally staff. They are truly a local family and this is a local business. I am not an anti-corporate zealot, but, I will never go into that Starbucks. I hope my neighbors in that neighborhood will support the Songbird. We really don't need another Starbucks here. We do need local people investing in local businesses to keep our town unique and alive.
kuriooo
Sat, Mar 30, 2013 : 4:16 p.m.
I wish they'd get businesses that complement Curry Up and the Way One, the Chinese grocery store. Instead I find myself driving to Ypsi for the Chinese style massage, Hong Kong Dim Sum, etc. I wish the business owners well, but I probably won't frequent a Starbucks or a Little Caesar's over Sweetwaters (not too far away on Plymouth) or Curry Up or Jimmy John's....
Gorc
Sat, Mar 30, 2013 : 8:13 a.m.
I'm curious why the city approved the drive up in the new mall with that configuration. Next time you drive in or out of the parking lot off a Plymouth Road, look at the proximity of the exit for the drive thru relative to Plymouth Road. Cars will be exiting and entering the mall's parking lot, while the drive thru exit is about 15 - 20 feet from Plymouth Road. There is not enough setback and this could be a potential hazard.
calmic
Sat, Mar 30, 2013 : 2:21 a.m.
The usual whiners...
oyxclean
Sat, Mar 30, 2013 : 12:46 a.m.
I'll be sticking with Expresso Royale and Sweetwaters, TYVM.
Anansi
Sat, Mar 30, 2013 : 12:18 a.m.
How will Starbucks be "harmonious" with Songbird Cafe?
whatsupwithMI
Sat, Mar 30, 2013 : 12:13 a.m.
mmmm... minimum-wage, no-benefits jobs... sounds like midwest desperation!
oyxclean
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 9:59 p.m.
Who wants to sit in a parking lot on a busy 4-lane street and drink $5 dollar coffee?
Oscar Lavista
Sat, Mar 30, 2013 : 2:47 a.m.
I'm up for it. What time?
David Cahill
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 9:36 p.m.
This new project will help revive Plymouth Road Mall, which frankly has had better days.
demistify
Sat, Mar 30, 2013 : 3:57 p.m.
You are wrong. More stores are leaving Plymouth Mall because it is a slum. Both Frames Unlimited and Domino just moved across Nixon to Traver Village. The new addition, under the same management will probably not be any better maintained.
oyxclean
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 9:56 p.m.
The entire Plymouth Road Mall should have been torn down and rebuilt with a better design.
Retiree Newcomer
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 9:34 p.m.
The Plymouth Road Mall, which shares parking with the new building, already had substantially inadequate parking, even though most of the interior space in the "mall" is now vacant. I can't understand how this new building was allowed in this location wihout more parking. This shows that Ann Arbor's parking requirements need attention.
oyxclean
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 9:54 p.m.
Several months ago I went to the Rite Aid store. There was no parking to be had. I predict a parking fiasco.
noreaster
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 9:27 p.m.
To Think even more local flavor is coming to the PR Mall - Little Caesars!
Lizzy Alfs
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 10:09 p.m.
Yes, Little Caesars is opening where dominos was in the back mall.
oyxclean
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 9:52 p.m.
Little Caesars backed out.
demistify
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 8:49 p.m.
I would be more impressed if the owner of the Plymouth Mall did some long overdue maintenance there. It is because of this neglect that the parking lot was "underutilized".
Think!
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 8:29 p.m.
A Starbucks and a Great Clips? Finally some unique local flavor.....
ItsTheTruth
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 8:14 p.m.
We need somewhere to get our hair cut over by Whole Foods and Barnes and Noble.
a2phiggy
Sat, Mar 30, 2013 : 12:05 a.m.
In case your comment is not sarcastic, I'll share that there is a salon above Panera (in the same complex as WF and B & N) and a Great Clips nearby at Stadium & Packard. Happy hairstyling!
Bertha Venation
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 8:07 p.m.
Drove by there on the way to lunch at GP hamburgers today, and the gals in the car got so excited, they nearly jumped out of the sun roof!
halflight
Sat, Mar 30, 2013 : 7:46 p.m.
Wow, they oughta get out more.
Lizzy Alfs
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 7:46 p.m.
I think it's significant to have a mixed-use development constructed in that area. Not only is it one of the first in several years, but just thinking about how that area was affected when Pfizer left..We wrote stories about business being down in the corridor for many people: "Pfizer's closing affected our lunch crowd especially," said Mark's Midtown Coney Island co-owner Mark Colwell. "We slowed down, but we got through it. The hard part was that it happened all at once, but we rode it out and tightened our belts. Now that U-M took over, it's bringing people back." Meanwhile, the owners of Carpenter Bros. estimated they lost between nine and 10 percent of their business. http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/husband-and-wife-entreprenuers-steer-hardware-store-yoga-studio-through-changing-times/ But it sounds like traffic has picked up and clearly, developers are confident (and banks are lending). There is another building being constructed further down by the Holiday Inn as well.
Mike58
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 7:34 p.m.
Think I'll stick with the Songbird Cafe and the barber shop in the old Plymouth Road mall. The space certainly could have been better utilized.
Mike58
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 8:11 p.m.
There is another shop there now. Where Headlines used to be.
DJB
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 7:54 p.m.
The barber shop is gone!
An Arborigine
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 7:32 p.m.
Just what this town needs, another coffee shop.
Arboriginal
Sat, Mar 30, 2013 : 1:54 a.m.
This plaza needs more parking spots!
UloveM
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 10:31 p.m.
Just what this plaza needs, another hair-cut shop.
UloveM
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 10:29 p.m.
Just want this plaza needs, another hair cut shop.
Lynn Liston
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 7:19 p.m.
Right across the parking lot in the original mall building is the Songbird Cafe which has excellent "fast-casual and healthful' as well as delicious breakfast and lunch offerings; and they serve Mighty Good Coffee, locally sourced and roasted, some of the best in the city. Just sayin'...
G-Man
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 7:19 p.m.
Gimme some of dat $5 coffee, oh yah...