This document describes how a downtown parking lot in Ann Arbor, Michigan was transformed into a cultural asset called Bill's Beer Garden. The owners of the adjacent Downtown Home & Garden store realized the parking lot was underutilized after hours and partnered to open Bill's Beer Garden, featuring shared tables and a welcoming environment. It has become a popular community gathering place for people of all ages to socialize and also occasionally hosts performances. Bill's Beer Garden exemplifies finding new possibilities by asking "What can happen here?".

1. Cultivating
Conversations
Cultivating
Conversations
How a downtown parking
lot became a city-wide
cultural asset
How a downtown parking
lot became a city-wide
cultural asset

2. Downtown Home & Garden has served
the Ann Arbor community since 1906.

3. Today it sells organic garden supplies and related interesting stuff.
Wallace

4. Located one block from Main Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan,
it offers handy on-site parking when buying bulk bird seed.

5. Founder Mark Hodesh and business partner Bill Zolkowski
realized this daytime parking lot held untapped potential.

6. THE URBAN INNOVATOR’S QUESTION:
What can happen here?
Mark and Bill had an idea for making greater use of
this property after regular hours.
They also saw how Ann Arbor could benefit from a
lively social gathering place for people of all ages
and origins.

7. Mark and Bill met here, across the street, four decades ago.

8. In 2012, they collaborated to animate the parking lot…

9. …in the evening after regular retail business hours.

10. Bill’s Beer Garden soon became the place to be.

11. Shared tables and a convivial setting
make it easy to start a conversation.

12. Traditional barriers to socializing are minimized.

13. The space is visually connected to the street.

14. Views to the interior add interest for people walking downtown.
Downtown Home & Garden

15. It is a place for extraordinary performances…
University Musical Society Season Opener:
My Brightest Diamond with Detroit Party
Marching Band at Downtown Home & Garden
and Bill’s Beer Garden, 11 Sept 2015

16. …like the Detroit Party Marching Band…

17. …as well as everyday socializing.

18. In a world of ordinary places,
what other elements make
Bill’s Beer Garden beloved?
- special character
- real; genuine
- presence of Bill
- evolved over time
- comfortable and sheltered
- textured, not slick and shiny
- connections to nature
- aesthetically attractive
- obvious that owners truly care

19. Here’s to Bill’s Beer Garden and to seeing possibilities…
Local entrepreneur
Jane Hughes with
Bill Zolkowski of
Bill’s Beer Garden

20. …by asking the innovator’s question:
What can happen here?
photos & text:
Sharon VanderKaay
@svkaay