6 Ann Arbor Specials That Define Home
Find your love for a new town in these local spots
—By Mai Tran
Moving to Ann Arbor marked my first experience living in a foreign country for an extended period of time. Coming from Vietnam—approximately 8 thousand miles away—the initial excitement of embarking on this adventure was quickly overshadowed by homesickness. To combat this feeling, I started exploring the town on my own, eager to discover unique spaces and unfamiliar lifestyles that could offer a sense of comfort and connection to home, while also helping me to maintain the initial excitement I felt about discovering something new. It has been three years since I first “befriended” Ann Arbor, and I have somewhat become my fellow international friends’ source of information into making the most of their transition into college life in a new environment.
If you’re also a college student, also coming from far away, with little to no knowledge about Ann Arbor and craving safe spaces to retreat to, here’s a curated list of six places in Ann Arbor that became my sanctuary during this transformative journey.
Dawn Treader bookstore: Dive into literary bliss
Location: 514 E Liberty St | Hours: 11AM-8PM
If you’re a reader, this might be the place for you. Dawn Treader is an eclectic used and rare bookstore right in the heart of campus, on East Liberty Street. With their vast collection of rare and antiquarian books from all over the country (sometimes even the world), it is a popular local hangout for booklovers. I used to spend my Friday afternoons, right after I get off from my on-campus job, perusing their newly added shelf, then browsing the long fiction aisle. It hugged the entire back wall of the store, housing works by international classics like J.D. Salinger and even lesser-known Vietnamese authors like Nam Le. Reading was one of my favorite things to do when I had free time at home, and I would often share my latest reads with my dad (and vice versa). So, coming into a world of unique curated literature inside Dawn Treader, I felt a strong connection to my family. The smell of old books, and the skylight in the back of the store where the sci-fi/thriller novels section resides, never fails to offer me comfort and much-needed solitude on a campus that is always bustling with “happenings” and filled with people. Sometimes, I would just spend my quiet time there on a bench reading a book or enjoying the skylight with the cardboard cutouts of sci-fi characters. It quickly became my escape into different worlds when homesickness struck.
Wazoo Records: Tune into nostalgia
Location: 36 S State St | Hours: Sunday-Tuesday & Thursday-Friday 12-6PM, Saturday 10AM-6PM
Turn right outside of Dawn Treader, and make your way onto S. State Street, all the way down past Bivouac. My Fridays also cannot be complete without a trip to Wazoo. Serving Ann Arbor since 1974, Wazoo is a staple in the music scene. With old and new CD’s and records alike, it’s a fun place to immerse yourself in American pop-rock-jazz history, and maybe even find your parents’ old go-to’s (I have gifted my dad many records bought at Wazoo: Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell, Pink Floyd, just to name a few). If you are looking for a quiet place to explore the culture that Ann Arbor is made up of, I definitely recommend coming here, browsing around, and even taking a look at the old local show posters they have on their walls!
Tiny Lions Cat Café: Make feline friends!
Location: 5245 Jackson Rd a1 | Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 12-7PM, Sunday 12-5PM
I know the hardships of being in a new environment without a car, as is the case with me and many of my international friends. However, I truly think Tiny Lions is worth a long ride on the local bus (free for students!). Homesickness for me was more than missing my bed, or my parents or my friends at home. A big part of it, as silly as it may sound, is also missing my pets. That’s why I like to occasionally make a trip to Tiny Lions, Ann Arbor’s very own cat cafe, where you can spend an hour playing with cats young and old at our local humane society—and can even adopt some! The space is full of toys and snacks, and of course, the adorable cats. It’s a relaxing time, accompanied by calming music and friendly staff. You can spend the hour getting to know the friendly cats that are up for adoption—if you can coerce them out of their napping spots, that is. “I had a lovely time seeing little cats running around among customers having a good time,” said U of M student Amy Chen. Come alone, come with a friend—either way, it’s one of my favorite safe spaces to have some adorable down time and get away from the action when things get overwhelming.
Kerrytown Farmers Market: A taste of culture and belonging
Location: 315 Detroit St | Hours: Saturday 8AM-3PM
A huge part of the study-abroad experience is of course, learning about the space you are inhabiting. If you are a student like me, you will likely spend your first years as a grown-up here. I find it easier when I can do it with people. When I feel particularly lonely, I urge myself to make the 20-minute walk to Kerrytown early on the weekends to enjoy a bit of liveliness going on at the farmers market. I don’t know about you, but in Hanoi where I’m from, we didn’t have farmers markets at all, but the local fish markets are very popular, and are always vibrant with moms haggling for the best deals of the day. Not only do I get to feel a sense of familiarity, but I also get to immerse myself in the culture a bit more. The market is a great place to talk to local artists—who sell amazing handmade, stone-encrusted rings and necklaces, farmers, and small family businesses, and get to know them more personally. This has gifted me with a better sense of belonging and connectedness.
The Blind Pig: Ann Arbor’s sonic playground
Location: 208. S. 1st St | Hours: Weekdays 5PM-2AM, Weekends 3PM-2AM
Another staple of the local entertainment oasis is The Blind Pig, the beloved live music venue that is a home for many of Ann Arbor’s greatest artists for nearly 30 years. If you want to experience the best performing arts Ann Arbor has to offer, come to Blind Pig and join in on the singing and dancing, and the occasional headbanging and “moshing.” Whenever I need a livening up, or am letting the monotonous college weeks get the best of me, I drag a friend or two to a local show at Blind Pig, and the best part is, there is one happening every week, whether it be touring artists like Hojean or local college student bands like VUP. The atmosphere of groups of music lovers and small musicians in an informal setting where the only language you need to share is fun, and the thrumming in your blood is something I will forever cherish, and have grown attached to since I first got here.
RoosRoast Liberty Coffee: Creative essence and community fun
Location: 117 E Liberty St | Hours: 8AM-4PM
A recent discovery, RoosRoast has grown close to me quickly. I have only visited a couple times, but was quickly enamored with the homey, scrappy-style decor, amazing coffee aside. (Looking into the origin of RoosRoast, I came across a Youtube video published by the founder himself. It gave me the true essence of an Ann Arbor creative, and I wonder how many more are out there. If only every local business had a video like this!). To emphasize the cozy atmosphere of the space even more, there are journals littered around the shop, each titled “The Liberty/Public Access – RoosRoast Coffee Journal,” with small prompts inside that you can anonymously fill in—like, “What are you proud of?” Without even a single human interaction in the shop, I got to see the love and passion poured from other patrons, the sweet and community-filled ambiance of the space that allows me to feel at home somewhere surrounded by complete strangers.
From literary havens and comforting embrace of the local community, each spot has played a unique role in turning a foreign city into a cherished home. As I navigate the college landscape, these spaces stand as constants, offering solace, joy, and a sense of identity in a city that has become an integral part of my story. I hope they can play a role in yours, too.
Feature Photo: Argo Park Ann Arbor, by Mai Tran