ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — Downtown Home & Garden, a staple in the Ann Arbor community since 1906, will close its doors on Dec. 24 after facing mounting financial pressures.
The beloved store, located along South Ashley Street near the intersection of West Washington, has been serving the community for nearly 120 years, starting as a livery stable before transforming into the home and garden store it is today.
Watch the video report below:
"The priority of the business, no matter what it has been, has always been to serve the community," Kelly Vore, owner of Downtown Home & Garden, said.
Vore, who has owned the store since 2015, explained that prior to 2020, the business had momentum, but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their progress.
"A lot of it is not so much the pandemic itself but trying to find footing, something kind of recognizable post-(pandemic)," Vore said.
Hear more from Kelly Vore in the video player below:
The store has faced additional challenges including changes in downtown Ann Arbor that have led to decreased customer traffic and rising rent costs, including a 26% increase this year.
"We manage a large operation and we have a lot of low margin goods," Vore said. "This would have to change quite a bit in order to be able to carry that level of expense."
In an effort to survive, the business has downsized by moving out of the neighboring building and reducing staff, but Vore says they've gone as far as they can.
"We're just going to make the best of the time we have remaining," Vore said.
Customers expressed sadness about the impending closure of the store, which has become an institution in Ann Arbor.
"I come here for house plant stuff, bird seed and then also just to ask the staff advice for gardening," Alexandra Strehlow, a shopper at Downtown Home & Garden, said.
"I come over here a lot," Heather Hawley, another shopper, said. "But it's old, it's nostalgic and it reminds me of a lot of the things that I grew up with."
"I've only ever thought of this place as an establishment in Ann Arbor," Strehlow said.
The future of the property remains unclear, though some customers hope another local store will eventually occupy the site.
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