🛍️ Remember the M Den? It's back.

Morning, Ann Arbor! After a soggy weekend, the skies are finally clearing, and it's a big week for comebacks and firsts: the M Den is rising from bankruptcy, Zingerman's is rethinking where its chocolate comes from, and a Manchester couple is chasing the county's first USDA meat plant. Add a new batch of affordable housing, a medal ceremony at Rackham, and the Symphony's season opener, and there's plenty to get into. Let's roll!

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🛍️ The M Den Is Coming Back to Ann Arbor

Two years after bankruptcy shut its local stores, the official apparel shop of Michigan athletics is returning. A sign went up Friday at 2603 Jackson Road in Westgate Shopping Center. A second store is coming to 711 N. University Ave., in the old Moe’s Sports Shop space. Both are slated for this fall. M Den

🍫 Zingerman’s Candy Is Now Sourcing Its Chocolate From Ecuador

Zingerman’s Candy Manufactory, at 3723 Plaza Dr. #5 in the Southside Shops, will get its dark and milk chocolate from Conexión Chocolate, an Ecuador company founded by Jenny Samaniego. Both businesses are woman-owned. Conexión buys straight from cacao farmer co-ops and makes the chocolate inside Ecuador. The candy shop is also splitting off to run on its own, apart from Zingerman’s Bakehouse and Zingerman’s Coffee Company. Zingerman’s Community

🏈 Michigan Starts Slow, Finishes Fast Against UTEP

For nearly a half it looked shaky, No. 19 Michigan trailed twice after two turnovers led to UTEP scores. Then the Wolverines flipped the switch, ripping off 38 straight points for a 52-17 rout to move to 3-0. Bryce Underwood threw two touchdown passes, freshman Savion Hiter added two rushing scores, and Jonah Lea'ea capped the third with a pick-six. Fun subplot: Tommy Carr, grandson of former coach Lloyd Carr, made his Michigan debut and tossed a touchdown. Up next: a Top 25 clash at home with No. 18 Iowa. MGoBlue

SPONSORED BY U-M Wallenberg Medal and Lecture

🏆Guerline Jozef to Receive the 2026 Wallenberg Medal at U-M

Guerline Jozef will receive the 2026 Wallenberg Medal on Tuesday, September 29th at 4:30PM in Rackham Auditorium. In keeping with the tradition of the Wallenberg Lecture, Jozef will draw on her personal experience to share with the audience her understanding of how one person can make a difference. Jozef leads the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a Haitian-American-women-led organization serving immigrants, with a particular focus on Black immigrants at the US-Mexico border and beyond. The ceremony is free and open to the public. The event is wheelchair and ADA accessible. ASL and CART provided. 31st Wallenberg Medal and Lecture

🏥 Mott Is the Best Children’s Hospital in Michigan Again

U.S. News ranked C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital first in the state and ninth in the Midwest. That makes 20 straight years in the national rankings. Mott placed nationally in nine areas of care, from pediatric cancer to neonatology. U.S. News

🥩 Washtenaw County Is Getting Its First USDA Meat Plant

Right now there's no USDA-inspected meat processor within 70 miles of Ann Arbor, and Damian Rivera and Rosemary Linares want to fix that. The couple behind Damian's Craft Meats has raised more than 90% of the $18.5 million needed for a 25,000-square-foot facility in Manchester, and they hope to break ground by spring. It'll handle cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, and bison, plus a walk-in butcher shop. Damian's Craft Meats

SPONSORED BY ANN ARBOR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

🎶Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra Opens Its 98th Season at Hill Auditorium

Music Director Earl Lee and the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra open their 98th season with three cornerstone works charting a powerful journey through human emotion, plus the world premiere of a brand new work by American composer Samuel Adler. Rising star Amaryn Olmeda makes her Ann Arbor debut with Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto, joined by Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6.

Sunday, October 11, at Hill Auditorium at 3 PM. Tickets range from $35 to $115. Students save 50% off tickets. Visit a2so.org to learn more.

🚧 17 Miles of Ann Arbor Roads Are Getting Reworked

The city’s Safe Streets for All plan is moving ahead, and 17 miles of roadway are on the list. Transportation Manager Suzann Flowers says riders and drivers will see “new striped bike lanes, green pavement markings, side street bump-outs, and looking at protecting our bike lanes with city posts.” The project bids out in January, with work starting in spring. If you want to ask questions first, there is a virtual open house on Sept. 30. WEMU

🚌 TheRide and Its Drivers Have a New Four-Year Deal

TheRide and Transport Workers Union Local 171 reached a new contract, effective Sept. 17 and running through June 2030. Top operator pay reaches $34.37 an hour, which keeps TheRide drivers among the highest paid in the state. TheRide

🏗️ 66 Affordable Apartments Are Headed to South State

The Planning Commission voted unanimously on Sept. 15 to advance State Street Flats, a four-story, 66-unit building at 3695 S. State St. Every apartment would rent at rates set for people earning 60% of the area median income. The roughly $29 million project now goes to City Council. The building would be fully electric. WEMU

🚴 Northside Residents Are Pushing Back on Broadway Bridge Bike Lanes

The city is weighing a road diet for the Broadway Bridge and North Division Street. Under the proposed Division Street Bikeway Extension, one traffic lane would come out and two-way bike lanes would go in from Catherine Street to Broadway and Plymouth. About 50 residents filled the tables at the Northside Grill on Thursday night to talk it through. They are circulating a petition and plan to attend next week’s City Council meeting and a Downtown Development Authority open house. WEMU

On the Market

1601 Peach St — $580,000 4 bed | 2 bath | 2,196 sqft - A 1961 north-side ranch one block from the STEAM school, with hardwood floors, a finished basement with a wet bar and wine cellar, and a fenced backyard with raised garden beds.

1327 Brooklyn Ave — $1,175,000 3 bed | 3 bath | 2,137 sqft - A move-in-ready 1920 Dutch Colonial in Burns Park with a new chef’s kitchen, hardwood floors, a primary suite and finished third floor, plus a deep backyard and two-car garage.

1158 Baldwin Ave — $1,959,000 4 bed | 3 bath | 4,084 sqft - A 1912 Arts & Crafts home on a double lot overlooking Burns Park, with cathedral ceilings, exposed rafters, stained glass, a renovated kitchen and a landscaped backyard with multiple garden and patio areas.

Adoptable Humane Society Pets

Sydney — 1 year | Spayed Female | Siberian Husky Mix. A large white-and-tan pup with lots of energy and love to give. Meet Sydney.

Miley — 5 years 1 month | Neutered Male | Cat. A medium-sized grey-and-white cat with an active, playful personality. Meet Miley.

Ace — 1 year 3 months | Neutered Male | Pit Bull Terrier Mix. A large white-and-brown pup with plenty of energy and a love for learning. Meet Ace.

That's all for now! Have a great week in Tree Town!

— Ryan, James, and the Michigander Team

P.S. - If you were surprised to hear from us last Sunday instead of Monday, so were we. The newsletter gods must've wanted you to get your local news early. Follow us on IG, where we post Monday through Friday → @michigandernews

P.P.S. (SPONSORED): Ann Arbor is about to get extra nerdy (in the best way). a2Tech360 runs Sept. 22–Oct. 2, wrapping up with Tech Trek + Tech Talk on Liberty Street on Friday, Oct. 2. Robots, drones, XR, AI, autonomous vehicles, and plenty of "wait, THAT's happening in Ann Arbor?" moments. Free, 1–5 p.m., curiosity the only prerequisite. Come see what’s next → a2Tech360

P.P.P.S. Sweethop's online shop is live, so their Swedish candy can now ship straight to your door. The downtown store at 203 E. Liberty is still under construction, so this is the perfect way to support local while we wait → Shop Sweethop

P.P.P.P.S. The Michigan Theater (603 E. Liberty St.) is running Cozy Craft Club on Wednesday at 7 p.m., where they leave the house lights up so you can knit, crochet or color your way through a screening of The Craft, with a mystery treat included and pajamas encouraged. Get tickets

P.P.P.P.P.S. The Cleveland Orchestra plays Hill Auditorium on Friday at 7 p.m. with Brahms’ Second Symphony and Franz Welser-Möst conducting in his 25th and final season as music director, tickets start at $30, and there is a free pre-concert talk at 5:45 in the Modern Languages Building. Get tickets

P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Special thanks to our local sponsors this week, the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, the Wallenberg Medal and Lecture at U-M, and a2Tech360.

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Hockey is back at Yost. The Big Ten finalized the 2026-27 conference schedule, so you can start planning your trips. Season tickets are sold out, but single-game tickets go on sale soon. See the full schedule

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