4 Page 10 - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 4, 1986 Kerrytown mirrors old market, modern mall By MELISSA BIRKS Named after County Kerry in Ireland, Kerrytown on the western edge of Ann Arbor has the look and aroma of a European marketplace. Like a European market, Kerrytown has become a focal point for the surrouding community in its twelve years in existence. The shop- ping center has been host to coffee houses, concerts, community events, and even a farmer's market every Wednesday and Sunday mornings. Merchants recognize their regular customers, engage in light conver- sation, and even know their orders beforehand. The lower floor of the two-story brick building is a conglomerate of food stores, meshed together without walls so that only the aroma of mocha tells you you're in Perk-Brew-and-Cashew rather than Ascione's market. And the smell of fresh fish from Monahan's Seafood Market distinguishes it clearly from Kosmo Deli. Shoppers drift from one store to another with plastic baskets, sifting carefully through the wide selection of food. They produce a card-house of produce that may start with a white fish from the seafood market and be topped off with a fine Camembert from Partner's in Wine. Easily recognizable by the huge bright orange flower painted on its yellow brick edifice, Kerrytown seems to attract everything except University students. Few University students Owners and managers of the 30-odd stores in the building say that Kerrytown is too far away and a little out of a student's price range for everyday shopping. "This is primarily geared for people who live in Ann Arbor," said Carmen Butterer, manager of the Vintage to Vogue clothing store. "This is their home," she said. Because the shopping center is a lit- tle out-of-the-way, it is relatively unaffected by the University. The ab- sence of blue and maize paraphenalia combined with the red brick road that surrounds the center of the market- place preserves the feel of old Ann Arbor unadulterated by the Univer- sity. The merchants who vend at Kerrytown would like to see more students, however; they say the sometimes higher price one might pay is fair considering the high quality of the goods. "Some things are a little expen- sive," said medical student Lisa Tiziani, while examining carrots at Ascione's. "You get what you pay for - guaranteed it's going to be good." Taziani described the atmosphere of the market as "granola-y. I feel like everything is so natural. You're not buying at Kroger's." According to Key Largo owner Debby Walters, who works among mice and exotic suntan oil in her store, Kerrytown is a "matter of discovery" for University students. The upstairs is a newer addition to Kerrytown. In the three years the shops have been there, they've developed into a slightly trendy, slightly expensive version of Briar- wood mall, except catering to a slightly older clientale. The speciality stores in the upper level - with carpeting, white walls framed in wood, and the large glass windows are a stark contrast to the floor below. The stores include the Toy Box Unlocked, Country Things handicrafts, and Vintage to Vogue. Key Largo, also on the second floor, offers a quick excursion to the south; it specializes in clothing, decor, flamingos of Florida and Southern California. And true to their ad on the radio, Kitchen Port does stock everything for the kitchen from "A to Z." Under "D" put "duck press" - an im- plement that the store rents out which mashes a precooked duck carcass into juices for making sauce. Any small fowl can squeeze into the duck press, but "you couldn't get a turkey in there," according to assistant buyer Marlene Reiss. 4 U Gift stores revive a (Continued from.Page 9) said Farley. She noted flamingo items are still in stock, but are definitely going out. Peace symbol key chains, t-shirts, and other paraphenalia from the days of the flower children are also fading fast in popularity. "The interest in peace symbols is not connected to any movement," said Shevel, "I don't expect it to last long." What will last? Shevel says it's hard to tell because "fads come and go." The popularity of wind-up toys, for example, shows no signs of winding down as people contine to be fascinated by the creeping, crawling, walking mechanisms. One-liner t-shirts or those proclaiming the virtues( ticular rock group have also mainstay in specialty Earrings with big, show-of: dangling ornaments v probably be hanging arou least as long as students wa fun with jewelry, accordin bow Natural assistant Alaiyo Bradshaw. Specializing in obscu ' One thing most specia have in common is the ev urge to stock their shelve, obscure, the rare, the uni( bow Natural is known for colored line of hypos cosmetics; lipsticks, nail p eyeshadows come in a sp colors far wilder than the av of Crayolas. The colors extend from ". - a shade of dark mauve - (light pink, of course), to ey "volcanic," or light peach. According to John Kerr, n Wazoo records, his stores f on top 40 tunes, but on the "r( and obscure." "There's market in this town," he sai Farley of Middle Eart "We avoid some things in v said, adding that while the vintage art of a par- world was enraptured with little become a green alligator shirts, their store stores. shunned the IZOD polos. Their selec- I hoops or tion of cotton shorts and shirts are un- will also branded. nd for at Pat Finkle and Kevin Sheets, nt to have manager and owner of the State g to Rain- Street Bookshop have delved back manager further in time than other stores. But their 12th century prayer books and rity 15th century maps still manage to at- lty stores tract students, they say. er-present A five-column 18th century Bellin s with the Atlas displays the first map of que. Rain- Detroit. The volumes sell for $10,000, its multi- but the high price doesn't dissuade allergenic people from looking. olish, and "Students are becoming more ectrum of sophisticated about maps, prints, and verage box books," Finkle said. "Sometimes we'll see someone save to buy a first sensation" edition (of a book). The book is an ob- - to "lush" ject. They know what they value (is in yecatching contradiction) to what society says is important," she said. ranager of Shevel admits that a lot of the stuff ocuses not in Middle Earth is "nothing you really eal strange need." But as long as having fun is always a still in style, there will always be a d. place for Gumbies and Mr. Potato h agreed. Heads. "Life's too short," she said, ogue," she "You just have to have a sense of rest of the humor." Daily Photo by DAN HABIB Middle Earth did not sell this woman paid to sit in the store's window-front last winter, but it sells just about everything else, from Gumbys to Godzillas. 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