ABOUT GUESTS:
Elize Jekabson
Elize Jekabson is an Ypsilanti based artist and community organizer. They graduated with an Associates degree in Culinary Arts and Management, followed by a BFA from Eastern Michigan University with a concentration in Sculpture. Elize took on the role of Vice President of First Fridays Ypsilanti in 2013, and helped establish the organization. In 2017, they took the position of Program Director for the organization, and co-founded Ypsi Pride, and Festival of the Pollinator. Elize worked for four years as manager for Bona Sera Restaurant until 2018 when they took the role of DDA Coordinator for Ypsilanti. Elize also manages/co-owns Ypsi Alloy Studios, an artist studio that focuses on providing affordable work space for 3D artists. Elize lives in Ypsi with their spouse Rikki, and their four cats Jasper, Bazil, Susan, and Fluffy.
Ashley Schafer
Ashley Schafer's professional background includes overseeing event management, marketing strategies, product assortment, inventory management, and retail operations. She has collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless coordination in product launches, promotions, and inventory strategies. Her experience spans brick-and-mortar retail stores, restaurant groups, nonprofits, and health and wellness services, providing her with a unique perspective on strategic communication and marketing.
Throughout her career, Ashley has honed her skills in social media and event marketing, managing budgets, and enhancing customer experiences. She has been dedicated to fostering strong business relationships, optimizing strategies, and ensuring operational excellence. Ashley's collaborative and approachable nature will be invaluable as she leads the MSAA in enhancing the economic vitality of Ann Arbor's downtown core.
ABOUT ANDY LABARRE:
Andy LaBarre was first elected to the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners in 2012, representing District 7, located in the eastern half of the City of Ann Arbor. Andy is a proud Democrat. For 2021 he serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Commissioners, and previously served as Chair of the Board (2017-18), Chair of the Ways and Means Committee (2015-16), and Chair of the Working Session Committee (2013-14). Andy lives in northern Ann Arbor with his wife Megan (a teacher at Dexter Community Schools), son Declan, daughter Delaney, and dogs, Monster and Frankie.
Andy now serves as Executive Vice President and Director of Government Relations for the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber and is David Fair's co-host for "Washtenaw Business Lens."
RESOURCES:
Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority
TRANSCRIPTION:
David Fair: 'Tis the season, as they say! This is 89.1 WEMU, and I'm David Fair. Welcome to the December edition of Washtenaw Business Lens! It's a monthly conversation series in which we've partnered with the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber to discuss the issues surrounding our business community in Washtenaw County. Now, I don't need to tell you the holiday shopping season is well underway with Hanukkah beginning at sunset tomorrow night and Christmas right around the corner. We have a table full of guests today here to discuss what December means to small business owners and retailers. And let's also say hello to Ypsilanti Downtown Development Director, Elize Jekabson. How are you doing?
Elize Jekabson: I'm doing great today! How are you?
David Fair: I am excellent! And I'm also glad to report that we have another guest joining us by phone. Ashley Schafer is the Executive Director of Main Street Ann Arbor. We're so glad to have you join us as well, Ashley!
Ashley Schafer: Thank you for having me!
David Fair: Well, Elize, I want to start here. How important is the fourth quarter and, particularly, the month of December to the overall bottom line for Ypsilani businesses?
Elize Jekabson: It's the most important! I mean, the way that you kind of set up how December goes is going to impact the rest of the year. And January and February and March is the slowest time of the year. So, it's really important that these businesses make a big impact on their sales at this time of year.
David Fair: And, Ashley, I assume the story is largely the same in downtown Ann Arbor?
Ashley Schafer: It sure is! I mean, supporting these businesses now really kind of keeps these experiences going year-round.
David Fair: Ashley, in a world that is obsessed with online shopping, how difficult is it for a small local retailer to compete in a brick-and-mortar setting?
Ashley Schafer: It can be really difficult, and every dollar that you can spend locally stays locally and then helps the community long-term. A lot of our retailers not only are paying their staff, but they're also supporting our youth sports teams and donating different fundraisers. So, all of that money is staying in the community.
David Fair: And, Elize, when you are meeting with merchants and you're talking with them about the future and about business development, how significant an impact are the Amazons of the shopping world, too, of the local business community?
Elize Jekabson: It's very significant. You know, if we keep these dollars local and we have people coming out to our downtowns, it's not only supporting the retail businesses, it's supporting everyone else: the restaurants that also rely on this time, the bars and everyone else, all the services. So, when you go and buy online on Google, you're missing a lot more. You're also not getting that experience of getting your restaurant experience. It's all about experience, and you totally miss that by just clicking a button.
David Fair: And, Andy, taking a broader look at the entirety of the membership of the A2Y Chamber, what feedback do you get?
Andy LaBarre: Well, it's critical. You know, these are good reminders that a business community is just that--it's a community. And in order to have it, you've got to have distinct and individual entities that make it up. And when you talk about what distinguishes Washtenaw County from other places, in many ways, it's that tangible, hands-on experience of Ypsi's downtown, of Ann Arbor's downtown, of frequenting those businesses that you know and trust and have been to before, but are innovative, are small, are nimble, and, most importantly, our human-to-human connection in that experience.
David Fair: Washtenaw Business Lens continues on 89.1 WEMU. We're looking at the importance of the holiday shopping season to business owners and retailers in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Ypsilanti DDA Director Elize Jekabson and Main Street Ann Arbor Executive Director Ashley Schefer are here, along with Andy LaBarre from the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber. Ashley, both you and Elize have touched on it, but I want to get a better definition. What does it mean to you when you hear that phrase, "Think Local First?"
Ashley Schafer: [00:04:15] You know, when I think local, I think about how the high-quality experience that's provided by our retailers and restaurants, you just can't get that when you're shopping online. So, it's important to support that local experience and support our community.
David Fair: Elize, through the first three quarters of 2025, are Ypsilanti shoppers thinking local first?
Elize Jekabson: I think so. I think, especially with a lot that's happening outside of our more local and just happening in the world, there's a lot of focus on community and community building. And I think that's the most important thing and that there has been just a overall shift, especially in Ypsilanti, I'm sure in Ann Arbor as well, that we really need to support our community and build each other up in order to move forward.
David Fair: How vital is that "Think Local First" messaging to how the chamber serves its member businesses, Andy?
Andy LaBarre: Well, it's critical. See, part of why chambers and organizations like chambers succeed and are important is they connect businesses to businesses. Those are established relationships between trusted entities that permeate in different ways throughout the course of years. If you go to one business for one purpose, you run into folks, you establish relationships in other areas, and it forms that overall business network, which, unfortunately, in a world that's increasingly globally connected, becomes both more important and something we have to more intentionally steward in order to thrive, to grow and to remain in place, because once it's gone, it can be impossible to really replace.
David Fair: All three of you, at various points, have discussed it in and in almost all of the answers and it's about relationships. For me, going to a locally owned store or business allows for the opportunity to create a relationship. There's that sense of community in walking the downtown streets of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti and getting to know the people making all of these opportunities available. Elize, is there also a sense of community among the business owners and operators themselves?
Elize Jekabson: Oh, yeah! Specifically, for us, we have different districts and Depot Town, for example. And also in our downtown, we have these business owners that are getting together to create events to help draw people, and they're having fun doing it. They're getting creative. It's bringing a lot of teamwork together, and there's this phrase going around that "everybody wants a village but doesn't want to be a villager." And really, I mean, it's true. And so, we're seeing a lot of people coming together, more than I ever really have, in my time working with Ypsilanti, to work together and draw people out and to celebrate the community in all sorts of ways.
David Fair: And, Ashley, does that sense of community exist in a strong way in the Ann Arbor business community?
Ashley Schafer: It sure does! And we each strive to work with the other districts that surround us. We just wrapped up Midnight Madness, which is all three of the districts in downtown Ann Arbor: State Street, Main Street and Kerrytown. And this time of year, it's important to work together to kind of drive that same mission to support our local business community, and everyone tries to work together to do that.
David Fair: And, Andy, is there methodology and ways in which the chamber tries to bring the business communities in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and other points throughout Washtenaw County all together?
Andy LaBarre: Well, there is, and it tends to be around those events and experiences that are distinct. The chamber had our year-under, which was a beach theme, and it was a bit ridiculous because it was just so cold yesterday, but it gave me a great opportunity to wear a Hawaiian shirt and a beach hat, look funny, but have fun and see people you know, you trust, you have established relationships with around an experience that really can't be had except hands-on, in-person.
David Fair: No, there has certainly been some turnover in the storefronts in both Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor over the past several years, and people worry that the character of these cities may be compromised. Ashley, what do you say to those concerns?
Ashley Schafer: You know, I think things are going to start changing a little bit, and I think our goal at the association is trying to preserve that character and that community. And so, we're an advocate for our businesses and our residents to kind of embrace the changes that are coming and adapt to them but make sure that we're not losing that spirit that makes our community.
David Fair: And how are you approaching that, Elize, in Ypsilanti?
Elize Jekabson: I mean, I kind of touched on this before. I mean, it's an all-hands-on-deck effort. I think we go through waves, right? Like, this is not something new that is happening, the kind of downturn of retail. It's always up and down. And so, when we have our community members, our business owners, our property owners, when they start working together and caring for their downtown and their community, these are things that we can work against.
David Fair: Andy, as we move toward the end of the calendar year, does this look to be a good or bad year for the business community in Washtenaw County?
Andy LaBarre: So far, what we've seen, anecdotally, is mixed. I think there are pockets of great success, but there's also generally a sense of some level of uncertainty. Much of that is driven by forces at the at the global and national level. So, I think folks are trying to figure out what is next and how do they fit in. Combined with just generally some of the challenges that we're starting to see in terms of the implementation of AI on a whole scale, economic sense. Folks don't know what comes next with that and how does that impact me. So, there's a a mixed sense right now, and we'll see how that turns out in 2026.
David Fair: We're going to have to leave it there for today. That is all the time we have, but I'd like to thank all of you for being here! And happy shopping and happy holidays to you!
Ashley Schafer: Thank you! Happy holidays!
Elize Jekabson: Thank you!
Andy LaBarre: Thanks!
David Fair: That is Ypsilanti DDA Director Elize Jekabson, Main Street Ann Arbor Executive Director Ashley Schafer, and Andy LaBarre from the A2Y Chamber. And that wraps up Washtenaw Business Lens for 2025, but we'll be back January 9th to kick off a New Year and a series of business conversations. We hope you're going to be there, too! For more information on Washtenaw Business Lens, stop by our website at WEMU.org. I'm David Fair, and this is your community NPR station, 89.1 WEMU-FM Ypsilanti.
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