A few changes in the local business scene, the new Jimmy John’s at the corner of William and State Street appears nearly ready to open for business, as construction crews have been working overtime on it the last few days. Also, yet another coffee shop appears to be under construction in the formerly vacant store at the Maynard street end of the Nickels Arcade.

Also, Rod had sold the diner carrying his name on South State Street between Hill and Packard, fingering increasing rents: “Rent goes up so bad. Everything goes up, but your money coming in doesn’t go up. … (Rent) started at $1,300 a month nine years ago and moved up. If we’d stayed it would have been $2,200 a month. I understand why family business have a hard time making it especially in Ann Arbor,” Rodney said.” Luckily the new owner, Kee Chang, plans to continue selling colliders at that location. Also in the area, the new Saki Bomb Depot seems to be doing well, or they were busy one night I stopped by a couple weeks back.

Who exactly are these anonymous landlords? In the case of Decker Drugs, it was a California-based commercial realtor who priced out the locally-owned retailer. For Rod’s, according to the city’s public online database, the property is owned by Dennis and Dianne Loy, of 200 E. Main Street Milan, MI, 48160, who have paid roughly $4,200 in taxes on the property over the last year. According to quick Google Search their home telephone number is (734) 439-0411 … maybe somebody at the Daily could call them up and ask why they’re jacking up the rent on our friend Rod!