2019 was a good year for the city of Ann Arbor… If you are a Joe’s Pizza fan, you know what I mean. For those of you who don’t know, Joe’s Pizza is an iconic New York pizzeria. This restaurant is known for serving their New York street styled pizza. In addition to their infamous cheese pizza, Joe’s offers fresh mozzarella pizza, caprese pizza, white pizza, and a Sicilian square pie pizza! Even expert Dave Portnoy from the Barstool Pizza Review says Joe’s Pizza is “some of the best pizza there is” and ranks it an 8.5 out of 10 (he is a very strict grader when it comes to New York City Pizza!). On September 9th, 2019, Joe’s Pizza officially opened their first non-New York City location right here in Ann Arbor. Its ideal location on South University and affordability makes it a great place for students of the University of Michigan for a quick bite to eat. If you have not yet tried Joe’s Pizza, I recommend that you get a taste of this delicious pizza!
Nonetheless, 2020 looks like an even better year for the city of Ann Arbor! We are seeing the arrival of two more well-known businesses in their respected field: SoulCycle, another New York City-based company, and Drybar. Not to mention, these two companies are going to add to the spirit of our University, as both of their color-schemes are centered around all of our favorite color: maize.
1. SoulCycle
As stated above, SoulCycle is a New York City-based fitness company. The company was founded by Elizabeth Cutler and Julia Rice with the ultimate goal of providing a fitness routine that people actually enjoy. On that premise, Cutler and Rice came up with the idea of offering indoor cycling workout classes that serve a purpose in one’s life and, most importantly, are fun. SoulCycle’s grand mission is to bring “soul” to the people through an inspirational, meditative fitness experience. SoulCycle is unlike any other workout class, as you truly feel connected with the other riders around you. SoulCycle riders move in unison to the beat and follow the signature choreography of the instructors. This tribal experience really gives one a sense of community at SoulCycle. Through this shared experience, riders develop unshakeable bonds, friendships, and relationships with one another. In addition to SoulCycle classes being a motivating and positive force in one’s life, it also comes with a lot of fun.SoulCycle refers to their classes as a “cardio party” due to the tremendous amount of energy the instructors and riders bring to the class. You will find people in every class dancing using the signature choreography and waving their towels in the air to the beat of music. SoulCycle truly offers it all and is an unbelievable experience to partake in. With that being said, the SoulCycle in Ann Arbor is planned to open this January 17th. It is rumored that SoulCycle Ann Arbor is offering lower prices than their average price to accommodate students. I suggest that everyone tries SoulCycle to “find their soul.”
Image credit: Instagram
2. Drybar
Drybar is a California-based chain of salons founded by Alli Webb in 2008. Drybar is based on the simple concept of focusing on one thing and being the best at it. With that being said, Drybar’s specialty is blowouts. Unlike other hair salons that cut and color one’s hair, Drybar only provides hair styling services to its customers. Instead of constantly getting overcharged for blowouts at traditional salons, the idea behind Drybar is that it serves as a cheaper alternative. Drybar currently has over 100 locations in the US and Canada. In addition to offering blowouts, they are growing a product line created specifically for crafting the perfect blowout at home. The product line is being sold at their own shops as well as Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta, and Bloomingdales. Shortly, Drybar’s services and products will be available in Ann Arbor! Drybar Ann Arbor opened on December 31st, just in time for the New Year! Unfortunately, Drybar is located in the Arbor Hills shopping plaza, which is a 10-minute drive away from campus. But, if you are up for the ride, Drybar Ann Arbor is the perfect place to get your hair done for a special event, whether that may be graduation, or even a date party!
Image credit: SpaWeek Daily