The Ann Arbor Observer is a monthly publication that highlights significant businesses, organizations, and individuals in the Ann Arbor community. All "permanent" Ann Arbor residents get the Observer in the mail free of charge.
See also: ArborWeb (the online version of the Observer's calendar and city guide, it's kind of like ArborWiki but is not publicly editable) and ArborList, a free classifieds site.
Features
Monthly issues of the Observer contain several regular features, including.
- Feature article - a long-format piece on some political or cultural issue in the city. Many in the online community lament that the feature articles are not readable/linkable online, making it more difficult to discuss them or refer to past articles.
- Real estate map - the previous month's sales of houses and condos in and around Ann Arbor, with prices. These maps are provided to the Observer by Duke Realty.
- Crime map - "major crimes" from the previous month, including assault, robbery, motor vehicle theft, CSC, and murder.
Business Model and Subscription Info
The Observer is primarily ad-driven; a monthly feature of the magazine is a fictional advertisement, containing telltale text. One reader who finds the fake ad is selected, by drawing, to receive a gift certificate to a real advertiser of his or her choice from the magazine, encouraging readers to look over the ads.
All households in the Ann Arbor school district or postal district may receive the Observer free of charge; issues are also available individually at area newsstands for $2 each, or by subscription.
A subscription form is available on the Observer's website at http://www.arborweb.com/subscribe.html#volorder
Location
The Observer's main offices are at 201 Catherine Street near the Farmer's Market.
