Bowerbird Mongo -- download vcard

"Art, pottery, and objects of interest" in downtown Ypsi

Hours: 5-8 pm -  Friday and Saturday, of each month and by appointment
Phone: (734) 482-4595
Web:
Address: 210 W. Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Handicap access:
Owner: Joyce Ramsey and Ward Freeman
Established: August 2005

 

Bowerbird Mongo is something like the best yard sale ever, every weekend. Owners Ward Freeman and Joyce Ramsey so enjoyed collecting castoff treasures that they opened a storefront underneath their loft home to sell the excess. The store is named for the Australian bowerbird, which collects brightly colored objects to line its nest, and "mongo", a slang term for found treasures that have been thrown away by someone else.

From a review in the Ann Arbor News:

While their historic, three-story home in the heart of Ypsilanti's downtown has housed their growing collection of treasures for nearly six years, it spilled over to a business venture when they opened Bowerbird Mongo on the street level of their 130-year-old building nearly two years ago. When they first bought the building, they didn't know what they were going to do with the long-vacant 890-square-foot first floor.

"But I liked the idea of living above a business," Ramsey said. They began by placing a few pieces from their collection in the store window, and eventually opened Bowerbird Mongo.

The couple maintain day jobs, and run the store as a pasttime, so hours are limited.

Timeline: Bowerbird Mongo

December 13, 2013. Bowerbird Mongo one of several Ypsilanti businesses featured during 17th annual holiday tour. MLive