HOW IT WORKS First, a primer: Social districts were passed into law when Whitmer signed the Michigan Public Act 124 of 2020 on July 1 of last year. That law allows local government units to designate social districts in their towns, with “commons areas” — usually in downtown areas — where “contiguous” businesses with liquor licenses can go through an additional permitting process to earn social district permits. Businesses with social district permits can then serve alcoholic beverages in special, approved cups that can be taken out of the establishment into the commons area for consumption. The cups must be branded with the social district’s brand name and/or logo and cannot be taken beyond the boundaries
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of the social district commons area. Additional regulations apply as well. For instance, customers cannot use the social district concept as a way to order a drink at one restaurant and take it to another restaurant that does not have a liquor license of its own. State law also bars customers from taking a beverage from one social district permittee into the premises of another social district permittee. Bottom line, patrons should always make sure they understand the rules of the social district they are visiting before they start enjoying to-go beverages — including both state social district laws and additional local requirements. That includes respecting the rules of specific businesses, such as retailers, within a social district, which may or may not allow customers to enter their premises with beverages in hand.
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Establishments participating in the Social District are indicated by red boxes.
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Kitchen & Bar. We recommend a stop at Beards for a pint of the Forget Me Knot, a “hibiscus-steeped saison with a soft, pink color and tart finish” for a nice summerready sipper) followed by a leisurely wander of the downtown area. If you’re hungry, maybe order takeout from Palette Bistro (for world-class pizza, paella, or crab cakes) and enjoy a picnic in Pennsylvania Park. The Impact: So far, Goodman says she’s pleased with how the social district concept is working out for Petoskey. “We have purposely not overpromoted our district,” she notes. “It does not involve any street
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PETOSKEY The Basics: Downtown Petoskey touts itself as one of the first downtowns in Michigan to establish a social district. According to Downtown Director Becky Goodman, the town’s Downtown Management Board had been interested in the concept of social districts “for quite some time,” dating back to when the idea was introduced in the Michigan legislature several years ago. That initial legislation couldn’t gain enough political momentum and ultimately “languished in Lansing,” but Goodman and her board were ready when discussion around social districts ignited once more because of the pandemic. Petoskey worked quickly and established its district last August. That district encompasses most of the downtown area (see map), including main downtown streets like Mitchell Street, Lake Street, and Howard Street, as well as a pair of local parks: Pennsylvania Park and Quarry Park. Social district rules allow for consumption of alcohol in the commons area between noon and 9pm every day. Where to Stay: If you’re looking to live in luxury for a few days, make a reservation at the Inn at Bay Harbor. A gorgeous four-star hotel right on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Inn at Bay Harbor offers golf, spa services, an outdoor swimming pool, and more – and is just a scenic 10-minute drive from downtown Petoskey’s social district. If you’re looking to be a little closer, Petoskey has a trio of hotels (a Days Inn by Wyndham, a Hampton Inn & Suites, and an Apple Tree Inn) that are just a mile away. Where to Play: There are currently seven establishments participating in Petoskey’s social district: Beards Brewery, City Park Grill, Duffy’s Garage and Grill, Palette Bistro, High Five Spirits, Tap 30 and POUR
in Manistee, or have been invited to go “Get LOSD” in Ludington, we’ve got you covered.
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A year ago, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill into law that opened the door for local communities to establish outdoor “common areas” where customers could enjoy alcoholic beverages from properly licensed establishments. Now, several northern Michigan downtowns are officially up and running with social districts of their own. What began as a measure to promote social distancing and help businesses stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic now seems likely to outlast that pandemic. Thanks to strong vaccination rates, summer 2021 has marked a “return to normal” in a lot of ways, from the comeback of festivals to the restored comfort levels that many people feel about dining in restaurants or drinking in bars.
Even with the worst of COVID fears (hopefully) behind us, though, there’s a lot to love about social districts. There’s always been a simple pleasure to walking around a quaint downtown area with an ice cream cone in hand, so why not with a beer? And if you’ve ever wished to enjoy your pre-dinner “cocktail hour” outside rather than sitting at a restaurant’s bar and waiting for your table, then social districts were made for you. Want to experience all of this for yourself? Northern Express is here to help. Consider us your guides for exploring local social districts. Below, we have profiled four local towns that now have social districts in their downtown areas, highlighting ways to visit, enjoy, and appreciate the impact of these new-fangled novelties during the type of beautiful summer season they were made for. Whether you’re curious about “The Stee”
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closures or a block party atmosphere. It is simply an extra layer of hospitality to add to our shopping and dining experience. We are finding that as time goes on, more and more people are taking advantage of the opportunity to walk around downtown with their alcoholic beverage in hand. And, so far, we have had no reported incidents of problems or issues from our public safety department or from the bars and restaurants. The restaurants are definitely benefitting by being able to serve customers who are waiting on the street for a table and also just to serve people who would rather
walk around than sit at the bar.” Ben Slocum, a managing partner at Beards Brewery and the chair of the Petoskey Downtown Management Board, echoes Goodman’s praise of the social district. “It's allowed us to boost sales for grab-and-go, which in our restricted COVID world – first by hours and seating limitations, now due to staffing – has been very helpful for both us and our guests. The overall impression I'm getting through town is that it's been helping participating businesses along with giving guests to Petoskey another option.”
