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JACKSON, MI – After more than a year of conversations and waiting, downtown Jackson’s social district is finally preparing to launch next spring.

In its Tuesday, Dec. 13 meeting, the Jackson City Council unanimously approved allowing the district to continue. And it approved eight bars and restaurants to participate when the social district launches some time in spring 2023.

The formation of the social district was originally approved in April 2021, but lack of bar and restaurant interest prevented it from launching. With more than 50% of the eligible restaurants downtown now interested, the district can move forward, Jackson Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Cory Mays said.

“I think it’s going to be a great addition to downtown,” Mayor Daniel Mahoney said.

A social district allows patrons to legally purchase alcohol and consume it in designated outdoor spaces. Downtown Jackson bar and restaurant owners were slowly losing interest in the project, as it kept being delayed, but the DDA took a different approach in outreach, Mays said.

“We did some public meetings and had an open house to help with applications,” he said.

Additionally, the DDA will reimburse restaurants for their state applications from last year, as well as those interested in applying now, Mays said. Restaurants that apply to be in the social district are subject to a $70 inspection fee and a $250 permit fee.

to implement at that time,” Mays said. “We want to show them that support and recognize their commitment and show them that support this year.”

Funds received from different community organizations, including Experience Jackson and the Jackson Anchor Initiative, as well as some DDA funds will cover these costs for the five restaurants that applied in 2021 and the eight that applied as of Tuesday, Mays said.

Bars and restaurants signing on to participate includes Veritas, 151 W. Michigan Ave.; The Crazy Cowboy, 215 S. Mechanic St..; Nite Lite, 145 W. Pearl St.; Grand River Brewery, 117 W. Louis Glick Highway; Junkyard Dog, 128 W. Michigan Ave.; Dirty Bird, 140 W. Michigan Ave.; Axe Play, 133 W. Michigan Ave.; and Town Bar, 121 E. Cortland St.

These restaurants and bars now just need to wait for a final OK from the state before they can start pouring social district drinks, Mays said. The DDA is ready to print maps, rules and other items to finally activate the social district and provide logo cups for all participating businesses, Mays said.

“It was a long road, and we know we had some bumps, and we took a lot of time to try to get it right,” Mays said. “It took longer than we wanted, longer than I think the community wanted.”

City residents at Tuesday’s meeting said they are happy to see the social district get approval. Tom Crowe-Garey, a city resident and co-owner of Crowe’s Nest Café in Napoleon, said the district is a good way to support businesses.

“I think it’s a good idea simply because of the fact that people are still afraid of eating in confined areas,” Crowe-Garey said. “It promotes businesses and, as a business owner, if that were available to us in our community as well, I would support it 100%.”