Throughout the late 80’s and early 90’s, David and Alison Swan worked in Ann Arbor, MI and made cross-state trips to Saugatuck to go play outdoors. But sometime around 1997 the Swan’s grew weary of the increasingly regular 165-mile drives to ramble along Lake Michigan. So they decided to flip the script.
“Our jobs are mobile so we decided to move to Saugatuck and travel to Ann Arbor when we needed to,” says David, a father and director of sales and marketing for Sleeping Bear Press. “We loved the whole vibe of Saugatuck and it offered some of the best hiking around.”
Indeed, in the years since the Swan’s moved, the whole world has discovered the natural beauty, cultural appeal, and prime location of Saugatuck and Douglas, the small neighboring towns located just south across Kalamazoo Lake. The region is located approximately two hours northeast of Chicago, the Midwest’s most prosperous and fastest-growing urban region, and less than an hour southwest of Grand Rapids, which is arguably the healthiest major metropolitan area in Michigan.
Throw in the fact that the community is positioned along the coast of Lake Michigan, one of the largest freshwater lakes on the planet, and beside an increasingly unique landscape of wild and scenic sand dunes, and it’s no surprise the Saugatuck-Douglas region is now experiencing a remarkable rise in new residents, developments, and praise. Consider the following:
- The Chicago Tribune in an April 2007 article named Oval Beach in Saugatuck as one of the Midwest’s five best beaches.
- AOL Money and Finance in May 2007 described Saugatuck as one of the 10 best places in the U.S. to buy a second home.
- AmericanStyle magazine in May 2005 ranked Saugatuck #3 on its list of Top Small Cities and Towns Arts Destinations.
Similar honors have come from National Geographic, Conde Naste Traveler, and even MTV. To put it another way, a growing number of people across the country say the Saugatuck-Douglas coastal area is the place to be. Here are the community’s basic characteristics, based on 2000 census findings:
- The population of Saugatuck and Douglas is 1,065 and 1,214, respectively.
- The median family income is approximately is $64,500 in Saugatuck and $50,000 in Douglas.
- The median age in Saugatuck and Douglas is 44 and 48, respectively.
- The median asking price for homes is $225,000 in Saugatuck and approximately $198,000 in Douglas.
What the numbers don’t tell you is that the Saugatuck-Douglas is also a gay-friendly community. The rainbow flag is flown proudly throughout the town. There are numerous gay-owned businesses. And the region is actively promoted as a destination for gay, lesbian, and bisexual tourists and residents. Check out Gay Saugatuck Douglas, an organization supported by local businesses, for more information.
A Place to Protect
The Saugatuck-Douglas area has become enormously popular based on the strength of its natural beauty, location, and outstanding quality of life. But that popularity, in recent years, has triggered new development pressures across the coastal region that many fear put the region’s tourism, recreation, and lifestyle at risk. So citizens now are mobilizing to ensure future growth is guided in a way that preserves their environmental, cultural, and economic assets.
David and Alison Swan helped found the Concerned Citizens for Saugatuck Dunes State Park in 2001 in response to a plan by local leaders to build a water intake and treatment plant in the heart of one Michigan’s more spectacular public parks. The group successfully stalled that plan.
But in July 2006 a wealthy energy executive purchased more than 400 acres of Lake Michigan shoreline with plans to develop the site. Fearing the loss of a spectacular stretch of freshwater dunes, wetlands, coastal marshes, forest, as well as numerous species of state-protected flora and fauna, citizens have organized a new group to preserve the region’s unique natural landscape. That group, known as the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance, recently published a report – Fever of Development, Frontier of Recovery – that details the market pressures and opportunities now confronting Saugatuck-Douglas.
“We believe that the forests, beaches, Great Lakes, inland lakes, and rivers are our most valuable assets here in Michigan,” says Alison Swan, 45-year-old poet and essayist who recently edited the 2006 book Freshwater: Women Writing on the Great Lakes. “We want to make sure as much land as possible remains in a natural state."
Saugatuck Like a Local
The Swan family lives in an older home in downtown Saugatuck which, Alison says, keeps them close to downtown and enables them to easily support local businesses. And, while tourists drive the economy, the locals have their hot spots, too. David and Alison Swan say Uncommon Grounds Café is the first stop. The shop offers superb coffees, juice made from fresh produce, and homemade foods.
“This is definitely the place we start our day,” David says.
The Red Dock Café is an off-the-beaten-path dockside bar that David describes as reminiscent of bars in Key West circa 1980. “Their margaritas are serious drinks not to be taken lightly,” David says. “And they have music on Sunday afternoons.” The Saugatuck Brewing Company, he says, also is a good place to grab a pint.
In Douglas, which is just a short bike ride from Saugatuck, David suggests the Everyday People’s Café. The menu pairs suggested wines to complement the chosen entrée and the executive chef and co-owner, Matt Balmer, also serves as the current mayor of Douglas.
“This place is so popular so if you want a quite dinner alone it is not the place to go,” David says. “They have a heavenly wine list.”
Restaurants aside, the Swan’s also have definite opinions on their more frequented local shops. The Spice Merchant, Landsharks (a clothing store), and American Spoon for gourmet jams, jellies and salsas were among their favorites. Good Goods also is highly recommended for its ceramics, glass, and fine art.
Sandra Randolph, owner of Good Goods, opened the store in 1988 as a summer gig when she taught mathematics and the place has since grown in space, wares, and popularity. In fact, Niche Magazine recently named the store one of the top 25 art retailers. What many, including the Swan's, like about Good Goods and Randolph’s taste, is that the art is functional and serves a purpose.
“I don't want a bunch of stuff that is just a collection that I have to dust,” Randolph says. “I like art to be functional and beautiful.”
Randolph said she is interested in art from other countries, though about 15 percent of her wares come from Michigan artists. But she has a real soft spot for unique necklaces, bracelets, and charms. “One of my favorite things is unusual jewelry,” she says. “My goal was to get some of the top jewelry artists in the country here and I’ve done that.”
Randolph has lived in the Saugatuck area since 1967 and has seen the city evolve. “When you have been here for any length of time you see change,” she said. “[When I was in college], college kids would come here by the thousands. And we went through a motorcycle gang phase.”
But the trend these days is tourism. “The tourist season is getting busier and busier,” Randolph says.
Some of that is due to increasingly popular summer events such as the Saugatuck Waterfront Film Festival, which goes off every year in June and regularly features some of the industry’s top independent films. The Ox-Bow School of Art, which is affiliated with the Art Institute of Chicago, also has become a popular destination for aspiring and practicing artists. The school, founded in 1910, is located on 115 acres of natural forests, along the shores of Lake Michigan, and has received national recognition for its ability to inspire both young and experienced artists.
Though Saugatuck is quite packed on an average summer day, Douglas tends to offer a bit quieter scene with numerous art galleries, eateries, and inns. And, of course, citing the numerous individual businesses and activities in such vibrant downtowns is bound to be an imperfect exercise. Perhaps the best thing to do is print off the Walking Map of Saugatuck and the Walking Map of Douglas and just go exploring.
Directions to Saugatuck/Douglas
From the North:
Take US-31 S. Take the CR-A2 exit- EXIT 41- toward SAUGATUCK / DOUGLAS. Turn RIGHT onto BLUE STAR MEMORIAL HWY / CR-A2. Turn RIGHT onto OLD ALLEGAN RD. OLD ALLEGAN RD becomes ALLEGAN ST. ALLEGAN ST becomes CULVER ST. Arrive in Downtown Saugatuck.
From Grand Rapids:
Take US-131 N. Merge onto I-196 W via EXIT 86B on the LEFT toward HOLLAND. Take the CR-A2 exit- EXIT 41- toward SAUGATUCK / DOUGLAS. Turn RIGHT onto BLUE STAR MEMORIAL HWY / CR-A2. Turn RIGHT onto OLD ALLEGAN RD. OLD ALLEGAN RD becomes ALLEGAN ST. ALLEGAN ST becomes CULVER ST. Arrive in Downtown Saugatuck.
From the South:
Take I-196 N / US-31 N. Take the CR-A2 exit- EXIT 36- toward DOUGLAS / SAUGATUCK. Merge onto BLUE STAR MEMORIAL HWY / CR-A2 toward DOUGLAS / SAUGATUCK. Turn LEFT onto LAKE ST. Turn LEFT onto ALLEGAN ST. ALLEGAN ST becomes CULVER ST. Arrive in Downtown Saugatuck.
Liz Klimas is a freelance writer and a Grand Rapids native. She recently wrote the
Guide to Holland for
Rapid Growth Media.
Photos:
A gazebo in Douglas along the Kalamazoon River
A large yacht in the Saugatuck Harbor
Downtown clock in Douglas
Kayaks on Oval Beach
The Red Dock Cafe - Douglas
Pretty people on Oval Beach, rated one of the best beaches in the country
Oxbow Lake
Saugatuck Center for the Arts is a major hub of films during the Waterfront Film Festival
Photographs by Brian Kelly - All Rights Reserved