Spring has sprung in downtown Farmington, where flowers and new businesses continue to bloom with vim and vigor.

Putting the sign up at Spruce & Ash in downtown Farmington.The sight of a new business opening downtown, or a Coming Soon sign in the window, is about as reliable as the passing of the seasons themselves. And while there’s any number of reasons for downtown Farmington’s small business success, it’s the power of placemaking that continues to produce tangible results for a concept that often seems as intangible as the month of May just a few, short wintry months prior. Even the most promising of placemaking initiatives can have its share of skeptics, but the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. Or new tasting rooms, bakeries, and more.

The newly completed Masonic Plaza in downtown Farmington.

The commercial vacancy rate hovers around 5 percent here, a fact that the Main Street America organization cited when announcing the Farmington Downtown Development Authority as semi-finalist in its 2025 Great American Main Street Awards. And while such recognition might not mean as much to the public as the results themselves, it can produce tangible results, too.

Spring is on full display at The Vines Flower and Garden Shop in downtown Farmington.

“Oftentimes, what you see happen in a community when they get this type of recognition is that you see a spike of interest in them, with even more partners coming to the table, more community support, more folks that are interested in maybe opening a business or volunteering with the organization or financially supporting what it is they're trying to do in their downtown,” says John Bry, Program Coordinator at Main Street Oakland County. 

“It's an acknowledgement, a reinforcement of: Hey, this organization, this effort? They did a really great job here and they’re worthy of our support.”

The Main Street program extolls the power of placemaking as it works with communities to reinvigorate their traditional downtowns. Since embracing that philosophy upon its membership in 2002, Farmington has welcomed more than 60 net new businesses to its downtown streets.

It’s about to welcome several more.

Lone Light Spirits is to be located at 23622 Farmington Rd.Stroll along the sidewalk of Farmington Road with a newly improved streetscape to one side and the multi-million dollar renovation of the Farmington State Savings Bank to the other and you’ll eventually pass a storefront with a Coming Soon sign in the window, abuzz with expectation and construction equipment. It’s the future site of the tasting room for Lone Light Spirits, a local distiller start-up that makes gin, bourbon, vodka, and coffee liqueur from its offsite distillery.

Distillery founder Joe Lordon selected the storefront in downtown Farmington despite his production facilities being located in Ferndale, instead opting to open his flagship tasting room in a town not as well-known for its nightlife as its famously fashionable friend in Ferndale. Of course, that’s evolving here, too, as highlighted by Heights Brewing having opened its brewery and restaurant across the street a little over a year ago.

"We selected Downtown Farmington to open our business because it is vibrant, walkable, and has a strong sense of community,” says Clint Fetzer.Lone Light Spirits won’t be the only tasting room opening downtown in the coming months, as Santé, a wine tasting room, is also expected to open in the coming months. Work is underway to transform the empty Grand River Avenue storefront into a wine bar that emphasizes community as much as it does its international selection of wines.

As for why they chose downtown Farmington to open Santé? It’s become a familiar refrain.

“Aside from the fact that we live in greater Farmington and love the area, we selected Downtown Farmington to open our business because it is vibrant, walkable, and has a strong sense of community,” says Clint Fetzer, who co-owns Santé with his wife Casey.

“The City and DDA have invested significant resources to support local entrepreneurship. This support greatly influenced our decision to open our new business in Farmington. They host regular events that draw foot traffic from locals and visitors, increasing visibility for local businesses. Additionally, they have fostered a supportive business network across the downtown and spearheaded initiatives to encourage local entrepreneurship. We’ve felt supported by the City and DDA every step of the way and couldn’t be more appreciative.”

The most recent to join the ranks of downtown Farmington small businesses is Spruce & Ash, a restaurant and bar that offers dinner and weekend brunch. Steaks, chops, lobster, and more is on the menu here, in a storefront found in the shopping center surrounding Riley Park.

The award-winning Farmington Farmers and Artisans Market has returned with spring.

It’s a park that will be especially busy on Saturdays this spring and summer, as the award-winning Farmington Farmers & Artisans Market has officially returned for the season. The farmers market is a destination, routinely winning awards for its vendors and programming. The farmers market has become an entrepreneurial incubator over the years, resulting in several businesses opening brick-and-mortar locations after getting their start on market days. And some of those businesses can be found in downtown Farmington, including Ground Control Coffee Roasters and Chocolate Chipped Bakery.

“Mary and I feel blessed to have opened our first brick-and-mortar Chocolate Chipped Bakery storefront in our beloved Farmington that is our home,” says Derek O’Connor, co-owner of Chocolate Chipped Bakery.After several years selling their baked goods at the farmers market, Mary and Derek O’Connor were able to open their own bakery in a storefront just a few feet nearby. Even so, the O’Connors continue to sell their cookies at the farmers market, too, as the community ties run deep here and even after established success.

“Mary and I feel blessed to have opened our first brick-and-mortar Chocolate Chipped Bakery storefront in our beloved Farmington that is our home,” says Derek O’Connor, co-owner of Chocolate Chipped Bakery. “We continue to sell at the Farmington farmers market, every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and it is so wonderful seeing so many of the community who have supported us here since we began selling cookies at this farmers market. We are very grateful.”