Venue by 4M: Ann Arbor’s first multi-purpose space for work, eats, drinks and wedding vows

Venue by 4M, located just off of East Stadium Boulevard, has been creating a buzz since its opening last summer. The space offers 25,000 square feet of customizable event space that can accommodate about 600 guests. Boasting five restaurants, a full bar, spaces for large and small events, coworking space, an outdoor patio area and a market for groceries, Venue by 4M is an accessible multi-purpose gathering place.

Rachel Ufer, a communications consultant for 4M, spoke with The Michigan Daily about owner Margaret Poscher and her wife, Heidi. As Michigan natives who had spent many years in California and already owned several rental spaces in the area, Ufer said both Margaret and Heidi Poscher wanted to bring something unique to Ann Arbor.

“They were big believers in what’s called a 15-minute neighborhood,” Ufer said. “It’s a very European way of thinking. The idea that you should walk to everything that you need in life. (Ann Arbor) has these great places to stay, coworking spaces, shared Teslas, a shuttle that goes around (town), but there (was) something missing.” 

Before Venue by 4M opened, the space was previously occupied by a Kroger and then a Lucky’s Market. After the COVID-19 pandemic left the space empty, Poscher decided to acquire the lease and implement a massive renovation for her business.

“I had been living in California, coming back and forth to Ann Arbor to visit family and take care of real estate, and it grew to a point where it became clear that we should be living in Ann Arbor,” Poscher said. “(We moved) right at the beginning of the pandemic. It just made sense to kind of create some vibrancy in that neighborhood, bring food into the neighborhood, a place to gather.”

The business houses five restaurants under one roof, all run by Thad Gillies, a self-taught Ann Arbor chef. The restaurants include Venue Brasserie, Mesa Taqueria, Pizza Forum, Pasta Forum and Bar19. The space also houses a market and cafe where consumers can purchase coffee, pastries, wine, beer or groceries.Before coming to Ann Arbor Gillies told The Daily he previously worked with Zingerman’s and trained at several fine dining restaurants in New York City, including Union Square Cafe and Lespinasse. After his previous businesses were affected by the pandemic, Gillies said he decided to become involved with Venue by 4M when he overheard Margaret Poscher’s idea at a restaurant in town.

“I had two restaurants downtown — a fine dining restaurant and a fast-casual Asian restaurant — but COVID shut me down so hard and so fast,” Gillies said. “The original concept for the restaurant was to have five individual ghost restaurants until I got involved. Instead of doing five individual restaurants, I pitched my idea to create five different environments, different fields of restaurants.”

Venue by 4M is also set to open its new outdoor patio prior to the summer. In an interview with The Daily, Margaret Poscher said spacious patio offers a relaxing and casual atmosphere with a truck offering cocktails and fire pits.

“The patio is, I think, pretty amazing,” Poscher said. “I think it’s just gonna be so much fun in the spring, fall and the summer. The space is so inviting, it’s open, a light welcoming space.”

Daily Staff Reporter Emma Spring can be reached at sprinemm@umich.edu. Daily News Contributor Grace Lim can be reached at gracelim@umich.edu.