It started with dog walks and old houses. Moving to downtown Ann Arbor in 2012, co-founder Chris Nordin found that his dog required lots of walking since the house they moved into had essentially no backyard for the dog to play in.
It was that season of winter, walking around the town that was founded in 1824, that Chris was inspired to make the Michigan Icicle. The older homes around town didn’t have the modern day insulation that kept icicles from forming on roofs, so the city of Ann Arbor had plenty of icicles to observe.
House after house had icicles forming from the roofs in the cold winter that year. When the sunny days of warmer temperatures brought everyone outside, one couldn’t help but notice, and admire, the dripping icicles glistening in the sunshine.
His special technique, coupled with light blue recycled glass and a sprinkle of tin to make a white color (representing snow on the icicle) created a timeless, one-of-a-kind look for the Michigan Icicle.
Debuting in 2013 at The Glass Academy Holiday show, the Michigan Icicle was an immediate hit and continues to gain popularity as a Glass Academy Original Product.
The Icicle Experience was also added as a hands-on class in 2014 and continues to be one of our top selling classes. Perfect for gift giving at the holiday season and then enjoyed as something fun to do in the winter months of January and February.