YPSILANTI, MI - The grand opening of a shared location for babo and Tiny Buddha Yoga is prompting conversations on what businesses are the right fit for Ypsilanti's Depot Town.

The two businesses are joining together under one roof at 17 E. Cross St. with a united mission to offer healthy food, drinks and activities to the community. The grand opening is from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 7, and will include live music, free yoga classes and giveaways. It coincides with Ypsilanti's First Fridays event.

Tiny Buddha Yoga's space will include merchandise like yoga apparel and room for hot yoga classes, along with a shared meditation room for customers of both businesses. It is the third location for Tiny Buddha Yoga, owned by Risa Gotlib.

It also is the third location for babo, which is currently sold at the Nickels Arcade and a brick-and-mortar shop on Boardwalk in Ann Arbor. Sava Lelcaj owns Savco Hospitality, the umbrella company for babo, and said her side of the business will include a juice bar, grab-and-go takeout offerings and a tea room with products from the Tea Haus.

The former babo storefront on Washington Street is now home to Fred's, operated by Lelcaj's brother, and was part of a rebranding of the babo business model.

The move to Ypsilanti has prompted a website remodel for babo and conversations with the public on whether the businesses fit in the location.

"We've had 90 percent great reactions and 10 percent really, really, really unhappy people," Lelcaj said.

From what she understands, some people are not comfortable with the changes happening in Depot Town and the type of businesses filling the space on Cross Street like babo and Tiny Buddha Yoga. Others were confused about the babo concept, and thought the business would be more of a grocery store.

Other new business owners have gotten a similar reaction, Lelcaj said, but she and Gotlib are focusing on their mission, "providing great product at a great value, improving the space and the space around us."

"That's all we can do, is show these people change is good," Lelcaj said. "Our goal is to improve the community we're in, not to go in and compete with what is already existing."

Lelcaj was approached by Gotlib about joining together for the space several months ago. While she was hesitant about the expansion at first, Lelcaj said she decided to be a part of the move once she saw the building in Depot Town.

"Of course, I fell in love with the space," Lelcaj said. "We looked at the property together and I could really could see babo fitting in there."

She had a vision of people visiting the businesses to get snacks or drinks and heading down to the river to hang out, and thought babo and Tiny Buddha Yoga would complement each other and add to the business community already present in Depot Town.

It is a new concept for both owners, for their two businesses to operate in the same building, but Lelcaj said it makes sense for the direction both are trying to go.

"It's a great place to try this concept and bring something really fresh to the community," Lelcaj said. "Just like we've done with Ann Arbor, were not looking to impose on the community there. We're looking to add value to the community."

So while some residents are worried about pricing, gentrification, "Ann Arbor-ites" and others heading into Ypsilanti, the owners of babo and Tiny Buddha Yoga are focusing on creating jobs and serving the community.

They are expecting a good turnout at the grand opening Friday, and Lelcaj said she is expecting to educate many visitors on what the businesses are all about.

"There'll be a lot of learning going on right away," Lelcaj said.