Clothing Shop fab’rik a Good Fit for Birmingham

Clothing Shop fab’rik a Good Fit for Birmingham

by | Nov 22, 2019 | Birmingham, Fabrik, LBN Community Series

Clothing Shop fab’rik a Good Fit for Birmingham

22
NOVEMBER 2019
BY REBECCA CALAPPI
LBN Community Series
Birmingham
Bringing fab’rik to downtown Birmingham was a journey of a thousand miles, and it began with sisters.

Carrie Sofikitis, 45, and Melissa Mistrot, 50, are sisters from the South. Raised in Alabama, the women have a love of fashion and style. So much so that Mistrot opened a fab’rik store in Homewood, Alabama. Working with Sofikitis, she brought fab’rik to Birmingham several times over the years as a pop-up store, which created a local following.

CARRIE SOFIKITIS & MELISSA MISTROT

OWNERS, fab’rik
“Two years ago, Ingrid Tighe [executive director of the Birmingham Shopping District], approached me, because the city of Birmingham wanted a fab’rik because it fit,” said Sofikitis. “People would call my sister’s store to order things. My sister and I always wanted to do something together, but we live hundreds of miles apart.”

Fab’rik was the link.

They knew they already had a fan base for the clothing line; they just needed a storefront. Working with the Birmingham Shopping District, the women found the perfect place right on Maple Road that met the standards of fab’rik corporate officials and spoke to them of creativity, fun and beauty.

“They loved the atmosphere on Maple,” Sofikitis said of the bosses’ take. “It’s probably one of their smallest stores, but they were OK with that to be right here.”

While the sisters are partners, Mistrot still lives in Alabama and visits regularly, leaving Sofikitis to manage the store.

The white walls inside act as a blank canvas against which shoppers can view the clothing styles. Everything from denim to leggings and cocktail dresses to business wear can be found at fab’rik, but with a fun twist.

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“It’s fun to explore and dress up and try new things. Play with colors and patterns, be daring, be conservative. Be creative,” said Sofikitis.

Shopper Jen Krut from Birmingham agreed.

“I love that every time I walk into fab’rik I can find an amazing, quality piece of clothing at the perfect price point that leaves me feeling good about my purchase and excited about what I will wear,” she said.

More than a clothing store, fab’rik is an experience. Not sure what you want? Ask a stylist to help you out. In a hurry? Call ahead with what you need, and they’ll run it out to the curb when you pull up.

“It’s not about selling, it’s about connecting. I want them to text their favorite stylist,” said Sofikitis. “We’re there to wow the customer. Fab’rik’s motto is one of the things that drew me — ‘No sticker price, no attitude. High style with heart.’ It’s supposed to be like you’re in your best friend’s closet.”

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In addition to fabulous fashion finds, fab’rik gives back. For example, proceeds from the in-house Asher brand go to the orphanage in Africa from which the company owner adopted her child. Also, there’s a donation trunk at the front of the store where customers can leave clothing they no longer want. That clothing is then donated to women at a local shelter.

“We’ll go to the shelter that serves women coming into rehab. We get them dressed, do a fashion show, they keep the clothes,” said Sofikitis. “There’s that giving back that really spoke to me.”

Linda McMahon has worked at fab’rik since its Nov. 7 opening.

“It was the right time. I needed a few hours out of the house,” McMahon said. “I know Carrie and I love her. This is fun and it’s wonderful. I haven’t met anyone I didn’t like. It’s a blast to see something new start up and be part of that, especially in Birmingham because it’s my home town.”

While most of the merchandise is sent from corporate, Sofikitis has some flexibility with accessories and some of the clothing.

“This is their first Michigan store and their first in a northern climate. It’s going to be a learning experience for all of us,” said Sofikitis.

Part of the fab’rik experience are the services offered. In addition to the stylists, gift wrapping is available, as are private parties. Fab’rik can host parties for up to 20 people — refreshments are provided ­— and shoppers receive 20% off their purchases that night.

There’s something for everyone at fab’rik.

“It’s a multigenerational place to shop and find something for everyone. We get new stuff all the time,” said Sofikitis.

123 West Maple
Birmingham, MI 48009
248.885.8750

fabrikstyle.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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New Treat Shop Adds Eastern European Flavors to a Dessert, Ice Cream Menu

New Treat Shop Adds Eastern European Flavors to a Dessert, Ice Cream Menu

by | Jul 31, 2019 | Birmingham, LBN Community Series, Splitz 'N Blitz

New Treat Shop Adds Eastern European Flavors to a Dessert, Ice Cream Menu

31
JULY 2019
BY MATT JACHMAN
LBN Community Series
Birmingham
It’s been a circuitous path, but John “Ivan” Zaryckyj has reached his longtime goal of owning a neighborhood sweet shop.

The Beverly Hills resident and his family recently opened Splitz ‘N’ Blitz, which sells ice cream, custard, sodas, candy and a variety of desserts, on East Merrill in Birmingham. The shop is located in the space formerly occupied by Sweet Thing, a candy store, and is next door to the restaurant 220 Merrill.

JOHN "IVAN" ZARYCKYJ

OWNER, SPLITZ ‘N BLITZ
“It’s a treat shop for kids and families,” said Zaryckyj, adding that the shop offers “a little bit more than your standard ice cream fare,” including desserts popular in Eastern Europe such as Marlenka, a layered honey cake produced by a Czech company of the same name.

Splitz ‘N Blitz also carries back-in-the-day candies like Chuckles and Boston Baked Beans (peanuts in a candy shell) and desserts like strawberry shortcake and a “fudge brownie delight.” There are also hot dogs and chili dogs; Zaryckyj plans to add to the hot food menu when the weather cools.

The shop’s name, Zaryckyj’s daughter and go-to server Tassia explained, combines two dessert ideas: banana splits (“splitz”) and “an explosion of ice cream” (“blitz”).

Zaryckyj, who grew up in southwest Detroit and graduated from Chadsey High School and Wayne State University — he is “straight from the hood” in his telling — traces his love of the treats business to a Dairy Queen on Michigan Avenue near his boyhood home, where he began working at age 11.

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“This was always in the back of my mind my whole life,” Zaryckyj said during a recent interview. As a preteen and a teenager, he said, he learned how to make everything that can be made with ice cream, and the importance of cleanliness in a place that sells dairy products.

However, Zaryckyj had a number of different careers before Splitz ‘N Blitz, including asphalt and concrete paving (he started as a teenage “grunt” and later owned a small company), cellular tower construction and servicing, and a short stint with Dairy Queen’s corporate office.

For the record, Zaryckyj is also president of the Michigan chapter of the Ukrainian American Youth Association, directs and dances in the Kolomeyka Dance Ensemble, which performs traditional Ukrainian folk dance, has run summer camps for kids and once owned a valet service. “I don’t sleep,” he said, only partially kidding.

 

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The drive to work, to stay busy, is part of who he is, Zaryckyj said. “I was the kind that, on Saturday, I always showed up” for a paving job as a youth, while his peers might’ve been partying the night before or spending Saturday at the beach.

Zaryckyj’s wife, Natalia, an executive at an auto parts manufacturer, is his partner in Splitz ‘N Blitz and their children, daughters Tassia and Lesia and son John, help out there.

Zaryckyj planned for his shop off and on for years, scouting locations and making deals that later fell through. “We were just looking for the right spot,” he said.

He found the place on Merrill Street, he said, when he stopped by the closed Sweet Thing to check out the fixtures that were being sold off. “One thing led to another,” he said, and he struck a deal with the building owner. He likes the shop’s location amid downtown Birmingham’s heavy foot traffic.

The shop officially opened on July 21 and marked its first full day in business on a recent Tuesday. “Hopefully, before it ends up I’ll have multiple locations,” Zaryckyj said.

“I just thought I’d like to see what it’s all about,” said Ella Carroll, who stopped in with her mother, Stephanie Carroll. (They each ordered an ice cream flurry.) She used to frequent Sweet Thing in the same spot, Ella said.

“We drive by all the time and we’re like, ‘Oh, we should go in,’ ” Stephanie Carroll said.

Splitz ‘N Blitz carries a small selection of toys, and Zaryckyj plans to add another product line that, along with ice cream, desserts and candy, will also appeal to kids: comic books.

“To me, it all falls together,” he said. “Everything kids like.”

Splitz ‘N Blitz, at 230 East Merrill, Birmingham, is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Splitz ‘N Blitz
230 East Merrill
Birmingham
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Children’s Boutique Features Mom-Tested Clothes

Children’s Boutique Features Mom-Tested Clothes

by | Jun 12, 2019 | Birmingham, LBN Community Series, Petite Cabane

Children’s Boutique Features Mom-Tested Clothes

12
JUNE 2019
BY REBECCA CALAPPI
LBN Community Series
Birmingham
Walking in Petite Cabane is enchanting. Inspired by European stores, the serene atmosphere and well-made children’s clothes are cultivated beautifully by owner Carrie Martin.

For Martin, Petite Cabane was a long time coming. When she was 17, she was scouted by a modeling agency. From there, she moved to New York City, then Europe. Her career took off and, with it, her knowledge and attention to fashion.

CARRIE MARTIN

OWNER, PETITE CABANE
“The first inspiration came when I moved to Europe and became pregnant with my first,” Martin said. “I just noted how differently they dressed their children, just more attention to detail and style. It sparked something. It stayed and grew from there.”

Years went by, 24 to be exact, and her first son is grown. She has three more children; the youngest is her 5-year-old daughter. She was with her little girl when Petite Cabane finally materialized.

“I was riding past with my daughter on the front of my bike. I literally just peeked in and thought, ‘A-ha,’” said Martin.

The boutique is at 205 E. Maple in a cozy section of downtown Birmingham that could be mistaken for a street in Paris or London. It’s Martin’s dream.

“In Europe it’s called a concept store, which means it’s not just clothes,” she said. We have sizes for newborn to eight years. Ton of books, toys, balance bikes, pedal bikes, we have all things children.”

Shoppers can find the perfect gift for a new baby or a quality outfit for family photos.

“I currently have France, England, Denmark and Sweden, but it will be ever-changing,” said Martin. “I have about eight different lines represented right now, and I will be bringing in three new lines for autumn/winter. That’s what I love, I’m not married to one particular line.”

A huge part of her focus for the boutique is quality and detail.

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“A lot of these clothes are tried and tested by me from being a mother for nearly 24 years,” said Martin. “I still have the raincoat that’s been through my three boys, cousins, friends and now my daughter. I’ve also focused on keeping the brands sustainable and women-run, which happened by accident. That’s my favorite, really supporting the small businesses.”

In becoming part of the fashion industry, Martin is very conscientious about leaving a footprint. Fashion is known to be one of the most wasteful industries on the planet, so she’s trying to do her part to reduce waste and harmful lasting effects.

“I try to be minimalist and thoughtful about my purchases, so the brands I carry are organic, certified sustainable, for example the shoes for babies use vegetable dye. We really do focus on what our footprint is,” she said.

While she knew there was a market for girls’ clothes, boys’ clothing was a different story. She opened the store March 16 with a smaller inventory of clothes for boys for a very specific reason: boys’ clothes are basic and she wasn’t sure if the market was ready for well-made pieces for boys.

“People have responded so well, and it helped me decide which direction we can go forth with,” Martin said. “They are responding and understanding what my mission was.”

She also plans on carrying more layette, which is a set of clothing and linens for a newborn, because she sold out so quickly. But that’s part of shopping at an upscale boutique—once an item is gone, it’s gone.

“I wanted people to feel unique, but with that comes the fact that we’re going to sell out of things,” said Martin. “Nobody in the area represents any of these lines. The only place anyone can buy these is online. People like seeing them in person. People are used to have everything at their fingertips.”

Later this year, she plans on opening an e-shop, where customers can get their favorite pieces from the comfort of home.

Christina Wincek of Birmingham loves having Petite Cabane in the neighborhood, especially when shopping for her daughters, ages 4 and 6.

“I have always loved the vintage look and more traditional style children’s clothing, it’s really hard to find,” Wincek said. “Shopping little small businesses is a passion, so when Carrie opened the shop, it was an instant for me.”

While the style is what drew Wincek into the store, the quality is what keeps her coming back.

“Knowing they’re nice clothes that wash well, a lot of the pieces can transition and layer really well,” she said. “A lot of Carrie’s fabrics are lightweight and soft, so they breathe. Kids can run around and not get the clothes stuck to them. It’s such a wonderful addition to downtown Birmingham.”

Martin isn’t just selling clothing for families. She truly feels part of the community and welcomed by parents and grandparents looking for a special something, or a classic piece for everyday wear.

“It feels like an extension of myself and my home,” Martin said. “I feel a sense of the community. I love the children, I will remember the children’s names more than the parents’ names. I’m so excited to see them grow and their families grow.”

Petite Cabane
205 E. Maple Road
Birmingham, MI 48009
248.792.7979

petitecabaneshop.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A Great First Year in Downtown Birmingham for St. Croix

A Great First Year in Downtown Birmingham for St. Croix

by | May 9, 2019 | Birmingham, LBN Community Series, St. Croix

A Great First Year in Downtown Birmingham for St. Croix

09
MAY 2019
BY BRAD KADRICH
LBN Community Series
Birmingham
Bob and Jan Nelson of Owosso have been shopping at St. Croix for more than a dozen years, and have always been happy with what they’ve found.

So it wasn’t a big surprise to see the Nelsons follow them a year ago, when the men’s clothing store made its move from the Somerset Collection in Troy to the streets of downtown Birmingham.

VICTORIA KNIGHT

GENERAL MANAGER, ST. CROIX SHOPS – BIRMINGHAM

“They have good service, and (merchandise) is good quality,” Bob Nelson said. “If they don’t have what you want, they’ll find it. The service is fantastic.”

Apparently, the Nelsons aren’t the only ones who think so. According to general manager Victoria Knight, foot traffic has doubled what it was at the mall, and many customers have followed the store to its new location (268 W. Maple).

The resulting big business solidifies the thinking of making the move a year ago, following 24 successful years at Somerset.

“It was time for a change, and it was time to leave the mall setting,” Knight said. “We’ve heard from many clients that they no longer like shopping in the malls. So we listened.

“We found Birmingham and realized Birmingham was ‘the’ place,” she added. “A year later, we (believe) we made the right decision.”

St. Croix specializes in men’s clothing, largely made in the United States and Italy. All of the store’s knitwear is made in the U.S., handcrafted and made in the company factory in Winona, Minn. Some sport shirts, trousers and socks are made in Italy, while belts and leather coats are made in the U.S.

More than 80 percent of the store is U.S-made. Coats, pants, shirts, belts and other clothing items can be found in abundance.

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And they’re being found by both new and repeat shoppers, especially – in a big change from their mall days – by men.

It’s a change that has convinced everyone at St. Croix the move was timed perfectly.

“It’s the best move we’ve ever made,” said Mike Hill, Knight’s assistant, who has worked at St. Croix for 11 years. “We’re more of a destination location. The guys are more comfortable shopping here.”

It was a trend Knight said she’d heard about, even before they left Somerset.

“The wives used to come shopping at Somerset and now we see the husbands shopping in Birmingham,” she pointed out. “Most men have expressed to us … they want a small, intimate boutique shop like ours.”

The other thing the new location has given them for the last year is more creative freedom. Knight said she’s got more room to create in her windows – and within the shop – than she had in Troy.

“We aren’t mandated by the mall,” she said. “We can be as creative as we want with the windows and what we need to do in the store, because no one is telling us what we can and can’t do.”

As the store celebrated with customers new and old, including cupcakes for the occasion, Knight couldn’t have been happier about the move.

“We love Birmingham, we love the community,” she said. “Everything about Birmingham is what they say … small community, everyone works together and it’s just a great place.”

St. Croix
268 West Maple
Birmingham, Michigan
248.816.1390

Website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Birmingham’s Vinotecca: A Wine Bar, a Restaurant – and a Forum for Exploring Life’s Consummate Fruits

Birmingham’s Vinotecca: A Wine Bar, a Restaurant – and a Forum for Exploring Life’s Consummate Fruits

by | Apr 18, 2019 | Birmingham, LBN Community Series, Vinotecca

Birmingham’s Vinotecca:  A Wine Bar, a Restaurant – and a Forum for Exploring Life’s Consummate Fruits

18
APRIL 2019
BY HONEY MURRAY
LBN Community Series
Birmingham
Visitors to Vinotecca, Birmingham’s unique wine, food, music, education, and event venue, are always surprised when energetic co-owner John Jonna shares, “I’ve been in the wine business for 60 years.”

“My father was a farmer and grocer in the Middle East,” John says, “who, as a Christian Chaldean, moved here to work for Henry Ford for his famous ‘five dollars a day.’”

“My father ended up, though, being in the grocery business and, even as a young boy, I helped him stock the wines – and that’s when my curiosity about them began.”

JOHN JONNA

CO-OWNER & SOMMELIER, VINOTECCA
“So,” John continues, “from humble beginnings, I’m a sommelier who is one generation from the 3000-year-old homeland tradition of being a farmer and sheep herder.”

His business partner, daughter Kristin Jonna, is also a certified sommelier and was assistant winemaker at Benziger Vineyards.

“This whole restaurant and its concepts are Kristin’s ideas,” John says. “We, as a family, are passionate about wine, food, and learning. We started this restaurant in Royal Oak fourteen years ago, recently moving it here to Birmingham. We also have a sister restaurant, Vinology, in Ann Arbor.”

John adds, “Wanting to create an environment for straight-up communication and in-the-moment enjoyment of food and company, we started with no televisions and, in the time when people still smoked in restaurants, we had no smoking as the smoke interferes with the wine’s aroma.”

“We were packed,” says John. “It was a place to meet and really communicate. “

“Kristin wanted a social gathering spot with wine-friendly cuisine and varietally correct wines, true to the character of the food. We design our selections of wine and food to contrast and complement, and we rotate the menu.”

“Kristin and I are intensive in our studies,” he says.  “We may study 100 wines and then choose only two. We are not in favor of manipulated wine, but believe in wines in their natural, pure state.”

John points out the commissioned glass artwork facing the restaurant entry, created by Chris Nordin Studios in Dearborn and glowing with reds, roses, burgundies, scarlets: hues of the wines the Jonnas lovingly curate.

“Wanting to create an environment for straight-up communication and in-the-moment enjoyment of food and company, we started with no televisions…”

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“We are very proud of this piece. It’s an abstract representation of how wine is made and of Rudolph Steiner’s biodynamic and organic principle that ‘all products grown on earth should be made with cognizance of all other products and of the earth, itself.’”

“And that’s how we live, as a family,” states John, whose son, Ryan Jonna, has a Ph.D. in environmental sociology.

The restaurant’s three, distinctive event spaces also express that environmentalism.

Kristin’s husband, Dave Eifrid, owner of Greenlife Building, created the semi-private “Vintage” gathering space from reclaimed wood from a deconstructed home, a room for up to 45 people.

The Barrel Room, crafted to resemble the inside of a barrel, often holds wine seminars and other events, and accommodates 10-20 guests.

The Elm Room, seating 150, is used for larger events, including weddings, showers, retirement parties, and other celebrations.

“Kristin was able to ‘create’ three elm trees in this room that reach to the ceiling,” John says. “There’s one for each grandchild.”

And, on the partly covered patios, customers meet, dine, and drink in all kinds of weather for wine events, brunches and dinners (complete with kids’ menus), happy hours, and live music performances (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays).

“Now, many of our customers come here and say, ‘I met my future husband here!’ Or, ‘I proposed to my wife here.’ We are also the first to have offered a gourmet cheese plate, our number one seller.”

“I’m a cheese expert beyond comparison!” John grins. “And a life enrichment expert.”

“A bottle of wine is meant to be shared by three, four, five people,” explains John. “And through wine, gourmet food, and the sharing of it all, life is truly enriched.”

210 S. Old Woodward Avenue
Birmingham, MI  48009
248-203-6600

vinotecca.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Cannelle Patisserie Offers a Little Slice of Paris in Birmingham

Cannelle Patisserie Offers a Little Slice of Paris in Birmingham

by | Apr 10, 2019 | Birmingham, Cannelle Patisserie, LBN Community Series

Cannelle Patisserie Offers Up a Slice of Paris in Birmingham
10
APRIL 2019
BY REBECCA CALAPPI
LBN Community Series
Birmingham
In an unassuming building in Birmingham, is nestled Cannelle Patisserie, filled with fresh, tempting French desserts, pastry and coffee.

On an early Saturday morning, the shop already has a steady stream of customers lining up for flakey croissants, pain au chocolat, savory rolls and fresh bread. Matt Knio, owner, greets employees and customers with the same warm smile—handshakes for some, hugs for others.

MATT KNIO

OWNER, CANNELLE PATISSERIE
(Second from Left)
How Knio’s life story led him to Birmingham is worthy of grabbing a cup of coffee and pastry and sitting down to listen.

He grew up in Lebanon and left home when he was 17 to take a job he knew nothing about—farming cocoa in Ivory Coast.

“My job was to maintain the quality and the volume of the cocoa beans,” Knio said. “Slowly, I made it to manager. It was really hard to accept the job because it was in the middle of the forest.”

By middle of the forest, he means nine hours from the capitol by dirt road.

“After the war in Ivory Coast, I was forced to leave, if not for the war, I would still be there,” Knio, 44, said. “I went to France. I wanted to do something related to something I understand, which is cocoa. I wasn’t planning on being a pastry chef.”

He took a job with a woman who had a pastry shop. She recognized his talent and urged him to pursue it.

He went to the Académie de Versailles. Additionally, the woman he worked for knew a master pastry chef, who took him on.

“I worked and I went to school. I spent about five years with him and I took the same diploma as his,” said Knio.

“The people are really nice, and the food is fabulous…but I’m not sure about telling you how fabulous it is because more people will come here.”
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After working for several large chocolate companies, he took a job as head pastry chef at the Ritz-Carleton in Dearborn. After a year, he decided to strike out on his own, so he established his first shop on Northwestern Highway. However, business wasn’t thriving.

“I struggled bigtime,” said Knio. “I stayed for two years. I decided to move somewhere with more activity and more people.”

That led him to downtown Birmingham. But his heart was in wholesale, not retail. In 2008, he closed in Birmingham and went wholesale in Hamtramck.

“I was wholesale completely for about four to five years. I didn’t do any retail until a friend of mine, who owns this plaza, said, ‘Matt, you have to open a place.’ I told him I didn’t want to  but, he said, ‘You do the product, I’ll manage the store.’ We opened this six years ago, and it was a success from day one,” said Knio.

Today, walking into Cannelle Patisserie is a delight to the senses. The name alone is melodic.

“When I was working for my boss in France, we made a cake that was called cannelle, which means ‘cinnamon’ in French. But I chose the name because I like the sound of it,” said Knio.

The pastry cases are full of tasty works of art, glossy with glazes and puffed with cream.

“The majority of the recipes are my own,” Knio said. “I get ideas from different places, but I execute it the way I want. Eighty to 85% of my work is my own creation. Even a simple, traditional pastry that’s been made the same for years and years, you’ll find tastes different when I make it.”

For the last few years, Frank Lee of Troy, has been making Cannelle Patisserie a regular stop in his daily routine.

“My favorite thing here is the people,” said Lee. “It’s good when I’m out with work and have someone with me, I’ll bring them by.”

David Levin of Birmingham also frequents Cannelle Patisserie with his brother.

“The people are really nice, and the food is fabulous,” he said. “But I’m not sure about telling you how fabulous it is because more people will come here.”

159 North Eton Street
Birmingham, MI 48009
248.822.4072

cannellepatisserie.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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