What’s New? – Dolcetto
Lindsay Kennedy, owner of Dolcetto Cheese & Specialty Goods in downtown Farmington, stopped by to tell us about the shop’s holiday offerings, including a 12 days of Christmas basket and an eight days of Hannukah basket, plus other gift baskets. Order your 12 days of Christmas basket by Dec. 6 and your Hannukah basket by Dec. 17.
Mrs Mason’s Co.
Margi Mason, owner of Mrs. Mason’s Co., based in Royal Oak, ships her unique brittles all over the country. You can order via her website and find 14 different brittles, including the popular Chocolate Covered Cherry Brittle, Best Friends Brittle with white and dark chocolate and Bare-Naked Cashew Brittle. Margi said her recipe is unique, producing a brittle that contains no corn syrup or baking soda and that delivers a crisp, but not hard, texture. Order by Dec. 16 to get your brittle by Christmas.
Crane Optical
Celebrating 75 years of excellence, Crane Optical proudly carries on the legacy of founder Dr. Leonard Crane, who established the business in Ferndale in 1949. Lee Laster spoke to us about how Crane offers a personalized, stress-free experience dedicated to helping patients find the perfect, properly fitting frames. Each pair is thoughtfully hand-selected, prioritizing quality manufacturing and durability to ensure long-lasting satisfaction.
Birmingham Shopping District
Sheri Hunter, marketing and PR specialist for the Birmingham Shopping District, stopped by to announce the results of the first annual burger contest in Birmingham. Out of 18 participating restaurants, Adachi won with its “Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover” burger, created by Executive Chef Lloyd Roberts and Executive Sous Chef Eppie Marie. Sheri gave us the rundown on future Birmingham events, including Santa visits, horse-drawn carriage rides, the winter markt and tree lighting, and more.
Road Less Traveled Books
After he retired, Chuck Alore decided to pursue his dreams of owning and operating a bookshop. He found the perfect space in Farmington, MI and around three years ago, opened Road Less Traveled Books. A “full-service” book store, the shop sells both new and used books, offers special order service for those hard to find books, sells gifts of all types, and has a large selection of children’s books. Just recently, the store has started hosting author events which they plan to continue into the new year.
Love & Other Books
Erin Cambron, co-owner of Love & Other Books, is dedicated to running a romance-genre focused bookstore while also nurturing a vibrant community of book lovers. Literary enthusiasts are invited to immerse themselves in the shop’s cozy, inviting atmosphere by joining one of its engaging book clubs. Beyond that, the shop hosts exciting author signings, providing readers with an opportunity to connect with writers personally, gain insight into their creative inspirations, and have their books signed.
Rust Belt Market
Founded by Tiffany Best and her husband, Chris, The Rust Belt Market in Ferndale, MI, is a vibrant artisan marketplace. Inspired by local art fairs, it features a diverse array of local vendors offering high quality handmade goods, art, and vintage items. Since its opening, the market has become a hub for the creative community, providing a unique shopping experience with a focus on supporting small businesses. The Rust Belt Market also includes a bar, offering craft cocktails and a cozy atmosphere, and frequently hosts special events.
What’s New? – Papa’s Kitchen
Christina Kalfaian, one of LBN Food’s first interviewees, stopped by to tell us what’s new with Papa’s Kitchen, a specialty foods company based in Troy. The company has a new dressing on the market called Green Goddess, and all of their products are now available in Meijer stores in six states across the midwest. Christina has also been featured on channel 2 and channel 4 and has received several recent award nominations.
Adachi
Blake George, owner of Adachi in Birmingham, stopped by to tell us about this Japanese-inspired restaurant, located inside the Peabody mansion. In addition to sushi, Adachi offers popular items like the kobe slider and crispy chicken, plus “Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover,” a burger inspired by the Birmingham burger contest running this month. It features a crispy, Katsu-style wagyu beef patty, topped with bacon jam, frisée, provolone, caramelized onions and jalapeños, all served on a sesame brioche bun.
O Grizzly’s Bar & Bistro
The manager of O Grizzly’s in Auburn Hills, Jon Gappy, stopped by to introduce us to this new restaurant. It’s been open for about three weeks and celebrated a grand opening on Oct. 21. Located on the outskirts of Oakland University, O Grizzly’s is a college bar with an elevated menu, Michigan beers and craft cocktails. Offerings include the popular tandoori wings, fettuccine alfredo, pizza, sandwiches and more. Stop by to watch pro and college sports alike in this welcoming atmosphere.
Munro Crafts
Barbara and Tristen proudly run Munro Crafts, a vibrant family-owned treasure trove that has been inspiring creativity since 1957. Committed to excellence, they offer an array of high-quality materials and expert customer service tailored for all craft enthusiasts. Their passion for the craft community shines through in their personalized service and educational offerings.
Como’s
Como’s has graced the corner of Woodward and Nine Mile since 1961, but was recently taken over by new owners. TJ Shibbins, general manager, and Henry Van Dusen, executive chef, stopped by to tell us about the large restaurant’s fun atmosphere. Best known for its pizza, Como’s also offers a unique Saturday and Sunday brunch menu, plus entrees like blackened salmon, chicken piccata and more. You can still enjoy Como’s big patio in the fall, with some heaters and plexiglass to shield you from the weather!
Perfect Pairing Market
Yolla Awad, an experienced restauranter, wanted to open a unique business, and she did that in January 2024 in Farmington Hills. Perfect Pairing is a marketplace for unique wine and cheese, plus specialty foods like Cherry Republic products. Stop by her welcoming store on 10 Mile Road and find wine, cider and beer you can’t find anywhere else. On Saturdays from 12 to 3 p.m. stop in for free wine tastings, or sign up for a full tasting event that occurs monthly at a local hall. Yolla is proud to note that Perfect Pairing was awarded Best New Business and Best Small Business.
Madam
Madam, located inside the Daxton Hotel in Birmingham, is participating in Birmingham’s month long burger contest, and is offering a wagyu smash burger with American cheese, a fried egg and Dijonnaise. Executive Chef Jake Szary invites diners throughout the community to visit Madam. Offerings include fresh made pasta, a range of vegetarian appetizers, seafood entrees, a filet and more, plus a full bar, and breakfast and brunch offerings.
Social Birmingham
Mike Shaw, executive chef of Social Birmingham stopped by to tell us about his “upscale comfort food” restaurant, complete with the only rooftop bar in downtown Birmingham. As a participant in the BirminghamBurger competition, the eatery is offering a French dip, with shaved ribeye on an all-beef patty, is already selling 30 to 40 per day. Stop by for happy hour, lunch, dinner or brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
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