The Nest Collaborative: Women Focused Business the Perfect Place to Buy a Gift

by Eric | Aug 14, 2019 | LBN Community Series, Mount Clemens

The Nest Collaborative: Women-Focused Business the Perfect Place to Buy a Gift

AUGUST 2019

BY REBECCA CALAPPI

LBN Community Series
Mount Clemens

Looking around The Nest Collaborative, whimsy and quirk are combined with cutting-edge style and creativity. Felted trolls, hand-mined jewelry and richly scented soaps are just a few of the items that keep shoppers’ eyes moving around this downtown Mt. Clemens store.

However, The Nest Collaborative isn’t just a shopping experience. It’s a learning opportunity for women entrepreneurs.

LORI BARTONE

MANAGER, THE NEST COLLABORATIVE

“The hope was to provide a retail location where an individual could come in with something that was unique to their creative experience, knew they wanted to sell, but didn’t have the resources to go out on their own. The hope was to give them some exposure, so they can get some experience,” said Stephen Staph Jr., owner, The Nest Collaborative.

According to manager Lori Bartone, the timing and message of the store was perfect.

“Most of the businesses in this particular area are women-owned,” said Bartone. “Stephen, in keeping with what was going on, thought that a women-based business would be a good fit for what is already going on down here. It’s a nice community situation.”

Diane Kubik is the owner of Max & Ollies, which is across the street from The Nest. She was part of the team that built the collaborative and still mentors the entrepreneurs.

“The first this is, I think it’s really important to help women realize they can do this,” said Kubik. “I started with absolutely no knowledge when we opened the shop. I learned in such a different way. I learned in the school of hard knocks, so I want to teach these women to do it with their own spin and to have the balls to do it.”

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The store opened Nov. 1, 2019, with eight sellers. Some of the ladies were retired and just wanted to sell what they made, others were trying to launch careers. The combination was perfect.

“The older ones, who are retired, can teach the young ones, and the young ones can teach the older ones about Instagram and social media,” Bartone said.

The Nest Collaborative works by renting space to the ladies. “There’s a split from what they earn versus what they pay to stay here,” explained Bartone. “We’re trying to get out there, trying to help Mt. Clemens, trying to help these women.”

Bartone is enthusiastic when she gives tours around the store, almost as if she’s bragging about her own children. She knows the backstories, origins and muses behind the ladies who showcase their work at the store. Explaining that to create the jewelry in this display, the artist travels all over to mine the precious rocks and gems she then polishes and sets to perfection.

Proudly, she explains that the felted trolls are all handmade, down to the little, sculpted toes. Reveling in the scent of her favorite handmade soap, it’s easy to see that she has a stake in the success in each of these women.

“It’s been a privilege for me to be with these women and to see their hopes and dreams. That’s a big bonus, if they get to go into their own businesses. The hope is they go out with enough confidence,” she said.

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Bartone and the other mentors also coach the ladies on presentation and product displays and other learning opportunities.

“We teach problem solving, try to remain calm, the issue is the issue,” said Bartone. “How are you going to solve it? When you go out on your own, it will be 80 hours a week. What do we have to offer you? What are your questions, what are your needs?”

Other female business leaders in the area have joined in to help.

“We have this established core of female business owners, so we can kind of hitch on to that and hope the existing sorority could be role models of the new ladies coming to town,” said Staph.

In addition to providing a springboard for female entrepreneurs, The Nest Collaborative was also meant as a way to help revitalize an ailing downtown.

“I’ve been involved in my father’s agency since 1983,” Staph recalled. “I came to this town as a kid, saw it during its more vibrant retail days and for the last 10 or 11 years, served on the Downtown Development Authority board. We desperately had a need to get some more attraction down here.”

Staph knew the space was available, so he took it. A bit of remodeling to give the vendors a blank slate to work on, and The Nest Collaborative was born.

“If you look about the store, you see a variety of items. I just wanted to have a bright available space,” said Staph. “I wanted to make it as user-friendly as possible.”

While shoppers will probably never find the same thing twice in the store, it’s a treasure trove of gift ideas and inspiration.

But it’s also a little something more.

“It’s the beginning of their dream and where they’re going to go,” said Bartone.

66 Macomb Place
Mt Clemens, MI 48043
586-738-0780
nestmountclemens.com

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The Fashion Factory is Bringing Back Old-School Skills

by Eric | Aug 8, 2019 | Fashion Factory, LBN Community Series, Mount Clemens

The Fashion Factory is Bringing Back Old-School Skills

AUGUST 2019

BY REBECCA CALAPPI

LBN Community Series
Mount Clemens

When Toni Davison’s daughter was little, she was a fashionista. As a 4-year-old, the little girl would draw dresses and design fashion. As she got older, Davison taught her to hand-stitch, and then make doll clothes. But it wasn’t enough.

“She said, ‘No I want to sew something for me,’” recalled Davison.

TONI DAVISON

OWNER, THE FASHION FACTORY

The pair looked around for sewing classes, but those offered at big-box stores frequently got canceled, and those in smaller venues didn’t take the lessons far enough. As the daughter of a seamstress and a professional behind the sewing machine in her own right, Davison decided to do something about the deficit.

She had been working as a paraprofessional first in the Macomb Intermediate School District, then with L’Anse Cruise Schools, but after the death of her mother, going back to her job just didn’t feel right.

With the encouragement of her husband, Darrell Davison, she launched her business, The Fashion Factory.

“We started at our house with four sewing machines,” said Davison. “Literally at the beginning, it was her [daughter’s] friends. We kept getting more and more kids. We’re now at 20 sewing machines.”

Going into business for herself wasn’t an easy decision.

“At first I was super afraid,” she recalled. “I’m going to take our family money and purchase these sewing machines and I’m not really sure it’s going to work out. To me, that was a big ask.”

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Davison grew her business by taking sewing machines to scouting groups and after-school programs. Soon, she was looking for commercial space and settled in downtown Mt. Clemens on Cherry Street.

“I like the downtown area, I wanted a quirky space. It’s very unique down here,” she said.

It is. Snuggled on a pedestrian-only stretch, The Fashion Factory is a crafty diva’s dream. Because the store hosts summer camps, semester-long classes and workshops, the entry looks more like a living room. A big couch, a large crafting table and wire palm trees add the “quirk” Davison wanted. Further through, there’s a long room dedicated to sewing and fashion shows.

“Primarily, students learn to sew here. During the school year, we teach traditional sewing. We also teach about fashion illustration,” said Davison. “I like to find unique ways for them to stretch themselves.”

Classes are available beginning at age 7, according to Davison. “I like to tell people 7-107,” she said.

She’s also expanded The Fashion Factory offerings to include online classes. Schedules are so busy, it might be hard to fit sewing lessons in. Now, students receive a box full of the supplies they need for their projects and when they sign on to the lesson, they’re greeted by a live instructor, so if there are any questions, they can be addressed.

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“I’m hoping this is helpful,” said Davison. “What we hear from parents all the time is the daughter has a sewing machine but hasn’t taken it out of the box. We offer the online learning platform as a way to get those sewing machines out of the box and start using them.”

Rachel Rice’s daughter, Hudson Rice, has been a student at The Fashion Factory for two years. Rice discovered Davison’s business when a friend tagged her in a social media post.

“She started with a poncho at this four-hour class, and she wore the poncho every day for probably six months,” said Rice.

Hudson was hooked.

Since then, she’s been to camps, workshops and more at The Fashion Factory, and even went on a fashion tour in New York City this summer with Davison.

“Sewing helps her to get her creativity out and make something to feel proud of. And I think Miss Toni makes something relatable, even if they are not simple,” said Rice. “She really likes them to push the envelope and work to their full potential and that’s been wonderful as a parent to watch somebody do that.”

54 Cherry St.
Mt Clemens, MI 48043
586-549-3274
fashionfriendsandfun.com

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Chaos Studio Salon is More Soothing than it Sounds

by Eric | Jul 17, 2019 | Chaos Studio Salon, LBN Community Series, Mount Clemens

Chaos Studio Salon is More Soothing than it Sounds

JULY 2019

BY REBECCA CALAPPI

LBN Community Series
Mt. Clemens

In an old building in downtown Mt. Clemens is a shabby-chic beautification place called Chaos Studio Salon.

Owner Jenn Case-Magri, 39, recognizes the irony in the name of her salon. After all, she wanted to create a place where clients could feel comfortable and at peace.

“The name was the easy part. I was living in Virginia and walked into a store. It was the coolest store I had ever seen. I remember saying if I ever opened a salon, I’d name it Chaos,” said Case-Magri.

JENN CASE-MAGRI (l) & JESSICA SAVAGE (r)

OWNER & MANAGER, CHAOS STUDIO SALON

And she did.

Case-Magri was 25 years old and had the thought to open her own salon, someplace different where clients felt comfortable and the atmosphere was informal.

“I never wanted to own my own salon. I just wanted to do hair. I found the building on New Street and saw potential. I thought maybe I could do this,” she said. “I was inspired by the thought of having something different. Having an experience that was different for people. Just feeling comfortable.”

With a business degree and her certificate from beauty school, Case-Magri opened Chaos nearly 14 years ago — without taking a loan. She did it by “saving every time I got a tip. I saved and saved,” she said.

The first Chaos Studio Salon opened on New Street. It was a second-floor business, which limited customers with disabilities. Seven years ago, Case-Magri rented a three-floor building across the street from the Anton Art Center. With her father’s help, they renovated the new building and made Chaos what it is today.

Walking in the doors of Chaos, clients are greeted warmly. Work stations are situated close together to encourage conversation among clients and stylists.

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“I feel like when you go into a salon, you can only talk to your stylist. It’s not like that here. I feel like we’re sorority sisters,” said Case-Magri.

Salon manager Jessica Savage feels like everyone who works there has a stake in what Chaos Studio Salon is. When Case-Magri and her dad were renovating, they weren’t alone.

“It’s personal. It’s personal for all of us because we all put effort into this building. We all came, we all painted,” Savage recalled.

Now, clients come to Chaos for a variety of beauty treatments including haircuts/style, color, highlights, makeup, hair extensions, eyelash extensions, facial waxing and microblading.

Maralyn McNally has been a client at Chaos for 15 years. “I believe that hair is art. The styling, the coloring, the getting it right, that’s an artform to me. They are hair artists, not just hair dressers,” she said. “One of the best parts is when they shampoo your hair, you get the head and neck massage. I start thinking about that the day before I come.”

Beyond beauty, Case-Magri focuses on educating and training her team.

“We’re a national educator for Paul Mitchell. As educators we are known in the Paul Mitchell world. Chaos has a good name. We work very hard for that reputation, to uphold it,” said Case-Magri. “We train every single month as a team. We’re very big on education and training. We’re not just about being the best of the best, but staying the best of the best.”

As a client, McNally has noticed that training makes a difference in service.

“They [the stylists] have learned from her and learned from going to the classes. They’re the best at matching you up with the stylist. You can call them or go there, and they can assess the best person to fit your needs,” she said.

The shabby-chic look of Chaos feels true to the original decades-old building. Wood from her mother’s barn makes up the wall in the area where ladies can learn to style their wigs. An exposed brick fireplace recalls a time when it was needed for heat.

While Case-Magri hasn’t been able to find the exact age of the building, she has heard from passersby that it was originally a hospital.

“They think it was the original Macomb Hospital or Mt. Clemens Hospital,” said Case-Magri. “People come here all the time and want to see the building because they were born here. The fireplace here has chalk paint still on it, which is from who knows how long ago.”

But perhaps one of the things that makes Chaos stand out is the low stylist turnover, and because of that, the team feels more like family to each other and to clients.

“We go by the Golden Rule, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,’” said Case-Magri. “Trust and respect are two very, very big things here. And love. We literally love each other. We’ve been together a long time.”

Savage agrees. “I love the girls. They’re not just workers, they’re my friends,” she said. “I love the variety of clientele we have. It just works. It’s crazy, but everything just runs so smooth. We offer so many different services and I love that because it keeps you on your toes.”