Development News

Royal Oak's Monty's Beef Co. is where the healthier beef is

Thursday, June 06, 2013

A beef from the Piedmonte region of Italy and prized there and in the U.S. for its quality is being sold from a new market in Royal Oak.

Monty's Beef Co. opened June 1 at 324 E. Fourth St. in downtown Royal Oak and specializes in Piedmontese beef from a herd of cattle imported from Italy and raised humanely by a rancher in mid-Michigan.

It is sold at the store, online and by phone to customers -- whether for home use or by restaurants -- looking for cattle raised organically, fed well, not pumped with chemicals and known for producing meat that's as flavorful as prime, aged beef but with less cholesterol and fat.

The owners Jon and Rachel Leemis spent many months researching the beef industry, looking for purer, higher quality beef.

Their Monty's Beef Co. will sell directly or through orders that can be picked up in the store or delivered. Monty's has a Steak of the Month Club and gift packages as well as its regular menu of choice cuts.

In Italy, the Piedmonte breed of cattle graze in the Alps. The beef has been eaten there for centuries and is said to be tastier and healthier and considered superior to North American cattle breeds.

It can be found occasionally on menus in the U.S., but the owners of Monty's Beef Co. hope to make Piedmonte beef a menu staple.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Rachel Leemis, owner, Monty's Beef Co.

Hamlin Corner mega sports bar opening in Royal Oak

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Hamlin's Pubs, a metro Detroit restaurant and sports bar chain, is opening what it describes as a sophisticated sports bar with live entertainment on the ground floor of the Wooodward North Lofts in Royal Oak.

Hamlin Corner, named after its corner spot in the loft and retail development, opens May 23 in the renovated 6,700-square-foot space at 386 N. Main near 11 Mile Road, a location that's been disappointedly vacant for six years.

Besides a redone interior with rich colors and dark woods, there will be sidewalk seating with restaurant windows opening to the patio. The restaurant capacity is about 300 customers, and a DJ stand and dance floor are part of the design by the owners who have years of experience in restaurants.

The menu will be "locally inspired," manager Anthony Mancini says, and offer burgers, sandwiches, soups, heartier entrees and specials like mussels and 50 beers on tap. It'll also give the ambitious Woodward North Lofts project more life and activity.

Giancarlo DeAngelis, majority owner of Hungry Howie's pizza restaurants, and Anthony Mancini co-own Hamlin Corner. Mancini will be the operating manager, continuing the growth of Hamlin Pubs, which has six other locations: Lake Orion, Rochester Hills, Troy, Clarkston, Chesterfield and two in Shelby Township.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Anthony Mancini, owner/manager, Hamlin Pub Royal Oak

Oakland County opens business center for entrepreneurs

Thursday, May 02, 2013

Oakland County is trying to make starting a business or taking it to the next level easier for entrepreneurs by offering free, walk-in business counseling.

The One Stop Shop Business Center at the Oakland County Executive Office building, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, in Waterford will open May 9 and offer regular walk-in hours after that. The hours for May 9 are 9:30-noon and 1:30-4:30. The business center is on the first floor of Building 41W.

“We usually operate on an appointment-only basis but many entrepreneurs walk into our One Stop Shop with questions on how to get started with their business idea,” says Greg Doyle, supervisor of the One Stop Shop Business Center. “By designating special walk-in days, we hope to reach more entrepreneurs and help them understand their next steps as well as present the resources we can make available to them. Our aim is to get them started quickly in a way that makes the most sense to their unique situation.”

Counselors at the business center can answer specific questions, suggest planning tools and give direction on where to go to solve problems or achieve goals. All sessions are confidential. The counselors have expertise in business development, community planning, financing and market research.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Greg Doyle, supervisor, One Stop Shop Business Center

Local 212 spotlights local foods options in downtown Royal Oak

Thursday, April 25, 2013

The menu at a new restaurant in Royal Oak is striving to show that what it serves can come from close to home and not from a box.

Local 212 -- the 212 comes from its address on Fifth Avenue in downtown Royal Oak -- opened just over a week ago and the reception to the shrimp from Okemos (there's a farm there), the Northern Michigan boar, Michigan chestnuts on a baby spinach salad and grilled cheese on Detroit Avalon bread has been hearty.

When the Royal Oak Farmers Market opens veggies will come from there and other farmers. All the sausage and bacon is made in house at Local 212 and the slider patties are ground in the kitchen too.

The meats served at Local 212 come from local farmers through Sparrow's Market in Ann Arbor. Local 212 also serves beer and wine, many made locally and around the state, as well as from places around the world.

While there are plenty of ingredients not from Michigan, none are processed.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Jenna Goudrea, general manager, Local 212

Woodward Ave Complete Streets project called largest in the nation

Thursday, April 11, 2013

A plan to turn a busy 27-mile, automobile-loving stretch of Woodward Avenue into a road that's safe and welcoming for all forms of transportation is rolling along with a series of public planning events to begin soon.

The changes -- part of the Complete Streets approach that's happening in cities around Michigan and across the country -- would move Woodward away from a wide-swath of auto-centered roadway to one that's inviting and safe for bicyclists, pedestrians, disabled users, bus riders -- and, if it comes to pass, light rail passengers.

The Woodward Avenue Action Association, WA3, is heading up the effort in partnership with Parsons Brinckerhoff. Working with them are reps and policy makers from 11 Wayne and Oakland county municipalities that have Woodward running through them. The Michigan Department of Transportation, M1 Rail, and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments are also part of the project that's been in the works since August 2011 and has $752,000 in federal funding to work with.

The next step is to host five interactive public events, a design charrette, in several of the Woodward-connected communities. From those meetings could come a master plan that will determine what changes and updates are needed to accommodate public transit, pedestrians, bicyclists and, ideally, economic development.

“We want to create a street that truly works for everyone. Imagine a corridor that accommodates people of all ages and abilities, including pedestrians, bicyclists, seniors, mobility-challenged individuals, transit riders and motorists,” says Jason Fowler, WA3 and Woodward Complete Streets program manager. “By engaging the residents and businesses along the corridor, as well as industry experts in this visioning process, we can develop a wide variety of innovative solutions and create a successful master plan.”

The first meetings, a three-day event, will focus on north Woodward in Detroit from McNichols to 8 Mile and Ferndale and be held at St. James Catholic Church, 241 Pearson Street in Ferndale, April 17-19.

During the meetings in Ferndale, Dan Burden, a walkability expert from the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute, will present a walking audit of Woodward and explain what lies ahead for a re-design he says "could be the single largest Complete Streets planning effort ever undertaken in North America.”

Other meetings will be held in Birmingham/Bloomfield Hills, May 20-22; in Bloomfield Township/Pontiac, June 3-5; Pleasant Ridge through Berkley, June 10-12; and in downtown Detroit/Highland Park, June 17-19.

Click on www.transformwoodward.com for exact locations, times and topics to be discussed.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Lori Ella Miller, spokesperson, Woodward Avenue Action Association

Belgian beer abbey & groovy '70s-themed bar coming to Royal Oak

Thursday, March 28, 2013

The owners of Bastone Brewery and its offshoot restaurants and bars at the corner of Fifth and Main Streets in Royal Oak are changing up, opening a new restaurant, adding a patio and reworking the nightclub -- all part of focusing on their success with Euro-inspired eats and Belgian craft beer.

The first to change will be Cafe Habana, a 40-seat Cuban spot connected to Bastone. It will become Monk: A Belgian Beer Abbey. The club, Commune, downstairs will be reworked into Craft and focus on fresh-made, home-spun spirits.

Bastone, the mostly Belgian-flavored restaurant with favorites such as mussels and frites washed down with house-made Belgian suds, will grow in size, adding a space with high top tables and TVs. It will be more of a true bar space, with spots for a quick meal and a waiting area for tables. A lounge, extra tables and a private room will be added above the bar and an extra seating area will be added to the first floor. Outside on the sidewalk along Fifth Street, 36 seats will be added.

Vinotecca, the intimate wine bar also connected to Bastone, will remain the same.

"With a concept like ours where we have moveable parts, we can keep it fresh, change it up," says David Ritchie, operating partner. "People have asked if sales were good. They don't believe sales were good if we're closing Cafe Habana. For us, this suits us so we streamline and focus on our core business, the European aspect of what we do. And we have a beer guy right here who's won many awards."

The changes will happen in phases, but quickly, and lead to at least five new full-time jobs, Ritchie says. All parts of the latest iteration are expected to be complete by mid-May and open slowly and completely by June 1 so that kinks can be worked out, he says.

Café Habana has already closed and is under construction. As Monk, it will have about five more tables and open by about April 15, Ritchie says.

It'll be almost nine years to the day since Union Brewery LLC, which operates all the establishments, opened, he says.

Next will come Bastone, and the transition from Commune to Craft will start after that and be complete by the middle to the end of May. The club first opened nine years ago as Cinq. With nightclubs, it's probably wise to change it up at least every five years, he says.

"We want to move away from the mass market drinks and serve craft cocktails," Ritchie says. We'll use fresh ingredients, make our own infusions and syrups. It flows right into the craft beer."

Craft will have a retro look, decorated with big stereo speakers and other details that "give you the feeling you're hanging out in your friend's basement."

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: David Ritchie, operating partner, Union Brewery LLC

Growing ridership on Amtrak may translate to a train-ready region

Thursday, January 31, 2013

State transportation officials see record Amtrak ridership in Michigan as a sign that the public is more aware of train service and seeing the future of commuter train travel in a more positive light.

In 2012, 792,769 passengers boarded Michigan's three Amtrak routes -- the Wolverine between Pontiac and Detroit/Chicago), the Blue Water between Port Huron and East Lansing/Chicago), and the Pere Marquette between Grand Rapids and Chicago. In 2011, that number was 780,655.

The record ridership also led to record revenue of $27.8 million in 2012, a year that had Amtrak adding extra trains to supplement the regular service.

It comes as plans to bring light rail in to Woodward Avenue downtown Detroit move toward implementation and a move to bring a regional commuter train system to metro Detroit and to Michigan and nearby states moves from a limp to a steady walk. Both are aided by federal funds from a program that endorses mass transit development as an economic stimulant. But with Michigan being a stronghold for auto travel, it's been a tough sell in some parts.

At the same time, Amtrak and the Michigan Department of Transportation have been updating trains and making changes to allow for faster travel speeds and fewer route interruptions that will in turn make train travel more appealing.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Janet Foran, spokesperson, Michigan Department of Transportation

Royal Oak's Franklin Fine Wine & Cafe pairs eclectic offerings with take out or eat in

Thursday, December 13, 2012

A former auto parts store in downtown Royal Oak has taken on a new role, multiple roles really, as eclectic wine and craft beer store, a take-out restaurant and cafe and a place for cheese and cigar afficianados to bond with their loves.

Franklin Fine Wine & Cafe opened last week in the 7,500 square foot spot at 511 N. Main St. and also offers a cigar humidor, a wine cellar and a full kitchen.

There will be a cheese club, a beer club, a wine club.

A chef is on staff so are sommeliers and a cheesemonger will select, cut and package speciality cheeses. The menu of takeout and eat-in will include gourmet pizzas, fish, beef and daily specials and the business will be a mix of store and late-night restaurant as it is open 'til midnight.

There are also plans to open an walk-up, outdoor coffee bar come summer

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Mike Larranaga, manager, Franklin Fine Wine & Cafe

Come talk about Rapid transit along the Woodward Corridor

Thursday, December 06, 2012

As regional transit authority legislation moves through Lansing, plans are going forward to bring rapid transit to the 27-mile stretch of the Woodward Avenue Corridor from Jefferson Avenue in Detroit to downtown Pontiac.

Several meetings will be hosted by the Woodward Avenue Action Association, the Michigan Suburbs Alliance and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and are part of an "alternative analysis, the first step in the process of developing a transit system," says Richard Murphy, programs director Michigan Suburbs Alliance.

The meetings, especially the comments from attendees, will be folded in with technical data, cost and other considerations, he says, as decisions about the exact route, the technology to be used, the station locations as well as connections to the M-1 Rail Streetcar project, high speed rail service and Complete Streets are wrapped into an overall plan.

"We’ll be talking about the purpose and need for the project…What is it that we need transit to do on Woodward and laying out the roadmap for the rest of the work. Over the course of 2013, we’ll have
additional meetings around major steps in the process," Murphy says.

Upcoming meetings are:

Thursday, December 6, 5-7 p.m., Baldwin Public Library, 300 West Merrill Street, Birmingham.
Tuesday, December 11, 4-6 p.m., Detroit Palmer Park Police Station, 12th Precinct, 1441 W. Seven Mile Road.
Wednesday, December 12, 6-8 p.m., Ferndale Public Library, 222 E. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale
Saturday, December 15, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Bowen Senior Center, 52 Bagley Street, Pontiac.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Richard Murphy, programs director, Michigan Suburbs Alliance

Downtown Royal Oak adds Greek street food via KouZina restaurant

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Royal Oak's restaurant scene has been Greek'ed up with the arrival of KouZina, where the pita bread is baked fresh all day, the Greek yogurt is double strained daily and the short and sweet menu serves up Greek food the way Greeks know it should be done.

It's what owner Bobby Laskaris calls Greek street food, and as the son of the man behind two Greektown Detroit restaurant establishments and as a metro Detroiter who has grown tired of restaurants "butchering" gyros and other Greek favorites he decided to do things the right way. Thus KouZina, which opened Oct. 15 at 121 N. Main St. near 11 Mile Road and across from two nearby movie theaters.

Laskaris and partner George Seros brought their family's knowledge of the disappearing art of Greek cooking to their menu. Laskaris's father, 73-year-old Pete Panagiots, has been the owner and executive chef of Detroit's Athens Cuisine and Olympian Cafe for decades.

"Everything is fresh. We have no freezers, no microwaves in the place. We serve pork gyros like you find in Athens. We make everything ourselves," Laskaris says.

KouZina is located in the space formerly occupied by Zumba Mexican grill. After months of renovations and hiring of about 50 employees, 10 full time, Laskaris says the downtown crowds are eating up the casual Greek fare - real, authentic "like you would find in Athens," he says. The menu, a one-sided, easy digest list, consists of gyros, a gyro bowl, a Greek salad, two sauces and a handful of extras such as spinach pie "that we can't make enough of."

Laskaris didn't expect to follow in the tired steps of his father into restaurant ownership. "I saw how many hours he worked. It's hard, tiring work," he says. Instead he went the route of providing Greek food to sports and entertainment venues. But after one too many bad gyros "I had to do something," he says. "I thought it's time to change this."

The plan, he says, was for the first week of business to be a soft opening, to work out the kinks, but the public didn't give them time. At 10:45, 15 minutes before opening time, "the parking lot was packed and there was a line at the door."

"It hasn't stopped. We can hardly keep up," he says. "It's amazing."

Buzz about KouZina, including a 2012 win for Best Entree at Arts, Beats & Eats, helped build the anticipation. It's why the intimate 20-seat establishment is seeing sales volume on a large scale. He has people asking if he wants to open a second location, if they can invest. Regular orders for meetings at nearby offices are coming in.

Staying true to the cuisine of his culture is just one accomplishment that's exceeding his expectations. He also wanted KouZina to be a Royal Oaker's place. The majority of his staff are locals and each month a local artists' work will decorate the walls.

Source: Bobby Laskaris
Writer: Kim North Shine

Love & Buttercream sweetens up downtown Royal Oak with new bakery

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Brooke Wilson joined the so-called Michigan Brain Drain that had so many local college graduates uprooting for careers in other states.

But the 25-year-old owner of the three-week old Love & Buttercream bakery in Royal Oak is also part of the migration home, a return to the state to do good.

After graduating with a business marketing degree from Michigan State University, Wilson moved to Chicago, worked in the restaurant industry and eventually discovered it was baking and pastries that ruled her career aspirations.

She went on to the French Pastry School in Chicago and after graduating decided, "I wanted to come home and give Michigan some love."

She started a special order business about a year ago and took the leap Oct. 2 to retail bakery at 3202 Crooks Road. It's a bakery that makes everything from scratch, concocting classic bake goods with a twist.

It's her full-time job, her career, as well as that of two full-time employees and one-part-timer.

"It's only our third week of business…and it has been really really great We've been really surprised at the turnout," Wilson says. "We're getting a lot of locals, people coming from the downtown area, from Berkley, Clawson."

The love of her home state goes into Mitten Mades, which are a combo of potato chips, pretzels, toffee and other Michigan made products.

The name Love & Buttercream came to her suddenly one morning after thinking about it for weeks.

"It's kind of cheesy cliche, but I had been trying to come up with a name for weeks and then I woke up and said, I know what it is. It really speaks to what our products are all about. We make everything from scratch. We put a lot of love into what goes out the door."

Source: Brooke Wilson, owner, Love & Buttercream bakery
Writer: Kim North Shine

Children's clothing boutique moves into downtown Royal Oak

Thursday, October 11, 2012

A mother of four turned entrepreneur is getting her dress-up-the-kids fix through her new store, Spoil 'Em Rotten in downtown Royal Oak.

Shay Van opened the children's clothing boutique at 630 E. 11 Mile on Oct. 1, and the traffic has been great, she says.

Her business model is to offer every day clothing that can't be found just anywhere and to sell dressier clothing "that won't break your pocketbook."

"I have the the things you wouldn't always see at the mall, things for special occasions that aren't the usual … And I believe it should be affordable."

The opening of the 2,200-square-foot shop, which was previously a jewelry store, brings business back to a spot that's been empty for five years.

It's also one mom's new full-time career.

"I was a stay-at-home mom of four children," Van says. "That's what made me really get into this. It's really fun. It's like shopping for everyone's kids."

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Shay Van, owner, Spoil 'Em Rotten boutique, Royal Oak

Woodward Ave. communities plan for sustainability amidst growth

Thursday, October 11, 2012

The goal of the Woodward Sustainability 5 partnership is to brainstorm and plan for development and economic prosperity while being mindful of how to achieve those things with limited resources and without detrimental impacts on the environment and future generations.

The "5" refers to Berkley, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak and Huntington Woods, all cities with Woodward as a common thoroughfare, and is an initiative of the Oakland County Planning & Economic Development department. The partnership is hosting public meetings, one tonight, Oct. 11, from 6-8 p.m. at the Pleasant Ridge Community Center.

It is one of several meetings that will culminate in a plan that will outline ways the communities can "work together and leverage resources for a sustainable future," Steve Huber, marketing and communications officer for the department of economic development and community affairs, says in a statement announcing the meeting.

A description of the initiative says, "the partnership seeks to engage a diverse cross-section of the community, including environmental, business, social services, health, and educational institutions. The goal of the group is to develop a plan which will help the communities work together and leverage shared resources for a sustainable future."

The final plan, which is being paid for with a $25,000 of in-kind services from the county and a $50,000 grand from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, should be completed by March 2013.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Steve Huber, marketing and communications officer for Oakland County's Department of Economic Development and Community Affairs.

Burn Rubber unveils men's brand in new Royal Oak store

Thursday, October 04, 2012

The owners of Burn Rubber, a unique Royal Oak sneaker boutique known for unique styles that can fetch top dollar, have taken their concept for originality into men's clothing.

two/eighteen By Burn Rubber opened nearly two weeks ago at 108 E. Fourth Street. Burn Rubber sells its sneakers down the street at 202 W. Fourth.

"Two/eighteen is similar to the philosophy of Burn Rubber where you wouldn't find what we sell anywhere else in Michigan," says co-owner and co-founder Rick Williams.

One of the lines being promoted currently is out of Atlanta, Strivers Row.

The name two/eighteen is the numerical-alphabetical equivalent of B and R - for Burn Rubber. The new store, a total of 2,500 square feet front and back, is owned and run by Rick Williams and his partners Ro Coit, Fred Walker and Tawny Thieu, who are celebrating "a next tier of the business."

Williams says downtown Royal Oak has been the launching point for a solid business and customer base that are growing along with the company.

"Royal Oak is where we've made our home," he says. "This is basically a step up from Burn Rubber, something for the more mature customers."

Source: Rick Williams, co-owner and co-founder two/eighteen By Burn Rubber
Writer: Kim North Shine

822 Gallery brings new kind of art experience to downtown Royal Oak

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Royal Oak gains a new art appreciation outlet with the opening of 822 Gallery this Saturday.

Besides being a place to find "sophisticated and refined works" in mixed media by local and national artists, 822 Gallery wants to bring together the arts and fashion community, says Laura Deljanin, an artist and a fashion and art curator for the gallery, which is located at 822 11 Mile Road.

"We want to be inclusive and supportive," she says, ticking off names of other local artists and galleries. "It's for the success of all of us. We're so much stronger together."

She is helping organize this Saturday's grand opening, which starts with a Royal Oak galleries crawl from 5-8pm and ends with an afterglow at 822 Gallery, where the first of what is expected to be monthly events will be hosted. The fall-themed grand opening will feature a fashion show and art exhibit of many kinds of work and music by Royal Oak band, Michigan Basement Trio. A live art painting will be auctioned as well.

"This will be a chance to enjoy the beautiful autumnal shades of Michigan and catch a great event supporting local artists," she says. "The gallery’s focus is to contribute to the enhancement of art awareness for the community."

822 Gallery is owned by partners Roger Mason, an artist with a contemporary and whimsical style, and Dr. Douglas Nyquist. Mason, who will run the gallery, has a studio in South Haven and the vision is to showcase only original art and to promote art in general

Mason and Del will decide which works go on display, and eventually the gallery, which will be opened Tuesday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., will have studio spaces, Deljanin says.

"Both of us being artists we have a very acute eye of what we're looking for. We want refined and sophisticated art," she says. We're not just accepting anything. it has to be special….We want to try and get people excited about art and fashion.

Source: Laura Deljanin, curator, 822 Gallery
Writer: Kim North Shine

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