New shops, restaurants coming, going, moving in southeast Oakland County

Rene Wisely | Free Press special writer

A new crop of shops and restaurants open or coming soon to southeast Oakland County are offering up pasta, pot pies, pottery and everything in between.

Berkley

The vacant Our Lady of La Salette Catholic School at 2219 Coolidge Highway is poised to be converted into a 55-unit apartment building after the Berkley Planning Commission recently gave the project the green light.

The proposed redevelopment, unofficially dubbed “The Berkley,” will include studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments, along with two parking spaces per unit.

“We are keeping those 13-foot ceilings and 4-foot by 8-foot windows,” said Brad Friedman, marketing director for the developer of the project, C & D Development. “People will see both old and new (architectural elements). The new will be in the apartments but the past will be honored throughout.”

The project will preserve and reuse the existing structure, keeping the current footprint and building height.

“When looking at the classrooms themselves and all the characteristics that it comes with, it’s going to be a very unique project and I think one that a lot of people are going to be very happy with the outcome,” Friedman said.

The developer is working with the Ferndale-based Five/Eighths architecture firm.

Berkley’s community development director Erin Schlutow said the plan calls for tweaking some minor conditions to proceed — including moving a dog run to a new location and adjusting the parking lot to allow emergency vehicles easier access. She expects that the property owner, the Archdiocese of Detroit and C & D, will comply.

The approval comes more than a year after the Berkley City Council voted down a previous site plan which called for 129 units and five stories. Residents worried the larger build would obstruct views and cause traffic congestion.

The 22,923-square-foot school closed in 2013 because of declining enrollment, an Archdiocese press release said.

The façade of the building will include additional windows on each side of the northern part of the building, which was formerly occupied as the gymnasium.

Nearby, pizza legend Green Lantern expects to open in January in the former Sila Italian Dining and Pizza at 4033 12 Mile Road, said Pete Rodriguez, one of the partners of the Berkley location.

“There could always be some curve balls but we will open in January or at least early 2020,” he said.

Besides pizza, the menu will feature burgers, subs, sandwiches, salads and a full bar with more than 20 taps. It’s the chain’s seventh location.

While owner John Spreitzer told the Free Press last year that he would include some of Sila’s signature menu items at the Berkley location, Rodriguez said they discussed it and decided they would concentrate on the dishes straight from their own kitchen.

Sila fans may recognize the exterior walls but the interior underwent a complete transformation with walls removed, windows added and a new feature: a garage door. It will provide an outdoor vibe when the weather warms.

The location lacked adequate parking to accommodate the originally planned outdoor dining area but Rodriguez hinted that changes are afoot to make that happen in the future.

“We’re hoping in a year we’ll be able to offer a patio,” Rodriguez said.

Ferndale

Patrons may now raise a different kind of glass at the WAB, which stands for Woodward Avenue Brewers.

The 22-year Ferndale mainstay has created a comfy coffee and sandwich shop on its lower level known as Alechemy Café – a purposeful spelling to pay homage to its ale roots.

Alechemy has its own entrance off Troy Street and opens at 10 a.m. daily but patrons may use the main WAB entrance at 22646 Woodward Avenue, as well, said Jesse Shepherd-Bates, director of events for WAB Co. It opened in November.

The java is from Coffee Express Roasting Co. in Plymouth, Shepherd-Bates said.

Remote workers make up his biggest client base so far, he said. They enjoy that the space has free Wi-Fi, two sofas, a pair of chairs, bar stools and a bar that makes a perfect surface for working while standing up.

“They appreciate the access to the Spanish coffee, the Irish coffee, the boozy Kahlua coffee or even a beer when they’re done working,” he said.

Boston Tea Room, which offers psychic readings, tarot readers, loose tea and all things metaphysical, has a new location at 1220 Woodward Heights.

Places we've mentioned in prior coverage that are now open:

VR+Zone, a virtual reality entertainment venue, debuted in late October at 22935 Woodward Ave.



Royal Oak

Moving next door has had a dramatic effect on Alchemy Color Lab. It now has the coveted corner space at 401 S. Washington Avenue and Fourth Street, where American Apparel operated.

The November move allowed the hair salon, founded by Nick Moore-Perez, to double the number of chairs it offers – to eight – in its 1,300-square-foot hair salon.

Gone is the wall of succulents. It has been replaced by a custom carved wood wall piece to add warmth to the rustic industrial space, said Aeryn Cottrell, Alchemy’s salon director.

“With a high end yet comfortable vibe, we strive to deliver an educational experience to complement the creativity of our industry,” said Moore-Perez, who had Brian Latulippe of Gray Tree Designs transform the new location.

"Our goal was to create a space where the energy felt ‘contagious’,” Moore-Perez said.

Bucharest Grill is bringing its Middle Eastern fare to Woodward Corners by Beaumont at 13 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue by late spring. It marks the first time the Detroit-based restaurant has ventured into the suburbs.

Also in that development, Meijer’s Woodward Corner Market will open Jan. 29, as reported by Susan Selasky in the Free Press. While Meijer is usually known for its acre-sized stores, this is the chain’s smaller format grocery store.

bd’s Mongolian Grill at 430 S. Main Street shuttered abruptly, serving its last meals December 1, according to its Facebook post.

The company thanked its loyal patrons and directed them to other locations. It said: “We look forward to welcoming you at our Sterling Heights, Dearborn, and Novi locations so that we can continue to serve you great stir-fry!”

Royal Oak landmark Hermann’s Bakery, at 317 S. Main St., is “closed for the foreseeable future,” according to a Dec. 9 Facebook post. Owner Richard Hermann died after a heart attack.

More: New Royal Oak restaurant Essen on Main offers European cuisine

Clawson

Tribalfare is unlike any retailer. Offering culture and handmade artisan wares from around the world, its unique backdrop is a 1923 Craftsman home where each room is used to sell items.

The master bedroom at 288 W. 14 Mile Road, for instance, showcases bedding, hand-woven rugs and apparel. The bathroom highlights towels. The kitchen has pottery, clay plates and other dinnerware. The kid’s room has handmade toys and colorful bedding.

It debuted in mid-November.

To shop it, patrons require an appointment. Owner Ojas Akolkar, who hails from Mumbai, India, helps the guest go on a journey as she explains which faraway land she visited to meet the artist, perhaps Morocco, Mexico or her native land. She encourages shoppers to touch, smell, experience the treasures created by families across the globe.

“Each piece I offer tells a story and I like that one-on-one interaction with a customer,” said Akolkar.

She tested the appointment-only concept while honing her business acumen with TechTown, the Detroit-based business incubator that helped launch her business.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer made an appointment and recently shopped, Akolkar said.

“She took the time to understand the products and asked what is the most precious to me in the space,” she said.

Akolkar will be hosting events at the store to bring the community together, including workshops, pop-up food events and dance lessons.

To make an appointment, call 248-434-7231.

Great Lakes Pot Pies is getting its first storefront at 809 W. 14 Mile Road after continuously serving guests for the past year at Saturday’s Royal Oak Farmers Market.

Owner Jannie Teitelbaum hopes to open in late January or February in the space formerly occupied by Designer Cookies by the Crate, which sells its cookies exclusively from its Etsy online store since it closed its shop in 2017.

One of Teitelbaum’s secrets is listening to customers. “I started making chicken pot pie and then someone mentioned they were vegetarian, so I came up with one and added that to my menu, and the same thing happened with the gluten-free option,” she said.

Teitelbaum also flavors each crust. In the meatball pie, for instance, it shines with basil, oregano and garlic. The chicken one has thyme.

The brick-and-mortar location will change her business model. She had previously sold her products frozen and the buyer would heat the pie at home. That will still continue but she’ll also be offering some pies already heated, or she will throw one in the oven if patrons call ahead.

“We’re going to be open for lunch and dinner, so we have to have some ready to eat,” Teitelbaum said. “There will be a learning curve at first as far as foot traffic and how many to have available.”

Clawson residents Andrea and Tyler Williams have committed to taking over the former Black Lotus to open a gastropub named Pumachug, a nod to Clawson's historical name, at 1 E. 14 Mile Road.

The duo is still in the planning phase but they mention online that they want to make it a neighborhood gathering place. They are running an online survey to gather everyone’s preferences for the menu, the cocktails and the entertainment, said Joan Horton, Clawson’s Downtown Development Authority director.

Trim Barber House, 26 N. Main Street, closed after 13 years, Horton said.

The owner, who is not a barber, started a residential and commercial renovation business, Apple Renovations, and did not renew the lease, Horton said.

“Many of his employees went to The Arena (42 E. 14 Mile Road) and a sign in the window of Trim notifies customers of that fact,” she said.

Pizza Hut, 20 W. 14 Mile Road, closed the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Horton said the city had a two-year warning that it wasn’t renewing its lease.

“We met with an agent for the property owner to review ordinances, zoning and development opportunities. We have not yet heard their plans,” she said.

Oak Park

Nona, serving Italian American cuisine, will open a 4,000-square-foot sit-down restaurant in 2020, complete with a liquor license, at 25850 Greenfield Road, south of Lincoln.

The certified-kosher restaurant is dairy focused, so meat will be absent from the menu. Pasta, pizza, fish, cheese and vegetarian dishes will be stars here, said owner Daniel Kohn, who also runs Kravings on Greenfield (a meat-focused kosher carryout restaurant) and Quality Kosher Catering in Southfield.

“We serve a great meal that happens to be kosher,” Kohn said.

The name Nona pays homage to his grandmother, Kohn explained.

Ron & Roman are the architects on the project. Kohn expects it to seat about 90 patrons.

Nearby, Kroger is making headway at the former Kmart at 26200 Greenfield Road, said Kimberly Marrone, director of economic development and communications for Oak Park.

“In regards to the Kroger deal, they have closed on the purchase of the property and hired their construction firm which is gearing up to begin work in the next few weeks,” Marrone said.

She also reports “no new stores opening in that strip yet.”

Birmingham

Places we've mentioned in prior coverage that are now open:

Steele Angel, selling athletic and athleisure apparel, jewelry and home goods, has opened at 150 W. Maple Road in the former Alex and Ani location.

Michigan’s first fab’rik, a women’s clothing and accessories boutique, took over 123 West Maple, in the former Art Loft space.



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