From our family to yours, here’s to new beginnings and your health, happiness and prosperity in 2026! This holiday season, we celebrate the joy of home, the warmth of community, and the lasting connections we’ve built together. At DG Realty Group - Michigan’s #1 Luxury Agency and a globally ranked Top 100 Sotheby’s International Realty team - our success in 2025 is thanks to you, our valued clients and partners.
It was the new American Gold Rush – cannabis. The Wild West arrived in the Midwest through cannabis sales, with Michigan leading the way in legalizing recreational use, but the market is now looking at an excess supply and drastically falling prices
A recap of select categories of crime occurring in the past month in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills, presented in map format, plus a reminder about our online interactive map with story details on public safety incidents.
Growing field for Steven’s seat; John ‘Waldo” James; polling for governor’s contest; Duggan fundraising blowback; first sting in U.S. Senate race: Slotkin for president; SOS and AG campaign dollars; young rising stars for Democrats; plus more.
The Community House for sale; Village Fair on 2026 calendar; added bistro applications; fire chief sues city; dangerous building condemned; Poppleton Park improvements; Birmingham’s Best Burger; Baldwin library director award; plus more.
Birmingham Next Executive Director Cris Braun addresses the issue of generosity and caring for others as the holiday season approaches.
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Gigi Nichols provides readers with quick takes on what is happening in the world of food and drink in the metro area.
Alison Gaudreau, President of The Community House, explains the creation of a community foundation that will allow The Community House Association to pursue its original purposes, ensure long-term stability and do more for the community. 78
We weigh in on the issue of the changes proposed for The Community House and how residents are looking for transparency as the city enters the fray. We also call on the Baldwin library board to think collaboratively when it comes to tax rates.
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On Veterans Day, the citizens of Birmingham gathered at Shain Park to honor those who served our nation — a solemn and unifying occasion meant to rise above politics. Unfortunately, our new mayor, Clinton Baller, used the platform not only to honor veterans, but also to deliver comments that veered into partisan political commentary, diminishing the spirit of the event and the dignity of the office he holds.
and former director William Seklar. But the collapse of TCH is just one of several issues barreling down on Birmingham like freight trains. The newly elected commissioners and the vets all have some very big decisions to make and not a lot of time.
The Birmingham City Charter is clear: the mayor’s role is ceremonial and non-partisan — to preside over the city commission and serve as the city’s representative on civic occasions. The charter grants no policy-making or political authority. That’s intentional, designed to ensure the mayor speaks for the whole community, not one side of it.
While honoring veterans, mayor Baller chose to invoke “high office” holders who “belittle or dismiss the service of America’s military,” and to warn that freedoms are being lost to “disinformation” and “erosion of civic norms.” These are politically charged themes, widely used in national partisan debate. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the sentiment, such statements are inappropriate when made under the seal of city office at a civic ceremony intended to unite rather than divide.
Veterans Day should never be used to score political points or imply blame toward any group or national leader. Our veterans fought for a nation that allows vigorous debate — but they also fought for a democracy that honors boundaries, respect, and decorum in public service. The mayor’s words blurred those boundaries.
Going forward, Birmingham’s residents deserve a mayor who represents the entire community and keeps our local institutions free from national partisan rhetoric. Veterans Day is a time for gratitude and reflection — not political theater.
Jake German Birmingham
The recent bombshell announcement from The Community House (TCH) is the loudest wake-up call imaginable. The venerable Community House, center of Birmingham for over 100 years, is going to close and the organization morphed into a fundraiser-foundation for good causes. This follows the catastrophic era of the current board
ONE: NEXT and the YMCA. Birmingham City bought the YMCA building and property on Lincoln St., intending to provide a senior center. Currently all plans appear at a standstill, following the failure to provide an agenda that could justify a millage. Last report has the YMCA leaving. NEXT has a hard deadline to be out of Midvale Elementary in early 2027. The Birmingham Public Schools needs the space and has been more than generous with the senior group. Where does NEXT go and how? Think fast.
TWO: The Community House. This issue just slipped from backburner challenge to boiled over and the fire alarm buzzing. The TCH building is an iconic piece of Birmingham and an extremely valuable piece of real estate. Whatever happens to that parcel will affect downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods, and the entire character of the city core. TCH says it’s closing the building in 2026. It’s privately owned, but does the city have any plan? Or a plan not to have a plan?
THREE: South Old Woodward. This is a “problem” that most cities would kill to have. When the Restoration Hardware store opens, that whole area will bloom. Currently it’s an afterthought, but development is racing down from the center. As SOWO (I’ll name it) becomes a “place” and keeps growing, the big challenge here is parking. Walking down from the Peabody or Pierce Street structures are non-starters, especially in winter. This is a challenge of success, but a challenge nonetheless. It’s tempting to accuse the TCH leadership of abysmal failure, but it’s also possible that after 100 years, there was no good path forward in its current form. While Grosse Pointe’s War Memorial is a community center that works, maybe the fundraising talent at TCH has already considered this option. Equally, the YMCA building was looking tired in the mid ‘80s. It may be that these two institutions have just run their course. But the lesson for Birmingham is clear: time is marching on. Cities are dynamic, they constantly change, rise and fall. Much of our residential stock has been rebuilt and radically upgraded. B’ham has been riding a wave of success and energy since
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1995—'96’s “2016 Plan” set the course forward. That was 30 years ago; that positive inertia can only last so long. Perhaps it’s time for a new vision to carry us forward another 30 years. The issues with NEXT, The Community House and SOWO are coming at us fast, and we can ride the wave forward or not—as we choose. Blue Ribbon committee for a 2046 Plan?
Chuck Moss
Birmingham (Chuck Moss is a former city commissioner, former county commissioner, former state House member)
I would like to clear up a few misunderstandings in the narrative put forth by Ms. Jayne and Ms. Gaudreau in a recent Downtown article.
Setting up a new foundation to serve other non-profits and selling the House to fund it is a complete departure from The Community House’s original mission.
Since the beginning, all charitable activities were either carried out on the House premises or by other nonprofit, philanthropic/and or civic organizations that met on the premises.
The Community House’s original mission was to serve as a community center for Birmingham, providing educational, social and civic activities, as well as cultural events, and also to rent banquet and meeting space, or to provide it free of charge, depending on need..
The overriding purpose of The Community House Association has always been to preserve the building. To assert otherwise is a gross distortion. Such a revision of the mission appears solely attributable to Camille Jayne, who, during her first tenure as CEO, insisted that any activity run by the House had to also partially support outside non-profits.
The mindset, fostered by Ms. Jayne and her successor Mr. Seklar, that every activity had to be not just breakeven but highly profitable, led, gradually then all at once, to the hollowing out of programming, alienating supporters and donors.
Now, the board proposes to walk away, leaving multitudes of donors, testators, foundations and volunteers who have gifted money and time, holding the bag. Not to mention The Community House employees, as well as patrons who rely on its event, banquet and early childhood center.
The association has exploited the
secrecy afforded a private non-profit to avoid public scrutiny as it adopted this shocking stratagem. However ,it is also a private non-profit that swore to carry out a public purpose. The board and the management of The Community House are reneging on that promise.
The founders envisioned that something like this might happen, which is why they established a supervisory trust and deeded the property into it. In 1990, the deed restrictions were carried over by the probate court to caution the association that their primary charge was to steward the property for the benefit of the public.
Now, the association has abandoned its purpose, triggering the condition that the building be conveyed to an entity—the city?—that will ensure that the building continue to function as a community center.
The House has undergone many fiscal crises during the last one hundred years. Never was it contemplated that the solution was to sell the house out from under the community. Donors should not ever have to assume the risk that a charity will arbitrarily shut itself down. Or worse, attempt to hawk the object of their bounty at a profit which will then be spent in ways donors never intended.
I urge all concerned to express your opinion to cjayne@communityhousehelps.org, with copies to citycommission@bhamgov.org and Michigan's attorney general at miag@michigan.gov. Kathleen Devereaux Birmingham
Birmingham has long been known for its civic pride and community spirit, for neighbors who show up, volunteer, and work together to make this city an extraordinary place to live. That’s why the recent debate surrounding the future of 400 East Lincoln, the former YMCA building, has felt so disheartening.
Somewhere along the way, the conversation has shifted from collaboration to competition, from “how do we build this together?” to “who wins and who loses?” But anyone who has ever worked in community development knows the truth: when we frame public good as a zero-sum game, everyone loses.
As a resident and someone who has spent a career building partnerships across Michigan, I’ve
We welcome your opinion on issues facing the Birmingham/Bloomfield communities. Although we do not have a fixed maximum length for letters sent to us, we recommend a maximum length of 175-200 words. We also reserve the right to edit letters for length if necessary.
Opinions can be sent via e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com or mailed to Downtown Publications, PO Box 1630 Birmingham MI 48012-1630
seen what happens when organizations, nonprofit, municipal and private, move past the turf wars and focus on shared purpose. The best community outcomes come not from one entity “owning” an idea, but from many groups pulling in the same direction. It’s the kind of collaboration that allows limited resources to go further, strengthens local trust, and builds spaces that truly serve the public.
That same spirit is possible here in Birmingham.
The YMCA has been part of this city’s heartbeat for decades. For countless families, the Y wasn’t just where you swam laps or sent your kids to camp, it was where you belonged. The Y offers safe, equitable access to family and fitness programs that enhance quality of life and reflect the very values Birmingham holds dear: inclusion, wellness, and connection. It’s a place that welcomes everyone, where belonging is built through every shared experience.
NEXT, likewise, has become a lifeline for older adults, providing connection, care, and purpose. These two organizations share a mission that’s bigger than either one alone: helping people live healthier, more connected lives.
The future of 400 East Lincoln should reflect that shared mission, not erase it. Whatever path the city commission ultimately takes, it should be one grounded in transparency, creativity, and mutual respect. Because while buildings can be renovated or repurposed, trust, once lost, is far harder to rebuild.
This is our opportunity to model what genuine community leadership looks like: to turn away from blame and instead ask, how can we make this work together? To design a space that doesn’t belong to one
group but serves the broader Birmingham community for generations to come.
The YMCA remains committed, as it always has, to being part of the solution, whether through partnership, transition, or shared planning. Because this work isn’t about ownership; it’s about stewardship. It’s about ensuring that every resident, from toddlers learning to swim to seniors finding friendship and fitness, continues to have a place that welcomes them.
Birmingham’s greatest asset has never been its buildings -- it’s been its people. When we collaborate instead of confront, we honor that legacy. Let’s seize this moment not to divide, but to design a future that reflects a Y beyond its walls and who we truly are: a community that comes together.
When we put pride aside and focus on the greater good, we build not just better spaces, but a stronger community.
Andrea LaFontaine Birmingham (Andrea LaFontaine is a YMCA board member and Executive Director of the Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance)
Thank you so much for the Faces article by Katey Meisner in the November Downtown Newsmagazine. A lot of people definitely read your magazine because I have been hearing from many of them since that piece came out. It was so kind of you to include this feature at this time.
I’ve already had one speaking engagement and a noticeable increase in book sales of Remarkable Women of Oakland County since the article was published. Lawrence Tech was so happy to see the article that they added a post to their Facebook alumni page. This is amazing, because I am so introverted that I never anticipated anything like this happening.
Additionally, I don’t have to tell you that Laurie Tennent is a marvelous photographer. I love the photo that she took for the article, and I have ordered a couple of extra shots by her.
I am so happy to be a subscriber to your newsmagazine. You do great work, and your monthly issues are always something to look forward to reading.
Christine Blackwell Bloomfield Hills
Oakland Confidential is a column of political gossip/news, gathered both on and off-therecord. We welcome possible items for this column which can be emailed to: OaklandConfidential@DowntownPublications.com. All sources are kept strictly confidential.
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GROWING FIELD: When U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens announced for the U.S. Senate this year, and state Senator Jeremy Moss( D-Southfield) announced for her House seat, some political observers speculated that his entry into the Democratic primary would not necessarily clear the field of other contenders but would limit the number of candidates for this congressional district that includes most of Oakland County. Lots of luck with that theory. First came attorney Aisha Farooqi, Stu Baker of Auburn Hills and more recently former Ford engineer Don Ulford of Bloomfield. Now two more contenders have joined the primary contest, among them Anil Kumar, a Bloomfield Hills surgeon/urologist and member of the board of governors at Wayne State University who has been down this road before in failed attempts for Congress in 2014, 2016 and 2024 in a neighboring district until his nominating petitions were ruled lacking sufficient signatures. Also lining up is Waterford School District Trustee JohnPaul Torres. Besides a decade on that board, he’s carries a B.A. in political science and a masters in public administration, plus a decade as an adjunct professor at OCC. He worked earlier as a Congressional Fellow in D.C. contributing to the discussion on the Dream Act. With a field this large and maybe larger, boots on the ground and a thoughtful digital presence will be key elements of a winning campaign, along with a boatload of money. As of now, only two have raised anything of note – Moss, bringing in $627,000 ($471,911 on hand); and Farooqi, $114,351 ($72,117 on hand). But let’s not forget, Kumar in one of his past runs loaned himself $750,000 and his FEC filing through the end of this September shows debts/loans of $170,800, which we can only assume is a personal loan to his campaign.
JOHN ‘WALDO’ JAMES: Republican gubernatorial candidate John James skipped most of the earlier annual gathering at Mackinac Island and in October was a ‘no show’ at the Grand Rapids GOP debate, the first of three sponsored by the state Republican Party. Although the second term member of Congress is doing well in polling and campaign contributions, his campaign reportedly has issued a statement that James will not be attending any primary debates until the field is more “set.” His failure to appear prompted fellow candidate Aric Nesbitt, GOP state Senate Leader, to post a “missing person” sign (think milk cartons) outside of the debate hall. At an intimate gubernatorial debate in midNovember, when James assured the party, and his fellow candidates, he would attend, he was once again an unannounced last minute no-show –which insiders later discovered was due to a donor meeting.
POLL PUSHERS: Polling for the governor’s race for ‘26 is beginning to reveal the haves-and-have-nots as both money and backers coalesce behind certain candidates – and are leaving others out in the winter cold. What is coming into clearer focus is that outgoing Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, long a Democrat but running as an independent for governor, could play the spoiler for Democrats – and potentially win the contest, if you believe the bucketful of endorsements he is carting around, from unions to the Detroit Chamber of Commerce. Insiders report that even longtime Republican and former three-time Michigan Governor John Engler is impressed, telling those within earshot that Duggan could “win this whole thing.” A recent poll by Atlanta-based researchers at Rosetta Stone, released by Michigan Information & Research Service (MIRS)
shows Democrat Jocelyn Benson with 58 percent of the support of Democratic primary voters, Garlin Gilchrist with 15 percent, and Chris Swanson with just 6 percent. On the Republican side, John James leads the pack with 44 percent, Mike Cox with 13 percent and Aric Nesbitt, 6 percent. The poll predicted that if former gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon runs, she would prevail over James, 33 percent to 25 percent. A top Republican insider said with absolute certainty, “Tudor Dixon is not running.” As an independent, Duggan will not run in a primary, but is believed to pull from both sides of the aisle, although he is predicted to hurt Democrats more than Republicans. In the general election next November, Benson led Cox by four points, while Dixon held a slim edge over Benson. James led Benson by five points. Each matchup included Duggan, who drew roughly 18 -19 percent. An internal poll from Duggan’s campaign, however, shows Duggan in a statistical tie with each of the leading Democratic and Republican candidates.
Former Michigan GOP Party co-chairman Jeff Sakwa has been feeling the heat from both political parties over a fundraiser he hosted for independent gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan. “I’ve been getting shit from both sides – from people who are not in my inner circle – but I’m getting money from people on both sides who are excited about his candidacy and I’ve never had an easier time raising money,” Sakwa said. “The excitement is through the roof. I’ve even gotten call from four people in the (current state) legislature who hopes he wins.” Sakwa said the recent federal government shutdown “proves Duggan’s point and his candidacy,” noting that people are sick of the two party system. “Duggan loves MAGA money…when he cozies up to Jeff Sakwa and Republicans who drive Michigan backwards, it’s clear Mike Duggan can’t be trusted to stand up for families across the state who are struggling to make ends meet,” said Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Derrick Honeyman. However, reports note that Duggan, outgoing Detroit mayor with a long history of support and a working relationship with unions, “has positioned himself as a friend of labor as he seeks the office of governor in 2026.”
this part of her “all-of-the-above solution” to an over-reliance on auto manufacturing in this state – a path Stevens has worked hard at “Manufacturing Mondays” throughout her tenure in Congress and her claim to fame. NBC quotes McMorrow as saying “I think that either/or approach has hurt us.” Stevens, who was part of the Obama auto industry rescue team, responded by saying that this is the time to “double down” and the “manufacturing sector deserves an advocate” in Washington D.C.
SLOTKIN IN 2028?: Here’s a question we are hearing on a regular basis nowadays.Michigan U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D) seems to be everywhere lately, or as writers from Politico Playbook said, she grabbed the spotlight as the Democrat’s person to give the party response to Donald Trump after the joint session of Congress early this year and she never left the limelight. She has been active legislatively of late but is also traversing the country attempting to figure out how to rebuild the Democratic Party. In Kansas City, Missouri recently, with Democratic Mayor Quinton Lucas, she worked with a conference table of low-propensity voters to further assess where the political party went off track. Playbook asked the former House member and CIA analyst if she was positioning for the 2028 campaign for president. She told Playbook: “It’s funny: you come to the Midwest, and people think that that’s an automatic signal...Honestly, I just got to the Senate, like, eight seconds ago. I am interested in leadership that adapts to the 21st century and adapts to the president’s style of doing things. It need not be me who leads that charge, but I’m looking for people who are ready to be partners in that attempt.” Not sure we heard the word ‘no’ in that response.
NATIONAL ALL-STARS: New York Magazine set out – with the help of over 30 media and campaign strategists, polling experts and other political insiders from around the country – to identify nationally the 25 “most promising” young people to rebuild the Democratic Party, and three of those included U.S. Senate candidates from Michigan – Abdul El-Sayed, state Senator Mallory MicMorrow and U.S. Representative Haley Stevens. In fact, they billed the race involving the trio as the “Millennial Smackdown” that represents “three competing theories of Democratic politics in one race.” The magazine’s advisory group labeled El-Sayed as being from the progressive camp and McMorrow as the “Goldilocks” candidate who has generated excitement in the race. As for Stevens, she was painted as a centrist party member that is the “Establishment pick” who is known for rolling up her sleeves to get things done. As for any lack of excitement, one strategist said that Stevens is among the “young leaders who also know how the game works” once they get to Washington.
THE FIRST STING: Speaking of Haley Stevens and Mallory McMorrow, those following closely the race for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Gary Peters (D-Michigan)), who is retiring next year, may have been given in mid-October a sneak peak of one issue likely to be tossed around once the two candidates have cleared phase one of their campaigns. NBC News did an interview with both candidates and picked up on McMorrow’s campaign theme for diversifying business in Michigan, in which she touts that some workers may want to look at winemaking, beer brewing or even beekeeping as alternative career paths. She calls
NEPO BABY: He’s an Army captain and a paratrooper. His dad was a state senator, has been the revered Oakland County Sheriff since 1999, and was a candidate who had two failed statewide campaigns, one for senator (2006), losing to Senator Debbie Stabenow, the other for governor (2010), losing in the primary to Rick Snyder, so Michael Bouchard, the son, presumably understands the gamble. His latest move is one that definitely carries a lot of risk – announcing a run for Congress, 10th District, to fill the shoes of Rep. John James (R-Shelby Township), who is running for the Republican nod for governor after a mere two terms. Bouchard the younger grew up in Birmingham, attended Brother Rice High School and is a graduate of Michigan State University’s ROTC program. He served in both the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, including missions to the Southern Border and Iraq. He previously served as Chief Operations Officer for a 1,200-soldier infantry battalion in the Michigan Army National Guard and, most recently as a member of a joint task force in the global fight against ISIS, earned the Bronze Star for his leadership. His candidacy had been rumored for months, as Republicans have sought a “name” to try to keep the seat from flipping. The question is – will Macomb voters recognize “Bouchard” as part of a political dynasty or as an inexperienced carpetbagger? Currently, primary voters will have a basketful of names to choose from on both sides of the aisle – with Republican Robert Lulgjuraj, an attorney in the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, and special victims prosecutor Christina Hines and former Pontiac mayor Tim Greimel both seeking – among others – the Democratic nod for this district. Punchbowl recently pointed out that no Democratic candidate raised more than $270,000 last quarter, while The Detroit News opinion page asked how Republicans can hold the open district without James on the ballot. Bouchard, who just got back to Michigan after serving abroad, has said security is his number one priority, along with housing affordability.
SECRETARY OF STATE $$$: The invisible step-child of 2026’s election fundraising are for the open secretary of state and attorney general
posts. Wildly less glamorous than senator, governor and numerous congressional races, which are decided by primary voters on August 4, 2026, both the Republican and Democratic candidates for secretary of state and attorney general are chosen by delegates at their state conventions: March 28, for the GOP, and April 19 for Dems. That is not stopping candidates running for office – current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel are term limited –and raising money to convince delegates and prepare for a hopeful general election. Democratic candidate-in-search-of-an-office Adam Hollier – who pivoted from running against Congressman Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit) after unsuccessfully attempting to run against him in 2022 and 2024 to run for SOS – had the largest third quarterly haul of the three Democrats running, raising $348,000 in six weeks, with $344,557 cash on hand. Far behind was Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum, who raised $69,200 and has nearly $103,700 cash on hand. Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie – who jumped into the race last January – brought in $73,200 this quarter and has just $34,600 in the bank. On the GOP side, attorney and Clarkston Community School Board Trustee Amanda Love raised $124,000 this last quarter, including a loan to her campaign of about $52,800, and had a balance of $105,600 cash on hand. Also seeking the Republican nod is selfpromoter Monica Yatooma of Oakland County, who raised almost $108,000 and has about $82,300 still in the bank. Also looking to be the GOP Secretary of State candidate is Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini, who raised $53,000 and has almost $50,000 cash on hand.
STATE AG RACE: Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald looks to be heading up all Democrat hopefuls seeking the party nomination for Michigan Attorney General at the party convention next year if campaign funding is any indication. From the campaign report filings at the end of October we learn that McDonald raised some $84,000 and transferred $100,000 from her county prosecutor committee, while Democrat Eli Savit, the Washtenaw County Prosecutor who early on had clerked for Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor, brought in $300,000. Mark Totten, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, hauled in $161,000 and loaned his committee $90,000. Detroit attorney William Noakes, who has just entered the nomination contest, had no report on file. For the two Republicans who have formally announced for the GOP nomination next year, Kevin Kijewski, Birmingham defense attorney and former superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Detroit Archdiocese, raised $13,000 and loaned his committee $68,000, while Easton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd brought in $46,000 and transferred an added $15,000 from a past campaign committee.
FACE FORWARD: We called it back in October, and can now confirm that state Rep. Jason Hoskins (D-Southfield, Lathrup Village, Farmington, Farmington Hills) has announced his run for the state senate seat that Jeremy Moss (D) is vacating to run for Congress in the 11th District, pledging to bring experienced, results-driven leadership to Lansing at a time when Michigan faces major economic and social challenges. “I’m running for state Senate because our district deserves an experienced leader who knows how to get things done,” Hoskins said. “With half the Senate turning over next term, we need steady, proven voices at the table – leaders who can continue moving Michigan forward and make sure our communities aren’t left behind.” As a state representative, Hoskins has led efforts to expand affordable housing, support small businesses, and create the $60 million Michigan Innovation Fund – an initiative supporting startups led by underrepresented entrepreneurs. In a perfect act of symmetry to both Hoskins and Moss, Hoskins said he began his political career as a legislative aide to Moss before running for Moss’ old state Rep. seat in 2022.
E very morning at 6:30 a.m., Faith Nguyen practices with her teammates, lifting weights. The Cranbrook Crane freshman is technically the backup kicker for varsity football, but she’s been an integral part of the team. Head Coach Marcus Green sees exactly what he values in a teammate.
“What I'm most excited about is her work ethic and how much energy and effort she puts into getting better as a kicker,” Green said. “She seeks out workouts, camps, and is always trying to perfect her craft. That's something that's always encouraging to see as a coach. You always see the fruits of that type of labor. I was confident in how good she would be.”
Nguyen is of Taiwanese and Vietnamese descent and was born and raised in Dallas, Texas before her family moved to Michigan in 2019. After a year in the Troy school system, she found a home at Cranbrook in her fourth-grade year. Football was on her schedule in the seventh grade, and she talked to the coach, who wanted her to play. Her parents didn’t.
“My parents said, ‘No way’ because it was tackle football,” Nguyen said. “But I asked, ‘What if I was the kicker?’ They said, ‘Okay.’”
She had to get her coach on board. She had never kicked before.
“He just knew I could,” she said.
With a background in basketball, soccer and lacrosse, she was more drawn to football. Without any equipment at her first practice, she jumped into the warmup line. In her first season, the team was undefeated, and she kicked extra points. Her first game action came sooner than she expected.
“The first play of the game, we returned it for a touchdown,” she said. “Coach was calling for an extra point and I said, ‘What? Now?’ It was so quick and sudden. Everyone was really encouraging. Lots of people were shouting my name. Then, when the snap was there, I just ran up and let it fly.”
And Nguyen had her first real extra point and football action in a game. The most pressure she’s faced was in an eighth-grade game. The team didn’t have a great season and were tied at 6-6 with Berkshire as Cranbrook had scored with three minutes left in the game. The coach called for the extra point that would win the game.
“I knew my kick would make or break the game,” she said. “I was super nervous. But the snap was good, the hold was good and that allowed me to kick straight through the uprights.”
A field goal opportunity hasn’t presented itself just yet, but Nguyen keeps practicing and will be ready when the time comes.
“In practice, she's shown 25 yards. I think she can sneak in a 30-yarder,” Green said.
When Nguyen isn’t in class or on the football field, she enjoys being part of the debate club, newspaper club and Vex Robotics. At home, you’ll find her baking from scratch, tweaking family recipes, or making her own sushi roll. But in the summer and fall, she’s on the football field, sharpening her skills and supporting her teammates.
“We call it the ‘Cranbrook football lifestyle.’ It's more ingrained in your DNA as to who you are, and it speaks to your character in terms of your development off the field, in the weight room. She's at every morning lift. It's something that always inspires and encourages the team. She's one of the guys. She's a part of the very fabric that makes what Cranbrook football is.”
Faith Nguyen – Cranbrook football player but more importantly, a great teammate.
Story: Mark H. Stowers
The new American Gold Rush – cannabis. The Wild West arrived in the Midwest through cannabis sales, with Michigan leading the way in legalizing recreational use in 2018. A decade earlier, medicinal use had been legalized in November 2008, and by 2019, there were approximately 450 medical provisioning centers, serving 283,000 registered patients – one of the largest in the United States. The number of licensed facilities for growing, processing, and compliance for the medical market was in the hundreds as well. In October of 2019, Michigan began accepting applications for its first recreational marijuana businesses, with sales beginning on December 1, 2019. The initial licenses were awarded in November 2019, primarily to existing medical license holders who could meet the conversion criteria. By the end of 2019 and into early January 2020, there were 27 active adult-use licenses across the state.
Some municipalities eagerly jumped in early, opting in for recreational cannabis, hoping to fill city coffers with the green gold, while others chose to opt out of the cannabis boom. Recreational sales began in December 2019, following increased efforts by cities and states to establish laws and regulations. The industry was initially described as “flying the plane while building it.”
The first dispensary opened in Walled Lake in March 2020 and during fiscal year 2020, Michigan collected over $341 million from adult-use marijuana sales taxes, with $45.7 million available for distribution from the Marihuana Regulation Fund to 38 cities, seven villages, 21 townships, and 38 counties receiving payments from the fund for each licensed retail store and micro business within their jurisdiction. For the state’s 2020 fiscal year, each eligible municipality and county received about $28,000 for each licensed retail store or micro business. Oakland County received $196,009 that year, and Walled Lake was allocated $56,002 for its two licenses. Overall, the industry brought in $341 million in 2020 and has steadily climbed to $1.79 billion in 2021, $2.29 billion in 2022, $3.06 billion in 2023, $3.29 billion in 2024 and of September 2025, has brought in $2.1 billion, according to the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association. Since recreational sales began, the state has collected more than $1.7 billion in adult-use cannabis tax revenues.
A closer look at 2024 shows that 108 cities, 36 villages, 80 townships, 74 counties and four Indian tribes received nearly $100 million in payments from the Marihuana Regulation Fund. For the state of Michigan's 2024 fiscal year, this means each eligible municipality, county and federally recognized Indian tribe received more than $58,200 for every licensed retail store and micro business located within its jurisdiction.
In 2024, the state disbursed $99,454,551 among municipalities, tribes and counties. This funding originated from the 10 percent excise taxes on both wholesale and retail sales, along with licensing and application fees from cannabis businesses. The six percent sales tax collected from each sale is allocated to the state’s general fund, School Aid Fund, and the Michigan Transportation Fund. The 228 entities received $49,727,275 for 854 licenses. The state also paid the same total amount to 74 Michigan county governments. Additionally, four Indian Tribes holding eight licenses received a total of $931,658 for 2024.
The 2024 cannabis Gold Rush in Oakland County spanned 50 licenses, including Berkley with five licenses and $291,143.00 paid from the state fund; Ferndale with six licenses and $349,371; Hazel Park with 10 licenses and $582,286; Village of Holly with one license and $58,228; Village of Lake Orion with one license and $58,228; Madison Heights with three licenses and $174,685; Orion Township with one license and $58,228; Oxford Township with three licenses and $174,685; Village of Oxford with six licenses and $349,371; Pleasant Ridge with two licenses and $116,457; Royal Oak with three licenses and $174,685; Southfield with two licenses and $116,457; Walled Lake with three licenses and $174,685; and Waterford Township with four licenses and $232,914. Oakland County received a total of $2,911,433 in 2024 from these 50 licenses.
Michigan licensed 609 retailers in 2022, along with 825 growers and 202 processors. Those numbers grew in 2023 to 751 retailers, 963 growers and 250 processors. By 2024, there were 793 retailers, 1,044 growers and 274 processors. In September of 2025, there were 851 retailers (down from 857 in March), 2,588 growers and 275 processors.
However, the steady growth of the industry brought with it some downside in terms of pricing of cannabis product.
In June 2021, the average retail price for a cannabis flower –the most popular product – was at an all-time high, exceeding $200 per ounce. Annual sales, according to the Cannabis Regulatory Agency's Statistical Report, reached $1.79 billion in 2021, $2.29 billion in 2022, $3.06 billion in 2023, and $3.29 billion in 2024. Cannabis licenses also continued to increase, from 357 in 2020, to 748 in 2021, 1,148 in 2022, 1,474 in 2023, and more than 1,700 in 2024. However, with an overabundance of dispensaries and increasing inventory, prices continue to fall.
According to the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association, in February 2025, cannabis flower was around $65 an ounce, dropping below $62 in August, and some retailers have offered prices in the $40 range during promotional sales.
And the golden cannabis goose is getting squeezed even more. This time by the state. Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed into law a 24 percent tax on the wholesale price of adult-use marijuana sold from a cannabis establishment to a licensed retailer, starting January 1, 2026. This revenue is intended to support the Comprehensive Road Funding Fund in repairing roads and bridges. Those in the cannabis industry are
challenging this new law in court, but those challenges have not gone to trial yet.
Robin Schneider, Executive Director at the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association (MiCIA), couldn’t comment due to her being a plaintiff in the lawsuit against the new tax. She did manage to add, “The margins are very slim. The cost of regulations are very high. The industry is already struggling. And that's the bulk of what I can say.”
Even before the tax was announced, the industry had been contracting.
Some observers say that the rapid growth of the industry was accelerated even more when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, with workers spending more time out of the office which brought about higher demand. The industry responded with an increase in growing and sales operations, only to find a declining demand when the pandemic neared its end.
TerrAscend Corp., a leading North American cannabis company, exited the Michigan market and sold all of the company’s Michigan assets, including four cultivation and processing facilities, twenty retail dispensaries, and real estate, resulting in about 250 job losses.
“After an extensive evaluation, we have made the strategic decision to exit the Michigan market,” Jason Wild, Executive Chairman of TerrAscend, said in a company press release. “Michigan is an extremely difficult market and we have come to the realization that our resources can be better utilized in our other markets.”
Much of the TerrAscend cannabis related business was purchased by Lume Cannabis, which has state-wide coverage and will soon open its 43rd dispensary.
Some minor help for the industry could come from the Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) which oversees the industry.
David Harns, Public relations manager for the CRA offered details of what the state agency does for the industry.
“From the regulatory perspective, we don't set policy, we just implement it,” Harns said. “We’ll put in place that which the legislature puts into statute. And as a regulatory body, we're always in constant contact with the industry, with stakeholders to make sure that we take into account any of the things, any of the issues that they have that we have control over to make sure that we adjust our ways.”
The CRA has to make sure that the public is safe and that the product is tested and that everything is regulated and licensed. If there are ways in which we can make things easier on the businesses in the space, we definitely want to do that. We have a very transparent agency that meets with stakeholders on a regular basis and takes into account the things that they would like to see. We have a pretty good relationship with our licensees, our stakeholders, our consumers, where they know that they can explain to us what they're thinking and what their thoughts are, and we can, do everything we can to improve the space.”
Currently, the CRA is “working on the administrative rules, and we have been for the last couple of years where we're making sure that we update the rules to account for the changes in the industry. It's been a process where we've received feedback on the front end while we're drafting the rules and then took feedback after we drafted them. We are currently in the process of finalizing the last part of the rules, and then we'll present them to JCAR (Joint
Committee on Administrative Rules), which is part of the state legislature. Those rules will then take effect next year. Hopefully, we'll make things a little bit more efficient and somewhat easier on the industry as well. And then one of the other big things we're working on right now is getting our reference laboratory open next summer and start testing.”
The CRA creates the monthly report on the industry and it can be found at Michigan.gov/CRA under resources and then licensing and statistical reports.
Overall, forty states, three territories and the District of Columbia allow the medical use of cannabis products as of June 2025. Twenty-four states, three territories and the District of Columbia allow or regulate cannabis for non-medical use by adults as of the same date. Marijuana remains illegal under United States federal law as it is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, which means the federal government considers it to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. This classification makes the possession, sale and cultivation of marijuana illegal at the federal level, regardless of state laws. Due to this federal law, anyone possessing it on federal property anywhere in the United States can be arrested. This includes national parks, federal buildings, courthouses, military bases and airports operated by federal agencies. Even in a state where marijuana is legal, possession on federal land or property is subject to federal enforcement.
Additionally, traveling across state lines with marijuana can bring federal prosecution, especially if entering a state where marijuana remains illegal. States differ in marijuana laws and possession in states where it is not legalized for recreational or medical use is cause for arrest. Some states have decriminalized possession, but others still impose criminal penalties.
The growth of the cannabis industry in Michigan has also brought some crime challenges and one of its promises – the elimination of black market for cannabis – has basically proved to be a failure.
There have been a total of 73 break-ins across 11 types of licensed facilities. Retailers experienced 30 break-ins, while Grower Class C businesses faced 25. Nine processor license holders also had break-ins. The numbers for break-ins were 149 in 2022, 223 in 2023, and 127 in 2024. Each year, retail license facilities experience the highest number of break-ins.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard has seen an increase in black market marijuana activity in Oakland County and across the state.
“The black market is definitely a very big thing, and it's also violent,” Bouchard said. "We're seeing more and more largescale illegal operations. In fact, our narcotics team has said that we're a net exporting state at this point. They've even seen in some of their investigations where people are taking large amounts of marijuana to Chicago and trading it for cocaine.”
He explained that violence in the black market is increasing.
“We've had two homicides in Oakland County this year, specifically in ripoffs from illegal marijuana operations. And one played itself out in a very, very public, dangerous way. You had an individual that was going to sell a large amount of marijuana to a group of individuals that drove up from another state. And the investigation leads us to believe that they decided, instead of paying for it, they were going to do an armed robbery. And a gun battle ensued with one person dead,
one person shot, and a chaotic scene in broad daylight in Rochester Hills and ended with a car wreck. And that was just one we had this year. We had another one where people came from another state and murdered a guy at a facility where there was a large amount of marijuana. So there needs to be a recognition that, A, it's legal. These companies have gone through the compliance and the regulation and the taxation. They need to have more support in taking out people that are breaking the law and doing it in a violent way.”
Bouchard explained the upcoming 24 percent tax will only increase illegal cannabis and cause legal businesses to cut their already thin profit margin even more, perhaps going deeper into the red in their dispensary. And the legislature needs to create better laws that work for the industry.
“You make it very hard for the licensed and regulated businesses to succeed when, most recently, they put a very large tax on them, an additional tax, which makes the black market all the more attractive,” he said. “My desire is that the legislature go through and clean up the existing act. We have licensed and regulated and legal facilities, and in my opinion, they should be protected better from illegitimate and black market operators.”
One problem is the lack of clear penalties.
“When people are taking large amounts of marijuana and moving around and selling it and doing things that are incongruous with the licensed and regulated facilities, there's this kind of thought process, if you will, ‘it's legal now.’ Well, it's legal, yes, but there's a system. Everyone keeps saying, let's make it like alcohol. You wouldn't have a distillery that's not inspected, not licensed, not taxed, being able to move with impunity, basically, around the state selling liquor. For any kind of marijuana, the price point obviously is very different in the black market that's not licensed, that doesn't have to go through the cost to get into the business. It isn't inspected and regulated and pays a very large tax on it. The cost for somebody that's doing it in the black market illegally is dramatically different and therefore the profit hugely higher. And so, I think the legislature needs to be cognizant of that and do something to target those that are operating outside of Michigan's laws.”
Even if prices rise, Bouchard notes it’s much safer to purchase from a licensed dispensary than through the black market.
“I keep telling our marijuana consumers – do not buy anything on the street because you have no idea where it's coming from and it hasn't been inspected. It could be adulterated with fentanyl. We've actually seen fentanyl sprayed on marijuana street sales. It could be that it's got mold or dust mites. You have no idea what you're getting and it's dangerous. Go to a licensed, inspected, regulated facility and there, that's exactly what you're getting.”
Without the legislature cleaning up the legal aspects, Bouchard says he could see the legal industry collapsing.
“I think it makes it increasingly possible. Absolutely. Because they're paying the taxes and the regulatory burdens and they've got brick and mortar. They've got all of the things that come with a legitimate business, and it's being completely undermined by individuals that have none of that.”
First Lieutenant Michael Shaw of the Michigan State Police noted that more and more marijuana busts have happened at
state lines and the US/Canada border. In September alone, two separate 1,000 pound marijuana busts happened at both the Blue Water and Ambassador Bridges. There has been an uptick in trafficking since COVID and has only gotten worse.
“As a result of the voter mandated changes to Michigan’s marijuana laws, the Michigan State Police (MSP) implemented new policies and procedures that account for the legal use and possession of marijuana by persons age 21 and older,” he said. “The MSP will continue to consult with the Michigan Attorney General’s Office and local prosecutors to ensure our existing department policies and procedures remain current to any changes in the law. Additionally, the current law does not permit marijuana use in public places, nor did it change Michigan’s impaired driving laws, which means that driving under the influence of marijuana remains illegal.”
Jerry Millen, owner of the Greenhouse of Walled Lake was the first recreational dispensary in Oakland County. From his perspective on the industry, problems are prevalent at every level.
“There's a lot of over-saturation. You have cities like Ferndale that have too many stores. You can't have nine stores with a three-block radius,” Millen said. “That was the first mistake. Unlimited licensing. When we put the rules together, we were new at doing it and we made a lot of mistakes in writing the rules. We're paying our penance now for that.”
He also sees the industry as the mom and pop stores versus the bigger corporate chain stores that will eventually win out.
“I think there are some people who have too many stores. I think a lot of the people that were in the industry in the beginning and doing it for the right reason have been pushed out. And I just think you have a lot of these corporate stores trying to take over,” Millen said. “They have a lot of pull. I recently resigned from the MiCIA because I feel we need an organization that's going to represent the small guy. And we don't have that.”
He noted the new 24 percent tax won’t help any of the stores, especially the smaller ones.
“I think you're going to see a bloodbath over the next year. We're already in a bloodbath. People are shutting down stores left and right. My goal is I want to make sure the people that started this industry are still here when it's up and fully running. Because there's a lot of Johnny-come-latellies coming in not caring about the patients, not caring about the plant, not caring about who they hurt along the way. I can't hate on anybody that got into the industry in the past four or five years. I'm trying to ride the coattails of all the OG in the industry. That's what capitalism is. But I feel that some of these people got into our industry here and they're destroying it because all they want to do is make money. And we're getting away from the root of this industry in the beginning was to help people. You can have a viable business and you can help people at the same time. Unfortunately, some people came in here with a lot of money and started over-saturating the market. And I feel some of it was planned. They want to push out the little guy. And they're doing that.”
In reference to the new tax, Millen said, “The tax is ridiculous. You have politicians that really don't care. They put that tax behind the retail store and they put it on the wholesaler so that the consumer doesn't see it on the receipt. But make no mistake, that 24 percent tax is going to be on your receipt. You're not going to see it because you have to pass it along because right
now the margins are so slim. Not many people are making any money. They're just floating above water.”
Millen believes the new tax will be implemented despite the fight against it.
“The MiCIA filed the lawsuit, but I think it's a little too late. They should have been in front of it. I don't think the lawsuit's going to go anywhere. You're fighting the politicians. The governor has her own attorneys. Good luck on fighting that. They're not going to win that lawsuit. The tax is going to go through,” he said.
He did explain that the tax won’t be on medical marijuana and he foresees people applying for patient cards to save money on cannabis. And all of the problems will cause the cannabis industry in Michigan to collapse, he speculated.
“It has to. I don't want to say fully collapse, but it needs to constrict because it got too big, too fast. Everybody thought they could open a grower dispensary and make a million dollars overnight. And in the beginning, you could. But I'll tell you right now, there's not a lot of people that have made any money in this industry. There's a lot of people that are in debt. I think in the past two months, you've had 45 or 50 stores either shut down or change hands because the next person always thinks they can do better.”
Millen believes that marijuana will be changed from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 3 by the current administration, which will change the 280E section of the tax code, making it a federally recognized business that can deduct business expenses and use federally insured banking institutions.
The Michigan legislature is also considering several bills related to the industry which may help the challenged industry.
State Sen. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) is proposing to indefinitely prohibit the state from issuing new licenses for testing labs, transportation companies and any growing operation cultivating more than 150 plants, beginning in 2026. The number of retail marijuana stores in a given municipality would be capped to not more than one for every 10,000 residents. There are bills that are seeking to move synthetic and hemp-based marijuana-mimicking products under the authority of the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency. There is also a bill that would make payments for product between businesses to be COD.
Justin Dunaskiss of Dunaskiss Consulting and Development in Lake Orion has been a leading consultant in the cannabis industry. With several new bills being promoted at the state capital, he explained the benefits of each.
“There's been a whole host of bills introduced both in the House and Senate in Michigan to try to help address some of the concerns and issues that the industry's been having, as well as that the department, the CRA that administers the program, have noticed there's probably well over a dozen bills now. And they'll come together between the House and Senate and get a work group to work on some of the bills because each of them have their own kind of ideas. And some of those go around, such as capping the number of licenses, to try to address the robust supply and robust competition I mentioned. So right now, there's a bill that would cap the number of licenses for the vast majority of license types, particularly the grows, the large grows and the retailers. And for one, in particular for the retailers, for a municipality, we'd only be allowed to have one location, or one retail, for every 10,000 residents in that city or municipality,” Dunaskiss explained.
“And the same with the large grows, they wouldn't permit any new large grows, only the smaller class A's or micro businesses.”
The COD bill, or prompt pay as Dunaskiss prefers, “would mirror the liquor industry, where the suppliers would be paid at the time of delivery on the B2B transactions for the wholesale products. It has challenges too because that's a form of credit and financing. Right now, they're not paying for their wholesale products once received.”
He noted that “legislature members are also looking for things that further support their new state run efficiency lab or safety compliance facility so that the state can actually have the ability to go and purchase products from retailers to do third-party independent testing at their lab. They need that. It doesn't explicitly allow for it in the current statute, so we need that fixed so they can do that portion of the testing.”
Dunaskiss added, “this is definitely a make or break year for the vast majority of companies. Some are certainly striving and thriving. But I would still say the vast majority are more maintaining or trying to stay afloat. And so, good or bad, I think the reckoning is coming this year with all these excess factors of these bills that are working their way through, the wholesale tax, and again, just basic supply and demand principles putting a lot of pressure on the industry. Additionally, there are significant tax liabilities outstanding for numerous companies. And so, without bankruptcy protection, a lot of times folding is some of the folks' best options when once they get behind on various bills and taxes.”
Jamie Lowell has been in the cannabis industry for the better part of two decades and began working in the medical marijuana industry before moving into recreational marijuana part of the business.. However, the industry problems led him to leave this year.
“There is a distinct move away from the voter-approved system in attempts to just really radically change it, and not everybody's interested in that,” Lowell said. “There are market imbalances that need to be addressed. And the voter approved system is designed so that the regulators, which is now the CRA, would take different measures under their authority to help do that. Instead of that being the case, many lawmakers, and even the CRA themselves support in some cases some of these things, want to radically change the system. And they're always constantly trying to make it more like something that it is not, like tobacco or alcohol. The new cannabis wholesale tax was never intended. I was one of the drafters of the MRTMA (Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act.) We very purposefully omitted a wholesale excise tax because we were able to see in other jurisdictions what worked and what didn't work, particularly Colorado had the wholesale tax and added to the retail tax.”
Colorado and California both approved recreational cannabis sales through voter initiatives in 2012 and 2016, respectively. The first-ever sale of legal recreational cannabis in the United States was in Colorado in 2014. The Rocky Mountain state was poised for significant profits with its own 20th century “gold rush” of sorts, but one decade later, that first dispensary closed due to market oversaturation. Colorado’s once successful cannabis industry is now a trail of failed businesses and cash-strapped entrepreneurs in its wake.
In 2020, Colorado’s market ballooned to $2.2 billion. Three years later, sales plummeted to $1.5 billion, leading to layoffs,
closures and downsizing. The market downturn hurt state finances, too, as Colorado took in just $282 million in cannabis tax revenues in the last fiscal year, down more than 30 percent from two years earlier.
Originally, Colorado’s marijuana market minted successful local entrepreneurs who built small businesses into national brands. The market drew aspiring cannabis professionals from across the country, similar to the early days of the Michigan cannabis market. And as more and more states legalize recreational marijuana, it depressed the Colorado industry.
Neighboring states New Mexico and Arizona now have their own adult-use legal marijuana markets, taking business away from dispensaries on Colorado’s southern border. Tourists who once flooded the state for the opportunity to legally experience Rocky Mountain highs have largely disappeared as the novelty has worn off. Even Texans aren’t driving north to buy cannabis anymore, satisfied with the spread of intoxicating hemp products in their own state. Lowell explained Colorado’s tax was a major part of the downfall of the industry there.
“They were taxed at about 35 percent, and it was not good enough to entice people into that new licensed market, so they had to go back and readdress that. We had the benefit of that information, and so as drafters, we purposely omitted the wholesale tax, and then when we campaigned the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MRTMA) – the tax structure for cannabis, just an excise tax. And then what other applicable taxes, which is the sales tax. Excise tax and sales tax, that's what voters voted on, that's the system that was put into place. She (Governor Whitmer) actually referred to that lack of a wholesale tax as a loophole, which is either ignorant, insensitive, or a purposeful disregard for Michigan voters.”
Michigan border towns were some of the biggest benefactors initially in the cannabis market as surrounding states hadn’t legalized. But that landscape has changed as well.
Illinois first legalized medicinal use in 2013 and in 2020 legalized recreational cannabis for both residents and visitors, but Illinois does not accept out-of-state medical patients. In 2016, Ohio legalized medical marijuana and later legalized recreational use for both residents and visitors in 2023. Ohio does not accept out-of-state medical patients. Indiana and Wisconsin still maintain that all forms of cannabis are illegal. Minnesota has legalized recreational cannabis in 2023 for both residents and visitors but does not accept out-of-state medical patients. They legalized medicinal use in 2014.
Lowell also touched on some of the legislative bills being bandied around Lansing.
“You have bills in the House, there's more of them, but specifically 5105 and 5107, they recriminalize small-time cannabis activity that was taken care of by the Voter Root Act,” he said. “The session's filled with trying to change the system completely from what the voters approved, sometimes doing it, maybe unconstitutionally. A judge will ultimately have to decide that. They are creating the scenario where there's going to be more enforcement now for things that the MRT and the CMA purposefully removed because we're trying to treat cannabis as cannabis, not as something that it is not. And that's the struggle that we're having this session.”
Chef Jake Abraham made a living in the restaurant world before he got involved with the cannabis industry with stores in Ypsilanti.
“I was in it from the beginning. I was the 152nd license given out,” Abraham said. “I was a store in Ypsilanti. I grew that into four stores that I own and managed another five for people. We had organizations out there that said they were helping us and didn't. I was part of the MiCIA, and they just wanted my money. It was a money-making organization, and they say they work for you, but they really don't. It's more of a partisan organization, which I didn't like because I want to sell weed to everybody, not just one side of the fence. And then they really let everybody cheat. There was so much illegal product coming in, and they drove the price down so much, and people just kept lowering prices, lowering prices. When I first started out, a pound of weed cost me $3,200. Now they're going for $400. Where can you make any money? The state didn't help out at all. Brian Hanna (Executive Director at Cannabis Regulatory Agency) was supposed to come in and help everybody, but he didn't. He just keeps fining people. Outlandish fines. I got fined $10,000 because I turned in a selfaudit report late,” Abraham said.
From the municipality side, Hazel Park, a city with an annual $5 million dollar pension liability, saw cannabis as a way to help pay that annual debt. They allowed 10 dispensaries. City manager Edward Klobucher was appointed to the position in February of 2002 in the midst of a grave financial crisis. He found ways to balance the budget soon thereafter and saw cannabis as a way to help the city even more. The view of the industry from his desk isn’t as pretty as it once was.
“I think the industry is saturated. Again, I think that there are probably too many licenses,” Klobucher said. “There's problems within the industry. We're seeing, for the first time last year, a decline in the tax revenues that we got from the dispensary. The industry appears to be struggling.”
This was the first decline since the industry came to Hazel Park and he noted, “We have growers, we have processing, we have secure transport, and we have labs. We offer every type of cannabis license available in the state of Michigan, specifically in the city of Hazel Park. One of the reasons why we accepted as many dispensaries as we did was because we're having rising increase for our pension system. And that was one of the ways we've tried to cope with the increased costs that we're seeing to our community. That's where we allocate all of those revenues. Our revenues were $585,000 last year. Our pension costs on a yearly basis to service the debt are approximately $5 million. The revenue we receive from the dispensaries obviously does not cover that expense, but it does help shield the taxpayers of Hazel Park from the full brunt of those costs.”
And the impending 24 percent tax won’t do anything good for the industry, according to Klubucher.
“I know this is an important part of the budget solution in Lansing but on the whole, I think that the tax will have a negative impact on the marijuana industry,” he said.
At the Berkley location for Lume, assistant manager Angel Fields has seen customers getting ready for possible changes in the industry.
“A lot of consumers are questioning whether or not we're going to still have that tax enforced next year or not. And a lot of times customers are mentioning trying to stock up more this year before the tax gets started,” she said. “I’m hearing some customers say they are going to go back to growing their own or just trying to figure out finding ways to buy it on the street again.”
Doug Hellyar, President and Chief Operating Officer of Lume Cannabis Company, said he was asked to join by CEO Dave Morrow back in 2019. From his desk, the industry has challenges but looks good.
“In any business, you want high demand and the demand is fantastic here in the state of Michigan,” Hellyar said.
But that demand may dwindle in the coming year with the new tax looming over the industry.
“The wholesale tax is not good for the cannabis industry in Michigan, period. It needed a lot more thought than what was put into it before it was rolled out,” he explained. “And the outcome will be unfavorable. For all players in the industry, and I believe the estimated taxes to be collected from the wholesale tax are dramatically overstated.”
Hellyar and Morrow recently were questioned by state legislators about the industry with Morrow handling most of the discussion explaining the industry in detail. He noted that consumers have a fixed budget of about $60 to spend annually. The new tax would cut that purchase by 20 to 30 percent, further shrinking Michigan’s $3 billion dollar market in 2026. That will lead to even more oversupply.
Hellyar believes the tax won’t be passed on but rather absorbed as much as possible.
“Due to the extremely competitive environment that exists in Michigan, and the massive oversupply of cannabis that exists in Michigan, it is a certainty that operators will not be able to pass on this wholesale tax to the consumer. A lot of this wholesale tax will be absorbed by the operators within Michigan. And this will put massive additional burden on an already challenging marketplace, the most competitive marketplace in the country. And there will be more contraction. In 2025, many players closed their doors. That will be exacerbated in 2026.”
Morrow has an idea he fully believes would turn around the collapsing cannabis industry in Michigan.
“It's the ability to export the regulated product that we currently make,” he said. “We follow all the same testing standards. We follow all the same rules that are in place. And we allow Michigan, who produces the best product, I think, in the country, at the lowest prices in the country, to participate in this $40 billion nationwide market that we're precluded from. And just to put a pin in it, it has nothing to do with federal restrictions. It has to do with the restrictions that we currently face with our Michigan licensing. And so, I believe, that if we have the ability to bleed off the oversupply, things like the 24 percent tax, things like the transitioning to ETF become possible, because there's a solution to deal with the oversupply in the market. If we do not come up with a solution to deal with this, the pressure of those two things, my opinion, will collapse the majority of the business. And then the state's going to be forced into a very tricky situation where you're going to be faced with hundreds of millions of dollars of tax defaults.”
And it would be a short turnaround, Morrow said.
“I think the oversupply problem in Michigan could be corrected within 90 days if we were able to export, and I think that allows everyone to enjoy a larger market that enjoys the state to collect a much larger tax basis. Michigan could take 10 of that $40 billion (national industry number). Could it take 15? I don't know but the current business at three billion dollars, if things stay the same, is going to go down next year, that's a fact.”
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By David Hohendorf
The announcement at the start of November by officials from The Community House (TCH) that the iconic institution would be replaced by a community foundation and its downtown Birmingham building would be sold has sparked considerable backlash in the community from residents in general, other local nonprofit groups and from elected city officials who have now announced their intent to prevent the building from falling into private hands.
The Community House on Monday, November 3, announced plans to evolve into the Birmingham Area Community Foundation to carry on the original mission of the community group, and the closure and sale of its building on 380 Bates Street in the city effective July 1 of 2026. The new foundation would provide grants and mentoring to nonprofits within a 10-mile radius of Birmingham, along with scholarships to students.
In terms of the current building for The Community House, officials said the Early Childhood Center will complete its current session, which concludes in May 2026, and events scheduled now through June 30 of next year will continue. The new owner of the building will take over the facility at that time.
TCH board President Camille Jayne and Alison Gaudreau, President of The Community House Association, made the announcement, adding that the current business model for the community organization was no longer sufficient to continue current operations and sale of the building would allow for retiring current debt and provide seed money for the new community foundation, which would continue carrying out the mission of the original organization.
While concern about the TCH announcement was immediate and widespread, it increased even further when days later local resident Kathleen Devereaux forwarded historical documents to city commissioners questioning whether TCH officials could legally sell off the downtown building.
Devereaux researched the original trust creating The Community House and the 1930 deed for the land and building, along with ownership documents updated in April of 1990 after TCH officials appeared in the court of Oakland Probate Judge Barry Grant to dissolve the original trust and transfer ownership to The
By David Hohendorf
Birmingham Fire Chief Paul Wells, currently on paid administrative leave from his position with the city, has filed a federal lawsuit against the city, along with city manager Jana Ecker and assistant city manager Mark Clemence, claiming violation of his civil rights and of the Michigan Whistleblower Protection Act.
Wells was first hired by the city in 1998 and served as an emergency medical technician and firefighter and has moved up in the ranks during his 27 years of service with the city. He was sworn in as chief of the department and emergency manager in August of 2019.
In July of this year Wells was placed on paid administrative leave by city manager Ecker. City officials declined at the time to explain why Wells was placed on leave although information obtained by a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by Downtown suggested that an improvement in performance plan was imposed on Wells.
Wells lawsuit claims that Ecker and Clemence retaliated against Wells because he reported “serious safety defects” with the Park Street and Pierce Street parking structures and he persisted in pointing out these problems until many months later they were addressed by the city.
The lawsuit, filed on Friday, November 14, also contends that Ecker “demanded that Wells and others not put anything related to the safety issues in the parking structures in writing to ensure that “the discussions were not subject to the FOIA.”
Wells in his lawsuit also details that in 2025 he learned that “fire hydrants had been turned off and watermains gated down or shut off across the city.” In July, according to the lawsuit, Wells notified Ecker and other officials that the conditions with the watermains and hydrants “compromise fire protection and present serious safety risks to our residents and personnel.” Wells said he further reported that the problem “not only jeopardizes life and property but also places firefighters at increased risk.”
The lawsuit claims Ecker and Clemence were “enraged with Wells for his direct and urgent demand” that the problems be “immediately” resolved.
According to the lawsuit, on July 16 of this year Wells field a formal complaint about “deficiencies in the city’s water supply system” with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. Wells, the lawsuit says, was placed on leave the following day.
The lawsuit faults the city for allegedly harassing and retaliating against Wells for exercising his First Amendment rights and for violating the Whistleblower protection Act.
Wells also is charging that city officials violated the Open Meetings Act and were guilty of defamation by making false and misleading statements about him.
The lawsuit asks for Wells to be restored to his position as fire chief, along with compensatory damages, exemplary damages and punitive damages, as well payment of his legal fees.
The city on Monday, November 17, added to the evenings agenda for the city commission a closed session to discuss the lawsuit. No response had yet been filed by the city.
There have been reports that the city and Wells have been in negotiations relative to the fire chief’s pension benefits and Wells has reportedly been interviewed by the city of Rochester in its search for a new fire chief.
Community House Association. In the original and updated ownership documents, certain restrictions were placed on the building, which included the following:
“WHEREAS it is the desire of the Donors that the said property and the building to be erected thereon and any and all future buildings erected thereon by the Settlor [The Association] shall be
organization in the said Village of Birmingham, now existing or organized in the future to be selected by the Trustees herein or their duly elected or appointed successors or leased by them for a nominal rental to the said Village of Birmingham or its successor municipality to be used by it for a community center for the benefit of the public,…”
This deed restriction has now become the center of debate in the city. TCF officials say that they are not dissolving The Community House Association but are now creating the community foundation to carry out the original mission of the nonprofit’s founders. By not dissolving The Community House Association, there is a question of whether the building and land are required to be donated to a nonprofit or leased at a nominal rate to the city.
Although city commissioners have not publicly discussed the issue, it appears the proposed sale of The Community House building will be challenged by the city, following a closed session of the city commission on Monday, November 17.
Although what exactly transpires in a closed executive session of the city commission is generally not shared with the public, at the end of the closed meeting the commission did share its intent to oppose sale of the building.
Mayor Clinton Baller issued the following statement before the city commission meeting was adjourned:
“We just returned from a closed session in which we discussed attorney/client privileged information. I'd like to make a statement.
“The Community House recently announced plans to sell its building. This was a shock to the community, and many legitimately asked: Can they do that? The answer may be found in the original and subsequent deeds to the property — as well as other documents — that seem to suggest no, they can't.
“The Community House, in the opinion of this commission, is a public trust. Its value cannot and must not be measured in dollars.
used only for the purposes or purposes set forth in its Articles of Association, and that in the event of the dissolution of the said corporation following the abandonment for any reason of the purpose or purposes for which it was formed, then all of the said land and the improvements thereon be quit claimed and conveyed to a charitable, benevolent or educational
“The land and building were donated to serve the community. Birmingham residents, who for generations have put their hearts and souls into that building, do not want to see it fall into private hands. And this commission will use each and every available means to see to it that it remains a community asset, used for the purposes for which it was donated.”
In response to the current community concern, Jayne and Gaudreau in recent weeks issued the
following prepared statement:
“For more than a century, our organization has evolved to meet the changing needs of the Birmingham community while remaining steadfast in our original purpose of providing social, civic, and philanthropic support. That mission has never been tied to any one building or name. When we were founded in 1923 as the Birmingham Community House, our work quickly outgrew our original space. In 1927, our board voted to relocate and adopt the name The Community House, ensuring our identity reflected our broader reach while carrying forward the same core mission. Today, we are at a similar moment of evolution.
“Our charitable purpose is not, nor has it ever been, defined by our address. Our articles of incorporation underscore that fact. What matters is our commitment to offering philanthropic, civic and social activities that serve the community. We can continue this mission under a new name — the Birmingham Area Community Foundation —and from a new location designed to welcome residents, support collaboration, and enable us to serve more people effectively.
“As a charitable organization, we have a responsibility to use our assets thoughtfully to advance our mission. After careful evaluation, it became clear that maintaining our current location limits our ability to sustainably give back to the community we serve.
Transitioning to a community foundation model allows us to direct significantly more resources to serve the community and help others in need.
“We realize there are many opinions about what should become of the building. We welcome any fair market offers to purchase 380 Bates Street and we will consider their intentions for the space.
“Just as our name changed in 1927 to reflect our evolving role, our shift to the Birmingham Area Community Foundation positions us for the future and provides a platform to offer funding, mentorship and vital support to nonprofits and enhances our longstanding commitment to education. We have a legacy of providing scholarships via the nonprofits we support. Beginning in 2025, students will be able to apply directly to our foundation for scholarships to Michigan community colleges, four-year institutions and trade programs. These opportunities will remain a vital part of our educational pillar and the work community foundations are uniquely positioned to lead.
“We made the decision to evolve into a community foundation because it
meets our mission and allows us to serve the community in a more meaningful way. We entered this process with full, clear understanding of the founder’s purpose as well as elements like deed restrictions. The evolution to the Birmingham Area Community Foundation allows the core mission of The Community House to live on in a way that honors our history while expanding our capacity to serve more people.”
By Grace Lovins
Birmingham staff are set to start taking a closer look at the city’s longrunning evening parking permit program, responding to concerns raised by commissioner Anthony Long to address parking needs for service workers and downtown businesses.
During the Monday, November 10, meeting, commissioners discussed a report written by parking director Aaron Ford and included in the meeting packet. The city’s “Evening Monthly Parking Permit Program,” implemented in the early 2000s, was introduced with the intention of helping service workers and local businesses find accessible and affordable parking in the city.
According to Ford, the program reduces the cost of a monthly parking pass by $20 and allows permit holders to park from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. in any of the city’s five parking structures. There are currently 73 evening permit holders using the city’s parking structures.
Included in Ford’s report was the suggestion of potentially shifting the program start time from 4 p.m. to 2 p.m. to better accommodate eveningshift workers who might arrive before the current pass start time.
Commissioner Therese Longe added that the city’s advisory parking committee could study adjusting the time frame as well as reviewing the permit fee.
Ford told commissioners he is working with the Birmingham Shopping District to reach local businesses about the program and get their feedback on the current offerings. He said the plan was to take the feedback they gather to the advisory parking committee for recommendations which would then come before the commission.
As the item was a report, no formal action was taken by the commission.
By Dana Casadei
After a unanimous vote in favor from the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees, Academy of the Sacred Heart can now move forward with plans to add a digital scoreboard and shed on the south portion of their grounds.
With this approval, Sacred Heart will be able to install a 14 foot high scoreboard and a 60 square foot cedar shed that will be dark green to match and blend in with surroundings.
The scoreboard will be used after school hours, and since there are no lights on the field, games will only occur during the daylight hours, with intended start times being between 4:30-5:30 p.m.
“Our enrollment is growing, our athletic programs are growing; so this will be a nice addition for us,” said Paige Comito, Sacred Heart Athletic Director.
While the approval from the board of trustees came with little fanfare at their meeting on Monday, November
10 – and there were no comments during the public hearing – prior meetings to discuss the site plan and special land use brought quite a few concerns from residents.
In August 2025, the site plan and special land use went before the planning commission, which tabled the plans in order to let Sacred Heart address residents’ concerns. Their concerns were centered around sound levels, acoustics and the scoreboard’s potential impact on the neighboring properties.
This motion from the planning commission also included a request that the township’s planning, building & ordinance department review the maintenance concerns from residents. Those concerns included building and landscaping conditions, and making sure those were in compliance with Bloomfield Township ordinances.
Within that same motion, the planning commission asked Sacred Heart to meet with, and work toward agreeable resolutions, with the neighboring homeowners’ associations about their concerns.
“This is an example of just great
collaboration between the surrounding neighbors and Sacred Heart,” said trustee Neal Barnett. “It certainly came to the planning commission a couple of times and there were a number of concerns… working with the surrounding neighbors they were able to come to an understanding and meet the concerns of the neighbors.”
When the academy went back to the planning commission in September they noted that several steps had been taken since their last meeting, including a site visit with Bloomfield Township staff. During that visit several dead or declining trees were identified, including two dead Norway spruces that will be replaced with trees that are each 1820 feet in height. They met with residents along Charing Way and Legacy Hills representatives as well.
Another concern from residents was the potential sound of the scoreboard. While the Electronics Sport sound SSP-100 speaker system can reach 130 dB, it was agreed that their volume would not go over 70db, well within the township’s sound ordinance.
“I sat through the planning commission and the zoning board of appeals (ZBA) on this issue, and they agreed on keeping it a certain level,” said supervisor Mike McCready.
“Most high schools and middle schools have scoreboards like this, and some have lights that go all evening. This one will only be during the day time.”
The sound from the score board will also be aimed at the school, where an embankment will take away some of the sound. Audio usage will include the playing of the National Anthem, announcements five minutes prior to game start times, and pregame music that will occur 40 minutes prior to start times. All of this is similar to the portable speaker system for announcements that Sacred Heart currently uses. This site plan and special land use also went before the ZBA. Because it’s considered an accessory structure, it will have to be screened 12 months out of the year, which is in the school’s site plan.
“This is a win-win for everybody,” Barnett said.
By Grace Lovins
The start of the Monday, November 17, Birmingham City Commission meeting marked the beginning of a new term as two recently elected commissioners were sworn into their positions and the commission selected a new mayor and mayor pro tem.
Commissioners appoint a new mayor and mayor pro tem every November, typically sending the mayor pro tem from the previous year to the mayor position and selecting a new commissioner to serve as mayor pro tem.
During Monday night’s appointments, former mayor pro tem Clinton Baller was selected as the new mayor in a 6-1 vote. Commissioner Brad Host was the lone vote against Baller’s appointment, however he didn’t provide a comment to the commission regarding his reasoning.
The appointment of a mayor pro tem was a close vote between commissioners Andrew Haig and Anthony Long. In the end, Long was
the chosen candidate with support from outgoing mayor Therese Longe and commissioners Baller, Kevin Kozlowski and Long himself.
Both Baller and Long stated they were honored to be selected for their new roles.“I’m very proud of the many accomplishments we have made here in this town and how we have evolved, and I’m looking forward to many more,” Baller said.
Prior to the mayor selection, two newly elected commissioners, Kevin Kozlowski and Bill Kolb, took their places at the commission table and outgoing commissioners Jason Emerine and Katie Schafer were recognized for their work in the city.
Schafer had served as a commissioner since being elected in 2021 and had previously served on the city’s multi-modal transportation board for years prior. Emerine, previously having served as an alternate member of the city’s planning board for several years, was appointed to the commission vacancy following commissioner Elaine McLain’s resignation in November 2024.
By Grace Lovins
The annual Village Fair hosted by the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce is returning to Birmingham for spring 2026, after city commissioners approved the special event application during the Monday, October 27, meeting.
The fair next year will take place May 27 through May 31, in Shain Park.
Due to a multitude of police incidents that have taken place during fairs past, police chief Scott Grewe told commissioners there will be a system in place, similar to the 2025 fair, that will help to mitigate as many incidents as possible. Grewe said the staffing levels would remain the same as the 2025 fair with 17 officers on site during peak evening hours and officers will remain at the park after close to manage crowds.
Like the 2025 event, the fair will close at 9 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday night. Grewe said to help with crowd control, officers will allow
the crowds to remain in the park but encourage them to go about their nights rather than forcing the crowds out of the park and into downtown Birmingham at closing time. He said this approach was used on Saturday night at the 2025 fair and proved to be effective.
To cover the staffing, Grewe said they are also adjusting the billing to the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce for their services. He explained that they are expanding the cost for billable hours for the first time to offset the cost to the city for the officers’ overtime hours during the event. The cost for the police fee added up to $24,521.
“As you know, a lot of these events have been closed in other cities,” Grewe said. “I don’t support closing it. …While we did have a couple [incidents] last year, overall the event was a success.” He also added that police could shut down the fair early if the need ever arose.
Commissioners approved the special event application in a unanimous 7-0 vote.
By Dana Casadei
Raftelis will once again be awarded the Bloomfield Township water and sanitary sewer rate study after an unanimous vote from the board of trustees on Monday, November 10.
The company will be used on an as needed basis, with the water and sewer study not to exceed $59,526.
“We wanted to put a bid out to see what others could provide, make sure we were getting the best consultant for the project,” said treasurer Michael Schostak.
Because of the township’s purchasing policy this study could have been awarded without a bid by the Department of Public Works or Board of Trustees.
Of the three companies who submitted proposals, Bendzinski did not meet the minimum requirements asked for within their proposal. Plante Moran and Raftelis both did, with Raftelis providing much greater detail than Plante Moran; with details such as their rate development process, as well as showcasing their knowledge in account principles, and technical aspects and intricacies of operating a water and sanitary sewer system.
Even though Plante Morgan’s proposal was less expensive, the committee ultimately decided to recommend that Raftelis, who is located in Kansas City, Missouri, to get the award of the Bloomfield Township Water and Sewer Rate Study. And while Raftelis is not located in Michigan, they’ve worked with multiple Michigan municipalities and agencies, including Bloomfield Township, who they worked with on the 2022 water and sewer study.
“Not only did Raftelis do a great job last time, but they were the only submittal that addressed that important impact with the stakeholder engagement,” Schostak said.
Raftelis has also worked with the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) and Oakland County Water Resource Commissioner (OCWRC). Both the GLWA and OCWRC noted that Raftelis had completed the worked asked of them successfully, and had no reservations about working with them in the future.
“I think they’re going to be great for us,” said trustee Chris Kolinski. “They understand what we’re looking for and the scope of work, whereas the other proposals were just trying to get our business. So they’re a good partner to be with, not just a good consultant.”
The review committee consisted of
By Grace Lovins
Two Birmingham restaurants, Teuta and the new Snap Taco, are seeking to obtain a bistro license from the city commission, both presenting their case during initial bistro screenings at the Monday, November 11, meeting. Commissioners wrestled with the constraints and intentions of the bistro ordinance during their discussions as issues arose with the potential for outdoor dining at both restaurants.
As part of the city’s bistro ordinance, said planning director Nick Dupuis, the commission may approve up to two new bistros per year and two existing bistros per year. Bistros are considered restaurants with no more than 65 indoor seats and 65 outdoor seats. Currently, the city has 22 bistros, 19 of which are in the downtown.
Teuta, located at 168 W. Maple, is seeking to convert the existing restaurant into a bistro, which would require a reduction in seats from 80 indoor seats to 65 seats maximum. The owners explained that the ability to have outdoor dining as well as a liquor license would be beneficial to their business and said they were willing to cut seat count and explore creative outdoor dining options for their frontage.
Multiple commissioners said they were concerned about Teuta’s ability to meet outdoor dining requirements considering the size of their front.
Mayor Clinton Baller said this type of situation “begs for creativity” and the planning board could help the applicants problem solve, but others objected, pointing out the pedestrian and ADA accessibility issues of the area.
Mayor pro tem Anthony Long suggested that Teuta be given the opportunity to try and make it work with the planning board given that the process was an initial screening and not the approval of a plan. Ultimately, the motion to push Teuta forward to the planning board passed 4-3 with commissioners Therese Longe, Andrew Haig and Kevin Kozlowski voting against the motion.
The new restaurant, Snap Taco, faced similar criticisms from the commission when it came to its ability to offer outdoor dining. The business, set to open at the former KaKu Sushi on Old Woodward, is set to have only 35 indoor seats with a narrow storefront that makes outdoor dining particularly challenging.
The owners proposed exploring their options, including a potential garage door design that might qualify as outdoor dining. Commissioners and city staff were unclear on whether a garage door would meet the ordinance requirements, but rather than deny the request, commissioners voted 7-0 to postpone action on Snap Taco for 60 days.
Snap Taco now has the opportunity to seek an interpretation from the building official and, if needed, appeal to the board of zoning appeals.
Schostak and Kolinski, and other Bloomfield Township leadership, Corey Almas, Jason Theis, Paul Horen, Adam Roos, and Noah Mehalski. During their time together they had an in-depth discussion of each proposal, follow up questions with each firm, and reached out to their provided references.
This group also followed up with GLWA and the OCWRC office before coming to a final decision about who to recommend to the Board of Trustees.
After going through the three proposals the committee based their decision on multiple factors found within Raftelis’ proposal, including their experience in working with communities on the development of their water and sewer rates, their understanding of both the financial and technical aspects of water and sewer systems, and since they’ve been working with Bloomfield Township
spaces on Oxford Street to support families using the park.
The upgraded playground is part of Birmingham’s city-wide playground improvement plan. Per parks and recreation manager Carrie Laird, the city contracted with Penchura LLC to handle the equipment selection, design and installation of the city’s current park projects. Work at Lincoln Well and Pumphouse are almost complete, Laird said, with Poppleton up next and Pembroke to follow.
Laird walked commissioners through the final concept, noting that Poppleton was always envisioned as the city’s first and fully accessible park. The design includes a fully accessible tower structure, poured-in-place surfacing, a fully enclosed main tower slide, accessible swings, wheelchair accessible play features, sensory elements, a sandbox, shade structures and dating areas.
Throughout the process, the city engaged the public through surveys and public meetings to gather input from the general public and the neighborhood surrounding the park. Several commissioners acknowledged the design for reflecting the input that was provided to the parks and recreation board and city staff throughout the process.
“It’s wonderful to fulfill the promise to the community that we made when they voted to support the parks bond back in 2020,” said commissioner Therese Longe, who served on the parks and recreation board for over a decade before joining the commission.
After commissioners voted unanimously, 7-0, to approve the playground design and equipment purchase, the commission turned to discussing parking which drew differing opinions.
since 2022, they’re already familiar with the township’s water and sewer suppliers, and current water and sewer rate methodology.
The Board of Trustees approved the selection in a vote of 6-0. Clerk Martin Brook was absent from the meeting; Schostak was voted in as clerk for the evening.
By Grace Lovins
Birmingham city commissioners on Monday, November 17, unanimously approved the long-anticipated redesign of Poppleton Park’s playground.
The project, planned as the city’s first fully inclusive and accessible playground, comes alongside approval to create new ADA-compliant parking
The parks and recreation board recommended adding five parallel ADAcompliant spaces along Oxford Street, noted in the meeting packet to be option D. Longe emphasized that the board viewed protected, accessible parking areas as essential for residents who unload wheelchairs or need to safely get kids in and out of the car.
Commissioner Andrew Haig supported the design of angled parking which would create 12 ADA-compliant spaces, but Longe noted that the neighborhood strongly opposed the design saying it didn’t work well with the neighborhood. Ultimately, the commission sided with the board’s recommendation for the five parallel ADA spaces, again voting unanimously, 7-0, to approve the parking design. City staff was also directed to look into adding a dedicated drop-off area and wayfinding signage to the plan at the request of the commission.
By Grace Lovins
A deteriorating structure at 611 Elm Street in Birmingham was declared condemned and ordered for demolition by the city commission during the Monday, October 27, meeting, despite the property owner’s insistence that the building, while in need of repairs, was structurally sound.
Birmingham building official Jeff Zielke said the city has been aware of the issues with the structure for nearly two years. Per Zielke, the city’s department of public service was notified of a pipe burst at the beginning of 2024. When they went to shut the water off to the building, they discovered the building’s significant deterioration. Zielke quoted one of the city staff members in the meeting packet who claimed the interior looked “like something out of a horror film.”
After that, Zielke stated the city got in contact with the property owner about the condition. He stated his opinion was that the building was uninhabitable and a danger to public safety and as such is required under ordinance to be demolished.
He told commissioners that there were originally talks between the owner and the neighboring development to demolish the building along with three other structures in the area. At one point, permits were approved by the city for the demolition, but the plan fell through.
The building owner, Ralph Ronzo, attended the meeting to argue his case, saying that the building needs extensive repairs but he disagrees with the city’s assessment that it needs to be completely demolished. Ronzo and his attorney Alan Applebaum provided two reports from engineering firms that Ronzo says evaluated the building and determined demolition was not necessary.
Several times, Ronzo attributed the ongoing situation of the building to city staff not returning his calls. He claimed that he did not want to get in trouble with the building department for hiring dumpsters and starting to gut the building, and since he didn’t receive any return calls there wasn’t anything he could do.
Several commissioners said they felt Ronzo was given ample notice to work this out. Ronzo received first notice from the city at the end of February last year, again in May of
Baldwin Public Library Director Rebekah Craft has been named Librarian of the Year by the Michigan Library Association.
Craft has been the director of the Baldwin Public Library since January 2021 and prior to that time had been the associate director since July 2015. She had previously been with the Rochester Hills Public Library.
Craft was nominated for the annual award for her work this past year securing agreement with Birmingham officials that the Baldwin Public Library was independent of the city, an issue that had been unresolved prior to now. Library board member Wenmdy Friedman, with support from staff at the library, made the nomination.
The nomination for Craft’s award noted that “Rebekah considered the legalities of Baldwin Public Library's formation and boldly advocated that public libraries remain free from political or financial coercion. Her leadership during this critical moment was marked by clarity, resolve, and deep ethical commitment. She demonstrated what it means to lead both competently and courageously. “
Craft was further recognized for her continued push for a policy of inclusion at the Baldwin Public Library.
Her nomination included the following:
“Rebekah also empowered a 30-member staff task force focused on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA). When the group proposed a new inclusion statement—meant to replace one written after George Floyd's murder—some board members hesitated, citing political sensitivities. But Rebekah firmly believed that inclusion is not optional or political—it is central to the library's mission.
Her quiet strength and principled leadership resulted in a revised and broader inclusion statement reaffirming our library's values. The board passed it unanimously. More importantly, the process united the staff, elevated their voices, and gave them agency to shape the library's culture. This kind of leadership doesn't just change policies—it transforms people.
In these major initiatives and her day-to-day leadership, Rebekah Craft shows what is possible when vision meets courage. She is a champion of good governance and equitable access and a model of modern library leadership.”
Dillon Geshel, Michigan Library Association Director, issued the following about the award for Craft:
"The Michigan Library Awards recognize librarians, volunteers and advocates that go above and beyond to elevate what libraries do with and for their communities each year. We are thrilled to award our 2025 Librarian of The Year honor to Rebekah Craft, Director of the Baldwin Public Library. Rebekah's accomplishments and skills represent exactly what libraries need in a dynamic library director: a commitment and focus to staff empowerment that helps elevate their voices, a steadfast dedication to library advocacy and good governance, and a passion for ensuring libraries are equitable spaces for all."
this year and a final notice in July 2025. They also pointed out that the two engineering reports given to the commission were not properly vetted, so couldn’t be taken into consideration, not to mention one of the reports was over a year old.
“The building official has declared this thing uninhabitable, a danger to public safety,” said mayor pro tem Clinton Baller. “I don’t think we have any choice here so I would prefer to move this along.”
Commissioners voted 7-0 to declare the property condemned and require demolition within 30 days. If the structure isn’t demolished within 30
approval of the final site plan and design review.
The site, a vacant lot on the corner of Woodward Avenue and Quarton Road, sits adjacent to the recently completed Gasow Veterinary Hospital, and will serve as the office of Investwise Financial. City planner Summer Aldred-Arens noted that the business had addressed nearly all the feedback the board provided during the building’s preliminary site plan review in September.
Aldred-Arens said the revisions since their last discussion included the addition of a main entrance facing Woodward, improving pedestrian access and landscaping around the site. The architects also showed a curb and gutter separating the building’s parking lot and the existing alley that will run behind it.
During preliminary review, city planners and planning board members noted that the building’s design did not meet the requirements for the street length the building must occupy as well as requirements for the building height. The plans failed to meet these requirements again during Wednesday’s meeting. According to Aldred-Arens, the building is planned to be 38 ft. but has a pinnacle that reaches 45 ft. both exceeding and falling short of the required 42 ft. for the zoning district. Likewise, the depicted street frontage falls short of the 75 percent frontage requirement by 13.8 percent. Investwise and their architects, Kreiger Klatt Architecture, explained they planned to obtain variances from the zoning board of appeals for both the building height and street frontage.
days, the city manager is authorized to have the building demolished and place a lean on the property for the cost of those services.
By Grace Lovins
The Birmingham Planning Board gave its unanimous support during the Wednesday, October 22, meeting to a proposal for a new three-story office building at 36977 Woodward Avenue, recommending approval of the special land use permit on top of
Generally, board members stated they were glad to see a new building planned for the corner and shared mixed opinions for the zoning board to reference when discussing variances. Chair Scott Clein and members Bryan Williams, Robin Boyle and Daniel Share stated they were in favor of a variance for the frontage. Williams, Share and Boyle also felt the height variance would be acceptable for this particular location, but Clein disagreed.
Ultimately, the board voted 7-0 to recommend approval of the special land use permit and approved the final site plan and design review for the building. Investwise will now have to see variances from the zoning board of appeals before heading to the city commission for final approval.
By Dana Casadei
After Bloomfield Township Trustee
Mark Antakli asked for the annual millage rates for Bloomfield Village’s police and volunteer fire services to be removed from the evening’s consent agenda – when routine and noncontroversial items are approved with a single vote – the board of trustees went on to approve the millage rates 7-0 at their meeting on Monday, October 27.
“Since this is a tax issue I prefer the actual item be read off and approved,” Antakli said.
The approved millage rates for the fiscal year of April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, will be 1.194 mills for police, totaling a revenue of $606,000; and .315 mills for fire, expected to produce a revenue of $160,000.
Estimated taxable value for police and fire will total $507,602,490 for the fiscal year.
For the last fiscal year – April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025 – the mileage rate for police was slightly lower at 1.087, with a revenue of $527,000; and .322 mills for fire produced a revenue of $156,000. In the prior fiscal year of April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024 the millage rates for Bloomfield Village came in at 1.195 mills for police and .360 mills for volunteer fire services.
Bloomfield Village police are members of the Bloomfield Township Police Department, but focused on the Bloomfield Village neighborhood. The Bloomfield Village Volunteer Fire Department serves in a similar vain, acting as an auxiliary force to the Bloomfield Township Fire Department on calls for service within the neighborhood.
In accordance with PA 33 of 1951, each year Bloomfield Village sends a request to the Bloomfield Township Treasurer to levy a special assessment for police and fire services. This annual practice has been going on for quite some time, and goes on Bloomfield Township winter taxes.
Each department’s budget is set by Bloomfield Village, in consultation with Bloomfield Township’s Finance Director. Based on the required revenue and the taxable value of the property within the district, this special assessment is an ad valorem calculation, and the rates are approved by the board of Bloomfield Village before gaining approval from trustees.
The unique aspect is that Bloomfield Village is given the choice to self-assess to provide for extra police protection and volunteer fire services.
The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center (BBAC) is opening its annual Holiday Shop starting December 4 and running through December 19 at the art center located at 1516 Cranbrook Road in Bimrngham.
The Holiday Shop has proven to be a local favorite pop-up shopping experience, where more than 3,000-square-feet of BBAC gallery space is transformed into a unique boutique, offering one-of-a-kind, handmade gift items from hundreds of juried artists.
Holiday Shop items include: ceramics, jewelry, home goods and décor, fiber wearables, glassware, stationary and greeting cards, candles, soaps, tiles, paintings, ornaments, Judaica, men’s gifts, baby and children’s toys and clothing, the ever-popular, “Mug Wall” and more. There is something for everyone, with items ranging from $5 to several hundred.
For those looking to shop (and sip) and save early, the BBAC Holiday Shop kick-offs each year with the Shop & Champagne preview party, now in its 22nd year. The ticketed fundraising event includes sparkling beverages, a gourmet strolling supper and early-access Holiday Shop shopping, plus complimentary valet parking and a 10-percent discount on all purchases made that evening.
The Holiday Shop, which is free to the public, is open MondaySaturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.
The Shop & Champagne event is December 3 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are on sale now -- $90 in advance and $125 at the door if available. To purchase, visit BBArtcenter.org or call 248.644.0866.
All proceeds from the Holiday Shop and the Shop & Champagne event benefit working artists and the BBAC education programs.
Their board then sends a letter to Bloomfield Township stating the millage rate that they’re asking to collect.
An association of approximately 1,000 homes, Bloomfield Village is completely contained within Bloomfield Township, and covers an area of approximately one square mile from Quarton Road on the north to Maple Road on the south, and from Lahser Road on the west to the city of Birmingham on the east.
Judson Bradway established Bloomfield Village in 1924 as a nonpolitical entity within Bloomfield Township, and follows all of the ordinances of Bloomfield Township and pays taxes to the township, in addition to maintaining its own police force and volunteer fire department.
By Grace Lovins
Birmingham staff are bringing an international approach to service to the city with the approval and adoption of new customer service standards by the city commission during the Monday, November 10, meeting.
Assistant city manager Melissa Fairbairn said the practice is seen in Canada, but would put Birmingham on the leading edge amongst
Several commissioners added that they’d like to see the city continue to make progress in developing service standards.
“I think this is an excellent first step as a general customer service standard for the city as a whole, but I think it would be good to try and move forward on more department-specific standards,” commissioner Therese Longe said.
Terra Kitchen & Cocktails, 260 North Old Woodward, has won this year’s competition for the Best Burger in Birmingham, sponsored by the Business Shopping District (BSD).
Nineteen downtown restaurants competed for the title of Birmingham’s Best Burger, inviting guests to sample unique creations and rate each burger on taste, presentation and creativity.
neighboring communities.
According to Fairbairn, the intention with implementing the standards is to get all city staff on the same page as to what is expected of them as they interact with the public, ensuring people feel respected and listened to.
The drafted standards outline standards traditionally expected from service providers: greet callers and visitors in a warm polite tone; actively listen to community members’ concerns and work to find solutions; answer community members’ questions accurately and efficiently or connect them with the staff person who can.
During the commission’s discussion of the draft, mayor Clinton Baller suggested the standards should address laying out expectations. He argued the standards are about clarifying and establishing reasonable expectations and living up to them, particularly when it comes to turnaround time for things like permits.
Before voting unanimously, 7-0, to approve the standards, the commission agreed to add a list item that clarifies city staff should provide an estimated turnaround time to the community member for their request to be addressed.
Commissioners collectively stated they felt the standards were a great first step for city staff to implement.
“We wanted to participate in the BirminghamBURGER competition because it’s a great way to highlight all the restaurants, their burgers and contribute to the local community,” said Terra Executive Chef Fernando Mercado.
Terra Kitchen & Cocktails, known for its elevated dining experience and fresh, locally inspired menu, impressed diners with its standout burger creation. “We kept testing to enhance the flavor, adding all the ingredients until we felt it was the perfect burger,” said Mercado.
Terra’s burger consisted of a houseground dry age blend burger, aged white cheddar, crispy prosciutto, porcini compound butter, demi-glazed caramelized onions, sun-dried tomato jam, pickled fennel, roasted garlic aioli, dressed arugula, and sesame semolina bun, served with Tuscan-spiced fries.
According to BSD Executive Director Erika Bassett, competition was close for this year’s burger title. The top restaurants, based on votes from diners, also included in second place, Adachi; third place, Elie’s Mediterranean Grill; fourth place, Bell Bistro; and fifth place, Hazel’s.
By Grace Lovins
As the city continues to prepare for a hefty zoning ordinance update, Birmingham Planning Board members interviewed four firms during the Wednesday, November 12, meeting, regarding their responses to the request for proposals (RFPs).
Board members anticipate making a decision on which firm to recommend to the city commission during the December board meeting.
As part of the actions included in the city’s 2040 master plan, the planning board, city planning department and city commission have been working toward the beginning of a major update to the city’s zoning ordinance. The commission allocated $200,000 in the budget to put toward hiring a firm to assist in the update and laid out a timeline to have the updates done by 2027.
Four of the six firms that submitted proposals were invited to the meeting for oral interviews: McKenna, Houseal Lavigne, Kendig Keast Collaborative with Encode Plus, and Giffels Webster with Public Sector Consultants.
McKenna, a Northville-based firm, has been involved in several past projects with the city and was the city staff’s top-rated proposal during their proposal evaluations. Houseal Lavigne, based out of Chicago, presented an emphasis on graphics and visual aids when talking with the board.
Kendig Keast Collaborative, based out of Texas, talked about building consensus among city staff, board members, residents, developers and all members of the Birmingham community to create an ordinance that works best for the city. Birmingham-based Giffels Webster touched on its collaboration with Public Sector Consultants to facilitate and implement an updated ordinance that meets the city’s needs.
After the four firms concluded their presentations, the board reached a consensus that it would be beneficial to wait until the Wednesday, December 10, meeting to formulate a recommendation for the city commission. Multiple board members also recommended Dupuis collect feedback on the interviews from the city staff that reviewed the written proposals.
No formal action or decision was made by the board, but discussions will reconvene at their next meeting in December.
By Dana Casadei
The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees on Monday, October 27, approved the 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application.
By Dana Casadei
The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) presented Bloomfield Township with a $1.4 million check for the 2027 Telegraph Road Safety Path Project at their meeting on Monday, Nov. 10.
The Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) grant that was presented will help fund a safety path along Telegraph Road, from Mall Drive to to Golf Drive, with the ultimate goal to connect and eliminate gaps in the path along northbound Telegraph Road. This route was identified in the Safety Path Master Plan.
“Getting this funding will really help push this project forward,” said Karyn Stickel, Vice President from Hubbell, Roth & Clark (HRC), the consulting engineering firm the township uses.
The 1.4 mile long, 6-feet wide safety path will connect with the safety path completed in 2024 from a different TAP grant. That constructed safety path ran from Mall Drive to Clinton River Trail. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ramps will be installed at applicable intersections and driveways as well.
Even though a township mileage helps pay for the safety path, HRC and the township are always looking for more funding to help things move along a little quicker, especially on projects of this capacity. For this particular project it would have taken considerably longer if only paid for through the mileage.
The minimum amount awarded via a TAP grant is $200,000 and there is no maximum amount.
In total, the project will cost just over $2.3 million, with the TAP grant paying for $1.4 million and Bloomfield Township will pay roughly $897,000. The grant will help pay for 50-60 percent of the project.
The topographic survey was completed earlier this month, and officials are still looking at what easements might be needed.
Bloomfield Township last received a TAP grant in 2020, with the construction completed in 2024 along Telegraph Road. This also included ADA crosswalks in three locations, two of which are crossing Telegraph Road that were never there before.
“Because of the success of that project, we felt imperative to apply for another TAP grant that covers the extension of the northbound Telegraph Road,” said Corey Almas, Director of Engineering and Environmental Services.
“I’m sure a lot of you have been up to see it; it looks great,” Stickel said. “It really has helped connect those areas.”
Bloomfield Township applied for this TAP grant last February, and were rewarded it in May.
A TAP grant is a competitive grant and federally funded, with the township contributing a minimum of 20 percent match. This grant only funds construction so the township is responsible for the design engineer, construction engineering, and any right-of-way acquisition.
Construction plans for the 2027 safety path project were completed in November, with bidding to occur in late 2026, and construction to start in the summer 2027.
“This is a wonderful program, congrats; you can tell your heart and soul is in this,” said supervisor Mike McCready about Christine Tvaroha, director of senior services, who presented at the meeting.
Tvaroha commented that she works with a great team that helps make everything happen, and given the statistics presented about their work, they are one busy team.
This past year, senior services was able to serve over 7,000 meals to 95 clients; a 30 percent increase from the year prior. Eighty-one of those clients were new, a 21 percent
offers frozen, hot and liquid meals to those who are township residents, at least 62, and have limited ability to leave their homes or have difficulty driving, grocery shopping and/or preparing meals. Caregivers are also cared for with this program.
“A program like this is needed now more than ever,” said trustee Neal Barnett.
While a much needed program, the CDBG estimated allocation for 2025 will only be $7,500, but Tvaroha is requesting $14,000 in case other communities don’t apply to receive funds for public service activities.
“I’m hopeful that will work out in our favor,” she said.
Fourteen thousand dollars is what senior services reserved in 2023, although 2024 was below that at $7,500.
Receiving public services funds is formal based and how it’s traditionally been done.
However, this year and beyond, the improvement funds will be distributed through a competitive bid process for public facilities and home improvement, leaving an impact on the township’s minor home repairs program.
Currently, they still have $53,000 from last year’s minor home repairs program allocation and chose not to re-apply in the competitive bid process this year. Tvaroha said that due to how much they currently have they likely would not have been able to get additional funds. They plan to apply in the bid process for their minor home repairs program every other year while this new policy is in place.
increase from 2024; with 54 percent being over 85-years-old, and 20 percent residing alone.
The on-the-go meals purchased continued to rise like it did the year prior. With 647 meals sold in 2025, the program saw a 45 percent increase from 2024, which was nearly tripled from 2023. Tvaroha said they try to fit into their client’s schedule the best way possible, giving multiple options for different types of meals to be delivered or picked up during a variety of times throughout the week.
The Meals on Wheels program
With the minor home repairs program, projects that can be completed for those who qualify include repairs to porches, driveways, or electrical; replacing toilets, gutters, and sidewalks; removing large items or debris from around someone’s home and dangerous tree or limb removal; and correcting single code violations. Residents need to be at least 60 to qualify, and the limit per project is $5,000.
The average homeowner who used the minor home repairs program in 2024 was 81, has lived in their home for 18 years, and makes an annual income of $41,600. As of 2024, they had completed roughly 150 projects.
Since its inception, senior services has invested over $800,000 in Bloomfield Township.
Women launched 49 percent of all new businesses this past year, and entrepreneur Susan Berryman is proud to be one of them. Benny’s Eyewear, a Michigan-based startup founded by Berryman, is known for its stylish, affordable reading glasses handcrafted in Italy.
With a background as V.P. of Marketing for the designer eyeglass stores SEE Inc., started by Richard Golden, former owner of D.O.C. Optical, Berryman learned “to always look for a better way of doing things.”
“He always encouraged my creativity and innovation and when I needed reading glasses myself, the choices were extremely limited,” said Berryman, a Bloomfield Hills resident. “You could either get a cheap pair at the drugstore or a very expensive designer pair, but nothing in the middle. I saw a need and wanted to fill it in the best and most fashionable way, as glasses have become an important part of our fashion statement.”
Her inspiration led her on a journey to Italy – the gold standard for handcrafted quality, fashion-forward eyewear.
”I personally visited and researched the artisans there who are crafting the finest eyewear in the world,’ said Berryman. After doing her due diligence she decided to take a major risk by starting her own company. Making a career pivot during the pandemic, the mother of three with a “‘no risk, no reward” philosophy secured a small business loan and private investors, to start Benny’s Eyewear, launching in October of 2024.
The optical industry veteran immediately held pop-up shops and secured product placement in local stores such as Zeiben Mare in Franklin and Found Objects in Birmingham, and the 17 selections of high end glasses are now also sold online, which make up the majority of her sales.
“Like any new business, the road hasn’t always been easy, but with the support of my family who are all involved, we have continued to expand and grow,” said the 55-year- old, who runs the business from her home. Never compromising, the brand emphasizes quality despite the complexities of maintaining an international supply chain and navigating the challenges of international trade and the tariffs now in place.
A lover of inspirational quotes, one of Berryman’s favorites is from Benjamin Franklin – the namesake of her company – "Make yourself sheep and the wolves will eat you." It shows the perseverance she says is needed to survive in a new business. “Sure there are business obstacles going on right now but there always will be, so it’s my job to think outside the box to meet the challenges.”
On the horizon is continuing product development and a new collaboration campaign with actress Selma Blair, who loves the product and is spreading the word. Jackie Tohn from the popular Netflix series ”Nobody Wants This,” who has recently been wearing the Largo style in gold. ”We also hired a public relations firm and are targeting shows like Good Morning America, the Today show, as well as the New York Times and Vogue magazine.”
Berryman has what she refers to as an NDO (No Days Off) schedule, but her daily walks through Cranbrook with her dogs and quality family time are grounding, and a chance to recharge her energy. She has hiked the Appalachian Trail and has plans to travel to Scotland to fulfill her self-proclaimed wanderlust in the near future.
The entrepreneur says her new business has been a wonderful ride in seeing her dream come to fruition, and to be connecting positively with so many people in the process.
Story: Susan Peck
On the one-year anniversary of purchasing Tiffany Florist in Birmingham, owners Michael Fraley and Brent Grant have announced plans to expand to a new location. The new shop will be located just two short blocks south of the original store — moving from 784 S. Old Woodward Avenue to 980 S. Old Woodward Avenue, the former home of Bridal Couture. They plan to move into the new space in January 2026. The new store will be roughly twice the size of the current shop and will feature upgraded coolers, a dedicated plant room, a gift shop, a lounge, and an open-concept design area where customers can watch the florists at work. Fraley said they are excited about having more functional space, noting that was the primary reason for the move. However, the condition of their current building also played a role. “The building itself is in poor shape. We lease the building, and it was not an easy decision (to leave) because we love this building,” said Fraley. “The building is really cool and charming but it was originally a gas station from the 1920s and there is no insulation in the building.” To help design the new space, Fraley and Grant have partnered with Woodward Throwbacks, a Detroitbased sustainable furniture and interior design studio that specializes in creating with reclaimed materials. “This shop has always had an antique old-world charm to it—and we want to keep that. We thought Woodward Throwbacks would be the perfect people to come in and help us design (a new shop),” said Fraley.
Highline Trading, owned by Calvin Kashat and Brandon Murad, has opened its new location at 135 N. Old Woodward Avenue in Birmingham. The luxury retailer, which has served clients for nearly five years by appointment only in West Bloomfield, specializes in both new and pre-owned high-end watches, fine jewelry, and new designer handbags. Highline Trading offers an impressive selection of luxury watch brands, including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Tudor, Omega, Cartier and more. In addition to sales, the boutique provides buying, selling, and trading services, as well as personal sourcing for clients seeking exclusive pieces not found in-store. The store also features new luxury handbags from brands such as
Goyard, Hermès, Chanel, and Dior. Finding a new location for the business was an easy decision for the owners. “Birmingham is the place to be,” said Murad. “We decided Birmingham is centrally located; it’s a nice upscale area and the foot traffic that the downtown area brings generates new clientele that we haven’t sold to.”
REDVANLY, a leader in premium performance golf and lifestyle apparel, has opened its newest retail location at 203 E. Maple Road in downtown Birmingham. This marks the company’s third standalone store, joining existing locations in San Francisco and West Palm Beach. In addition to its retail stores, the REDVANLY brand is available in more than 3,200 country clubs nationwide. The Birmingham store officially opened to the public on Saturday, November 15, signaling another new chapter in the company’s expansion. The new location offers Detroit-area shoppers an immersive brand experience that blends athletic performance with luxury design. “Birmingham represents the exact kind of energy REDVANLY was built around,” said Andrew Redvanly, Founder and CEO. “It’s active, stylish, and authentic – a place where people care about quality and how they present themselves. We’re excited to meet the community and introduce the brand to those who haven’t experienced it yet.”
A new destination for style and design has arrived in Birmingham. Elsa Arms, a consignment and couture boutique, has opened at 34164 Woodward Avenue, just south of Papa Joe’s. The shop is owned and operated by HeeJun Arms, who named the store in honor of her children, Ella and Salter. Originally from Korea, Arms grew up in Michigan before moving to Providence, Rhode Island, where she raised her family and ran a couture women’s clothing store for several years. Her love for Michigan eventually brought her back home to open Elsa Arms. Currently focused on high-end resale, Elsa Arms offers a thoughtfully curated collection of exclusive home furnishings and décor, blending modern, vintage, and antique styles. The shop’s estate-sale finds include original artwork, vintage rugs, furniture, lighting,
estate jewelry, glassware, art books, and other one-of-a-kind collectibles. Customers are also welcome to consign their own distinctive pieces. In the near future, Arms plans to expand Elsa Arms by dedicating half of the boutique to couture women’s clothing, bringing her fashion background full circle.
At Playful Pathways, healing begins through play. Founded by licensed mental health therapist Emilee Greenman, the private therapeutic practice at 800 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Suite 210, Birmingham, is dedicated to helping children, teens, and families navigate emotional challenges using the power of play therapy — a specialized form of counseling that allows young people to express themselves through creativity and imagination. “It’s really hard for kids to sit down in a chair, look an adult in the eye, and talk about their feelings,” says Greenman. “Children live a lot on the right side of the brain—that’s where the imaginative and artistic side thrives. So, we do a lot of imaginative play.” Through the use of toys, games, art, music, and storytelling, Playful Pathways helps children and teens process experiences, build coping skills, and foster emotional resilience in a safe, supportive environment. The practice addresses a wide range of challenges, including anxiety, depression, anger, low selfesteem, grief and loss, ADHD, and family transitions such as divorce or separation. Greenman brings both academic excellence and hands-on experience to her work. After earning her undergraduate degree from Oakland University and her Master’s degree from Michigan State University, she spent six years working in diverse settings with children, adolescents, and families— an experience she credits as foundational to her development as a therapist. A dedicated member of the Michigan Association for Play Therapy, Greenman continues to advance her expertise through doctoral-level supervision in play therapy, underscoring her commitment to professional growth and clinical excellence.
Business Matters for the BirminghamBloomfield area are reported by Gigi Nichols. Send items for consideration to GigiNichols@downtownpublications.com. Items should be received three weeks prior to publication.
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Share the Spirit of the Season – It’s Good for You.
December is a month filled with holidays that prompt us into a different mindset. A mindset where we try to find time to be more giving and generous, offering deliberate acts of kindness
We may pick-up a shift at a soup kitchen, ring the Salvation Army bell in front of your local store or write a check to your favorite non-profit (which is always welcome). But what if those acts of kindness did more for your health than just make you feel good about helping someone out?
As we age, it’s natural to grow more concerned about our health, especially our brain health. Could that warm feeling we get when we give of ourselves be more than just a feeling? Yes, and what a bonus. The science is clear, generosity isn't just a kind thing to do, it's one of the most powerful things you can do for your mind.
Cognitive function can be improved in many ways we are all aware of such as better sleep, nutrition and exercise. But there are other ways to preserve our brain health, something more intuitive and deeply human….generosity.
Generosity has been proven to strengthen our minds, improve our memory, and get more meaningful goals accomplished. I see it around Next every day. Acts of generosity that work like an accelerant to create a caring environment. Next has hundreds of volunteers that generously give of their time. Some are motivated by our mission but I am not naïve enough to think that is the most important reason. Volunteering makes people feel more purposeful and connected to others, bringing a sense of satisfaction making us feel happier.
A 2020 study from Oxford University Press, one of the many recent studies exploring the correlation between generosity and brain health, cites that a generous attitude toward life can have big cognitive benefits.
The study shows, when you help someone, your brain reacts. That warm feeling you get, it's chemistry. The act of giving releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin that boost your mood and energy. These same brain pathways are linked to happiness, motivation and even living longer.
And giving doesn't just feel good — it is proven to sharpen your mind, reduce stress, and add clarity. Maybe because helping others gently shifts our focus away from our own internal struggles and instead turns our attention to someone else’s needs, and that is beneficial to all parts of our lives leading to better mental health.
This holiday season and all year long, feel good about the many ways you can show your generosity. Whether it's a small gesture like bringing in your elderly neighbor's trash cans, something more significant like mentoring youth through a Big Brothers program, or remembering a nonprofit like Next in your year-end giving, these acts of kindness positively impact your mental health.
The science behind generosity is finally catching up with what we've always known: when we care for others, we're also caring for ourselves.
Happy, Healthy, Holidays from Next!
Cris Braun is Executive Director of Birmingham Next
For over a century, The Community House Association has been a charitable organization built around the idea that the community would come together to learn, celebrate, and give back to those less fortunate. Our organization has grown and adapted over the years to meet the changing needs of Birmingham and the surrounding communities while remaining steadfast in our charitable purpose. In fact, when our founders outgrew their original space, the organization relocated and changed its name to reflect a broader audience.
Our founder’s vision was rooted in philanthropy and service — encouraging the community to support those in need. For many years, our hospitality and Early Childhood Center operations provided the revenue necessary to support that mission. However, like many non-profits in the current environment, we continue to face growing financial pressures. Beloved events like Our Town and 90 & Beyond have long been opportunities for the community to invest in our future. While these events, as well as enrichment classes, enjoyed success for decades, attendance has not rebounded to prepandemic levels.
Even as we navigated financial challenges, we continued to give back. In 2025, we partnered with Horizons-Upward Bound and supported FAR Therapeutic Arts, UC Family Services, and Women of Tomorrow. We want to do more and support their work, and the work of other non-profits, through increased funding, mentorship and guidance.
We realize that many in the area have a strong emotional tie to the iconic building, especially because the service in The Community House remains firstclass. However, the glow of those memories does not alter the reality that there is simply not enough revenue to give back to the community in the impactful way that aligns with our mission. However, refocusing the Association as a community foundation will align us with our original purposes, ensure long-term stability, and allow us to leverage our assets to do more for the community we serve.
Moving forward, the Community House Association will continue to serve the community from a smaller location while centered on philanthropic, civic and social activities for the residents of Birmingham and the surrounding communities. In this format, we can strengthen and uplift Birmingham and surrounding communities through grant-making and mentorship to area nonprofits as well as continue our legacy of providing scholarships for local students pursuing education beyond high school. This is not the end of The Community House Association; it is the next chapter in fulfilling our purpose with a new name that reflects a broader impact.
Throughout this process, we have been heartened by the nonprofit leaders who have connected with us. They have expressed genuine excitement about what a new community foundation will mean for their ability to help their constituents in meaningful ways. They know best what is needed to strengthen their work, and we have great respect for their expertise, leadership, and the vital services they provide. We look forward to collaborating with even more non-profits as a community foundation.
We also deeply respect the community’s concern for the employees and families connected to The Community House. Like so many of you, we have shared treasured moments within its walls. That is why we announced this transition with as much notice as possible and provided compensation to ensure our dedicated employees can remain with us into 2026, continuing to serve families and clients who rely on them.
We want the Birmingham community to know that while our address may change, our heart and purpose remain steadfast: to give back to those in need and strengthen our community for generations to come.
Ashlie Smith, a science teacher at Cranbrook Kingswood Middle School for girls, recently won the AFA’s (Air and Space Forces Association) ThompsonMallett National Teacher of the Year award. Her love of science first began in her teenage years.
“I just remember my high school experience,” she said. “The teachers in the science department were very hands-on and that’s what drew me in. The teachers had a very enthusiastic way of teaching the subject. That's what made me want to pursue science.”
Smith realized she wanted to be a teacher after she graduated from Michigan State University.
“My focus at Michigan State University was marine biology. But, I got a job at Sea Camp in the Florida Keys at the Newfound Harbor Marine Institute. That sparked my interest and led me to teaching.”
Smith began teaching at Cranbrook Kingswood Girls Middle School in the fall of 2003.
“I’ve been in the same position for 23 years,” she said. “The thing about teaching, in an environment like this, is that you have a lot of autonomy.”
Smith is able to incorporate AFA into her curriculum.
“AFA provided a different opportunity for me,” she said. “They do a lot of outreach and have a lot of free resources for teachers. It gets you excited about aviation. I’ve been able to go on flights and refueling training sessions. The idea is that they give you an opportunity and you can bring it back into the classroom. I’ve brought in a female pilot to talk to the girls about her experience and education.”
Introducing young women to aerospace and aviation is especially important to Smith.
“Exposing girls to females in these careers is critical, “ she said. “They can see themselves in their shoes. Most of my speakers are women from different fields and different ethnicities. They see that you’re so excited about something and they get excited about it.”
In 2024, Smith traveled to Lagos, Nigeria, as a Limitless Space Institute Teacher Ambassador. She helped to facilitate a space education workshop which sparked an international collaboration between her U.S. classroom and a Nigerian girls’ school.
“We went to one of the biggest cities in Nigeria,” she said. “The resources and money they had available was nothing compared to even intercity Detroit. They use a lot of recycled materials. We had to come up with the materials they have access to. The idea was to get the kids in Nigeria connected to my kids in Bloomfield Hills. They could collaborate, communicate and build something awesome.”
After all her years of teaching, winning the AFA’s (Air and Space Forces Association) Thompson-Mallett National Teacher of the Year award was particularly meaningful to Smith.
“I was driving when they called and I had to pull over,” she said. “I was shocked. I was beyond excited and I was just proud to represent Michigan and the AFA.”
In the future, Smith hopes to continue teaching at Cranbrook Kingswood Middle School for girls and keep on inspiring her students to be interested in science, aerospace and aviation.
“I just want to keep doing what I'm doing,” she said. “I have passion and excitement.”
Smith’s two sons attend Cranbrook Schools and she feels blessed to work in the serene environment.
“I love walking the grounds at Cranbrook. It’s a way to relax and get your thoughts together. It’s just a very peaceful place in a very hectic world.”
Story: Katey Meisner
Laurie Tennent
The Places To Eat for Downtown is a quick reference source to establishments offering a place for dining, either breakfast, lunch or dinner. The listings include nearly all dining establishments with seating in the Birmingham/Bloomfield area, and then some select restaurants outside the immediate area served by Downtown.
220: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 220 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.2220. 220restaurant.com
5th Tavern: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2262 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9607. 5thtavern.com
Adachi: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner daily. Liquor. Reservations. 325 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.540.5900. adachirestaurant.com
Andiamo: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.865.9300. andiamoitalia.com
Beau’s: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 4108 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.2630. beausbloomfield.com
Bella Piatti: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 167 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.494.7110. bellapiattirestaurant.com
Bell Bistro: American. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Liquor. Reservations. 185 N. Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.829.7900. bellbirmingham.com
Beverly Hills Grill: American. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 31471 Southfield Road, Beverly Hills, 48025. 248.642.2355. beverlyhillsgrill.com
Beyond Juicery + Eatery: Contemporary. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 270 W. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009; 221 Cole Street, Birmingham, 48009; 3645 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301; 4065 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301; 1987 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. beyondjuiceryeatery.com
Big Rock Italian Chop House: Steakhouse. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 245 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.275.0888. bigrockitalianchophouse.com
Bill’s: American. Breakfast, weekends, Lunch, Wednesday-Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 39556 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.646.9000. billsbloomfieldhills.com
Birmingham Pub: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 555 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.885.8108. thebirminghampub.com
Birmingham Sushi Cafe: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 377 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.8880. birminghamsushi.com
Bistro Joe’s Kitchen: Global. Brunch, weekends, Lunch, Tuesday-Friday, Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 34244 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.0984.bistrojoeskitchen.com
Bloomfield Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 71 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.645.6879. bloomfielddeli.com
Brooklyn Pizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor. No reservations. 111 Henrietta Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6690. thebrooklynpizza.com
Café Dax: American. Breakfast, daily, Lunch, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 298 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.283.4200. daxtonhotel.com
Café ML: New American. Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 3607 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township. 248.642.4000. cafeml.com
Café Origins: Global. Breakfast and Lunch, daily, Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 163 W Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.742.4040. originsbirmingham.com
Casa Pernoi: Italian. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 310 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.940.0000. casapernoi.com
Churchill’s Bistro & Cigar Bar: Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 116 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.4555. churchillscigarbar.com
Cityscape Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 877 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.540.7220. cityscapedeli.com
Commonwealth: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 300 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.9766. gocommonwealth.com
Dick O’Dow’s: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 160 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.1135. dickodowspub.com
Eddie Merlot’s: Steak & seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 37000 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.712.4095. eddiemerlots.com
Einstein Bros. Bagels: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 4089 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.258.9939. einsteinbros.com
Elie’s Mediterranean Grill/Bar: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.2420. eliesgrill.com
EM: Mexican. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 470 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 947.234.0819. embirmingham.com
Embers Deli & Restaurant: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Tuesday-Sunday. Dinner, TuesdayFriday. No reservations. 3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.645.1033. embersdeli1.com
Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 323 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134. flemingssteakhouse.com
Forest: Continental cuisine. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 735 Forest Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9400. forestbirmingham.com
Greek Islands Coney Restaurant: Greek. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.1222. greekislandsconey.com
Griffin Claw Brewing Company: American. Lunch, Thursday-Sunday, Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No Reservations. Liquor. 575 S. Eton Street, Birmingham. 248.712.4050. griffinclawbrewingcompany.com
Hazel’s: Seafood. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1 Peabody Street, Birmingham. 248.671.1714. eatathazels.com
Honey Tree Grille: Greek/American. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 3633 W. Maple Rd, Bloomfield, MI 48301. 248.203.9111. honeytreegrille.com
Hudson’s Place: Pizza/Coffee/Takeout. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. 1087 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield, 48302. 248.540.2266. hudsonsplacepizzeria.com
Hunter House Hamburgers: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 33900 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.7121. hunterhousehamburgers.com Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 201 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4369. hydeparkrestaurants.com
IHOP: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301. 248.333.7522. Ihop.com
Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Brunch, Sunday, Dinner daily. Reservations. Liquor. 39475 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.792.9609. joemuer.com
Kaku Sushi and Poke’: Asian. Lunch, MondayFriday & Dinner daily. No reservations. 869 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.480.4785, and 126 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.885.8631. kakusushipoke.com
Kerby’s Koney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2160 N. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.1166. kerbyskoneyisland.com
La Marsa: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner daily. Reservations. 43259 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.5800. lamarsacuisine.com
La Pecora Nera: Italian deli. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. 135 Pierce St. Birmingham, 48009. 248.940.5613. lapecoraneradetroit.com
La Strada Italian Kitchen & Bar: Italian. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 243 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.480.0492. lastradaitaliankitchen.com
Leo’s Coney Island: American. Breakfast,
Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 154 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.9707. Also 6527 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.646.8568. leosconeyisland.com
Lincoln Yard and Little Yard: American. Little Yard take-out hours: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Lincoln Yard hours: Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2159 E. Lincoln Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.653.5353. eatlincolnyard.com
Little Daddy’s: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 39500 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.647.3400. littledaddys.com
Luxe Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 525 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.6051. luxebarandgrill.com
Madam: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch, Friday-Sunday, Dinner daily. Reservations. Liquor. 298 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.283.4200. daxtonhotel.com
Market North End: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 474 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.712.4953. marketnorthend.com
Marrow: American. Butcher shop and eatery. Breakfast and Lunch, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. 283 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 734.410.0405
marrowdetroit.com/restaurant
MEX Mexican Bistro & Tequila Bar: Mexican. Brunch, weekends. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6675 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.723.0800. mexbloomfield.com
Middle Eats: Mediterranean. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42967 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield, 48093. 248.274.328. middleeats.com
Nippon Sushi Bar: Japanese. Lunch, MondayFriday, Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2079 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9581. nipponsushibar.com
Olga’s Kitchen: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2075 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.451.0500. olgas.com
Original Pancake House: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 33703 South Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5775. oph-mi.com
Phoenicia: Lebanese. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 588 S. Old Woodward Birmingham, 48009. phoeniciabirmingham.com
Roadside B & G: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1727 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48302. 248.858.7270. roadsidebandg.com
Salvatore Scallopini: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 505 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8977. salsbirmingham.com
Shift Kitchen & Cocktails: Small Plates. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.452.1355. shiftbirmingham.com
Sidecar: American. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.2380. sidecarsliderbar.com
Slice Pizza Kitchen: Pizza. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.3475. slicepizzakitchen.com
Social Kitchen & Bar: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Brunch, Saturday & Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 225 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4200. socialkitchenandbar.com
Steve’s Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Breakfast and Lunch, Sunday. No reservations. 6646 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48301. 248.932.0800. stevesdeli.com
Streetside Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Thursday & Friday, Dinner, daily. Liquor. 273 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.9123. streetsideseafood.com
St Roger Abbey: Patisserie. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. No reservations. 215 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.
Sushi Hana: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 42656 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.3887. sushihanabloomfield.com
Sy Thai Cafe: Thai. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830.
sythaibirmingham.com
Sylvan Table: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1819 Inverness Street, Sylvan Lake, 48320. 248.369.3360. sylvantable.com
Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: American. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 55 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7066. tallulahwine.com
Terra Kitchen & Cocktails: New American. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 260 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.556.5640.dineterra.com
Teuta: Diner. Breakfast and Lunch, daily. No reservations.168 W Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.590.2113.
teutabirmingham.com
Thai Street Kitchen: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 42805 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48304. 248.499.6867. thaistreetkitchen.com
The Franklin: Oyster Bar. Brunch, weekends, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 32760 Franklin Road, Franklin, 48025. 248.771.4747. thefranklinmi.com
The Gallery Restaurant: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & wine. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.851.0313. galleryrestaurant2.com
The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2395 S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7688. moosepreserve.com
The Rugby Grille: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999. rugbygrille.com
Toast: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Reservations. Liquor. 203 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6278. eatattoast.com
Tomatoes Apizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner daily. Carryout. 34200 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.258.0500. tomatoesapizza.com
Touch of India: Lunch, Tuesday-Thursday, Saturday & Sunday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. 297 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.7881. thetouchofindia.com
Townhouse: American. Brunch, weekends. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 180 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.5241. eatattownhouse.com
Whistle Stop Diner: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Liquor. No reservations. 501 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.566.3566. whistlestopdiners.com
Wilder’s: American. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 458 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.771.0900. wildersbirmingham.com
ZANA: Modern American. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 210 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.800.6568. zanabham.com
Zao Jun: Asian. Lunch, Tuesday-Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6608 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.949.9999. zaojunnewasian.com
Ale Mary’s: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 316 South Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.268.1917. alemarysbeer.com
Anita’s Kitchen: Middle Eastern. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 22651 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.548.0680. anitaskitchen.com
Bella Limone: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. Liquor. 100 S. Main Street, Floor 2, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.955.5725. bellalimone.com
Beppé: New American. Lunch, Saturday and Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 703 N. Main St, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.607.7030. eatbeppe.com
Bigalora: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 711 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.2442 bigalora.com
Blind Owl: International/American comfort. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 511 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.216.1112. blindowlrestaurant.com
Blue Goat: Mediterranean. Lunch, FridaySunday, Dinner, Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. 321 S. Main St, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.965.9955. bluegoatroyaloak.com
Cafe Muse: French. Breakfast & Lunch,
Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. 418 S. Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.4749. cafemuseroyaloak.com
Coeur: New American Small Plates. Brunch, Sunday, Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 330 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, 48220. 248.466.3010. coeurferndale.com
Como’s: Pizza. Brunch, weekends. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 22812 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.677.4439. comosrestaurant.com
Crispelli’s Bakery and Pizzeria: Italian. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 28939 Woodward Avenue, Berkley, 48072. 248.591.3300. crispellis.com
The Fly Trap: Diner. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Thursday-Sunday. No reservations. 22950 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale 48220. 248.399.5150. theflytrapferndale.com
Grand River Brewery: American. Brunch, Saturday & Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 1 E. 14 Mile Road, Clawson, 48017. 248.607-3631. grandriverbrewer
Gus’ Snug: Irish. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 38 S. Main Street, Clawson, 48017. 248.607.3631. gussnug.com
HopCat: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 430 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.744.2544. HopCat.com
Howe’s Bayou: Cajun. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 22949 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.691.7145. howesbayouferndale.net
Imperial: Mexican. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 22848 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.691.7145. imperialferndale.com
Inyo Restaurant Lounge: Asian Fusion. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 22871 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.543.9500. inyorestaurant.com
JINYA Ramen Bar: Contemporary Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 129 S. Main St, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.955.4692. jinyaramenbar.com
Kacha Thai Market: Thai. Lunch and Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. 205 S Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.942-4246.
KouZina: Greek. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 121 N. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.629.6500. gokouzina.com
Kruse & Muer on Woodward: American. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 28028 Woodward Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.965.2101. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com
Lily’s Seafood: Seafood. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 410 S. Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.591.5459. lilysseafood.com
Masala: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 106 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.850.8284. food.orders.co/royaloakmasala
Mezcal: Mexican. Bruch, Sunday. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 201 E. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, 248.268.3915. mezcalferndale.com
Noori Pocha: Korean. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. Liquor. 1 S. Main Street, Clawson, 48017. 248. 850.7512. nooripocha.com
Oak City Grille: American. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 212 W. 6th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.556.0947. oakcitygrille.com
Oak Parker: American. Brunch, weekends. Lunch & Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 13621 W. Eleven Mile Rd, Oak Park, 48237. oakparker.com
One-Eyed Betty’s: American. Breakfast, weekends, Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 175 W. Troy Street, Ferndale, 48220. 248.808.6633. oneeyedbettys.com
Pastaio: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 208 W 5th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.565.8722. eatpastaio.com/royal-oak
Pita Post: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. No reservations. 2520 W. 14 Mile Road, Royal Oak, 48073. 855.535.5588. thepitapost.com
Pop’s for Italian: Italian. Brunch and Lunch, weekends, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 280 W. 9 Mile Road, Ferndale,48220. 248.268.4806. popsforitalian.com
Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 31542 Woodward Avenue, Royal Oak, 48073.
248.549.0300. redcoat-tavern.com
Ronin: Japanese. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 326 W. 4th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.546.0888. roninsushi.com
Royal Oak Brewery: American. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 215 E. 4th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.1141. royaloakbrewery.com
The Modern Vegan: Vegan. Brunch, weekends, Lunch and Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. 304 N. Main St, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.206-7041. tmvrestaurants.com
Three Cats Café: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch, Tuesday-Sunday, Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 116 W. 14 Mile Road, Clawson. threecatscafe.com
Tigerlily: Japenese. Brunch, weekends. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 231 W Nine Mile Rd Suite A, Ferndale, 48220. 248.733.4905. tigerlilyferndale.com
Toast, A Breakfast and Lunch Joint: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 23144 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.398.0444. eatattoast.com
Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 318 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.541.1186. tomsoysterbar.com
Trattoria Da Luigi: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 415 S, Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.542.4444. trattoriadaluigi.business.site.com
Vinsetta Garage: American. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7799 Woodward Avenue, Berkley, 48072. 248.548.7711. vinsettagarage.com
Voyager: Seafood. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 600 Vester Street, Ferndale, 48220. 248.658.4999. voyagerferndale.com
Antica Nova: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1695 E. Big Beaver Rd, Troy, 48083. 248.422.6521. anticanova.com
Cafe Sushi: Pan-Asian. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1933 W. Maple Road, Troy, 48084. 248.280.1831. cafesushimi.com
Capital Grill: Steak & Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2800 W. Big Beaver Road, Somerset Collection, Troy, 48084. 248.649.5300.
CK Diggs: American & Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2010 W. Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.853.6600. ckdiggs.com
The Dime Store: American. Breakfast and Lunch, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6920 N Rochester Road, Rochester Hills, 48306.248.963.0941. eatdimestore.com Ernie’s on the Creek: Modern Mediterranean. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 543 N. Main St #201, Rochester, 48307. 248.710.8808. erniesonthecreek.com
Firebird Tavern: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 4845 Rochester Road, Troy, 48085. 248.289.9650. firebirdtaverntroy.com
Grand Castor: Latin American. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2950 Rochester Road, Troy, 48083. 248.278.7777. grancastor.com
The Jackson: Modern American. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 184 N. Adams Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.709.9453. thejacksonrestaurant.com
Kona Grille: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 30 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48083. 248.619.9060. konagrill.com
Kruse & Muer on Main: American. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 327 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.652.9400. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com
Loccino Italian Grill and Bar: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 5600 Crooks Road, Troy, 48098. 248.813.0700. loccino.com
The Meeting House: American. Brunch, weekends, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 301 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.759.4825. themeetinghouserochester.com
Mon Jin Lau: Nu Asian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1515 E. Maple Road, Troy, 48083. 248.689.2332. monjinlau.com
Morton’s, The Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 888 W.
Metro Intelligencer is a monthly column devoted to news stories, tidbits and gossip items about what's happening on the restaurant scene in the metro Detroit area. Metro Intelligencer is reported/created each month by Gigi Nichols who can be reached at GigiNichols@DowntownPublications.com with news items or tips, on or off the record.
The baked goods are heavenly
St Roger Abbey, an organic French gourmet patisserie renowned for its handmade pastries crafted by nuns, has opened its doors in downtown Birmingham on North Old Woodward Avenue. According to the patisserie’s website, “St Roger Abbey is heir to centuries of experience in products finely prepared, using only organic ingredients. From one generation to the next, the skills of the craft patisserie industry have been handed down through the monasteries.” Inside, the cozy café evokes the charm of a Parisian bistro, featuring French rattan tables and chairs, with seating for approximately 32 guests. The menu highlights freshly baked organic macarons, breads, cookies, cakes, éclairs, croissants, and other classic French pastries. Guests can also enjoy a curated selection of coffees and teas. In addition to its café offerings, St Roger Abbey sells a variety of organic products including honey, cheeses, and jams. Every purchase supports the Abbey’s charitable mission, with proceeds going toward helping those in need. 215 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham
“Buns and Patties” is a fitting name for a new burger joint set to open in downtown Berkley in early 2026. The casual eatery will have late night hours and is owned by three childhood friends— David Pinkhasov, Mark Isakov and Vlad Shamayev. “There’s a huge gap in late-night dining options around here,” said co-owner David Pinkhasov. “We wanted to create a spot where people can count on great food and a fun vibe after a concert, a shift, or a night out.” The trio has worked in various jobs in the restaurant industry for over a decade—opening their own place is a dream come true. “We came up in the industry together, dishwashing, bartending, and managing. We’ve seen every side of the business,” said co-owner Mark Isakov. “This has always been our goal, and we’re proud to bring that dream to life right here in Berkley.” The menu is burger-centric, including a signature smash burger, with two beef patties layered with cheese, house sauce and pickles on a toasted bun. Other offerings include a crispy fried chicken sandwich, short rib grilled cheese, chicken tenders, seasoned fries and soft-serve sundaes. Buns and Patties will also offer online ordering and a drive-up pickup window. Late-night hours will extend to 1 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. 2375 Coolidge Highway, Berkley bunsandpatties.com
ORA Detroit, is the latest addition to restauranteur Mario Camaj’s portfolio of restaurants which includes Tallulah Wine Bar & Bistro, Birmingham, ZANA, Birmingham, BESA, downtown Detroit. Camaj is a partner of the newly opened Franklin Oyster Bar & Eatery. ORA Detroit is located at the corner of Congress and Shelby streets inside the historic former Bankers Trust Building. “ORA Detroit is designed to be Detroit’s premier gathering place, a space that evolves throughout the day and night (and) offers the energy of a luxury nightclub alongside the warmth of a restaurant and lounge,” says Camaj, founder and owner of ORA Detroit. “It’s a destination where people can celebrate, connect, and experience the best of Detroit hospitality.” From Mondays through Wednesday, Ora Detroit is available exclusively for private group events. On Thursday and Friday, guests can enjoy live music and shareable plates begin at 4 p.m. in a lounge setting before shifting into a nightlife experience at 9 p.m. Saturdays begin with a prix fixe brunch begins at 11 a.m. featuring sports, and entertainment on a large LED screen and rotating DJs throughout the afternoon. At 5 p.m. on Saturdays, the venue transforms into a nightlife scene, with the main evening experience kicking off at 9 p.m. Sundays offer brunch and football watch party from 11 a.m. The culinary program at ORA Detroit caters to both daytime dining and late-night cravings. Brunch highlights include Sin-a-Mon French Toast, Velvet Touch Shrimp & Grits, and The Morning Smash Burger. Evening sharables feature lamb lollipops with zip sauce, Bang Bang Shrimp, and artisan flatbreads, while the late-night menu tempts with sliders, mac and cheese melts, and fried chicken tenders. 205 W. Congress Street, Detroit oradetroit.com
Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48084. 248.404.9845. mortons.com
NM Café: American. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2705 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48084. 248.816.3424. neimanmarcus.com/restaurants
Oceania Inn: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. The Village of Rochester Hills, 3176 Walton Boulevard, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.375.9200. oceaniainnrochesterhills.com
Ocean Prime: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, MondayFriday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2915 Coolidge Highway, Troy, 48084. 248.458.0500. ocean-prime.com
O’Connor’s Irish Public House: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 324 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.608.2537. oconnorsrochester.com
Orchid Café: Thai. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. 3303 Rochester Road., Troy, 48085. 248.524.1944. orchid-cafe.com
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. Somerset Collection, 2801 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48084. 248.816.8000. pfchangs.com
Recipes: American/Brunch. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 134 W. University Drive, Rochester, 48037. 248.659.8267. Also 2919 Crooks Road, Troy, 48084. 248.614.5390. recipesinc.com
RH House: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch and Dinner, daily. 2630 Crooks Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. No reservations. Liquor. 2630 Crooks Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.586.1000. rh.house.com
RH Social: Pizza/Sports Bar. Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6870 N. Rochester Road, Rochester Hills, 48306.248.759.4858. rochesterhillssocial.com
Rochester Chop House: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 306 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.651.2266. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com
Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 755 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48084. 248.269.8424. ruthschris.com
Sedona Taphouse: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 198 Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48083. 248.422.6167. sedonataphouse.co
Silver Spoon: Italian. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 6830 N. Rochester Road, Rochester, 48306. 248.652.4500. silverspoonristorante.com
Stumblebum Beer Co.: American. Lunch, Friday-Sunday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Beer. 1965 W. Maple Road, Troy, 48084. 248.307.7204. stumblebumbeer.com
Too Ra Loo: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 139 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.453.5291. tooraloorochester.com
Aurora Italiana: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6199 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Twp., 48322. 248.782.3000. auroraitaliana.com
Aurora on the Lake: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2323 Union Lake Road, Commerce Township, 48382. 248.360.6650. auroraitaliana.com
Cornbread Restaurant & Bar: Southern. Lunch & Dinner, Thursday-Tuesday. Reservations. Liquor. 29508 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, 48034. 248.208.1680. cornbreadsoulfood.com
Bigalora: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 29110 Franklin Road, Southfield, 48034. 248.544.2442. bigalora.com
The Fiddler: Russian. Dinner, Friday & Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.851.8782. fiddlerrestaurant.com
Mene Sushi: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 6239 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.538.7081. menesususi.com
Nonna Maria’s: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2080 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48323. 248.851.2500. nonamariasbistro.com
Pickles & Rye: Deli. Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6724 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.737.3890
picklesandryedeli.com
Prime29 Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6545 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.7463. prime29steakhouse.com
Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 6745 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.865.0500. redcoattavern.com
Shangri-La: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. Orchard Mall Shopping Center, 6407 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.626.8585. dinesangrila.com
Stage Deli: Deli. Lunch, & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. Liquor. 6873 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.855.6622. stagedeli.com
Vive: American. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 33080 Northwestern Hwy, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.406.8065. viverestaurantmi.com
Witch Topokki: Korean. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 300 John R Rd suite a, Troy, 48083. 248. 307.7587. witchtopokki.com
Yotsuba: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 7365 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.8282. yotsuba-restaurant.com
Volare Ristorante: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 48992 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393. 248.960.7771. ristorantevolare.com
North Oakland
Clarkston Union: American. Breakfast, Sunday, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 54 S. Main Street, Clarkston, 48346 248.620.6100. clarkstonunion.com
Kruse's Deer Lake Inn: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7504 Dixie Highway, Clarkston, 48346. 248.795.2077. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com
The Fed: American. Brunch, Saturday & Sunday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 15 S. Main Street, Clarkston, 48346. 248.297.5833. thefedcommunity.com
Rudy’s Steakhouse: Steak. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 9 S Main Street, Village of Clarkston, 48346. 248.625.3033. rudysprimesteakhouse.com Via Bologna: Italian. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 7071 Dixie Highway, Clarkston, 48346. 248.620.8500. joebologna.com
Union Woodshop: BBQ. Lunch, Saturday & Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 18 S. Main Street, Clarkston, 48346. 248.625.5660. unionwoodshop.com
Adelina: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1040 Woodward Ave, Detroit,48226. 313.246.8811. adelinadetroit.com
Alpino: Alpine cuisine. Brunch, Sunday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1426 Bagley Street, Detroit, 48216. 313.524.0888 alpinodetroit.com
Ash-Bar: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1509 Broadway Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.277.4736. ash.world/hotels/the-siren.com
Bar Pigalle: French. Brunch, Sundays. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2915 John R Street, Detroit, 48201. 313.497.9200 barpigalle.com
Barda: Argentinian. Dinner, WednesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 4842 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, 48208. 313.952.5182. bardadetroit.com
Basan: Asian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2703 Park Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.481.2703. basandetroit.com
Bucharest Grill: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2684 E. Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, 48207. 313.965.3111. bucharestgrill.com
Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails: Seasonal American. Lunch, Friday, Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 15 E. Kirby Street, D, Detroit 48202. 313.818.3915. chartreusekc.com
Cliff Bell’s: American. Dinner, WednesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 2030 Park Avenue, Detroit, 48226. 313.961.2543. cliffbells.com
Coriander Kitchen and Farm: Farm to table. Brunch, Sunday, Lunch & Dinner, Monday and Thursday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 14601 Riverside Boulevard, Detroit, 48215. 313.338.9466. corianderkitchenandfarm.com
Corktown Taphouse: American and Mexican. No reservations. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor. 1611 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, 48216. 313.362.8184. corktowntaphouse.com
Cuisine: French. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 670 Lothrop Road, Detroit, 48202. 313.872.5110. cuisinerestaurantdetroit.com
The Eagle: The Eagle: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 3461 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.334.4530. eaglerestaurant.com
El Barzon: Mexican. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 3710 Junction Street, Detroit, 48210. 313.894.2070. elbarzonrestaurant.com
Fishbone’s Rhythm Kitchen Café: Cajun. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 400 Monroe Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.965.4600. fishbonesusa.com
Freya: Price fixed. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations, Liquor. 2929 E. Grand Boulevard, Detroit, 48202. 313.351.5544. freyadetroit.com
Giovanni’s Ristorante: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 330 S. Oakwood Boulevard, Detroit, 48217. 313.841.0122. giovannisrestaurante.com
Green Dot Stables: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2200 W. Lafayette, Detroit, 48216. 313.962.5588. greendotstables.com
HIROKI-SAN: Japanese. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 1265 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, 48226. 313.597.8344. hirokisandetroit.com
Javier’s Downtown: Steakhouse. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1452 Brush Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.816.0007. javiersdowntown.com
Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, MondayFriday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 400 Renaissance Center, Detroit, 48243. 313.567.6837. joemuer.com
Johnny Noodle King: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2601 W. Fort Street, Detroit, 48216. 313.309.7946. johnnynoodleking.com
Leila: Lebanese. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1245 Griswold Street, Detroit, 48226. 313. 816.8100. leiladetroit.com
Lena: Dinner, Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. 2720 Brush Street, Detroit, 48201. 313.262.6082. lenadetroit.com
Le Supreme: French. Brunch, weekends, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1265 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48226. 313.597.7734. lesupremedetroit.com
Lone Goat: British Pub. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 33 John R Street, Detroit, 48226. thelonegoat.com
Mad Nice: Coastal Italian/American. Breakfast, Coffee Shop, daily, Brunch, Weekends, Lunch, Wednesday-Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 4120 2nd Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.558.8000. madnicedetroit.com
Mario’s: Italian. Lunch, Saturday & Sunday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 4222 2nd Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.1616. mariosdetroit.com
Mezcal: Mexican. Brunch, Weekends, Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 51 W Forest Avenue, Detroit, 48202. 313.974.7441. mezcaldetroit.com
Midtown Shangri-la: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 4710 Cass Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.974.7669. midtownshangril-la.com
Motor City Brewing Works: American. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 470 W. Canfield Street, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.2700. motorcitybeer.com
Oak & Reel: Italian Seafood. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 2921 E Grand Boulevard, Detroit, 48202. 313.270.9600. oakandreel.com
Ostrea: Seafood. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 536 Shelby Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.403.2111. ostreadetroit.com
PAO Detroit: Asian Fusion/Pan Asian. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 114 W Adams Avenue, Suite 200, Detroit, 48226. 313.816.0000. paodetroit.com
Parc: New American. Brunch, Saturday & Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations.
Liquor. 800 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48226. 313.922.7272. parcdetroit.com
Prime + Proper: Steak House. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1145 Griswold St, Detroit, 48226. 313.636.3100. primeandproperdetroit.com
Prism: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, ThursdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 555 E. Lafayette Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.309.2499. greektowncasino.com
Red Smoke Barbeque: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. Trappers Alley Shopping Center, 573 Monroe Ave., Detroit, 48226. 313.962.2100.
Selden Standard: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 3921 Second Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.438.5055. seldenstandard.com
Sexy Steak: Steakhouse. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1942 Grand River Avenue, Detroit,48226. 313.403.1000. sexysteakdetroit.com
SheWolf Pastifico & Bar: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 438 Selden Street, Detroit 48201. 313.315.3992. shewolfdetroit.com
Sinbad’s: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 100 St. Clair Street, Detroit, 48214. 313.822.8000. sindbads.com
Slows Bar BQ: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2138 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, 48216. 313.962.9828. slowsbarbq.com/locations/corktown
Soraya: Japanese. Lunch, Tuesday-Thursday, Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 160 W Fort St, Detroit, 48226. 313.262.6078. sorayadetroit.com
Sullivan’s Steakhouse: Steakhouse. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1128 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48226. 313.591.2495. sullivanssteakhouse.com
Supergeil: Berlin Doner. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 2442 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, 48216. 313.462.4133. supergeildetroit.com
Tap at MGM Grand: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 1777 Third Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.465.1234. mgmgranddetroit.com
The Apparatus Room: New American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 250 W. Larned Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.800.5600 detroitfoundationhotel.com
The Block: American. Brunch, Weekends, Lunch & Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 3919 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.0892. theblockdet.com
The Dime Store: American. Breakfast & Lunch, Thursday-Tuesday. No reservations. Liquor. 719 Griswold Street #180, Detroit, 48226.313. 962.9106. eatdimestore.com
The Peterboro: Chinese American. Lunch, Saturday, Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 420 Peterboro Street, Detroit, 48201. 313.462.8106. thepeterboro.com
Townhouse Detroit: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 500 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 48226. 313.723.1000. townhousedetroit.com
Vecino: Mexican. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 4100 3rd Ave, Detroit, 48201. 313.500.1615. vecinodetroit.com
Vertical Detroit: Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 1538 Center Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.732.WINE. verticaldetroit.com
Vivio’s Food & Spirits: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2460 Market Street, Detroit, 48207. 313.393.1711. viviosdetroit.net
The Whitney: American. Tea Service, Friday & Saturday, Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor.4421 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.5700. thewhitney.com
Wright & Co.: American. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 1500 Woodward Avenue, Second Floor, Detroit, 48226. 313.962.7711. wrightdetroit.com
Zuzu: Asian Fusion. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 511 Woodward Ave suite 100, Detroit, 48226. 313.464.7777. experiencezuzu.com
A smokin’ hot restaurant opens in Ferndale
Ferndale’s dining scene just got a little hotter. Ferndale resident and restaurateur Dana Taucher has launched her latest venture, Smokehaus Ferndale, located at 177 Vester, directly across the street from her first restaurant, Syndicate Taucher has been in the restaurant business since she was 16, starting out as a server. After the challenges of Covid, she decided it was time for a change — and began developing the concept for Syndicate, which opened in September 2023. With its seasonal menu and craft cocktails, the spot quickly became a Ferndale favorite. Now, Taucher is expanding her culinary footprint with Smokehaus, a bold take on barbecue that aims to be anything but ordinary. “I wanted to bring barbecue to Ferndale because I knew it was something we were lacking,” said Taucher. “We brought on (Chef Ross Flack), and we sent him out to Austin in search of something that was different than your average barbecue place.” Flack found inspiration at LeRoy and Lewis, Austin’s Michelin-starred New Age barbecue restaurant known for reinventing traditional smoked fare. The result is a menu that marries familiar barbecue favorites with creative, modern twists. Guests can expect classics like brisket, shaved roast beef, pork belly, pulled pork, wings, and locally made sausages — alongside inventive dishes such as a fried chicken sandwich topped with kimchi aioli and brisket served with avocado chayote slaw. The vibe at Smokehaus is as approachable as the food is inspired. Taucher describes the interior design as “Backyard BBQ meets Dad’s Garage” — a relaxed, welcoming space where friends can gather for good food, cold drinks, and Detroit sports. With four TVs at the bar and nine more in the dining area, it’s a perfect spot to catch the game while digging into some next-level barbecue. 177 Vester Street, Ferndale smokehausferndale.com
Joe Vicari Restaurant Group’s Andiamo Italian Chophouse will be the anchor restaurant inside the new JW Marriott Detroit Water Square when it opens in early 2027. Andiamo Italian Chophouse at Water Square will build on the success of the group’s chophouse locations in Las Vegas, Clinton Township and Fenton. Located on the former site of Joe Louis Arena, the restaurant will feature floor to ceiling windows, with seating for approximately 200 guests indoors, with additional outdoor seating available during warmer months along the riverwalk. The. “Andiamo Italian Chophouse at Water Square will bring the signature hospitality and culinary excellence our guests expect,” said Joe Vicari, president of the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group. “This prime waterfront location is the perfect setting to showcase Andiamo’s tradition of fine Italian dining in the heart of downtown Detroit.” The hotel will also be connected to Huntington Place by a pedestrian skybridge, and have connection through the renamed Water Square Detroit People Mover Station. “We are thrilled to welcome Andiamo Italian Chophouse at Water Square as the first announced restaurant at Water Square,” said Danny Samson, chief development officer at Sterling Group. “Their presence reinforces our commitment to making this district not only an economic catalyst for downtown Detroit, but also a place where people will come together for exceptional experiences. With The Residences at Water Square already open, and the JW Marriott Detroit Water Square soon to follow, this is truly becoming a oneof-a-kind neighborhood on the riverwalk.”
Anchored in Detroit’s historic Eastern Market at 2442 Riopelle, Marrow in the Market has opened as the next evolution of the award-winning Marrow in West Village. This innovative Butcher’s Brasserie blends meat processing, dining, and hospitality under one roof, honoring Eastern Market’s legacy as the heart of Detroit’s food culture. The 14,000-square-foot building—originally built in 1909 and most recently occupied by Capital Poultry—has been reimagined as a vibrant culinary hub featuring the Marrow Detroit Provisions meat processing facility, butcher shop, two bars, a spacious dining room, and private event space. Led by Detroit restaurateur Ping Ho of Marrow Hospitality Group, the new location joins Marrow Birmingham, The Royce wine bar, and Mink in Corktown. “Our mission is to nourish our community with exceptional food, responsibly sourced meat, and meaningful hospitality,” said Ho. Culinary Director Andrew Shedden curates a menu that bridges heritage and innovation through elevated comfort food. Guests can enjoy everything from prime rib dinners to weekend brunch, with a bar program featuring local collaborations and seasonal cocktails. 2442 Riopelle Street, Detroit marrowinthemarket.com
During the past week we could almost feel a collective sigh of relief in Birmingham when the city commission announced, following a closed door session allowed under the state Open Meetings Act, that the city would be involving itself in the issue of the day – the proposed sale of the iconic building known as The Community House on Bates Street in the downtown area.
The Community House on November 3 had announced plans to evolve into the Birmingham Area Community Foundation to carry on the original nonprofit mission of the community group, and the closure and sale of its iconic building in the city effective July 1 of 2026. The new foundation would provide grants and mentoring to nonprofits within a 10-mile radius of Birmingham, along with scholarships to students.
The announcement by TCH Board President Camille Jayne and Alison Gaudreau, President of The Community House Association, caused considerable concern in the Birmingham community.
TCH officials conceded that the former business model for The Community House Association was no longer working in terms of generating revenue through events and classes to underwrite the costs of operating both the building and creating profits with which the association could help fund other local nonprofit groups, which is a critical part of the original mission established by its founders many years
ago. Even before the pandemic several years ago, attendance at events and classes had started to decline, and COVID-19 only worsened the situation, something that other nonprofits are experiencing nowadays. Revenue from outside contributors as sponsors of events had also become a tougher row to hoe.
As a result, The Community House financial situation became more bleak.
Creation of a community foundation, seeded with funding from sale of the building after debts are cleared, TCH officials said, would allow the original nonprofit mission to still be followed and flourish.
But here’s the hitch.
Original founding documents and deed restrictions for The Community House Association provided that if the association was ever dissolved, the building and land had to be donated to another nonprofit group or leased at a nominal amount to the city itself.
Technically speaking, the association is not being dissolved but merely renamed so TCH officials’ legal counsel said the sale of the building can be allowed.
But that is where the legal issues and the spirit of the founders may conflict.
Many in the community have an emotional connection with the familiar site of the building in the downtown, even if they have not entered the building since years past, but still wish that it can be preserved.
So the entrance of the city in this debate is a
welcomed event as all-cash buyers are lining up to tour the building. City legal counsel has the wherewithal to get to the bottom of this issue. And, as some have suggested, the city may be in a financial position to become involved somehow in the sale.
But here’s what the city must do in the coming weeks. If city officials and the commission are concerned about the future of what some refer to as the community’s “House,” then transparency must be the order of the day. Yes, you are the elected and appointed representatives of local residents, but the community must be given a constant update of what the city is doing on this issue, even if it means just a sentence or two every couple of weeks at a city commission meeting.
We recognize that some sale negotiations are better off not being discussed publicly but in general local residents must receive ongoing, regular updates on what progress is being made on this community issue, which means city officials will have to reorient themselves to a new way of doing business as opposed to conducting business in private and just making a public announcement when all is said and done.
A new sense of transparency must be embraced by the city to keep its clients – local citizens – updated every step of the way on the effort to retain the “House.”
Birmingham's Baldwin Public Library has long been a jewel in the center of the city. It was first established in 1907, through a city referendum, following the formation of the library association in 1869 by Martha Baldwin and 19 others, with 48 volumes. In 1871, the First Methodist Church was purchased on the northwest corner of Bates and Merrill streets, and by 1879 they had 724 books.
The cornerstone of the current building was laid in 1927.
Today, Baldwin Public Library has grown both physically, having recently seen three successful renovations and expansions, as well as masterfully adapting to changing technology without forgetting its original mandate as a literary association. Recently, Baldwin Library Director Rebeka Craft –clearly following in the footsteps of the library's namesake, Martha Baldwin – was honored to be named Librarian of the Year from the Michigan Library Association. An honored legacy, indeed. Craft has been the director of Baldwin Public Library since January 2021, after serving as the associate direct since July 2015. She had previously been with the Rochester Hills Public Library. Craft was nominated for the Michigan Library Association's annual award for her work this past
year securing an agreement with Birmingham city officials that Baldwin Public Library was independent from the city itself – an issue that had previously been unresolved.
The library's independence, and it's ability to set its own millage rate, had been a bone of contention for both the library board and city commissioners. The issue of the millage rate became a topic of debate following a suggestion by the city manager at a March 2025 city commission meeting that if the library would lower its millage rate in the future, then it could eliminate most of the overall increase in local tax bills to underwrite a proposed bond that, at the time, was thought to be placed on the November ballot for construction of a community and senior center. Library officials at the meeting objected to the proposal, arguing that the city was treating the library as a department of the city rather than an independent library.
In future meetings between the city commission and Craft, the city argued that the library operates by city charter, meaning they set the millage and determine if it can be raised or lowered. However the library claimed it is an independent entity from the city, based on state law, Public Act 164 (10a), which gives autonomy, including funding autonomy, to the library. There is also legal precedent
establishing that state law supersedes city charter provisions.
Further, previous commissions deferred to the library board in setting – notably lowering – millage rates, often at the recommendation of those city commissions.
We join others in applauding Craft on her accolades – and on standing firm in her mission for continuing the library's independence, which we believe Martha Baldwin would approve. We also support long time library board member Frank Pisano's suggestion in his response to our candidate questionnaire in the last election when we asked all candidates what should be done if the library fund balance cap was reached. Pisano recommended that the Baldwin Library Board should be a collaborative city body and lower its millage as a community service, noting that while there are always projects to spend on, that is not always in the best interest of Birmingham's residents as a whole.
Keep Baldwin Library independent, but remember it is one spoke in the wheel that allows Birmingham to successfully provide for its residents, businesses and visitors.
