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By Sara E. Teller
Photos by Bernie Laframboise & Others

FERNDALE IS A HEALTH AND WELLNESS EPICENTER, with a wide range of fitness, physician and pharmaceutical, physical therapy and alternative healing options, as well as beauty service providers and many others. Residents can easily walk to a number of these businesses, and the variety of services available make a comprehensive care plan simple and affordable.

HILTON VETERINARY CLINIC

HILTON VETERINARY CLINIC WAS STARTED IN APRIL 2016 BY DR. BETSY SCHNUR, who currently lives in Ferndale and enjoys serving the community in which she works. “Our customers are mainly local dogs and cats living in the Ferndale area,” Dr. Schnur explained. “We focus specifically on one-on-one individualized patient care for each pet.”

Full-service veterinary services are available onsite, including fear-free preventative care, minor soft tissue surgical procedures such as spay and neuter services, and mass removals, as well as canine or feline dental radiographs and surgical tooth extraction. Hilton also offers micro-chipping, vaccinations, and parasite screening and removal.

Hilton Veterinary Clinic supports the Ferndale Cat Shelter and participates annually in Fido Does Ferndale. The business is also currently planning to expand its involvement in other local pet-related events.

Dr. Schnur said, “I love the people in our community, especially dedicated pet owners who make our jobs worthwhile and bring smiles into our lives! Hilton Veterinary Clinic is proud to serve this community and surrounding areas with future plans to expand the business while also staying in Ferndale. Stay tuned!”

For more information on all of the services Hilton Veterinary Clinic offers, visit hiltonpetvet.com or call 248-955-3253.

BRAIN MEETS BRAWN

MICHAEL GORNEY HAS DEDICATED HIS ADULT LIFE TO HELPING PEOPLE of all ability levels, from high school and collegiate athletes to senior citizens and individuals with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. His versatile, all-inclusive approach to client relationships proves he takes each individual’s goals and abilities into consideration, and this is the philosophy that led to the development of the Brain Meets Brawn brand.

Founded in 2014, Brain Meets Brawn was created as a solution to the exponentially expanding fitness industry and its overall “lack of professionalism and oversight,” Gorney said. “Our mission was to introduce the science of movement, through corrective exercising and bio-mechanics, to an aging baby- boomer and emerging millennial generation.”

The company began in a small gym at the 1300 E Lafayette building in Detroit, and in August 2019 the first brick-and-mortar location was officially established at 3029 Hilton Road in Ferndale. “I was out of work following extensive ACL and meniscus surgery, and happened to drive by a ‘for lease’ sign down the street from our house,” Gorney explained. “After a quick peek inside, I knew this was the opportunity to take Brain Meets Brawn to the next level.”

Brain Meets Brawn currently focuses on orthopedic injuries with an emphasis on individuals of an older age or nearing or currently retired. “We are a medical rehabilitation and fitness facility that strives to provide a comprehensive rehabilitation and fitness program to our clients,” Gorney explained. “How-ever, our doors are open to anyone who wants to learn more about the art and science of biomech-anics, movement systems, injury prevention, and pain management.”

Brain Meets Brawn hosts a monthly class with Drifter Coffee called Recovery Day. “We also planned a charity event for the Purple Polka Dot Race in late March or April. Purple Polka Dot is a charity group that spreads awareness on vascular birthmarks,” he added.

For more information, call 586-808-8282 or visit bmbfitnesssolutions.com.

EVOLVE ACUPUNCTURE/WELLNESS

IN MAY 2015, MIKE TOCCO, REGISTERED ACUPUNCTURIST, OPENED EVOLVE ACUPUNCTURE & WELLNESS in Birmingham and, as the business expanded, it moved to Ferndale December 2017.

“Since our move to Ferndale, we have added two additional healthcare providers,” explained Tocco. “Kat Barber, Registered Acupuncturist, and Candace Belinc, Licensed Massage Therapist. We offer acupuncture five days per week and massage therapy two days per week. All of our practitioners are licensed by the State of Michi- gan and are nationally board certified in their professions.”

Other services EVOLVE offers include Chinese herbal medicine and cupping therapy, as well as an exclusive three-step facial protocol that includes acupuncture, red light LED therapy, and a micro-current facial mask designed to improve tone and appearance.

“Our goal is to help our patients feel, move, and look better,” Tocco said. “We help people of all ages that are looking for natural and safe methods to relieve pain and improve their overall health and wellness. We treat patients who are recently injured or patients who have complex and/or chronic conditions. Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture can help with many conditions besides pain such as headaches, neuropathy, sports performance, digestion, allergies, immune support, sleep, stress management, fertility support, women’s health, and smoking cessation.”

He added, “We also help patients with complex medical conditions such as fibromyalgia and auto-immune conditions regain their health.”

The staff has extensive training in orthopedic style acupuncture that includes motor point muscle activation, trigger point acupuncture, also known as ‘dry needling,’ and electro-acupuncture. Massage therapy services focus primarily on pain management with optional kinesio-taping.

EVOLVE also offers a line of quality Chinese herbal products as well as a topical line of Chinese herbs that contain CBD oil for pain relief.

“We love helping the diverse community of Ferndale feel better and appreciate how inclusive it is here,” Tocco explained. “The FerndaleChamber, along with local Ferndale residents, are so supportive of their local businesses. We have an annual fundraiser at our clinic every December where we offer acupuncture and massage services for a donation, with all proceeds going to Affirmations. It’s one way we try to give back to the Ferndale community.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment call 248-955-1215 or visit acu-evolve.com.

HILTON PROGRESSIVE DENTAL

SEARCHING FOR SPECIALIZED DENTISTRY? ALWAYS MAINTAINING a position at the forefront of advances in dental care, Hilton Progressive Dental offers the most effective and comfortable treatment methods utilizing the latest technology. Visit hiltonprogressivedental.com or call 248-209- 3702 for more information.

Tuesday 9:00 A.M.–6:00 P.M.; Thursday 8:00
A.M.–7:00 P.M.; Friday 8:00 A.M.–3:00 P.M.;
Saturday 9:00 A.M.–2:00 P.M. Sunday/Monday closed.

US REHABILITATION & HEALTH

FERNDALE ALSO OFFERS STATE-OF-THE-ART THERAPY OPTIONS FOR INJURY RECOVERY AND PAIN
MANAGEMENT. US Rehabilitation & Health Services has a highly experienced team of physical therapists, occupational therapists, massage therapists, and speech therapists who have been dedicated to providing the highest quality of care since 2001. Visit usptrehab.com or call 844-369-9955.

CRANE OPTICAL

DR. HOWARD CRANE’S FATHER, LEONARD, STARTED CRANE OPTICAL IN 1949, choosing Ferndale for its thriving business district and prime location. Dr. Crane Jr. later joined the practice in 1972.

In addition to thorough vision and eye health examinations, Crane Optical offers a wide range of brand nameframes and contact lenses, cases and cleaners, as well as minor medical treatment including pre- and post-op services for laser and cataract surgery. Customers also receive free eyewear repairs, including adjustments, screws, and nose pad replacement.

Dr. Crane prides himself on providing high quality care and affordable products. During an exam, he will perform multiple tests, screening for retina and corneal disorders. Afterwards, he takes the time to carefully explain the results and discuss the optimal prescription. He can evaluate the effectiveness of a current prescription as well and make adjustments when necessary.

“I treat patients like family,” Dr. Crane said. “I offer a very comprehensive exam while being considerate of my patients’ time. And I love the small town, yet diverse feel of Ferndale.”

For more information on all of the services Crane Optical has to offer, call 248-545-5600 or visit
craneoptical.com.

THE FERNDALE FAMILY PHARMACY

THE FERNDALE FAMILY PHARMACY, LOCATED ON 9 MILE BETWEEN PINECREST AND LIVERNOIS, FIRST OPENED ITS DOORS ON OCTOBER 17, 2016. The pharmacy’s over-the-counter product line is priced significantly lower than other stores in the area and the team offers a same-day free delivery service. The pharmacy team can access manufacturer coupons for patients to use on brand medications and actively communicates with prescribers on substitute medications to dispense when others are not covered by one’s insurance carrier. For more information, visit ferndalefamilypharmacy.com or call 248.565.8031.

NOVA CHIROPRACTIC

NEARBY NOVA CHIROPRACTIC IS ANOTHER GREAT OPTION FOR RESIDENTS SEARCHING FOR A HOLISTIC APPROACH to pain management. Located in Berkley, Dr. Nick Novakoski opened the center in November 2016. For information on Nova’s services, visit novachiroclinic.com.

 

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By Mary Meldrum
Photos by Bernie Laframboise and Others

B. NEKTAR MEADERY

B. NEKTAR IS A MEAD, CIDER AND BEER TAPROOM AT 1511 JARVIS IN FERNDALE. B.Nektar serves many other locations in Oakland County as well as other states. This is a cozy taproom famous for its honey-based alcoholic beverages.

Influenced by sub-pop culture and never satisfied with the status quo, B.Nektar aims to bring a modern twist on mead as well as diversify craft mead, cider and beer.

B.Nektar Meadery was founded in 2006 by Brad and Kerri Dahlhofer, with the help of their good friend Paul Zimmerman. Brad has been an avid homebrewer since 1998, making beers, meads, ciders and wine for his own enjoyment. When Brad and Kerri got married in 2005, he made a mead to toast with at their wedding and received great reviews from the guests. He joked about someday opening a meadery. Paul, a longtime friend and fellow homebrewer, soon began making meads along with Brad in the Dahlhofers’ basement. Their creations quickly began winning awards at homebrewing competitions.

B.Nektar’s session meads and hard ciders are now shaping the craft revolution.

To say that it has been a long road from the home-brewing days would be an understatement. B.Nektar continues to increase their production capacity and is currently the largest meadery in the U.S.A. B.Nektar was the first meadery to join the ranks of the top 100 best breweries in the world by Ratebeer.com.

Proud of this story as they may be, they put a lot of effort into not taking themselves too seriously.

Since a mead can never be better than the quality of its ingredients, B.Nektar uses only the best honey they can find. They source honey from as many local sources as they can find. They prefer that the honey has not been heated or pasteurized. This ensures that the volatile aromatics of the honey are preserved. A single bee will produce only about one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime, but in a mead, they need between three and four pounds of honey per gallon. That means they need a lot of hives to produce enough honey for a single 265-gallon batch.

BOOGIE FEVER

BOOGIE FEVER FEATURES A CONTEMPORARY DESIGN AND WALLS OF SLIDING GLASS WINDOWS that bring the breeze of the outdoors in to guests during the warmer months, and display the beauty of Woodward Avenue and downtown Ferndale all year round. Once you enter the dance club in back, you’ll find a large disco-lighted dance floor for you and all of your friends to get your groove on all night long.

Boogie Fever’s drink menu features a well-rounded wine list, seasonal cocktails, and draft beer. And Boogie Fever proudly proclaims themselves to be “Detroit’s Birthday and Bachelorette Party Central!” Indeed, almost every weekend you can find a bachelorette party streaming into the place to whoop it up!

Everyone arrives at Boogie Fever looking to have fun. The dance club is a sacred space for people to feel free to express themselves. This is a space for everyone to feel welcome and loved.

The club offers special deals for a booth and cover for multiple people. The Boogie Fever staff does not reserve individual tables. Those joining you later will need to pay cover, which is $5, subject to special events or policy changes. The club opens at 8:00 P.M. and will hold your booth until 11:00 P.M. Credit cards are accepted for drink tabs etc., but not door charges.

DETROIT FLEAT FOOD TRUCK PARK

LOCATED ON NINE MILE ROAD IN FERNDALE, DETROIT FLEAT FOOD TRUCK PARK & BOOZERY is Metro Detroit’s first and only food truck park. In the “Park,” they spotlight two stationary food trucks as well as additional rotating trucks on select days of the week. In addition to the wonderful lineup of food trucks, the “Boozery” features a full bar featuring 16 rotating taps, seasonal cocktails and wine. Detroit Fleat also offers a street-food-inspired house menu. The park is the perfect place for the whole family, including your furry friends!

Detroit Fleat is home to some of Metro Detroit’s most popular food trucks. Permanent food trucks featured at Detroit Fleat include The Pita Post (Mediterranean street food) and Impasto (Italianinspired street food). Rotating food trucks include 4Kings Café (coffee), Bavarian Inn Cluck Truck, Brass Kitchen, Brother Truckers, Buffy’s Mexicasian, Cheese Steak Institute of America, Crepe Day Twa, Delectabowl, Detroit BBQ Company, Mac Shack, Motor City Pasty Company, Motor City Road Wings, Nosh Pit, New Deli, Press, Regina’s Food Truck, Ruckus Taco Company, Senors Food Truck, and Shredderz.

Detroit Fleat is proud to debut their newest patio addition, The Slooshie Bar. The newest standalone trailer on the patio, the Slooshie Bar will feature rotating Slooshies flavors, ice cream and frozen treats.

GO COMEDY IMPROV THEATER

IMPROV (SHORT FOR IMPROVISATION) IS A FORM OF THEATER CREATED BEFORE A LIVE AUDIENCE. Improv is similar to sketch comedy, except that there are no scripts. Nothing exists before the lights come up. The audience offers suggestions for scenes or songs and the cast makes them up on the spot. This means every show is very, very original. Every scene is done for the first and last time. So, every night GO Comedy! is open, there’s something new on stage. And if you miss it, it’s gone forever.

On Friday and Saturday, the 8:00 P.M. and 10:00 P.M. shows run for approximately 90 minutes.

The Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday shows run 30 or 60 minutes. On Wednesday and Sunday one ticket is good for the entire night of shows, unless otherwise noted.

Alcohol? Yes, please! With drinks ranging from an ice-cold Pabst to a Napa Valley Chardonna, the GO! bar has something to please everyone from your hipster cousin to your great aunt Betty. Not to mention, they have a whole slew of their own drink concoctions. Each season brings a new line-up of timely palate-pleasers born from the mind of the man Metro Times named Detroit’s Best Bartender 2011, Andy French. The GO! bar proudly serves local favorites such as Valentine Distillery, Detroit Brewing Co., Atwater Brewery, B. Nektar Meadery, Short’s Brewery and more!

LUXURY LANES & LOUNGE

AT LUXURY LANES, YOU CAN ENJOY A GREAT EXPERIENCE BOWLING IN A LEAGUE OR CELEBRATING AN EVENT such as a birthday, family or company party. Luxury Lanes features a full lounge that also offers food choices to satisfy anyone’s appetite. With 16 lanes, they offer a newly-remodeled, smoke-free environment for you to enjoy.

Bowling is not the only entertainment at the Lanes. Guests can book parties, enjoy “cosmic bowling” and sign up for leagues, along with relaxing in the full bar with tables for pizza and other casual dining.

There is also an arcade, bumper bowling on all lanes, birthday parties, Perky’s pizza and Sully’s subs snack bar, corporate parties, adult parties and a youth program.

Come and enjoy the venue! Bring your family, friends, and/or co-workers!

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By Jill Hurst
Photos by Bernie Laframboise & Others

9 MILE ROAD IS STILL THE CENTER OF SHOPPING IN FERNDALE, BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF FUN PLACES TO FIND WHAT YOU NEED – OR JUST WANT – ALL OVER TOWN. Go south on Livernois to OLIVE’S BLOOMBOX for flowers and yard decor. Heading north? WHIMSICAL WIT on Hilton and IRON RIDGE on Ten Mile are must-visits. Back on 9 Mile, grab some delicious dog treats and a cool new collar for your dog at MAESTRO’S DOG HAUS. Need to do some practical shopping? Head west to SCHEER’S ACE HARDWARE. There are many more places to peruse and enjoy. Just start “on the 9” and take it from there.

ELAINE B’S JEWELRY

THOSE EARRINGS. THE ONES ELAINE WAS WEARING WHEN WE MET AT ELAINE B’S, a lovely jewelry haven on Woodward just north of 9 Mile. Simple, remarkable hoops. I want them! Elaine and her team, Caitlin, Heather, Natasha, Alaina and Holly design, create and sell beautiful pieces at the Ferndale space they’ve occupied since November of 2018. In front, a jewelry store. The “Custom Bar” displays stones and metals you can choose to make your piece. The workshop/studio is in the middle. In the back, shipping.

The six women see the process through from beginning to end. We’re here to “learn how to make a living making jewelry”, Elaine says, smiling. They also display the work of other makers, including Detroit Rose, Hunt and Noyer and Corbe, but their jewelry is the quiet star. They also create new settings for your old gems. Elaine showed me a diamond in a setting she designed. A work in progress. The setting was beautiful, supporting the diamond perfectly.

The day I visited, Caitlin and Heather were preparing to lead a workshop in ring making, which takes you through the steps of working with silver. You leave with a ring you’ve made yourself. Couples have attended the class to make their wedding bands. One man made a ring for his girlfriend. Workshops happen twice a month. They also offer private parties. These makers are eager to share their work and their knowledge.

“Jewelry is a very personal thing…it should tell a story about the person who’s wearing it.” Garance Dore, French photographer/author. Add to your story with jewelry from elaine b’s.

Elaine b’s is located at 22961 Woodward, north of 9 Mile. They are open Tuesday through Fridays 11:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M. Saturdays and Sundays 12:00 P.M.-4:00 P.M. Find them online at elainebjewelry.com, Facebook and Instagram.

BENJAMIN MOORE’S PAINT STOP

BENJAMIN MOORE’S PAINT STOP IS A WELCOME ADDITION TO THIS HOME LOVING, COLORFUL COMMUNITY. Owner Hassan Nasser did his research before opening his paint supply business on Woodward in January 2019. After 31 years in New York, Nasser wanted to continue serving a diverse community and he found that right here. He calls our town “Friendly Ferndale,” and he is enjoying his new business venture.

The store’s customer base extends from the city of Detroit out to the Birmingham area. He serves both residential and commercial customers. Besides a wide array of colors and paint supplies, Nasser and his staff also work as color consultants who can help you find the right shade and finish for whatever you’re looking to apply your fresh coat of paint to. He knows the local contractors and is happy to refer you to painters who can do the job for you.

And they deliver! Minimum order required for delivery? Nasser: “No minimum. Call me if you need a gallon of paint and I’ll get it to you.”

Nasser understands the importance of a good staff and good service. He owned a number of businesses in New York, including a gas station and a Papa John’s pizza franchise. The more stable schedule of the paint store allows him to spend more time with his wife and four children, three sons aged 18, 17 and ten and a daughter, three. The Paint Stop is a great addition to “Friendly Ferndale.” Hassan Nasser and staff are here to help keep Ferndale colorful.

Benjamin Moore Paint Stop is located at 23245 Woodward Ave, north of 9 Mile. You can also check their website: www.paintstopstore.com.

DETROIT GROOMING CO.

“COMPASSIONATE. COLLABORATIVE. INNOVATIVE. PASSIONATE. DEDICATED.” These words are part of the mural that lives next to Mike Haddad’s desk at Detroit Grooming Co. Mike, DGC’s co-creator and CEO, gives credit to local artist Kevin Burdik for the work. Giving credit is something Haddad does frequently, with genuine gratitude. To the rest of the team – Mike Spiewak, Brad Schmelzer and Liz Campbell – and to Krista Johnston of DIY StreetFair who started them on the road to retail success.

And, of course, the customers. “We listen to our customers and they help us push forward.” DGC works with local farmers and manufacturers as much as possible to create consistently highquality products. And they smell so good. Haddad smiles. “Scent is tied to 73 percent of our memories.”

Their airy warehouse base is a little bigger than the 100 square-foot converted janitor’s closet in Royal Oak where it all started. At the beginning, they could make 12 beard butters at a time on their double burner. Today, they make a variety of men’s grooming products that include beard butter, oil, shampoo and conditioner filling hundreds of jars and bottles every day. They label and box all of the orders that go out, then send them to a fulfillment center in Warren to be shipped across the country and around the world. There is a retail counter in the warehouse.

The butters and oils have Michigan names like Traverse City and Harbor Springs. A vintage barber chair sitting in front is used when they bring in master barbers to conduct workshops for local barbers and stylists. They also do onsite classes at salons and barbershops. They shoot their youtube videos onsite and sell great t-shirts and other items. The folks at Detroit Grooming Co. are loving their home base in Ferndale. There are plans to host some barbeques and events this summer to celebrate their ongoing success with us! In the meantime, check out the beard nourishing, great smelling products at Detroit Grooming Co.

Detroit Grooming Co. is located at 2615 Wolcott, just off Woodward Heights. They are open 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. Monday through Friday. You can find them at www.detroitgrooming.com.

BLUMZ BY JR DESIGNS

BLUMZ BY JRDESIGNS IS A PERENNIAL FAVORITE IN OUR TOWN, AN AWARDWINNING FLORAL AND EVENT PLANNING COMPANY with locations in Detroit and Holly as well as Ferndale. You can call or go online to order flowers, but visiting the store on East 9 Mile is a wonderful experience. Just inside the door you’ll be surrounded by a spectacular choice of plants and a creative variety of planters and yard decorations. Then there are the glass cases full of beautiful cut flowers, racks of greeting cards and shelves full of unique gift items. Finally, there are the chocolates. A case full of beautiful chocolates at the center of it all. Flowers and chocolate, what could be better than that?

Besides endless gift possibilities, owners Jerome Raska and Robbin Yelverton and their staff can help you plan an event from start to finish and there is a lovely event space available right in the store! Blumz is the perfect place to help you commemorate an important event, or just pick up flowers on your way home to brighten up the day. Don’t forget the chocolates.

Blumz is located at 522 E. 9 Mile Road in Ferndale. Hours are in flux during the crisis and the Detroit location is temporarily closed. No contact delivery and pickup at present. Call them at 248-398-5130 or reach them online at www.flowersbyblumz.com.

THE RUST BELT MARKET

IT’S BEEN NINE YEARS ON THE 9 FOR THE POPULAR, ALWAYS GROWING RUST BELT MARKET. A family and dog-friendly meeting place and shopping mecca, it’s a whirl of activity during the holidays and a favorite meet-up place all-year-round. You can find a variety of Ferndale/Detroit/Michigan gift items, vintage jewelry, handmade clothing and soaps, one-of-a-kind gift cards, local photography, delicious cheese and chocolate, and beautiful plants.

Several new vendors have joined RBM this year, including The Brave Wimp, David Vintage, The Vintage Wick and Supah Market. They also have two rotating pop-up spaces and welcome new vendors for shorter term stays each weekend. There is an event space in the middle, available for rental and host to semi-annual events. Ferndale Radio, 100.7 FM, is based at the Market as well. When you need a break from shopping, there’s a nice little bar in the back. The Rust Belt is a perfect place to start or wrap up your tour of Ferndale.

The Rust Belt Market is located at 22801 Woodward in Ferndale. You can reach them at 248-238-8728 or online at hello@rustbeltmarket.com. They are open Fridays from 12:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M., Saturdays from 11:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. and Sundays from 11:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. Look for extended hours during the December holiday shopping season.

MAESTRO’S DOG HAUS

MAESTRO’S IS THE PLACE TO GO WHEN YOU WANT SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR YOUR FURRY LOVED ONES. Located at 310 W 9 Mile Rd near Allen, Maestro’s has the best prices on high-quality dog and cat foods; frozen, freeze-dried and kibble. Maestros’ Deli’s Culinary team produce the most unique grain-free, filler-free and man-made preservative free treats for dogs and cats. And Maestro’s Signature Dried Necks are for perfect for cleaning teeth. 248-632-1199

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By Sara Teller

JAI REDDY WANTED TO CREATE A COMMUNITY WHERE CHILDREN OF ALL ABILITIES, including his 12-year-old autistic son Arjun, felt comfortable learning and engaging. A community that provided support beyond traditional therapy options and allowed students to utilize whatever methods might best benefit them.

This led to the concept for LifeLab Kids in 2017 and, over the past two years, Reddy has worked tirelessly to develop the nonprofit, recruit experts in several differing therapy fields and remodel a 1950s church at 3178 Hilton Rd. into a state-of-the-art learning facility, which opened in February 2019.

“Basically, this place provides kids with a multitude of options that nurture their interests outside of the regular clinical therapy that’s available and quite popular out there,” Reddy says. “It’s not that everything we are doing is non-existent, it’s that you have to go out and find them in different places with a lot of driving around.”

THE FOCUS AREAS OF LIFELAB KIDS ARE RECREATIONAL, speech, music, art, occupational and technology therapies and life skills. Each of these specialties has its own dedicated space within the building. Mathew Bessette, MA, MT-BC, music therapist at LifeLab Kids, walks through each of the areas – starting with the music therapy room.

“Using music, I can find motivation within the student to work on things that are hard. It’s more motivating because of the activity you are doing and the reward of what you are producing,” he says. “Having a lot of instruments in that room gives us all kinds of different tools.”

There is a full gym used for recreational therapy and “building play and leisure skills” and an occupational therapy room for working on fine motor functions and sensory matters. The art therapy room contains three pottery wheels, a kiln and an entire plexiglass wall for finger painting.

“We have a giant space dedicated to art therapy. Bridgette Crockett (Counselor) is our art therapist, as well,” Bessette says. “She works a lot in emotion expression and uses art as her medium.”

THE MAJORITY OF THE DOWNSTAIRS SPACE AT LIFELAB KIDS is dedicated to life skills and technology and was designed to emulate an apartment.

“We have kids that need work on activities of daily living skills,” Bessette says. “If they need to stepwise learn how to do laundry, we have laundry machines. Or if they need to learn how to cook, there is a full kitchen and a dishwasher.”

Technology has been incorporated into the living room space and has a separate room dedicated to augmented and virtual reality (VR).

The expertise and collaboration of the therapists were one of the most important aspects of opening LifeLab Kids. There are nine therapists on staff now and that makes things happen at LifeLab Kids. Reddy is also conscious of the number of students they can take on, not wanting to exceed more than 60-70 students for the year of 2020.

Reddy says the next year will be focused on stabilizing programs and beginning their outdoor facilities. Their next open house will be December 13th and will feature holiday and Christmas sensory-friendly activities. All are welcome to check out the space and meet the team.

Families interested in touring or enrolling in LifeLab Kids can reach out by phone at 248-629-4600 or email contactus@lifelabkids.org.

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By Sherry Wells
Photos by David McNair

I FIRST MET DEAN BACH, AKA “DINO” OF DINO’S LOUNGE, when he personally delivered food he was donating to the Relay for Life Survivors & Caregivers Tent as part of his efforts to give back to the community. As a bar owner, I expected he’d still be in bed after working into the wee hours. I was a member of the Ferndale Rotary Club at the time, which sponsored the tent. Dino also provided food for a Rotary fundraising dinner, personally bringing it too.

As did Michael Hennes, owner of Howe’s Bayou. Mike rushed in, wearing a long, starched-white apron that covered him from neck to almost ankles. He was there to see whether more of his entree was needed.

BOTH BACH AND HENNES HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH FERNDALE’S DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY for over ten years, with Bach becoming chair in 2015. Hennes has also served on city committees and task forces.

For the last several years, Hennes has not only donated the entire dinner for the Peace Action annual Peace Builders Award banquet, he and his partner, Patricia Barker, have been personally serving it as well.
Hennes also merits a nod for keeping some of Ferndale’s familiar streetpersons busy and fed, with odd jobs to earn a meal.

I learned that Hennes visits New Orleans once or twice a year to stay current on the cuisine. Any excuse will do!

Dino’s introduced me to grilled corn on the cob. Yum! The grill master that day was Dino himself. I told him how much I admired his community involvement.

“Well, my CPA keeps telling me I overdo it,” he shrugged.

Yet he hasn’t seemed to have cut back. Wounded Warriors has been high on his list, informing the public himself about the need. Dino has provided space for non-profit events in his second local spot, the M-Brew, including in the lower video arcade room. Both have provided cosponsorships and gift certificates for fundraisers.

MY THIRD FAVORITE FERNDALE BAR OWNER IS JEFF KING OF THE IMPERIAL and Public House. I frequently walk by the back of his Public House and noticed that recorded music playing in their patio could only be heard when I was within five feet at most of its perimeters. I walked in to tell him or a manager how much I appreciated that. “He gave us strict orders to keep the music level down so it can be heard only in the patio,” his bookkeeper told me. Rex, his manager at the Imperial, said music is to be “Enjoyed, not overheard” by customers and neighbors.

Jeff recently chose the Disabled American Veterans to benefit from one of his many “ten percent of the day’s proceeds” events. Although local organizations are his priority, his annual Cinco de Mayo Skateboard Auction has aided hurricane relief for Mexico and Puerto Rico.

His next idea is Twelve Days of Christmas, starting December 12, with each of 12 beers – at Public House, or 12 cocktails – at The Imperial, representing a different charity and $1 a drink going to that charity.

These three members of our community set the bar and keep raising it for good business blended with community involvement.

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By Ingrid Sjostrand

DR. JOEL KAHN WANTS TO HELP PEOPLE EAT BETTER. He’s dedicated nearly 30 years to spreading the importance of a plant-based diet and has been practicing what he preaches for even longer.

A cardiologist by day and restauranteur by night, Kahn has been vegan since college. A combination of necessity from trying to find Kosher foods around the campus of the University of Michigan and his mother’s cooking style at home led to him eating fully plant-based for nearly ten years before starting his career. Naturally, he began incorporating nutrition into his practice.

“I started teaching every patient that we can do a bypass and I can do stents, but they could get out of this pickle they are in…by eating pickles,” Kahn says. “I’m fortunate that I had something to offer people, which was prevention, and the opportunity to get off medication and avoid operations.”
Kahn calls this practice “inter-preventional cardiology” – a twist on the standard interventional practice of treatment.

“WHAT I FOUND REALLY INTERESTING WAS IN MY 30 OR 40 MINUTES with a patient during a procedure I had a great opportunity to teach them how to never come back. That was the best and most effective time. I started talking about diet, sleep and fitness and a lot of them made some really significant changes,” Kahn says. “So I came up with this word, I can do interventional cardiology like other cardiologists. But I really want you to never be here again because you’ve learned the tricks of a healthy lifestyle, and eating is the biggest one.”

Outside of his practice, Kahn has worked to make healthier, plant-based food more accessible to more people. He’s written five books and is about to publish his sixth in 2020. He also teaches at both Wayne State University and Oakland University, but one of the biggest ways he’s done this is through his restaurant, GreenSpace Cafe, which he opened in 2015 with his son Daniel. Located at 215 W Nine Mile Rd, GreenSpace’s menu is locally-sourced and free of GMOs, processed foods, fryers, microwaves and animal products.

KAHN SAYS. “WE’VE TRIED VERY HARD TO EMPHASIZE REAL FOOD, old food, healing food. This is certainly not a medical clinic, but you can create great food and great-tasting food from real ingredients without processed chemicals.” The menu changes based on ingredients available seasonally. Another unique attribute of Greenspace compared to other local vegan restaurants is that they have a full bar. They regularly host events ranging from plant-based breakfast for dinner, staying healthy during the holidays to a presentation of a vegan bellydancing troupe.

“It’s been an amazing ride. I’m here most nights, Daniel is here most days, my wife is here a lot and we’ve served over 500,000 meals,” Kahn says. “We want to make sure everyone who comes here has some comfortable options to eat. We have seen so many people that have never been in a restaurant with plant-based options, and that’s been really great.”

IN 2018, THEY EXPANDED THE BRAND and opened Greenspace-And-Go in Royal Oak: a fast-casual space with dine-in, carry out and catering and a completely different menu cooked almost entirely without oil.
“You can’t help but notice around the country in the last couple of years that people are starting to be more conscious of what they are eating. I don’t know if anyone would have predicted that mainstream America is trying plant-based substitutes,” Kahn says.

“Very honestly, I don’t need to be in the restaurant business, I want to be in the restaurant business. We’re proud to have survived in a tough industry for four years and plan to be here for many more; we welcome everyone to come in just once or every night.”

How to take the first steps to change your eating:

1. “Decrease the garbage because it’s bad for you and have awareness of what you are putting into your body. Realize that food is medicine and bad food can be poison. Most people aren’t really thinking as they eat a meal ‘is this promoting my health so I don’t have to take medication or have surgery?”

2. “Increase the good stuff, I like Meatless Monday for people that are starting. Start with one day a week where you have a smoothie or oatmeal or skip breakfast, bring a salad to lunch that is loaded with protein or beans and peas and carrots and maybe a little cubed tofu, make it bulky and find a way to make a cheeseless pizza at home and add every vegetable in the world.”

3. “Get rid of dairy seven days a week – ‘Dairy is scary,’ as we say. Dairy causes acne, bloating, gas issues, stuffy nose.”

Dr. Kahn recommends two documentaries • Forks Over Knives/Netflix • Game Changers – Netflix

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By Jill Lorie Hurst

Just when I thought I’d met every brilliant human who lives in the 48220, Ferndale Friends sent me to learn all about Rachel Engel: homesteader, permaculture consultant, perfume and candle maker, winner of the Ferndale Beautification Award, urban farmer, ecologist. Engel is one of the founders of the Ferndale Seed Library. She holds workshops for people interested in leading a zero-waste lifestyle.

Rachel is also warm, funny, empathetic and very gracious. Seconds after arriving at her Ferndale home on a snowy morning, I was seated in a big, comfy chair with a blanket tucked around my shoulders, terrier Teddy in my lap, immediately, dangerously comfortable. Rachel: “It’s important to be cozy and have your basic needs met. Celebrate your day-to-day.” She celebrates with husband/partner Brian, eleven-year-old daughter Terra and a growing group of animals that include Wyandotte chickens, “big, fat heirloom chickens who love the cold.”

Born into a military family, Rachel moved over 35 times as a child. She found Ferndale as a grownup, and met Brian just as she was leaving for a great job in Chicago. She left. And then returned. They’ve been growing a life together ever since.

The “growing” started when she wondered if he’d mind getting rid of the front lawn! I expressed interest and confessed a lack of skills. “Failure is all part of the process. Fail – you have compost. Things will grow better next year. Just get roots into the soil.”

RACHEL ADVISES STARTING WITH AN HERB SPIRAL. Easy to grow fruits and vegetables? She recommended garlic, chives, Asian pears, persimmons, arugula. Divide your yard into zones. Grow the things you use most in the zone closest to your house. Think small. Make long-term goals.

Rachel has two goals these days. One is design-ing permacultures for others. “Helping people become guardians of their own land. Each garden is diverse and unique. It’s based on following the sunlight paired with water and energy conservation by focusing on perennial food production and inviting natural ecological systems to do the work.”

Second, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), which Rachel calls a “deep-hearted endeavor.” They deliver fresh, seasonal produce to lucky customers on a regular basis. Food is harvested an hour before delivery!

We discussed the idea of a CSA on every block. What’s a CSA? Each household grows different things to share with the neighborhood. “We can shrink our carbon footprint and increase our nutrition by becoming ‘hyper-local.’” Rachel is passionate. “The best legacy we can leave future generations is good soil.”

HER DAUGHTER TERRA ON GROWING UP in a permaculture homestead: “My favorite part is being able to go into the yard and being able to eat so many yummy veggies and plants. The hardest part is maintaining it, but it’s definitely worth it. And it matters because we are going through a global crisis and growing our own food helps the Earth in many ways. Also, growing up on an urban farm is so much fun because of being able to play with the animals and make many things and eat many things with the plants.”

On the walk home I thought about an herb spiral, the arugula we can grow, the clover and wildflowers that’ll replace the grass in our front yard. Up until now I’ve left the gardening to my husband, but Rachel has made me unafraid to fail! A great teacher inspires you to dig in. Explore. Set goals that work for you.

Rachel Engel moved more than 35 times as a kid. It was hard to put down roots. Rachel dreams of picking an apple off a tree she planted herself. Hopefully she’ll pick that apple right here in Ferndale.

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IT WAS MY RECENT PRIVILEGE TO MEET UP with local fitness instructor Marius Padieu at Dino’s in Ferndale. I was impressed with Padieu’s youthful appearance, obvious high energy/fitness level and lively personality. As our conversation progressed, it became clear he is committed to sharing a message of lifelong fitness and good nutrition practices to all his clients, who range from ages 18-100.

Padieu’s expertise is a combination of personal training, nutritional counseling and teaching group classes. Currently, his signature class is Zumba and, due to his widespread popularity as an instructor of this class, he acquired the playful nickname of “Zumba King.” For those unfamiliar with this cardio workout class, it is a blend of various dance styles, including: hip-hop, soca, samba, salsa, merengue, and mambo. As Padieu explains on his website (MKPFitness.com), this is a full-body workout, which burns huge amounts of calories per hour.

He has mostly female participants in his group classes, and added, “I think guys are a bit intimidated!” Padieu hopes that gradually there will be less of a gender division with Zumba.

Classes are tailored around who attends and their experience/fitness levels, and beginners are always welcome. The classes are held at the Gerry Kulick Community Center on Mondays and Thursday evenings. There are also extended, 90-minute long classes, which are the ‘dance party’ nights. These are hosted at different locations with varying fun.

I asked how he decided to focus on fitness as a career choice. Padieu explained that he worked out from early in life, often running around Belle Isle. Then a few years ago, he began working on a regular/structured fitness training routine with Terry Ulch from the 359 Fit Studio on Livernois. Padieu found Ulch’s approach highly-effective and rewarding. And he trains his own clients at that same location. He estimates that 70-80 percent of his personal training clients also take his Zumba classes.

Padieu sees his role as not just a personal trainer but also a friend. He always hopes that his clients will make a lifetime commitment to their health and fitness, instead of setting short-term goals.

Additionally, he advises his clients to set realistic goals, and to avoid getting discouraged. “You will always get to a better level than where you were!” Overall, Padieu is a big advocate of consistency: “It’s all about building good habits, plus the camaraderie and friendly competition in my classes definitely helps my clients to stay motivated.”

Certainly a very inspiring approach, and one which he truly believes in!

Marius Padieu hosts Zumba Cardio and Tone classes at the Gerry Kulick Community Center: Mondays, 7:00-8:00 P.M. & Thursdays, 6:00-7:00 P.M. (1201 Livernois, Ferndale). Reserve your place online; drop-ins available also. The cost is $10 per class. Friday Night Dance Party Zumba is also offered at varying locales. Padieu can be reached via email, for further information regarding classes and personal training: marius@mkpfitness.com or MKPFitness.MI@gmail.com. He can be reached via phone at: 313.971.8399. Detailed information is available on his website: MKPFitness. com, and on: facebook.com/mkpfitness.

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By Sara E. Teller

THE TWISTED SHAMROCK STARTED IN DOWNTOWN FERNDALE IN 2005. OWNER JIM MONAHAN RECALLED, “I am of Irish descent and felt that the greater Metro-Detroit community needed a good Irish/Celtic goods shop. After leaving the corporate world, and doing some intense research, I opened the store.”

The shop was on 9 Mile for a decade. “I had a good run there for ten years and celebrated all the great things happening in Ferndale, except for the parking,” Monahan said, adding, “My last few years in Ferndale the parking continued to become more congested.”

While he said he wasn’t “looking forward to a move,” Monahan knew it was necessary, and in
2015 he found just the right spot in nearby Berkley. “I found a new space on 12 Mile that was perfect,” he said. “The new space has ample parking – and it’s free to park! – and it also had a rear entrance off the parking lot which I didn’t have in Ferndale.”

The new location officially opened that Summer and proved to be even more advantageous when the County Oakland Irish Festival started taking place right downtown.

MONAHAN SAID, “SINCE COMING TO BERKLEY, a few good Irish people and organizations gathered and have organized the County Oakland Irish Festival here. The festival just celebrated its fourth showing on September 7, 2019 [and] featured over 20 bands, musicians, pipers, and Irish dancers, as well as vendors and food trucks. Of course, all the great shops and restaurants in Berkley join in.”

The Twisted Shamrock easily fits in with its wide array of Irish/Celtic goods – from stunning jewelry to Irish sweaters, capes, men’s caps, vests, and art, home goods, and edibles, including tea, candy, and jams. Those looking for everything Irish can also shop online at thetwistedshamrock.com.

Customers come from all over searching for unique treasures. “You can’t find Irish shops everywhere,” Monahan explained, “So, many people searching for [stores that] carry the Irish goods” stumble upon the Berkley gem and become regulars.

Monahan said he’s eager to share Ireland travel tips and contacts as well, stating, “If anyone is looking to travel to Ireland, we also are connected to great travel tours. Stop in and ask. I’m always happy to talk about Ireland!”

248-544-4179 | 3074 12 Mile Rd.
Tues. – Fri. 11:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M., Sat. 10:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M.,
Sun. 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.

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By Sara E. Teller

LOCATED IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN BERKLEY,Sum Girls Boutique is a sustainable-fashion, new apparel and accessories hot-spot for ladies of all ages. It features higher-end, trendy clothing and accessories from well-known brands, consignors and boutiques in the Metro-Detroit area.

“We also feature reasonably-priced, practical, fun gift items from local vendors,” said owner Robyn Coden. “We have your back if you need a birthday present, teacher gift, or maybe just a treat for yourself or a friend.”

A warm and whimsical place, and one of empowerment, sisterhood, good values, smiles and memories, Sum Girls is a spin- off of Coden’s blog Dim Sum and Doughnuts.

“‘Dim Sum and Doughnuts’ is a blog named for my daughters – one who is from China and one who is biological – to have when they get older,” she said. “I have been writing Dim Sum and Doughnuts since 2001. It’s an honest, comedic girl empowerment blog about growing up, making mistakes, and having fun with a life lesson or takeaway in every post.”

CODEN KNEW SHE WANTED TO EXPAND UPON THESE CONCEPTS in a real, physical way but wasn’t quite sure how to, at least at first. “It took years to come up with a good business fit to go with our Dim Sum and Doughnuts brand, and in the end it was my younger daughter who brought the idea of a store to my attention,” she explained. “After much research, a business plan, and several months of approvals and meetings and renovations, we opened as a start-up, family-owned business in October 2017.”

In addition to offering a wide variety of fashion- able goodies, Sum Girls Boutique hosts its own Girls’ Night Out events which usually take place once a month. “We like to pick a local charity and either donate a percentage of our proceeds to that charity or make the entire event a charity drive for a local at-risk, underprivileged or special needs organization or school,” Coden said.

Sum Girls Boutique is located at the corner of 12 Mile and Robina Avenue. Store hours are
Tuesday through Friday 11:30 A.M.-6:00 P.M. and Saturdays 11:30 A.M.-5:00 P.M. For more information, stop in or visit www.SumGirlsBoutique.com

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