Small Business

Simply Spanish joining Mark’s Carts lineup this year

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February 19, 2014

When Xavi Vitta moved to Ann Arbor from Spain years ago, what he missed most was the style of restaurant he was used to at home. "Something less ceremonial than a restaurant, with outstanding food," he says. With Simply Spanish, a food cart coming to Mark's Carts this spring, he intents to bring exactly that to Ann Arbor. Simply Spanish will feature authentic Spanish foods that are simple, made with fresh ingredients. "Eating well has also been a pillar in my upbringing," says Vitta. "I would like to share the joy of eating well with others." According to Vitta, the food cart format is a perfect fit for his concept, enabling a wide variety of customers to share a few tapas during their meal. The cart itself will reflect the Spanish culture as much as the food, decorated in graphics that celebrate the ceramic art of Gaudi. Vitta plans to open Simply Spanish in April of this year with a staff of two, which he intends to grow to three based on demand. He is looking forward to sharing his culture with the Ann Arbor community through his tapas style cuisine. Source: Xavi Vitta, Simply Spanish Writer: Natalie Burg

Latest in Small Business

Forthcoming Style Trader store expands on local resale franchise

By Natalie Burg

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Arts & Culture

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February 12, 2014

The Ann Arbor-based children's resale franchise Children's Orchard now has locations in states all across the U.S. In addition to growing out, the business is now growing up, with a new store concept that will soon debut in Ann Arbor on W. Eisenhower. "Style Trader is a new concept that we're looking to franchise," says General Manager Jennifer Fields. "It's nice to be bringing it home to Ann Arbor, in a sense, but also to be building on the concept of walking from Children's Orchard to Style Trader in one trip." The Ann Arbor Style Trader, which will open in a 2,500-square-foot space in Colonnade Shopping Center, will be the second of its kind. The first opened in Livonia in July of 2012. According to Fields, however, this will be the first time the concept is tested in close proximity to Children's Orchard, which she suspects will be a winning combination. Style Trader will focus on upscale clothing lines and styles that are no more than two years old, giving shopper access to the newer fashions and lower prices. While Fields says she anticipates moms and teens will enjoy the store, she's already been surprised by the success of the Livonia location's men's apparel. "It's a fun environment that's not just for women," says Fields. "Nowhere else is doing resale for men. We couldn't believe how many men have been coming out in Livonia." Renovations are already underway at the E. Eisenhower store. Fields plans to open Style Trader in early March and celebrate with a grand opening later in the spring. The store will employ five to six workers. Source: Jennifer Fields, Style Trader Writer: Natalie Burg

Menna’s Joint to add unique cuisine, 30 jobs to E. William St.

By Natalie Burg

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Arts & Culture

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February 12, 2014

College towns across Michigan have been familiar with the "the Dub" sandwich since Menna's Joint opened in East Lansing in 2003. Now with six locations, the home of the grilled sub/burrito hybrid will soon open a seventh on E. William in Ann Arbor. "The dub is a unique product and we deliver it to our customer in a variety of ways," says Hank Andries, Menna's Joint owner and president. "We're looking to complement the market in Ann Arbor. There is a lot of competition here, but we're hoping we fill a portion of the market." Andries had actually considered the space prior to former tenant Topper's Pizza's occupancy, but the timing wasn't quite right. When the property broker reached out to Andries last time, however, everything fell into place. "It was really just about waiting for the right opportunity," Andries says. "There is a lot of demand for space in Ann Arbor, and not a ton of supply. It was just a matter of timing for us." The 1,500-square-foot space will undergo primarily cosmetic renovations as Menna's Joint prepares to open. The restaurant will have seating for 14 diners, as well as offering delivery and carry-out options. Andries intends to open Menna's this spring with a staff of about 30 employees. Source: Hank Andries, Menna's Joint Writer: Natalie Burg

Wixom-based Total Sports Shop expands with new Saline location

By Natalie Burg

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Development News

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February 5, 2014

Sometimes everyone's timing just lines up. Just as the longtime owners of the Saline Sport Shack on E. Michigan Ave. were ready to retire, the Wixom-based Total Sports Shop was ready to open a new retail location. Part of the Total Sports Complex, which has locations in Novi and Farmington, the Total Sports Shop is the first retail shop for the company outside of its Wixom location. "They were looking to retire, and we were looking to expand," says Jeff Fisher, store manager for the Saline Total Sports Shop. "We already wanted to get into this neck of the woods." Similar to its predecessor, Total Sports Shop focuses on supplying teams with athletic gear. According to Fisher, visitors may still notice some differences in the 1,700 square foot store, which will carry additional brands and has been renovated to have a more open and spacious feel. "There is actually a lot of change here, and we've gotten a lot of positive feedback from the community," Fisher says. Total Sports Shop opened Dec. 1. The Total Sports Complex brand has plans to continue to expand across the state with additional locations forthcoming, including a store in Monroe set to open in March. The new Saline store currently employs a staff of three. Fisher anticipates they will eventually expand to a larger location to accommodate in-store product demonstrations. Source: Jeff Fisher, Total Sports Shop Writer: Natalie Burg

The Little Seedling to sprout up in larger W. Stadium space

By Natalie Burg

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Development News

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February 5, 2014

The Little Seedling is growing bigger. The maternity and baby retailer has outgrown its Zeeb Rd. location and will soon move to a new storefront on W. Stadium near Goldfish Swim School. "We're really excited," says owner Molly Ging. "Here, we have the store and warehouse, and we'll be able to combine them there, which will save us time and money." The Little Seedling specializes in cloth diapers and unique maternity and baby gear. When Ging first opened, she says it was important to be so near the Zeeb Rd. exit because, as one of the only diapering retailers in the Midwest, many of her customers drove from out of town to see her. Though her clientele is more local now, she is still growing, running out of space in her 3,200 square foot location. The W. Stadium space will offer about 6,000 square feet of combined showroom and storage, which will provide plenty of space for her shoppers and their busy companions. "A lot of our customers enjoy that we're extremely family friendly," says Ging. "Our kids can touch things here. Moms can shop while their kids play. Sometimes it's like a built-in play date." The larger space will also come with expanded hours and staff. In order to better serve the clients to Goldfish Swim School, she'll open an hour earlier and stay open an hour later each day, and anticipates hiring an additional two employees to grow her staff to ten. The Little Seedling will also expand the age range of her inventory to serve parents with older toddlers. Work on the new location is now underway. After approximately eight years of vacancy, the space requires significant renovation. Ging hopes to open the new store on or before April 1. Source: Molly Ging, The Little Seedling Writer: Natalie Burg

Bank of Ann Arbor to grow with 8,300 sq ft addition

By Natalie Burg

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Community Development

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February 5, 2014

Should everything go according to the Bank of Ann Arbor's plans, the corner of S. Fifth and E. Washington could look very different in the not-too-distant future. The bank is planning an 8,300 square foot addition in the form of a third floor on a portion of the building, as well as interior and exterior renovations of the entire structure. "We've certainly created a lot of excitement internally because the building does need renovation," says Bank of Ann Arbor Senior Vice President Hans Maier. "Our staff is excited, and I think the community will be excited too." The Bank of Ann Arbor's main office building currently employs about 95 staff members. The new space would allow for growth, as well as more space for existing employees to work. "It's a combination of providing additional space and providing more efficient space," Maier says." Plans for the project have been presented to the Design Review Board. Maier hopes to present to the Planning Commission in April, City Council in May and begin construction in July. Construction is expected to take anywhere from one year to 18 months. Source: Hans Maier, Bank of Ann Arbor Writer: Natalie Burg

1000 Tools brings sharing economy to pricey tools

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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January 29, 2014

The inspiration for 1000 Tools, a startup based on the idea of a sharing economy, came from an unlikely source: a Ford Probe. Alan Mond used to own a Ford Probe. Like most other student-owned automobiles it eventually needed repairs. And like most college students, it made more financial sense for Mond to fix it himself than go to an auto repair shop. The only problem is he didn't have the tools he needed to do it. "I could have bought the tools outright or I could have borrowed them from my friends but they didn't have all the tools I needed," Mond says. He adds that borrowing tools isn't a practice that strengthens friendships as much as it wears them thin. So he came up with the idea of creating a website where people could put their expensive and niche tools up for rent. That became 1000 Tools about six months ago, when Mond teamed up with Julien Vanier (a software developer) to bring the idea to fruition. 1000 Tools is based on the idea of the sharing economy. Think Airbnb (where people can put homes or rooms up for rent online) but with tools. 1000 Tools and its team of three people have so far attracted 270 users who have put everything from a bread maker to an excavator up for rent online. "We're going to grow it first in Ann Arbor and spread it to other cities," Mond says. "We'd like to have 1,000 tools by the end of the year." Source: Alan Mond, co-founder & CEO of 1000 Tools Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Piata to be Main Street Ventures’ “most exciting” new restaurant

By Natalie Burg

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Arts & Culture

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January 29, 2014

Anyone disappointed by the recent closing of Kuroshio on E. Liberty won't have long to wait before another culinary adventure takes over the space. According to Main Street Venture's Dennis Serras, the Mediterranean-inspired Piata restaurant set to open May 8 will not disappoint. "I haven't been this excited about a concept since I opened Real Safood 38 years ago. I'm just really excited abouths place I think we're going to blow the doors off. Serras says Piata was inspired by an Italian eatery in Toronto featuring a youthful spirit and interactive dining experiences. The approximately 6,000 square foot restaurant will feature high-top dining, an open-air antipasto bar and portion sizes on both food and wines that encourage diners to try a variety of options during each meal. "When I saw this, it absolutely clicked," Serras says. "I knew what the restaurant had to be. I wasn't going to be one those old-style Greek restaurants with Caesar's head or busts on the wall and grapes everywhere." Piata is expected to seat about 150 diners inside, and Serras plans to create outdoor seating as well. The menu will include items from Italy, Greece, Morocco and Spain, such as braised chicken with figs, house-made yogurt cheese crustini and baked orzo. Though all renovations on the recently updated space will be cosmetic, Serras says the look and feel will be entirely new. Piata is expected to open in May with a staff of about 75. Serras anticipates the restaurant will fit in well with some of the newer downtown restaurants he admires, such as Mani Osteria, Vellum and Aventura. Source: Dennis Serras, Main Street Ventures Writer: Natalie Burg

Mediterranean grocery store coming to Colonnade Shopping Center

By Natalie Burg

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Development News

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January 29, 2014

It can't be a bad sign for a restaurant if customers love your food so much they are always asking where they can buy the ingredients to make it at home. Rather than continuing to send his customers elsewhere for grocery items Zamaan Cafe owner Ali Hijazi decided to cater to them himself. Beginning in early February, fans will be able to shop right next door at Reena Market. "They ask for some Mediterranean food items, and we thought this would be a great place for our customers and the neighbors to come and buy whatever they need," says Hijazi. The pair of businesses in the Colonnade Shopping Center on Eisenhower aren't entirely unlike another pair of businesses Hijazi co-owns. The TMAZ Taqueria on Packard is also neighbors with a grocery market featuring ingredients used in its dishes. The 1,300 square foot Reena Market will also be stocked with convenience store items, such as refreshments and snacks that Hijazi says will come in handy for employees of nearby businesses and the neighboring apartment complexes. "The neighbors are so excited for us to be coming here," he says. "We've started selling a few things when people come knocking, even though we're not quite open yet. Hijazi has been working to renovate the space, a former health food store, for about a month. The store is set to open in early February with a staff of about two employees. Hijazi owns a number of businesses in the area, and his next forthcoming project will be a Mexican and hamburger restaurant on Plymouth Rd. Source: Ali Hijazi, Reena Market Writer: Natalie Burg

Boxwood Cottage and Home opens in Downtown Dexter

By Natalie Burg

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Arts & Culture

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January 29, 2014

Downtown Dexter is now a little cozier. Boxwood Cottage and Home, a home goods retail and furniture renovation space opened in late November on Alpine St. Owners Gail Hauman and Mandy Pomo off customers home decor items, chalk-based furniture paint and furniture painting workshops. The shop is the only location in Washtenaw County now carrying the unique, eco-friendly paint. "If you haven't painted furniture before, there are so many techniques to learn," says Hauman. "We provide all of the supplies, and we just have a lot of fun. It's a really fun way to bring new life into the furniture you already have." Hauman and Promo chose the homey, 550 square foot space for its proximity to downtown. After putting their personal touch on the interior, Hauman says customers are finding the show room cozy enough to call home. "We have a lot of support from people in Dexter," Hauman says. "They love the space. People just want to sit down and read. It's very homey and cozy." Boxwood Cottage and Home is currently staff by the owners. In the spring, they plan to invest in extensive landscaping and expand their inventory to include yard and gardening decor. They are currently celebrating the recent launch of their website, and hope to add ecommerce to the site in the future. Source: Gail Hauman, Boxwood Cottage and Home Writer: Natalie Burg