Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: June 28-30

Friday, June 28th - Greater Alexander @ Armageddon Beachparty: If you haven't been to Armageddon Beachparty yet, you're missing out on a super cool space. This Friday night, they have a great show lined up, giving you the perfect excuse to head there. Greater Alexander will be performing along with Caitlin Jemma and Eugene Strobe. Cover is $5 and there is a donation bar on the premises. Doors open at 7 p.m. and Eugene kicks things off at 8.

Saturday, June 29 - Brunch on Fleat: Mutts & Mimosas @ Detroit Fleat: Start your Saturday off right with your best friend by your side! Detroit Fleat will be hosting a brunch for your and your pup this Saturday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Proceeds from this event will go to Bark Nation, to use towards their latest venture; a new shelter for canine cruelty survivors in Metro Detroit. Tickets for the event range from $25-$35, depending on if you're bringing a dog or not. Also, 10% of event sales on the patio will go to Bark Nation.



Saturday, June 29 - Motor City Rockabilly Rumble III @ Cellarmen's: Head to Cellarmen's this Saturday for the Third Annual Rockabilly Rumble. There will be music from The Hi-Views, Slim & his Rockabilly Devils, Lords of the Highway, Lost State of Frankin, Cindi Lou & The Red Hot Royals, and The Krank Daddies. There will also be great food, vendors, and you can bet that there will be some sweet cars on site. Things kick off at 3 p.m. and go until midnight. Cover is $10.

Saturday, June 29 - Boss BBQ @ Small's: Abbey Productions brings the Boss BBQ to Small's this Saturday! The event will feature music from the Crombies, Superdot, Reckless Upstarts, Nahuales Underground, The Tellways, Solid 8s, and Keep Away. Pocket Sound System and F.C.S. Detroit Soundsystem will be spinning music for the entire event. Cover is $15 in advance or $20 the day of the show. Things kick off at 6 p.m. and 21+ are welcome.

Win Tickets to Last Night Saved My Life's Album Release Show

Last Night Saved My Life has been hard at work recording a new album. The Saginaw based pop punk band will be releasing their new full length Cherry this Friday. A couple of songs have already been shared with fans, including the song "Waterfall" that features State Champs' own Derek Discanio. The second song released is "Undone" which you can see the music video for by hitting play below. 

The guys will be headed to The Loving Touch in Ferndale this Friday night to celebrate the release of Cherry. Joining them are The True Blue, Happy Heartbreak, and Parkway & Columbia. Tickets for this show are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. You can purchase your tickets in advance here. Thanks to our friends at The Loving Touch, you can also win a pair of tickets to this show. To enter to win, send your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with  #lastnight in the subject line. We will draw one lucky winner on Friday and will send them details on how to claim their prize.

All ages are welcome to attend this show and doors will open at 7 p.m.

~C

Hook and Eye Wants You To Slow Down Your Fashion Game And Get the Right Fit

Fashion is ever changing. Styles, fabrics, cuts, and draping change with each passing trend. We went from being a society of people who only owned a few pieces of clothing to people who have hundreds of pieces of cheaply made clothing that we wear once or twice and then throw away. In fact, the fast fashion industry is the second biggest polluter on the plant, producing over 100 tons of waste a year with no signs of stopping. What's even more shocking is that 85% of the clothing that we buy eventually ends up in landfills. We also buy about double the amount of clothes that we used to and we keep it less time than ever before. Many researchers now say that it would take around 12 years to recycle what the fashion industry currently creates in just 24 hours. We are making more clothing than we can consume and it's costing our plant more then we could ever imagine. This cost is pushing a lot of people to reexamine how they buy clothing. A lot of people are going back to the old way of spending a little more money on a nicer piece that will last you through hundreds of washes. Others are a re-embracing thrift store, vintage, and resale shopping as a way to reduce our consumption by embracing what's already there. 

Hook and Eye is one of the newest stores in Metro Detroit to embrace the idea of slow fashion. Their new boutique is located on 9 Mile in Ferndale. The space features a curated collection of vintage fashion finds from every decade nicely displayed throughout the store by style, type size color.  They have a wide variety of items including dresses, jacket, purses, shoes, hats and more.  They also carry a few great local brands like Eat Da Rich. But, they also have one extra feature that makes this particular vintage shop extra special, they are also a full-service tailor. Vintage clothing can be great but there are so many times that I wish I could get things tailored to fit the right way so that I can keep wearing them for years after I bring them home with me. I also find lots of great pieces that need a little extra something to ensure that I keep wearing after their purchase date. You can purchase items at their space and get them altered or bring in items from other spaces that you want to make fit just right. Tailoring is a dying service and something that can completely change how you dress.  Plus, every time you alter something instead of buying something new, you're stopping a cycle that needs to end. 

 

 

Hook and Eye is located at 243 East 9 Mile in Ferndale. They are open Tuesday-Sunday and the tailor is on site Wednesday through Sunday. They sell some of their finds online, but we suggest that you should just go by the store and see it for yourself.  

~S

Hip In Detroit Talks with Sara Aldridge (Full Podcast)

Recorded: June 18th @ Bagley Central

Guest: Sara Aldridge


Links to thinks we talk about in the show:

Nothing Elegant

Murals in the Market

Ellen Rutt

Open Mic Night is Back on The Alley Deck!

It's no secret that there are a lot of great musicians in the Detroit area. Across the board, this city has amazing musicians, whether you're into indie, metal, electronic, R&B, or anything in between. Well, the folks at The Alley Deck want to showcase all of the great musicians that this city has, so they are bringing tons of them together every Monday night for their open mic night.

This is the third year for Open Mic Night On The Alley Deck, which is headed up by Adam Burgess and hosted by Paul Becknell of the band Notes and Leaves. The event starts at 8 p.m. every Monday and goes until 1 a.m. On top of the "open" part of the open mic night (which is open to everyone) each week they also have a featured artist. So, not only can you plan on seeing a whole bunch of great musicians, but you can guarantee that you will see one excellent one perform.

Cover for Open Mic Night on The Alley Deck is free, but make sure you bring some money to buy drinks! There are always great drink specials during the event, like $2 PBR, Stroh's, and Black Label and $4 well drinks. The Alley Deck is located above the Garden Bowl and outside of the Magic Stick at 4120 Woodward Avenue. For more info and to stay in the loop with this weekly event, head over and join the Facebook group here.

~C

Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: June 21-23

We already told you about River Days, The World's Largest Food Truck Rally, and Handgrenades at Outer Limits. Here are some other fun things happening this weekend!

Friday, June 21st - Saturday, June 22nd - Star Wars Weekend @ The Redford Theatre: The original Star Wars trilogy will play on the big screen at The Redford Theatre this weekend! First up is Episode IV: A New Hope on Friday night at 8 p.m. Then, see Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. And last, but not least, Episode VI: Return of the Jedi will play on Saturday evening at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 per movie for adults and $5 per movie for kids 12 and under.


Friday, June 21st - Voyag3r @ Small's: Detroit's own Voyag3r recently released a new album called War Mask and this Friday night you can see them perform those songs and others live on stage at Small's. Copies of the new album will be available at the show on LP, CD and Cassette. Joining Voyag3r on the bill are Bastardous and Yellowstone Apocalypse. Cover is only $8, doors open at 8 p.m., and 21+ are welcome.





Saturday, June 22nd - Lady Darkness with Matthew Smith @ Dequindre Cut Freight Yard: If you're down at Eastern Market this Saturday, make sure you make your way down to the Dequindre Cut Freight Yard to check out Lady Darkness of Dear Darkness and Matthew Smith. Lady Darkness will be performing at 1 p.m. followed by Matthew Smith at 2 p.m.

Saturday, June 22nd - Ferndale Front Porch: Music will take over the streets of Ferndale this Saturday afternoon for The Ferndale Front Porch. Local musicians will be performing live on front porches of homes throughout the city. To get an idea of who is playing when and where, visit the Facebook event page here. Or, just take a stroll through the streets of Ferndale this Saturday afternoon and see who you can find. The music starts at noon and goes until 6 p.m.




Sunday, June 23rd - Hummin' Bird, Kyle Green, and more @ The Loving Touch: Wrap things up on Sunday night at The Loving Touch. Hummin' Bird will be in town from Tulsa, OK. Joining them on stage are Lily Livers, Suburban Medicine, and a special solo set from Kyle Green of Break Anchor and West Grand. Cover is $10 and all ages are welcome.

Find Your New Favorite Artist Tonight at Found in the Underground III

Two Detroit powerhouses teamed up to highlight some of Detroit's best art and music at the Tangent Gallery tonight. Acronym and Akrenim have come together to bring back Found in the Underground, their annual party that focuses all of its attention on the artists that make Detroit the magical place that it is. They will have over 20 different people showing their work while music plays on two stages all around you. This includes music from Vladimir Vannilsson, Jake Webb & The Commitments, Drizzle, Novara, Medici, Novuh Kaine, Carter Erickson, and Jay OhSo. They will even have Detroit's own Marcie Bolen, formerly of The Von Bondies spinning a set!

Tickets to attend the show will be $7 to $9 at the door depending on how you are paying. They also have a strict no backpack rule, so don't even try to get into this one with a big bag on you. You can find out more about tonight's party here, but if you're looking for something fun to do, this is a great way to learn more about the art and music community. Come get your feet wet and see what the artists of the city have to offer.

~S

Catch Handgrenades in Hamtramck this Weekend!

This Saturday night, Outer Limits Lounge is the place to be. Handgrenades will be playing live on their stage along with Legume and Valentiger from Grand Rapids. Although you probably have seen the HGs play somewhere around town by now, this is the first time that the band has played at Outer Limits. And if somehow you haven't been to Outer Limits yet, you're really missing out. It's a super fun venue, with great decor, and a kick ass patio.

Cover to hang out at Outer Limits this Saturday night and check out these three great bands is only $8. 18+ are welcome to attend and doors are set to open at 8 p.m. Check out some tunes from each of the bands playing Saturday night below. See you in Hamtramck this Saturday!

~C

Win Tickets to See Moon King at Deluxx Fluxx

In 2016, Toronto-born singer & producer Daniel Benjamin made a move from Montreal to Detroit. Creating music under the name Moon King, he released his debut album Hamtramck '16 the following year. The follow up to that album was released this spring and is titled Voice of Lovers. Give a few tracks off the new release a listen below.

Moon King is currently on tour, hitting cities throughout the US and Canada. He will be performing live at Deluxx Fluxx in Detroit this Saturday, June 22nd. Tickets to see Moon King live are $10 and can be purchased in advance here. Thanks to Party Store Productions, you can also enter to win a pair of tickets to this show. To enter to win, send your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #moonking in the subject line. We will draw one lucky winner on Saturday morning and will send them details on how to claim their prize. 

Joining Moon King for Saturday's show is Vespre. Things will kick off at 7 p.m. and 18+ are welcome. 

~C

Did You Know that the Eastern Market is Open a Lot During the Summer?

The Eastern Market is the oldest local Farmers Market in the United States. Every weekend, thousands of people come into the city to sell and purchase locally grown fruit, small batch baked goods and meats. The market also features a variety of local vendors and lots of different types of plants. But, the coolest thing about the Market is that during the Summer it is open a lot more often. Here's everything you need to know about what the market has to offer:

Quick Tips: 

-Pets are not allowed

-Parking Guide

-Entry is always free

-Kids are welcome

-There are usually quite a food trucks set up during every event

-There are lots of local places within walking distance to get food and coffee

Tuesday Markets- 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sheds 2 & 3
The Tuesday Market features fresh produce, baked goods and meats. They also host FREE Zumba and yoga classes as well as guest appearances by the Detroit Public Library Bookmobile.
Yoga: 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. & 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Zumba: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Third Thursdays Market- 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. The Third Thursday of the Month
The Third Thursday Markets feature food, drinks, music, art, and local shopping. This includes lots of local handmade items that you can't find anywhere else.

Saturday Market - 6 a.m. – 4 p.m.
This is when the market is in full swing. All the shops in the area are open as well as many of the restaurants. All of the sheds are open and you can find all the fresh fruit and veggies that you could dream of as well as an array of locally baked goods and different meats cheese and eggs.

Sunday Market- 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sundays are the most laid back day of the week. On Sundays, the market features the work of local artists, cooks, jewelers, musicians, and more.

To find out more about The Eastern Market visit their website here.

~S 

Detroit's River Days Celebration will Bring the World's Biggest Food Truck Rally to Detroit this Weekend

Detroit's annual River Days Festival will return to the waterfront for three days this weekend. This annual celebration of the city's beautiful riverfront was started in 2007 to commemorate the renovations that were made at the turn of the century, but as the city has grown, so has the festival. This year, the three-day celebration will feature music, food, and lots of different activities for kids. It will also feature the largest food truck gathering that anyone in the world has ever seen. The fun will kick off this Friday, June 21st with free admission from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. After that, it will be $5 to get into the festival for the rest of the weekend. Here's an easy to use guide to everything you want to know about the 2019 River Days celebration.

Festival Hours-

11 am until 10 pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Free from 11 am until 5 pm, on Friday.

Food Truck Rally-

Over 100 food trucks will be coming together for three days. Every person who pays $5 to get into the festival gets a $3 food voucher to use at the food truck rally. Plus, all of the extra food will be donated to local shelters after the fest! You can see the full list of food trucks that will be coming here.

For the Kids:

Delta Dental Kids Stage

Flagstar Bank Kids Corner

For Everyone:

Yoga on the River

Air Show

Shimmer on the River

Sand Sculptures 

Motown Museum 

Chill Zone

Adventure Park

Musical Lineup:

Soaring Eagle Stage

Friday, June 21-

5:00 PM-Luther Re-Lives     

6:45 PM-Mary Jane Girls     

8:30 PM-Smokey Robinson

Saturday, June 22-

5:00 PM-Notorious

6:45 PM-Brian McKnight

9:00 PM-Brandy

Sunday, June, 23-

5:30 PM-Brielle

7:15 PM-Carl Thomas

8:30 PM-Faith Evans

Michigan Lottery Stage-

Friday, June 21-

11:15 AM-Ceolsige    

12:15 PM-Alex Mendenall     

1:00 PM-Tuskegee Airmen Museum Airshow

2:00 PM-Vespre

3:30 PM-Lady Champagne     

5:00 PM-313 The Live Experience

6:45 PM-Laura Rain & The Caesars   

8:30 PM-Dennis Coffey

Saturday, June 22-

11:15 AM-Acoustic Ash

12:45 PM-Random Facts

2:15 PM-Flexadecibel

3:30 PM-Tuskegee Airmen Museum Airshow

4:30 PM-Cast Iron Cornbread

6:00 PM-Matt Austin

7:30 PM-Detroit Trouble

9:00 PM-Big Pappa & The Machine

Sunday, June 23-

11:15 AM-Emma Guzman

12:45 PM-Honey Monsoon

2:15 PM-The Meltdowners

3:30 PM-Tuskegee Airmen Museum Airshow

4:30 PM-Fangs & Twang

6:00 PM-Mark Whalen & The Buttermilk Boys

7:30 PM-Priscilla Price & Friends 

9:00 PM-Roots Vibrations

Metro by T-Mobile Stage-

Friday, June 21-

11:45 AM-Jill Govan

1:00 PM-Tuskegee Airmen Museum Airshow

2:30 PM-CHIT!

4:15 PM-Sara Marie Barron

6:00 PM-Motown 60 at 6

7:30 PM-Alise King

9:00 PM-Larry Lee & Back in the Day Band

Saturday, June 22-

11:30 AM-Lia K Catallo

1:00 PM-3rd Degree Burns

2:30 PM-NDEEP THE BAND

3:30 PM-Tuskegee Airmen Museum Airshow

4:30 PM-IS Evolution

6:00 PM-Motown 60 at 6

7:30 PM-Adventures with Vultures

9:00 PM-Eliza Neals & The Narcotics

Sunday, June 23-

11:30 AM-Athens Creek

1:00 PM-GOODWEATHER

2:30 PM-Denise Davis & The Motor City Sensations

3:30 PM-Tuskegee Airmen Museum Airshow

4:30 PM-Half Light Music

6:00 PM-Motown 60 at 6

7:30 PM-Todd Michael Band

9:00 PM-Killer Flamingos

Hip in Detroit's Picks for the Weekend: June 14-16

Friday, June 14th - James Linck @ The Old Miami: You know that if James Linck is playing a show, we're going to tell you about it. He will playing at The Old Miami this Friday night along with Goldzilla, Duane, and Jaws That Bite. Cover to see these four acts live is only $5, 21+ are welcome, and doors open at 9 p.m.






Friday, June 14th - Miz Korona @ PJ's Lager House: The legend herself, Miz Korona, will be returning to the stage to perform at PJ's Lager House this Friday night. She will be joined by the Korona Effect, along with Finale, Dssense, and Nix. $15 will get you in the door. 18+ are welcome and doors open at 8 p.m.






Saturday, June 15th - Bathroom of the Future @ The Sanctuary: Bathroom of the Future is releasing a new album and they're celebrating the release at The Sanctuary this Saturday night. Joining them for the night are The Dewtons, Young Hunger, and Labour Day Weekend. Cover is only $5 and all ages are welcome. Get a sneak peek of the new album by checking out the first song released off of it, "Star Wars 2".




Saturday, June 15th - A Fundraiser for Girls Rock Detroit @ Small's: Girls Rock Detroit is an awesome organization helping to train the next generation of musicians right here in Detroit. This Saturday night, Black Iris Booking and Small's have teamed up to have a fundraiser for the group. Wiccans, Immaculate Conception, Dark Serenity and Seritas will all be performing and they are asking for a $10 minimum donation at the door. 18+ are welcome and doors open at 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 15th - Free Moon Taxi Concert @ Beacon Park: Throughout last summer, Beacon Park hosted some great events, with some of the most popular being their free summer concert series. Well, this Saturday night they will bring another great free concert to their stage. This time around, Moon Taxi will be hitting the stage along with The War & Treaty and Empty Houses. There will also be market vendors, and food and drinks available for purchase. Things kick off at 6:30 p.m.



Sunday, June 16th - Teenage Bottlerocket @ Small's: The weekend isn't over until your alarm goes off on Monday morning! Black Iris Booking will bring Teenage Bottlerocket to town to play Small's on Sunday night along with Ramona USA, S.U.B., and Smash The Jukebox. Tickets are $14 and can be purchased in advance here or cover will be $16 at the door. All ages are welcome and doors open at 7 p.m.

Win Tickets to See Corktown Popes and The Firewalkers

This Saturday night, Corktown Popes will be playing two full sets at The Loving Touch, a big treat for any of Popes' fans. During those sets, the band will also be recording a video at the venue. And, if those reasons aren't enough to entice you, opening up for the Corktown Popes will be The Firewalkers. For those that aren't familiar, The Firewalkers is the new project from Laura Mendoza, along with Rudy Varner, Loney Charles, and David James. Give both bands a listen below to get a feel for what you can expect at Saturday's show.

Video by Richard Blondy

Tickets to see these two bands live are $10 and can be purchased in advance here. Thanks to our friends at The Loving Touch, we are also giving away a pair of tickets to the show. To enter to win, send your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #popes in the subject line. We will draw our winner on Saturday morning and will send them details on how to claim their prize. 

All ages are welcome to attend this one and things are set to kick off at 8 p.m.

~C

Come Hangout at Bagley Central While We Record Our Next Podcast with Sara Aldridge

Detroit has changed a lot over the last 8 years and so has hipindetroit.com. We are constantly trying to find new ways to document the people, places, and music that make Detroit so magical and along the way we realized that we really liked podcasting. Then, after years of being cooped up in a studio, we decided to switch it up and take our podcast on the road. Instead of staying in the same place, we purchased all the things we needed to pop-up and podcast on our own terms. This means that we can record our chats anywhere, anytime with anyone that we want. This also means that we have the time that we need to get in-depth and truly document the people that are making this city move.

This month we will be talking to Sara Aldridge, 1/2 of Nothing Elegant and one of the most well respected DJs in Detroit. Sara is a culture creator and a positivity ambassador that uses her voice to highlight injustice and spread joy by creating safe spaces for people to dance. She has also been deeply involved with the Detroit art and music scene for two decades and she has a lot of knowledge to share.

We will be recording this conversation at Bagley Central on June 18th at 7 p.m. and we would like to invite all of you to listen in while we chat. The new cocktail bar is one of our favorite places to kick back and have a drink, so we figured it was the perfect place to relax and record. So come hang out and do the same while we talk to Sara about all things hip in Detroit.

~S

Win Tickets to See Joe DeRosa at Small's

This Friday night, Ray and Laura's Comedy Showcase will bring funny man Joe DeRosa to the stage at Small's in Hamtramck! DeRosa is a comedian, writer, and actor. You may have seen him on shows like Better Call Saul or Inside Amy Schumer, or you probably have seen one of his specials on Comedy Central over the years. He has been on TV, on the radio, and on stage. He even has released several albums. Give his 2017 release You Let Me Down a listen here.

Tickets to see Joe DeRosa live are $20 and can be purchased in advance here. The night of the show, cover will be $25 at the door. Thanks to our friends at Small's, we are also giving away a free pair of tickets to one lucky reader. To enter to win, send your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #joe in the subject line. We will draw our winner on Friday morning and will send them details on how to claim their prize.

Doors are set to open at 8 p.m. on Friday and the show will start at 9 p.m. 21+ are welcome. For more info on this event and on Joe DeRosa, head over to the Facebook event page here.

~C

It's Time To Stop By and Check Out ZMC

If you're driving down main street from Royal Oak to Ferndale, you'll see a cute little pharmacy called ZMC on your left side. If you look a little closer, you see some killer window displays that will entice you to come in, and if you are smart enough to stop and take a look around you will be surprised by what you find.

ZMC is a family owned pharmacy and gift shop that is unlike any other. They can refill your birth control prescription while you browse around one of the best assortments of lotions, skincare, and well-being products around, mixed with an interesting collection of jewelry, gifts, and kids items. They also have the best card selection that we have ever seen. We make a point to stop in every once in a while to see what kind of new items they have in stock and we were pleased to find that they are stocked up on Spring and Summer skin care. We picked up some new SPF based products to get through the season and were blown away to see that they sold KEPT jewelry at the counter (if you need a last minute gift, we can't think of anything better). They also have some really cool candles, lots of green little plants, and some great affordable earrings.

If your in the area YOU MUST stop in and see what kind of cool things that you can find and if you are looking for a local pharmacy to fill your scripts, this is the kind of place that actually cares about the people that they serve. So stop letting CVS and Walgreens treat you poorly when going to the pharmacy could be a really cool experience.

Here are a few of the fun things we found during our latest visit. If you want to see more of the fun things that they have, you can follow them on Instagram here.

  

Win Tickets to See Ignite at El Club

Everyone knows that Detroit is known for great music, as are cities like Nashville and Seattle. Detroit has Motown, Nashville has country, and Seattle was the home of grunge. But, fans of punk rock and hardcore know that Orange County is home to some great bands too. Gwen Stefani of No Doubt sings about being an "Orange County girl, living in an extraordinary world". It's also home to Fu Manchu, Save Ferris, The Offspring, and US Bombs. The list of great bands from Orange County is quite lengthy and Ignite is one of those bands included on the list.

For those that aren't familiar, Ignite is a melodic hardcore band that has been playing music since 1993. You may recognize some of the members of the band from playing with other bands like Pennywise, Strife, and Into Another. Many of their songs address social and political issues, you can give most of their discography a listen here.

Ignite is kicking off an East Coast tour this Tuesday night in Chicago and they're headed to Detroit on Wednesday night. The band will hit the stage at El Club along with Detroit's own Young Hunger and Reuther. Tickets to see these three bands live are $16 and can be purchased in advance here. Thanks to our friends at El Club, we are also giving away a pair of tickets to one lucky winner. To enter to win, send your name to hipindetroit@gmail.com with #ignite in the subject line. We will draw our winner on Wednesday morning and will send them details on how to claim their prize.

All ages are welcome to attend this show and doors are set to open at 7 p.m.

~C

If You Don't Find Something You Like at Elaine B Jewelry She Can Make You Something Else

Jelwery has always confused me. I love wearing it, but I've never understood why so many people lusted after diamonds and heart-shaped pieces from Jared. Personally, I'm a lot more impressed by raw natural stones and simple classic designs made out of cool metals. Instead of splurging on one big piece that immediately loses its value, I would rather spend a modest amount and be able to switch it up every once in a while. Plus, when you find something that was handmade, it's usually one of a kind or at least artisan enough that your friend won't be wearing the same thing the next time you go out for drinks. Currently, I've been rocking a lot of unique necklaces from KEPT jewelry and some hammered stackables that I found at the last Detroit Urban Craft Fair (a great place to find jewelry every year!). I am always on the search for something new to upgrade my accessory game and I recently found something special in Ferndale.


Elaine B Jelwery is a small unassuming space about a block away from 9 Mile on Woodward in Ferndale, Michigan. The day I walked by it was decorated for PRIDE, but I imagine that it's one of the spaces that always has an overly well-done window that makes you want to walk inside the door. Once you step inside, you will find a very large space that features a showroom and a workshop. You can even meet Elaine and chat with her about her designs. It is really cool to see how she works on each piece and its even more fun to try them all on.
She sells a small selection of housewares and plant holders as well, but she mostly focuses on jewelry. Her designs are simple, beautiful, structural, light and airy at the same time. Her jewelry is incredibly wearable and different. My favorite piece was the concentric threaders, they are dramatic and understated and can be worn daily or for special occasions. I have been looking for something special like this for a long time and I am super happy that I was able to purchase it locally from a female owned and operated business.

 

Elaine also specializes in custom work and engagement rings. You can work with her every step of the way or let her create something special with a few bits of guidance. Elaine B Jelwery is open noon until 6 p.m. every day of the week, so make sure that you stop in and see all of the beautiful things that she has created for herself.

~S