Time I

The days of housecalls may not really be
over. Many creative people are making it
their business to cater to busy
executives on the go.

TANYA GAZDIK AND JENNIFER FINER

he metro-Detroit
area has added a
twist to the home
shopping craze that's
sweeping the nation.

Several local business
owners now are catering to
the working businessperson
who seems to have less time
on his hands than ever
before. To do so, business
owners are bringing ser-
vices to the customer — at
home and at the office.
Now, purchasing a
wardrobe from home does
not need to involve the has-
sles of wondering if an outfit
will fit or if it will look the
same as the picture in the
catalog.
Home services range from
dry cleaning to grocery
shopping to a visit by the
veterinarian.
John Burton and Jill
Dornbrock of Troy-based
Tom James Clothiers have
made it their business to
provide custom-made
clothes for clients.
These tailors will meet
with clients at any time of

the day or night at their
home or office. The full-ser-
vice tailoring company
offers a wide selection of
fabric for custom-made
clothes and takes about six
weeks from order to deliv-
ery.
Charyl Gordon also is
capitalizing on the needs of
the executive on the go.
When Ms. Gordon saw peo-
ple selling ties on the beach
in California, she got an
idea.
"It hit me that there are
other ways to sell merchan-
dise besides in stores," said
Ms. Gordon, sales represen-
tative of Diversities in
Franklin.
Now Ms. Gordon takes a
selection of ties into the
office so businessmen can do
a little shopping on the job.
"Convenience and price
are really the name of the
game," said Howard Miller,
owner of A.J.'s Specialty
Dry Cleaning in Southfield.
There is no minimum to
the amount of dry cleaning
Mr. Miller will pick up and
deliver to his customers

Jackie Bernhardt picks up pooches in her Cadillac.

across the Detroit area, and
despite the special attention
he gives his clients, Mr.
Miller charges competitive,
over-the-counter prices.
By providing convenient
home and office shopping
and services, business own-
ers have seen a significant
increase in their volume of
business.
Business is booming for
the 18-month-old Diver-
sities and Ms. Gordon is
training distributors across
the country.
She and her husband
have put together a training
manual to help people get
started in the business.
Another area that has
become a fad on the East
and West coasts is entering
Michigan. Now grocery
shopping can also be done
from home. Kroger's
Shoppers Express service is
just one example of how gro-
cery stores are appealing to
busy working people.
Customers can now phone
or fax their shopping lists to
Kroger's, and groceries can
then be picked up or deliv-
ered for a small fee. Others
who make house calls are
the veterinarian, the "plant
doctor," and the dog
groomer.
Because anxiety over a
trip to the vet can be too
much for Fido to handle, Dr.
Orit Rachel Szwarcman
comes to your home.
Besides saving their own-
ers time, Dr. Szwarcman
says it's more practical to
service dogs and cats in
their home instead of sub-
jecting them to the anxiety
of a trip to the vet's office.
"It's a lot more personal
service," she said. "I'm not
so rushed with a waiting
room full of animals. I can
really give each one my
undivided attention."
People with cats — which

tend to be especially unset-
tled by car travel — really
appreciate the service, she
said. Households with mul-
tiple animals also find it
convenient, she added.
Pet owners also have the
luxury of the pet being
groomed at home or picked
up by animal groomer
Jackie Bernhardt.
"There is no end to where
I'll pick up and deliver,"
said Mrs. Bernhardt, who
has been grooming animals
for 34 years.
It's not just animal own-
ers who can take advantage
of house calls. Drs. Jerry
Engel and S.L. Cogan also
make house calls.
Dr. Engel offers a mobile
podiatry service, specializ-
ing in older patients, but he
also tends to
younger patients
with bursitis or
sports-related
injuries. Dr.
Cogan will bring
his chiropractor's
care to the office.
Sick plants
should not feel
left out either.
Sandy Scha-
bestiel, better
known as the
"plant doctor,"
will come to
your home or
office to tend to
ailing green-
ery.
had
"I've
customers
who've had a
plant 10 years
and it sudden-
ly gets sick
and they
don't know
what to do,"
said Mrs.
Schabestiel,
who started
the mobile green-thumb ser-
vice about eight years ago.

Her services also include
designing tropical plant dis-
plays for rooms and main-
taining plants.

❑

Cheryl Gordon displays a
selection of ties.