ECONOMY

HERE AND NOW

THE BUZZ

Toasty and Warm

Our favorite shopping picks for women, men,
the home, kids and more.

By Lynne Konstantin

Fashion Forward

New local boutiques, businesses and brands you may not
know — but should.

By Lynne Konstantin

he village of Franklin's got a new child to love.
Love Child, the darling of local fashionista moms and their broods, has
broadened its horizons (and square footage) with a brand-new boutique in
Franklin.
Sisters Michelle Bone and Erica Hunt teamed up with friend Lauren Slutsky (all
moms of two kids each) in 2009 to open the original incarnation of Love Child,
a super-hip, high-end and child-friendly kids' boutique in Royal Oak. Slutsky, the
shop's buyer, has trained her eye on scouting out unique and funky clothing,
shoes, jewelry and gift items for infants through tweens from designers across
the country.
The responses her finds have received are overwhelming. "We have a very loyal
and enthusiastic customer base,"says Bone. In addition, the shop places a high
priority on customer service, posting new shipments almost daily on their Face-
book page, and ready to grab a size from an online request — often even making
deliveries to valued customers.
"We were ready to take it to the next level," says Bone. "We were outgrowing
our old space and have been adding toys and tween items, and Franklin felt like
a good fit for us. The community has been tremendously welcoming:'
Increasing in space from 650 square feet to 1,000, the new shop, whose doors
opened in late-September, offers plenty of room for favorite brands like Ap-
paman, Pink Chicken, T2Love, Joe's Jeans, Vintage Havana and more up to size 16
for girls and 10-12 for boys, while filling up with new finds, including baby and
kids' toys from eBoo and Alex and wordy little necklaces from 100% Gumdrop.
"Our customers are really excited for us, so we look forward to seeing lots of
familiar faces, along with making some new friends," says Bone. "There's no other
kids' clothing store in this area, so we're excited to make our mark. We want it to
be a one-stop, pick up a birthday present and get some clothes for the kids shop.
Everything under one roof. And now we have more room to do it!'

T

Snuggle away the autumn chill by tucking into a cloud-like oasis of super-soft comfort.
Hand-stitched pintuck pleats add voluminous luxury to West Elm's organic PINTUCK
DUVET AND SHAMS ($24-$139). Westelm.com .

Covered buttons, brushed studs
and a wooden heel and platform
kick up the cool quotient of
UGG Australia's beguilingly cozy
shearling-lined AMBROGIA BOOT
($224.95). Area Nordstrom stores

(nordstrom.com).

Love Child, 32744 Franklin Road, Franklin (248-757-2948; facebook.com/
lovechildkids). 77

YENTA

News From Around Town

Can't decide whether to warm up with
a cup of hot chocolate or a cup of cof-
fee? Stop by Birmingham Schakolad
for a blend of the two: CHOFFY, roast-
ed and ground cacao beans that are
brewed like coffee but minus the caf-
feine crash and addictive side effects,
has no sugar, gluten, dairy or chemi-
cals. Richer and more robust than hot
chocolate, Choffy offers a softer burst
of energy than coffee with the gentler
stimulant theobromine. Plus, it's jam-
packed with antioxidants. Schakolad
Birmingham Chocolate (248-723-8008;
birminghamchocolate.com ).

38 October 2012 I

RED MAD

CHOFFY

est new places to eat: Michigan's only bistro and cigar
bar, Churchill's, is now the newest hot spot in the heart
of downtown Birmingham; this old English gentlemen's
club features a state-of-the art humidor with the finest selec-
tion of cigars from around the world and a gourmet menu
... New Big Daddy's is now open in Livonia at 19333 Victor
Parkway, specializing in Mediterranean food, including lamb
chops, fresh fish and homemade desserts ... Looking for a
new car? Don Massey Cadillac in Plymouth has just finished
renovations on its premier showroom of Cadillacs ... It also
offers great coffee choices in the service waiting room ...
Finally, how about a relaxing spa? Baan Thai Massage in
Commerce Township does Thai, deep muscle and Swedish
massages in a beautiful tranquil setting. Best part? Walk- ins
are welcome.

www.redthreadmagazine.com