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A Legend Lives On
25 Great Years Of American Bulk Food
p
eople are shocked to learn she also
cream for the health conscious
sells Ma Cohen's cream and wine
... plus lo-cal pastries and
herring, gefilte fish, Greenfield noo- low-cal muffins that are made
dles, lox, etc. ... And you probably would
directly at the store.
be, too, knowing that it is not a grocery
Also, by the way, muffin tops
store or whatever.
... No kidding! ... Some people
Many folks go to American Bulk Food,
were buying muffins and tear-
its windows plastered with bulk specials,
ing off the tops because they
celebrating its 25th anniversary on Orchard just wanted a smaller portion,
Lake Road, between 14 and 15 Mile, West
so American Bulk Food started
Bloomfield Plaza, West Bloomfield, and
baking tops, too! ... Italian
are stunned at the assortment of wonder-
four-calorie candy, low-calorie
ful candy, nuts, gift trays (regular, kosher
Walden Farms items, lo-cal (lark
dairy or parve), gift baskets, goodies galore, chocolate bars with stevia, etc.
kosher wine, etc. ... But herring, lox and
In 1997, they opened a Godiva Chocolates
gefilte fish, too? ... No joke!
store in the Plaza that was later combined
Low-calorie and low-fat muffins,
with the present bulk food operation ...
Slimmery soft-serve ice cream in three
Sander's candies, too, plus Koppers choco-
varieties — low-cal all-natural Slimmery
lates parve for Jewish holiday parties ... and
fat-free, sugar-free and fat-free, and lactose- a new line of exclusive hand-painted fudge
free, lactose-free desserts, sugar-free choco- that has become hugely successful ... Also
late raisins, sugar-free chocolate almonds
plenty of kosher dairy and parve gift selec-
... even bagels, coffee, lattes, juices and its
tions for their observant patrons.
own coffee roaster yielding
Many customers even
40 flavors of regular and
come in for candy that guests
decaf gourmet beans, etc.
can enjoy at buffet tables of
It all began years ago when
• bar and bat mitzvahs and
Sandy and the late Marty
weddings or parties ... Sandy
Benson opened their original
helps them at the store with
American Bulk Food store in
color themes, how to set up
1987 on a corner of the West
their candy buffets and how
Bloomfield Plaza that used
much is needed, at no charge
to house Sam's Fruit Market
for the service ... American
... The first inventory listed
Bulk Food does not go to the
only about 400 items in bulk,
locations.
including dried fruits, nuts,
Marty had originally been
Sandy Bens on
candies, chocolates, bulk
a pharmacist and started
spices, baking mixes, etc.,
Grove Drugs downriver in
with people so happy that
Wyandotte, with his first
they could buy as little or as much as they
landlord being Alfred Taubman, who was
wanted with guaranteed freshness.
just getting started and "sweet-talked by
When a larger location became available
Marty" into giving him a lease, says Sandy.
in the plaza, the bigger spot enabled them
Marty and Sandy met when she worked at
to add more and more items ... Then came
nearby Arlan's Discount Store, became great
their ever-popular Slimmery, the tremen-
friends and were married in 1974 ... They
dously enjoyed low-calorie self-serve ice
sold the drugstore to Eugene Applebaum ...
and American Bulk Food was
later born to begin a fantastic
run of 25 successful years.
From 400 items at that begin-
ning a quarter of a century ago,
American Bulk Food today
boasts a hugely successful oper-
ation with a wonderful selection
of thousands ... both kosher
dairy or parve or non-kosher ...
all still at the same location ...
with three indoors tables to sit
at and nosh or drink coffee or
have a Slimmery.
And yes, the honest truth, creamed
and wine herring, lox, frozen gefilte fish,
Greenfield noodles, etc., too!
READER MINI REVIEW ... From
Susan Sherbow ... "My husband, Mark,
and father-in-law, Bud Sherbow, and I had
brunch at the Emory on Woodward in
Ferndale. My huevos rancheros were among
the best I have ever had. Perfectly cooked
over-medium eggs and, when cut, created
a creamy, golden topping. Mark enjoyed his
eggs royale, an English muffin with smoked
salmon, spinach, basted medium eggs served
with a beurre blanc sauce. The smoked
salmon made this take on eggs benedict very
appealing. Bud had the more standard eggs
and sausage. We each savored the hand-cut
nicely browned brunch fries. The Emory is
definitely on my list for future brunches:'
MAKING ROUNDS ... To Sweet
Lorraine's, Greenfield, Southfield, for sesame
chicken ... To Traffic Jam & Snug, Canfield,
Detroit, for crab cakes ... To Root, Town
Center Boulevard, White Lake, for scallops.
IN A WONDERFUL gesture of a won-
derful event, the entire 100 percent of the
proceeds being given to charities (Pink
Foundation and Multiple Sclerosis National
Foundation) ... It's the big David Syme
piano concert Friday, Oct. 24, 7 p.m., at the
Steinway Gallery on Maple Road (corner of
M-5 and Maple) ... Donation $25 tickets also
include appetizers, wine and refreshments
prior to the concert, which begins promptly
at 7:30, and an afterglow party ... Peggy
Ellman and Michelle Quillico are in charge of
the food and beverages.
Attendees may hear David tickling the
keys on classics to classic rock and favor-
ites like Rhapsody in Blue, Clair De Lune,
Stairway To Heaven, Bohemian Rhapsody,
Stardust, As Time Goes By, Chopin's
Polonaise, Ritual Fire Dance, etc.
Better hurry for tickets ... Seating is lim-
ited ... Call Harry Ellman on his cell phone,
(248) 821-9555 ... or email harryellman@
outlook.com.
Fidelity Commercial Services by president
Harry Ellman and Title Connect by its prin-
cipals, Walter Quilico and Jeffrey Gunsburg,
are underwriting the event.
New York Sunday Times recently lauded
David's appearances at Carnegie Hall and
Lincoln Center and at major venues in 17
European countries, calling them "Most
Unique Experiences"
OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT ... One
cold morning, Jacob was in bed sound
asleep. His mother came into the room.
"Son, it's time to get up. You've got to get
ready for shul."
"I'm too tired. Leave me alone," he said.
"Son, you've got to get up and get ready
for shul."
"I'm not going to shul. Give me one
good reason why I have to go to shul," he
protested.
"I'll give you two good reasons. One, it's
Shabbos and, two, you're the rabbi!"
CONGRATS ... To Pamela "Pam"
Smith on her birthday ... To Sylvia
"Babe" Hubert on her 99th birthday ... To
Lawrence "Larry" Dictor on his birthday
... To Paula Grandon on her birthday ...
To Howard Ball on his birthday.
❑
Danny's email address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY WITH
A SPECTACULAR EXPERIENCE
Reserve your holiday event prior to October, 31st 2014 and receive
a Complimentary Champagne Toast for you and all your guests
PRIMED
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October 16 • 2014
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