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Schwartz Moves
To Rock Ventures
Detroit broadcast journalist Robin Schwartz
has been named public relations director for
Bedrock Real Estate Services, where she will
support the company's real estate acquisi-
tion, development, financing, leasing and
tenant communication efforts. She will also
work with the Rock Ventures and Quicken
Loans public relations teams to promote
Dan Gilbert's family of companies as well as
investment, employment and placemaking
initiatives in downtown Detroit. She began
her role on Oct. 20.
Schwartz has also been
a contributing writer and
freelance columnist for the
IN for 11 years. She is also
a member of the Jewish
News Foundation board.
Schwartz brings nearly
23 years of broadcast
Robin
journalism experience to
Schwartz
her new role. She joins
Bedrock from Detroit's Fox affiliate, WJBK-
TV, where she has served as a co-anchor of
Fox 2's weekend newscasts and as a reporter
since 1998. She started her career in radio
in 1991 and the following year began work-
ing in television as a reporter and morning
anchor at an ABC-affiliate in Albany, N.Y.
Schwartz has won eight Michigan Emmy
awards during her tenure in Detroit, most
recently for her half-hour FOX Kids Edition
special and for excellence in general assign-
ment reporting. She has also been honored
by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters,
the Society of Professional Journalists and
the Associated Press. In 2012, she received a
Global Energy Initiative achievement award
from Fox 2's parent company for her efforts
to inspire change within the community.
"As a TV reporter in Detroit for nearly
17 years, I've had a front row seat, covering
just about every major development in the
city and sharing those stories on the eve-
ning news" Schwartz said. "I'm thrilled to
have the opportunity to focus exclusively on
Detroit's comeback story and to work with
the amazing team at Bedrock Real Estate
Services making things happen. I believe in
Detroit's future. The momentum is building
and I can't imagine a more invigorating time
to be part of it all" she said.
Hope Brown
PublicCity PR Join
National Consultant Group
Detroit-area public relations veterans and
husband-and-wife team, Jason Brown and
Hope Brown, and their firm, PublicCity PR,
have been invited to join a national net-
work of public relations professionals called
the PRConsultantsGroup (PRCG), as its
Michigan representatives.
The PRConsultantsGroup, founded in
2000, is made up of senior-level public rela-
tions and marketing consultants represent-
ing every major market in the United States.
Working together and separately on proj-
ects, their unique collaborative model has
given rise to other networks nationwide.
A network not just on paper, PRCG's
synergy and sophistication guarantees that a
public relations campaign is going to be exe-
cuted flawlessly in one or 48 U.S. markets.
One of the three co-directors, Lisa
Faulkner-Dunne of Dallas, said "We
invited Jason, Hope and their firm to join
PRConsultantsGroup and we are delighted
to have them join our team. Currently, the
network members include 40 professional
firms in every major media market, featur-
ing senior-level expertise on every account
and project"
PublicCity PR was founded in 2008 by
Jason Brown, a public relations executive
with 15 years of media and community
relations experience.
Hope joined the firm as a co-principal in
2012. Hope also has more than 15 years of
PR agency experience in strategic commu-
nications planning and execution within a
variety of industries.
Outside of the agency, Jason is the vice-
chair of the board of directors for the
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America,
Michigan Chapter and also serves on the
PR/Marketing Committee for the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
Robbed!
Helpful neighbors lead to
arrest of thief at Keego Harbor store.
j
ewish-owned Too Chic Boutique
in Keego Harbor was broken
into Sunday, Oct. 12; and thanks
to some people exiting Mary Donnelly's
nearby restaurant, the thief has been cap-
tured and the merchandise returned.
People leaving the restaurant early
Sunday thought something looked odd at
the women's clothing store so they alerted
police. Police from the Keego, Sylvan Lake
and Orchard Lake departments arrived
26
October 23 • 2014
and were able to nab the thief.
The man was still inside the shop
around 2 a.m. when police arrived, accord-
ing to Keego Police Chief Ken Hurst. A
police officer from Sylvan Lake tasered the
man inside the store, reports said.
The store is owned by Irene Goodman,
who had this to say on her store's
Facebook page: "Thanks to a collabora-
tive effort between Keego Harbor, West
Bloomfield and Orchard Lake police
The new Toyology Toys in Royal Oak
The Albert in Detroit
Toyology Opens In Royal Oak
Broder & Sachse Donate
To Habitat For Humanity
Broder & Sachse Real Estate Services Inc.
donated a variety of home essentials col-
lected from its renovation of the former
Detroit Griswold Building, now named
"The Albert" to Habitat for Humanity
Metro ReStores.
Originally designed by famed architect
Albert Kahn and built in 1929 on the for-
mer site of the Miles Theater, the build-
ing has 12 floors and features first-floor
street-level retail with 127 units/rooms
above. This unique Detroit landmark was
added to the National Register of Historic
Places in 1980.
Today, the fully renovated build-
ing brings luxury apartment living to
Detroit's Capitol Park.
The donated materials were valued at
$132,000 and included cabinetry, kitchen
appliances and bathroom fixtures.
"We are proud to support Habitat for
Humanity's mission to eliminate sub-
standard housing, which can pose health
and safety risks" said Broder & Sachse
President Richard Broder. "Repurposing
household materials eliminates waste from
landfills. It also increases the standard
of living in the community by offering
affordable home-improvement options"
Habitat for Humanity Metro ReStores
sell these materials at 30 to 75 percent
below retail cost and make them available
to anyone looking to improve their home.
Proceeds from the store are used to build
affordable housing in Metro Detroit
neighborhoods.
Aric Klar isn't afraid to act like a kid in
a toy store because in some ways, that's
what he is. At age 25, Klar is the owner
of Toyology Toys. If a customer wants to
check out a toy before purchasing it, Klar
will open the box himself.
"Sometimes, you've got to see it to
understand it. A box doesn't do it justice
sometimes" he said. A moment later, Klar
had a suction cup stuck on his forehead.
"This is just a suction-cup building
toy" he explained. "These can stick to
your head, a window, wherever. Kids
can just imagine and play with them,
sticking them on the car window or on a
restaurant table."
Klar wants his toys to get a child's
imagination running — and have the
child "learn through play" at the same
time.
Toyology is stocked with what Klar
calls "multipurpose, multiuse" toys for
children of all ages. There are brain
games, science-based activities, musical
instruments, safe and chewable toys for
newborns, sports games, stuffed ani-
mals, remote-controlled planes and cars,
and much more. There are also games
and puzzles for adults and seniors.
Klar owns stores in West Bloomfield,
Howell — and now at 119 S. Main St. in
Royal Oak. His parents owned Warren
Prescriptions in Farmington Hills and
that's where Klar got his start selling
toys before opening his first store in
2011.
departments, this criminal was caught
red-handed.
"Also a big shout out to Mary
Donnelly's for being a watchful neighbor.
This is a perfect example of a strong com-
munity effort. We are proud to be in such
a fine community where people are truly
looking out for each other. Other than a
big headache and a massive clean up, the
police recovered all our merchandise and
took some bad people off the street. We
are open for business!"
❑
Right: Damage done by the break-in at
Too Chic Boutique.