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Simply
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Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist
Former Vineyards
owner making
an impact in gift
baskets, health bars.
Tony, Ron and Maggie Asmar
hen he sold his
Vineyards location
on Northwestern two
years ago, there was much talk
and wondering why … But never
realizing what it would today
eventually become.
Ron Asmar retained his
Nibbles and Nuts and Maggie’s
Chocolates in a nearby former
beauty shop on Northwestern
Highway, just south of 14 Mile,
Farmington Hills … also on
property owned by him.
The popular Nibbles & Nuts
operation has been presenting
gift baskets, trays, etc., shipped
nationwide and abroad along
with the larger-than-ever local
personally delivered gifts …
along with Jewish mini- and tra-
ditional kosher pastries, candies,
jams, cheeses, etc., for more than
30 years.
Together with the manufac-
turing and distributing of Simply
Smart and Smart Kids health
bars and Corporate Express
Catering from Oak Park offices,
the family of Ron, wife Maggie,
and their son Tony, have estab-
lished a very busy group of high-
ly successful enterprises … With
more demand than ever.
State-of-the-art natural health
bars … Simply Smart Bar, Smart
Kids Bar and Live Smart Bar …
are made at a 15,000-square-foot
building owned by Ron next
to Oak Park’s former Stanley
Steamer that houses a huge
state-of-the-art machine that
can produce more than a million
health bars a week … all peanut-
free, soy-free, and vegan … The
machinery by Ron’s Live Smart
Manufacturing company put-
ting out the highly wanted and
accepted fitness and well-being
bars is something to behold.
And there is the widely
expanded Corporate Express
Catering operation at homes
and businesses … from simple to
elaborate… plus barbecues and
other outdoor events … From
large events to deli trays, etc.
A simple everyday selling
occurrence only two years ago
that might have happened to put
the Ron Asmar family team into
a much higher realm of busi-
ness is certainly a success story
indeed.
LOCAL COMMUNITY-ITES
galore joined the 1,500 who
witnessed the recent amazing
performance put on by Bob
Anderson in his impersonation
of Frank Sinatra in “Frank, The
Man The Music, ” courtesy of
Joe Vicari and his Andiamo
restaurants … and were loud in
their standing acclaim to Joe
for bringing Bob… “I wasn’t a
big Sinatra fan,” Dr. Leonard
Aronovitz told him, “but I sure
am now. It was one of the best
shows I have ever seen!” … “This
show is going to Broadway!”
Susu Sosnick said. “It was unbe-
lievable!” … Doreen Hermelin
declared, “That show was fan-
tastic. He is such an unbeliev-
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able talent!” … Mickey Shapiro
exclaimed, “He was as good
as Sinatra at his best. I almost
thought I was watching Sinatra
himself!”
GRAD TIDINGS … Central
High School class of 1953 has
a biggie on tap for July 15 … A
lunch at Glen Oaks Country
Club, 13 Mile, Farmington Hills,
by the January and June classes
on their graduations 65 years
ago … For more info, call Marsha
King, (248) 661-3422 or Bernice
Betman, (248) 737-5773.
RESTAURANT TIP … To wait-
ers and waitresses … Many cus-
tomers don’t enjoy sitting at an
empty table without something
to gnaw on … Especially the
hungry ones … If the eatery they
work at serves crackers, cheese,
beans, etc., bring them promptly
for something to nibble on …
Bring rolls or bread and butter
immediately … Remember, a
hungry customer is numerous
times a very unpleasant one!
NONE OF THE three places
he has looked at will be used
to house “Mom’s,” which Matt
Prentice will ultimately open
after coming back into the res-
taurant and catering business on
Oct. 23 … The other two, he says,
would be cutting-edge small
plates concepts very affordable
yet with chef-inspired fare “that
will compete with the best of our
Michigan restaurants.”
GOOD SERVER DEPT. …
Smiling, congenial and most
efficient Wai Yee U, who so many
ask to wait on them … and there
are quite a few … simply say-
ing “Catherine, please.” … The
favorite waitperson of many at
Shangri-La West Bloomfield,
Orchard Mall, 15 Mile and
Orchard Lake Road, has been
there since day one of owner
Cholada “Nancy” Chan taking
over the former Rikshaw Inn
years back.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE …
During Shabbat services, a rabbi
kneels and puts his forehead to
the floor and says, “Before you,
oh Lord, I am nothing.”
The cantor looks at him,
thinks it couldn’t hurt, and
kneels, puts his forehead to the
floor and says, “Before you, oh
Lord, I am nothing.”
Abe Cohen in the fifth row is
watching this and thinks that it
is a pretty good idea. He goes in
the middle of the aisle, kneels
and puts his forehead to the
floor and says, “Before you, oh
Lord, I am nothing.”
The rabbi nudges the cantor.
“Look who thinks he’s nothing!”
CONGRATS … To Sam Essick
on his birthday … To Simone
Vitale on his birthday … To
Joe Smiler on his birthday …
To Marilyn Warnick on her
birthday… To Robert and Gayle
Meyers on their 50th anniver-
sary. •
Danny’s email address is
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.
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July 12 • 2018
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