36 February 28 • 2019
jn

STEFANI CHUDNOW SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
PHOTOS BY JERRY ZOLYNSKY

Mecca for 
Mid-Century 
Modern

Le Shoppe Too will launch 
online auction house in March.

L

ooking at its exterior, you’
d never 
know that an internationally 
recognized consignment shop 
sits right on the cusp of Keego Harbor. 
While modest on the outside, Le Shoppe 
Too is Metro Detroit’
s largest upscale 
mid-century modern store at 17,000 
square feet. This shop boasts a substan-
tial fine art and iconic 20th-century 
furniture collection, much of which is 
shipped all over the world.
Opened in 2013, the shop is owned 
by three Jewish women: Deborah Slobin 
of Farmington Hills, a member of 
Temple Israel; Leslie Weisberg of West 
Bloomfield, a member of Bais Chabad 
and Congregation Shaarey Zedek; and 
Julie Sundberg of Walled Lake. Terri 
Stearn of Farmington Hills, a member 

of Congregation Beth Ahm, operates 
Detroit Fine Art Appraisals from the 
same building. 
With multiple credentials, includ-
ing Stearn’
s rare art accreditation and 
Weisberg’
s high-ranking estate liquida-
tion accreditation, this team of strong 
women is dynamic. 
“We’
ve got a consignment retail store, 
an estate sale company, art appraisals, an 

auction house and in-house shipping,
” 
Slobin said. “Nobody else does all of that 
under one roof. We have so many dif-
ferent avenues to take care of our clients, 
from furnishing their homes to selling 
their pieces.
” 
 
With all their knowledge and exper-
tise, it’
s no surprise this team is equipped 
to handle a lot. Sometimes, they’
ve even 
come across hidden treasures no one 
thought were worth anything. 
“One time, we went to a house to do 
a preliminary appraisal for an estate sale 
and the family didn’
t know what they 
had,
” Slobin said. “Because of Terri’
s and 
Leslie’
s expertises, they were able to spot 
a small sculpture that the family thought 
was a nothing piece. It turned out to be 
a Harry Bertoia, who is a very important 
designer here in Michigan. It sold for 
more than $25,000.
” 
Weisberg said often people think 
“shiny, pretty and old” is valuable, 
“when sometimes rugged, vintage and 
not-so-attractive to the naked eye is 
actually more valuable.
” 
Another time, Stearn came across 
what the owners called a “junk chair” 
they were going to throw out. Le Shoppe 
Too ended up selling it for $6,000. 
Some customers aren’
t always so ready 
to get rid of their possessions, however. 
“There’
s a lot of emotions when giving 
away your possessions,
” Weisberg said. 
“We become like therapists, in some 
respects, because we need to get them 
through the process and realize that this 
is an emotional thing and it’
s not always 
cut-and-dried. That’
s how we get so close 
to our clients.
” 
Throughout its 16 years in the estate 
business, Le Shoppe Too has forged 
deep connections with many individu-
als. Their iconic furniture can be found 
in people’
s homes around the world. It 
can also be found in an Oscar-winning 
movie, thanks to one of their favorite 
clients. 
“We joke and say that we technically 
have an Oscar,
” Slobin said. “Last year 
at the Oscars, the movie The Shape 
of Water won Best Picture and Best 
Production Design. That connects back 
to us because Shane Vieau, who won for 
his set decoration, is a client of ours. He 
actually came to our store and bought 
the furniture for that movie.
” 
Michigan is significant to mid-cen-
tury modern collectors. A great deal 
of mid-century modern artists came 
through Cranbrook Academy of Art. 

retail
arts&life

ABOVE: Julie Sundberg of Walled Lake, Deborah Slobin of 

Farmington Hills, Terri Stearn of Beverly Hills and Leslie 

Weisberg of West Bloomfield. FACING PAGE TOP: Pair 

of purple Jean Michel Frank style benches, $5,200, and 

a Milo Baughman sectional on Plinth base with Tenor 

Larsen fabric $5,500. CENTER: Overall. BOTTOM: Selig 

Chrome elliptical chair $2,800.

