Area Businesses Grow
ARGUS FARM SHOP EXPANDING IN ANN ARBOR
Bill Brinkerhoff and Kathy Sample started Argus Farm Shop on Liberty in Ann Arbor in 2014 as a way to connect area farmers and manufacturers with consumers.
“People here want to buy local, but it wasn’t always easy to get to the market on a specific day, and sometimes it’s not easy to join a CSA,” says Brinkerhoff. “That was one main reason for us to open.”
Often, farmers end up taking all the risk, says Brinkerhoff.
“Traditional grocery stores work on slim margins and try to pay the farm as little as possible. We’re trying to do just the opposite.”
Argus operates like a farmers market: Farmers set the prices, without contracts. Vendors and farmers can drop off products any day of the week, anytime. The store works with more than 200 vendors and farmers, which requires a lot of in-store coordination by its more than 50 employees.
“We also work with several Amish farms who have strict schedules,” says Brinkerhoff. “We don’t want to miss their phone call because that was the one time a week they have the chance to call us and discuss their product.”
To date, Argus has paid more than $10 million to its vendors.
“We’re paying out 75% of gross sales back to the farms, which is five times higher than what they get nationally,” said Brinkerhoff.
The Ann Arbor–based farm-to-shelf grocer opened a second location on Packard Street in 2017. During COVID, the Packard Street location closed to the public to operate as an online fulfillment center. This year Argus decided to open a third location to keep up with demand. The new location, set to open in December a mere 300 feet from the Packard location, will mirror the original as a full-service grocery store, allowing the current Packard space to focus on its cafe, tavern, prepared foods and a smaller selection of grocery items.
Argus Farm Stop is at 325 W. Liberty St. and 1200 Packard Rd., Ann Arbor. Watch for details about the new location at argusfarmstop.com.
ARATHAM TO GO PROVIDES PLANT-BASED ORGANIC OPTIONS IN TROY AND NOW WESTLAND
Husband and wife Gabriel and Tiffanie Vera wanted to offer a healthy alternative to fast food when they opened Troy-based Aratham Gourmet To Go in June. The storefront, restaurant and catering service with a plant-based menu was such a hit that they’re already set to open their second location in Westland, with a Detroit location in the works.
“All of our products and prices are set with customers’ budgets in mind,” says Gabriel Vera, who learned the basics of cooking and food prep in his native Ecuador. After immigrating to the United States, Vera spent more than a decade honing his culinary craft in various corporate kitchens, including the MGM Grand Detroit. He became a certified executive chef, a level 2 sommelier and even a certified ice carver. In 2012, he traveled to Germany for the Culinary Olympics, winning a bronze medal as a chef competitor for the Michigan Culinary Olympic Team.
“I really just want to be exposed to every aspect there is in food. And I’m fortunate to have the best mentors and teachers to guide me along the way,” says Vera, who teams up with his wife at Aratham. “Tiffanie is the creative brains here; she comes up with most of the dishes and I make it happen.”
Each space includes an organic deli and market with grab-and-go food by the pound and in pre-packaged meals, plus cold-pressed juice, grains, spices, produce, supplements and a selection of local products and natural personal care items. The Veras strive to have packaging of in-store products biodegradable, and actively strive to keep Aratham a zero-waste business by recycling or composting the shop’s waste.
After Westland, the Veras plan to expand Aratham to Detroit.
“We’ve had a ton of support from the community and our customers, which has inspired us to keep growing, and that’s been our plan all along,” says Vera, adding that he believes this is his purpose in life. “I want to continue to nurture others and make people better through our food and what we do on a day-to-day basis.”
“This is my life and I love it.”
Aratham Gourmet to Go is at 3381 Rochester Rd. in Troy and 37628 Ford Rd. in Westland. Visit aratham.com/gourmet-to-go.
OAK HOUSE DELI BRINGS “NO-FRILLS” SANDWICHES TO ROYAL OAK AND SOON TO PONTIAC
When Baskin-Robbins moved out of its Royal Oak retail space in 2019, Tony Maisano jumped at the chance to remedy a problem he’d had for decades: where to get a good “regular guy” sandwich.
Maisano, who owns Rocket Printing right next door, didn’t hesitate to sign the lease and start building out a deli.
“It was almost a no-brainer for me. I wanted a good place to get a sandwich for lunch. It was pretty much the entire reason why we opened the store,” says Maisano. “Over the last 20 years, I couldn’t really find a decent, ‘regular guy’ sandwich…. I mean just a good-proportioned, well balanced, no frills sandwich.”
Maisano hired Bill Palchak as general manager, to help make Oak House Deli a reality.
“I dream it and he executes it,” says Maisano. Together Palchak and Maisano designed the menu to be “no frills” and as transparent as possible. “We really didn’t want to have goofy names or celebrity names for sandwiches. What you see is exactly what you get.”
Meat and cheeses are sourced from Boar’s Head Provision Company. Produce is sliced and diced upon ordering. Sandwiches come in one size, but the subs are big enough to save half for later. Oak House also offers a variety of vegan sandwiches.
“I wanted to provide vegan options as well as meat options to accommodate all types of customers,” says Maisano. “Bill and I have spent hours testing and tasting all the vegan meats, and I don’t say this lightly that our vegan sandwiches are killer. We’re debuting a Philly Cheesesteak and it’s the best vegan sandwich I’ve ever tasted.”
Oak House officially opened its doors in March 2020, only to close two weeks later due to COVID mandates. Once the deli reopened, it’s been busy ever since, says Maisano.
“I’m grateful for the chance to be part of this community and I’m really fortunate to have the best staff to make it all possible,” says Maisano, who is now working to open a second location at the Crowfoot in Pontiac, which he calls “a real joy,” because he’s performed at the venue.
“I have a lot of history there,” says Maisano, adding that visitors should expect some special menus based on the artist.
Oak House Deli is at 603 S. Washington Ave. in Royal Oak. Look for information about the Pontiac location at oakhousedeli.com.
