74 Kercheval Ave, Grosse Pointe Farms
Lauren Manoogian Ripstop Dress shoppearl.com
June Men’s Issue: Legacy & Style
They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. While clothes may not make the man, being well-dressed certainly offers the first glimpse into his character. When you step out into the world with intention, you aren’t just wearing a suit or a curated ensemble; you are projecting an aura of confidence and readiness for the moments that matter. This June, our Men’s Issue celebrates that intersection of style, presence, and the enduring strength of the family businesses that our Grosse Pointe community trusts.
There is something uniquely powerful about a legacy passed from one generation to the next. It’s a blend of tradition and evolution, and nowhere is this more evident than at Carl Sterr 1922. In this issue, we sit down with Carl Sterr II to explore the storied history of the store and the remarkable legacy of style his family has cultivated for over a century. Today, Carl and his brother Richard have elevated the experience for the modern gentleman, offering hand-sourced luxury goods that respect their heritage while pushing the boundaries of contemporary sophistication. Their commitment to quality and legacy ensures that the Grosse Pointe man is always dressed for the occasion.
That same spirit of legacy and local devotion carries into our feature on James R. Fikany Real Estate. We spoke with Mike Fikany about the origins of the firm and how, more than 50 years later, he continues the work started by his father. Mike’s story is one deeply rooted in faith, family, and a profound love for Grosse Pointe. Having lived the local lifestyle every single day, Mike offers an unparalleled understanding of our neighborhood’s heartbeat. His success isn’t just about property; it’s about the connections and trust built over decades of service.
As we move into the warmth of June, we hope these stories of craftsmanship and commitment inspire you to lead with confidence. Whether you’re dressing for a summer gala or building a legacy of your own, remember that style is most impactful when it’s backed by substance.
“Correction to May Issue. Photographs to the article Pointes of View pages 26-28 were not taken by Eric Novak.”
Cheers to the men of Grosse Pointe.
June 2026
PUBLISHER
David Mattaliano | david.mattaliano@citylifestyle.com
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Paige Peabody | paige.peabody@citylifestyle.com
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Lisa Gindi | lisa.gindi@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sue Baldani, Margaret Carroll
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Yorg Kerasiotis, Dana Rose Photography,LLC
DAVID MATTALIANO, PUBLISHER
@GROSSEPOINTECITYLIFESTYLE
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Jenna Crawford
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsey Ragain
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Anna Minnick
Learn
3:5-6
Dr. Jezdimir and Dr. Frenchi
Clear aligners and braces options
5-Star reviews by 900+ patients
Flexible payment options
Airway assessments
Cutting-edge 3D imaging
Dental Monitoring technology
Dr. Elizabeth Kossak and her team welcome you to a more relaxing dental experience. Reserve your personalized dental spa visit today.
SIGNATURE DENTAL SERVICES
Dental Implants • Same-Day Crowns • Teeth Brightening Clear Aligners • No-Prep Veneers
WELLNESS-INSPIRED PREVENTIVE CARE
Comprehensive Exams & Cleanings enhanced with paraffin hand wax treatments, warm blankets, soothing eye patches, and calming music
AESTHETIC ENHANCEMENTS
Wrinkle Relaxers • Dermal Fillers • Microneedling • Chemical Peels
www.havendentalspa.com | 313.881.4000
havendentalspa@gmail.com | @haven_dental_spa | 19535 Mack Avenue, Grosse Pointe Woods
city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
1: Bernadette Moreno, Allison Arkison, Barb Heide, Jennifer Bojarczyk. Village Spring Fashion Show at Whiskey Six. 2: Olivia Buda, Mary Mancus & Maddie Mancus (Glitter & Scotch). Village Spring Fashion Show. 3: Jenna Holt, Abigail Barroso at the Village Spring Fashion Show at Whiskey Six. 4: Stefan Blachut, Lynn Arrinton (J.Mcglauglin), Kourtney Allen. Village Spring Fashion Show at Whiskey Six. 5: Danielle Paquin at the Village Spring Fashion Show “Whiskey, Wine, & Wardrobe” at Whiskey Six. 6: Marcelle Deneault and Rachel Adenaas. 7: Stefan Blachut and Kourtney Allen. Photography by Lanna Young
FRESH FARMS MARKET
CARL STERR 1922
A LEGACY OF STYLE
ARTICLE BY SUE BALDANI | PHOTOGRAPHY BY YORG KERASIOTIS
With a father and grandfather in the fashion industry, Carl Sterr II wanted to go his own way. But, he still wanted to dress the part. “Back in 1973, at the age of 18, I was going to work on the railroad,” he says. “There’s a picture of me wearing overalls, a work shirt, work boots, a railroad cap, and work gloves with the big gauntlets on them.”
When he showed up, this fresh-faced kid from Grosse Pointe Woods was told by some hard-scrabbled workers that he looked ridiculous. “That was my first night on the job,” says Carl, laughing. “However, here’s the moral of the story— my dad always taught me that whatever you’re going to do, dress the part.”
Six and a half years later, after deciding the railroad life wasn’t for him, he joined his father, Dick, at his clothing store. Carl was not only dressing the part for his new career, but dressing others as well. Three years later, with his father’s blessing, he opened his own store in Birmingham, Michigan, at the age of 28.
Richard Sterr
Carl Sterr
After many incarnations, the store, now known as Carl Sterr 1922, is an institution for men’s high-end clothing lines and impeccable service, and carries on a tradition started by his grandfather in that very year. “Opening that store is the best thing I’ve ever done for me, my dad, and my younger brother Rich, who took over a really nice position in my father’s business.” Richard actually ended up owning that business when their father retired. Many years later, the brothers now work together in Carl’s shop.
“It’s a place to meet up, and a place to relax in these tumultuous times,” says Richard. “Carl has taken care of these wonderful people for over 44 years, and I’m so blessed to be part of that.” The fashion industry, he says, is literally in their blood.
Working together allows the two to collaborate and share their individual ideas and styles. “Most importantly, we’ve
been best friends since I can remember, so we want to always protect that relationship, and we have,” says Carl. “There’s a healthy collaboration that I respect.”
Along with bringing his brother on board last year, he has also structured a whole new team. “It’s paid major dividends to the extent that we’ll end up being close to 50% ahead of last year’s figures come July 31, and that doesn’t happen by accident.”
Reasons for this, adds Carl, include the tremendous synergy with Richard, and a great brand manager in Jeff Smith. “He has built a marketing and social media campaign which has allowed us to disseminate the intricacies of our brand.”
Carl especially loves being able to relate everything about the store using reels. In his opinion, they capture the essence of the business by telling a really compelling story.
The story, of course, is fashion, and although it may change throughout the years, dressing one’s best never goes out of style. “Dressing well is a commitment to those that you come into contact with,” says Carl. “It’s a way to open doors and converse with an absolute stranger who compliments and smiles at you. Even if it’s just for 30 seconds, it’s an opportunity to connect with another human being that you might not have connected with otherwise.”
Dressing for the occasion, regardless of the venue, also has other fringe benefits. “If you want to get really good service, then that’s what you do, along with speaking politely. People want to feel valued, and when you dress well for them, they do.”
CarlSterr1922.com
AN EXCERPT FROM EPISODE 6 OF SHARE THE LIFESTYLE, A CITY LIFESTYLE PODCAST
Photographer: Brittany Dawn Short
Creative Director: Jen Birn
Stylist: Stephanie Coultress O’Neill
Location: Hotel Saint Cecilia, Austin, TX
MIKE JOHNSON HAS BUILT HIS LIFE AROUND ONE QUIETLY RADICAL IDEA: THE STANDARD YOU SET PRIVATELY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS.
After eight years in the Air Force, a celebrated run on national television, and a health crisis abroad that sent him deep into supply chains and ingredient certifications most founders never touch, the result is Oshun — a luxury ritual brand built on provenance you can trace and integrity you can verify. In an exclusive conversation for the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Mike shares what it actually takes to build something worth putting your name on. Read the highlights below, then scan the QR code for the full episode.
Q: YOU BECAME A FAN FAVORITE ON THE BACHELORETTE AND THEN LEFT THE SPOTLIGHT. YOU MOVED TO MEXICO, LEARNED SPANISH, THEN COSTA RICA, AND BUILT A COMPANY. WHAT DID THAT EXPERIENCE TEACH YOU ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR?
A: “If you’re a good person going in, that shows. If you’re not, that shows too. I also learned that people form this parasocial relationship with you — they assume things about you. When all actuality, different circumstances bring out different parts of who you are. I was on TV trying to find love. The kindness people were showing after felt a bit fake, because they wanted to be a part of something that isn’t who I am individually, but a part of what they saw on TV. And so I had to get away from everybody and everything and the noise.”
THE QUIET STANDARD:
MIKE JOHNSON
“Too many people have prayed for me. So I’ve got to get up and do the walking.”
— Mike Johnson
Q: YOU JOINED THE AIR FORCE RIGHT OUT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WHAT WERE YOU ACTUALLY RUNNING TOWARD?
A: “There was something in me that was saying: I’m not living up to my full potential. I was being a follower. My uncle said, ‘What’s going to make you become an adult the fastest?’ I said, obviously, the military. The Air Force broadened my thought process more than anything. We’re so caught up in our own perception — when you learn to understand different people’s perspectives, it adds to you in so many ways.”
Q: WITH OSHUN, YOU OWN YOUR MANUFACTURING, YOU EMPLOY A CHEMIST, EVERY PRODUCT HAS A BATCH NUMBER TRACEABLE TO ITS ORIGIN DATE. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GO THAT DEEP WITH THE BRAND?
A: “The EU bans 1,100 ingredients in personal care products. The U.S. bans nine. That’s my starting point. Oftentimes, it might be the same ingredient, but it comes from a place where it doesn’t have the highest purity. And 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed. Every product Oshun makes carries a batch number that goes back to the exact day it was created — I can show you every single supplier, the date, the origin. I own more than one part of the supply chain because that’s the only way I can stand behind what’s in the bottle.”
This conversation is just the beginning. Mike goes deeper into why he’s buying land up north, the family in the Philippines who prayed over his factory floor, and what he’d tell every person ready to stop performing and start building. Scan the QR code for the full, exclusive City Lifestyle interview on the Share the Lifestyle podcast.
MIKE JOHNSON
A FAMILY TRADITION
ESTABLISHED IN 1952
ARTICLE BY MARGARET CARROLL
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY MIKE FIKANY
The Fikany family has been a leader in Grosse Pointe home sales since 1962, helping buyers and sellers make their perfect match in the community where the Fikanys have lived and worked and raised their own families, now in their third generation.
Fikany Real Estate continues to be exclusively family-owned and operated, serving as a trusted resource for clients who are also friends and neighbors.
“Nothing beats experience when it comes to real estate,” says Michael J. Fikany, Broker and current Owner of James R. Fikany Real Estate.He was born in Detroit and raised in Grosse Pointe Park, one of eight children of James and Jeanette
“I couldn’t have achieved my successes without the help of my parents, my late wife Cindy, and all of my extended family.”
Dana Rose Photography,
(nee St. Charles) Fikany Sr., who established Fikany Real Estate and worked together building the business while raising their family in the community they loved.
“I know this community. This is my home, and I have always loved it,” Mike says. “I grew up in the real estate business here.” He spent much of his free time shadowing his father, James Sr., at work from a young age. “There was never any question about what I would do with my life.”
Fikany Real Estate began in 1962, when James Sr. and his wife Jeanette decided it was time for Jim to branch out on his own after a successful start in residential real estate serving Detroit’s east side. The pair
both grew up there, met and married in 1952, the year following Jim’s honorable discharge from service in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict. They welcomed their first child in 1953 and moved their growing family to Grosse Pointe Park in 1966, where they began enjoying all the amenities that Grosse Pointe has to offer.
Faith was and remains a cornerstone at the foundation of the Fikany family life, and life was busy! The eight Fikany siblings attended school at St. Clare of Montefalco (where the family continues to worship), while Jim Sr. and Jeanette worked together to build the business. “It was truly a family partnership,” Mike reports, with mother
Jeanette managing the office in addition to being a full-time homemaker and mother of eight (Denise, Michael, Sharon, James Jr., Joseph, John, Mark, and Jeffrey).
“Life was good,” Mike says, and the Fikany Real Estate Co. was making a name for itself throughout the Grosse Pointes and surrounding communities. Jim Sr.’s health took a turn in 1975 (he underwent a life-saving triple bypass surgery at Cleveland Clinic), and the result was that eldest son Mike (Austin Catholic Prep School alum) put his college education on hold at the end of his sophomore year and returned home to help run the family business (he eventually obtained his Bachelor’s
“We are serving the real estate needs of the children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren of countless families we have represented over the years."
of Business Administration from the University of Detroit in 1979). He obtained his real estate license in 1975, and thanks to the help and support of the Fikany family working together, Jim Sr. recovered, and the business continued to grow and thrive.
Fikany Real Estate moved its offices to 714 Notre Dame St. in the City of Grosse Pointe in 1983, where it has remained. “We always loved the location of our office in the heart of ‘The Village,’ which is next door to the Grosse Pointe Board of Realtors,” Mike points out. It is also across the street from Maire Elementary School, where Mike’s four daughters (with late wife Cindy) attended school.
The Fikanys provide ongoing support to many local charities and remain very active in sponsoring and contributing to local athletic programs and the local arts community. This year is the 60th consecutive year that the Fikany Real Estate Co. has proudly sponsored Grosse Pointe Park Little League.
Mike celebrates his 51st year with Fikany Real Estate in June. He became Broker/ Owner in 2003, and has been ranked consistently one of the top producing agents among his peers — in the top 3% for both the state of Michigan and nationwide.
“I couldn’t have achieved my successes without the help of my parents, my late
wife Cindy, and all of my extended family,” Mike says, “especially brother James Jr. (Jimmy) and sister Sharon Nouhan, who both joined Fikany Real Estate more than 34 years ago.”
Fikany Real Estate sells homes in every price range, from starter homes to multi-million dollar estates.
“The majority of our business is through referrals and repeat clients,” Mike reports. “We are serving the real estate needs of the children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren of countless families we have represented over the years.” The pipeline seems endless.
“I believe it’s because we have always strived to give our clients the best possible experience when buying or selling real estate.”
Fikany Real Estate participates in all the multiple listing sites (MLS), including Realtor.com and Homes.com, and is a member of the Grosse Pointe Board of Realtors, Michigan Association of Realtors (MAR), and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), so properties listed with Fikany Real Estate receive maximum exposure.
For further information and assistance, please visit: www.fikany.com or call (313) 886-5051.
The Fikany family on Thanksgiving 2025
Mark Wilamowski, Agent
19637 Mack Avenue
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
Bus: 313-881-8100
Email: mark@callmarkw.com Callmarkw.com
19519 Mack Avenue, Grosse Pointe Woods
JUNE 5TH-7TH, 11TH-14TH, 18TH-21ST
Cinderella Schaap Center
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella is the new Broadway adaptation of the classic musical. This contemporary take on the classic tale features Rodgers & Hammerstein’s most beloved songs, including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” alongside an up-to-date, hilarious, and romantic libretto by Tony Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane..Directed by Tim Higgins. www.gpt.otg
JUNE 11TH
Legacy on the Lake
The War Memorial | 5:30 PM
Legacy on the Lake 2026 this year is honoring the Van Elslander Family. www. grossepointechamber.com/calendar
JULY 10TH
Saved by the 90’s
The Ford House | 7:00 PM
Relive the music that defined a generation with the Outdoor Summer Concert: Saved by the 90s at Ford House on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 7 p.m. on the lakeside Terrace at the Main Residence. This high-energy party band brings the best of the decade to life. www.fordhouse.org
