Royal Oak, MI September 2026 by City Lifestyle

THE

style ISSUE

S E P TE M B E R 2 02 6

LIFESTYLE LETTER

Style Imagined

September 2026 PUBLISHER

Amy Gillespie | amy.gillespie@citylifestyle.com

Welcome to the Style Issue! Style is confidence. Style is armor. Style is inspiring. Our personal style evolves over time. It can grow and change with us, whether for the season or over the years. Developing a discerning eye takes time. How we armor ourselves for the day determines our confidence. And at the end of the day when we get home our style can envelop us in our personal sanctuaries of inspiration. I am very excited to share this Style Issue with you. It features three local Royal Oak businesses that have a legacy in the city. Saffron, Josh Gold Custom Clothier and Chrome. There is something incredibly special about meeting people in Royal Oak who started their company the same year I started mine. Amber of The Cacao Tree (not style related but gorgeous food), Josh Gold of Josh Gold Custom Clothier, and Marianne Petrus Saffron of Saffron. All of us are still here, still in business. Still loving and connected to this city and community. If you need some happy, get to Saffron. Marianne Petrus Saffron runs Saffron with the quiet confidence of a punk rocker and a kind hippie heart. When you walk into the boutique in downtown you are immediately met with the kind of inspiration that stirs your inner care free easy going spirit. She entices all your senses in every corner of her shop. How long is long enough? Always the tall person's problem. Josh Gold Custom Clothier has the length and custom details you want and need in your next pair of denim. The craftsmanship speaks for itself with the line of denim he has launched. Right fit, right details and the right staple piece for your daily wardrobe. Denim is the new black. Tom Ankoo and Chris Miller of Chrome can give you that bounce in your step from finding a new piece that feels like you to redoing that space in your house you want to feel inspiration from. The gentlemen of Chrome have the longest honor of styling the community on this list. For twenty-two years, Tom and Chris have been delivering style to the city. Get inspired by Michelle of Eclectic Home. She is a designer with over twenty years creating truly special spaces and helping people find their style. L’Chaim in style with Tekiah Spirits.

P U B L I S H E R AS S I STAN T

May Azzow CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Marshall Zweig | marshall.zweig@citylifestyle.com

Corporate Team CEO Steven Schowengerdt President Matthew Perry CRO Jamie Pentz CoS Janeane Thompson AD DESIGNER Josh Govero LAYOUT DESIGNER Kirstan Lanier QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Megan Cagle

Yours,

AMY GILLESPIE, PUBLISHER @ R O YA L O A KC I T Y L I F E S T Y L E

Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com//franchise. Proverbs 3:5-6 Royal Oak City Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Royal Oak area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle

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Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Royal Oak City Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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inside the issue SE PTE M B E R 2 02 6 | STYL E

14 Featured

14 18

WHY CHOOSE BETWEEN PRESTIGE AND PLACEMENT?

Departments

Her Happy Place

Lifestyle Letter

Inside Saffron, where Royal Oak’s most free-spirited boutique owner never sells anyone anything

City Scene

Business Monthly

City List

Long Enough

Trend Setter STYLE + BEAUTY

Once too tall to cuff his jeans, this clothier sells custom denim built to last.

Maker’s Studio STYLE + BEAUTY

Fashion Forward STYLE + BEAUTY

Local Limelight HOME + DESIGN

Two Kinds of Honest

Events

Happy Hour FOOD + BEVERAGE

For twenty-two years, Chrome has helped Royal Oak customers see themselves clearly — and dress accordingly.

On the Cover Inside Saffron’s Boutique Shop Photography: Amy Gillespie

Print Prestige Meets Digital Power. With City Lifestyle’s co-branded print + digital packages, your business captures attention wherever our community is looking. Build unmatched local credibility on the page, and drive immediate action online. Ready to double your local reach? Contact your local publisher by scanning below.

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S EP TEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / R OYA LOA K

SEPTEMBER 2026

city scene WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN

7 6

1-7: Summer Concert Series at Centennial Commons Park.

C I T Y SC E N E

8-10: Summer Concert Series at Centennial Commons Park.

Want to be seen in the magazine? TA G Y O U R I N S TA G R A M P H O T O S W I T H @ R O YA L O A K C I T Y L I F E S T Y L E

S EP TEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / R OYA LOA K

SEPTEMBER 2026

business monthly A R O U N D U P O F N E W S F R O M LO C A L B U S I N E S S E S

Detroit Month of Design Every September, the festival brings design to life across the city. The 2026 calendar showcases how Detroit designers innovate to solve problems, build resilience, and move the needle on what’s possible. Shifting focus from theory to practice - the festival theme centering on the ways that Detroit designers are shaping the future of our city. With 100+ events spanning every corner of the city, the festival calendar features exhibitions, product launches, talks, tours & more.

Photography by Detroit Month of Design

Detroit Jazz Festival The Detroit Jazz Festival, the world’s largest (and best) free jazz festival taking place September 4–7, 2026. Now in its 47th year, will once again bring together global jazz luminaries, rising stars, and innovative artists for four days of performances. The Festival’s downtown footprint will be fully centered at Hart Plaza, where all three main stages are consolidated to create a more connected, immersive, and accessible environment.

Detroit Salsa and Hustle Festival The inaugural Detroit Salsa & Hustle Festival takes place over Labor Day weekend from September 4 to September 6, 2026, Event Highlights: • Workshops & Classes: Multi-level dance instruction by internationally recognized salsa and Latin hustle artists. • Nightly Parties: Evening social dancing and professional dance performances. • Special Events: Exclusive VIP Gala Dinner and competitive dance showcases. • Venue: Cambria Hotel Detroit Downtown 600 West Lafayette Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48226

Want to be featured? G E T I N T O U C H AT C I T Y L I F E S T Y L E . C O M / R O Y A L O A K

B USIN E SS M ON T H LY

S EP TEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / R OYA LOA K

PICKS FOR

BER

’S TOP

BU S NE

We have such amazing, innovative business leaders in our community who are proud to serve you, our residents, with class and quality. We’ve compiled some of our top company picks for the services that might be on your mind this month in an effort to make your lives a little easier.

CITY LIST

SE PT

the

R OU

Boutique Saffron facebook.com/saffrongirl | 248.565.3983 Chrome facebook.com/ChromeClothing | 248.399.1689 Blu Jean Blue Boutique blujeanbluesboutique.com | 248.291.5237 Leah's Closet leahsclosetroyaloak.com | 248.629.9659 Sum Girls Boutique sumgirlsboutique.com | 248.677.4900

Best Home Decor Store Eclectic Home eclectichomeclawson.com | 248.798.5080 Rail and Anchor railandanchor.com | 248.397.8985

Want to suggest a monthly pick? G E T I N T O U C H AT C I T Y L I F E S T Y L E . C O M / R O YA L O A K

C I T Y LIST

Modern Supply modern-supply.co | 248.629.9467 Living Modes livingmodesonline.com | 248.544.1711 Leon & Lulu leonandlulu.com | 248.288.3600

COLOR Changes Everything

Discover the shades that make you look brighter, healthier, and more confident—instantly. �

SCAN TO BOOK

Book your color or style session. Dee P. | House of Colour Royal Oak (248) 571-4294 | @houseofcolour_royaloak

Not Just Proud. Royal Oak proud. Blessed to be a part of this Community.

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THE FREE-SPIRITED OWNER OF ROYAL OAK’S MOST BOHEMIAN BOUTIQUE TALKS ABOUT STYLE, DISCOVERY, AND NEVER SELLING ANYONE ANYTHING

ARTICLE BY MARSHALL ZWEIG | PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY GILLESPIE

HER HAPPY

PLACE Every morning, before she unlocks the door to Saffron, Marianne Petrus calls her mom. It’s a sweet and traditional act. But that’s the only thing traditional about Saffron. Walk in and it's color and texture in every direction: bohemian, a little rock and roll, French jewelry beside handmade candles, a rack of things you won’t find down the street. "It's like an electric shock," she says. She built it that way on purpose. She wanted to appeal to a woman's

T R E N D SE T T E R | STYL E + BE AU T Y

sense of discovery, so she makes sure there's always something new on the floor: beautiful dresses, tees cut like nothing else on the rack, everyday pieces with a detail or a twist that takes them somewhere unexpected. And appeal it does. Here’s what people say when they walk into Saffron: “This is my happy place." She hears it constantly, along with the other comment — “you're an artist” — which she shares with genuine bewilderment. “I am?” she wonders aloud. “I don’t know.” Marianne’s path to Saffron ran through Wayne State, where she studied fashion design, shifted to merchandising, moved up the ranks to store manager of Anthropologie in Birmingham, and realized she wanted a store all her own. Her father had a market in Detroit, made a living from it, sent his children to good schools. When she found herself in her thirties in what she calls limbo, it was his voice behind her: you have the experience, you know what to do. She opened Saffron in the Washington Square Building in 2010, naming it for the spice that’s a staple in her mother’s kitchen. Saffron is also the most expensive spice in the world, because it’s harvested by hand and difficult to get.

“I ALWAYS LOVED FINDING THAT ONE THING. THAT’S WHAT I WANTED S A F F RON T O BE.”

CONTINUED >

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That’s precisely Marianne’s buying philosophy at Saffron: one of a kind, handmade, and carefully curated. “I want that one thing that speaks to me, that gives me that emotional connection,” she says. When something catches her at a showroom, specific customers’ faces often appear in her mind: Carolyn would love this. She’s been dressing some of these women for over a decade. “I'm changing too,” she notes. “But we're changing together, and we're still the same.” Saffron’s windows are worth slowing down for on Fourth Street. Marianne and a friend used to change them constantly, until it started to feel like a waste: all that work up for a month or so. Now the windows are seasonal. Summer’s bright and loud. Fall goes dark like her favorite fashionista, Stevie Nicks. “I try to appeal to a girl that wants to be more free-spirited,” she says. And freedom of spirit doesn’t have an age range: a mother and daughter can both find something at Saffron and leave looking nothing alike. Marianne doesn't sell anyone anything; that's not her style. She'd rather read the room.

T R E N D SE T T E R | STYL E + BE AU T Y

So when someone new comes in, she lets them meander through the front first, because “it's a lot of beauty to take in at once.” Some women want help. Some want ten unbothered minutes among beautiful things. She can tell the difference, and she waits. Maybe Saffron isn't your style at all, she says, but maybe there's a soap or a candle you'll pick up on your way through. Or maybe you're one of the women who come in to outfit themselves before seeing a live show.

WHAT WOULD SHE BE DOING IF SAFFRON DIDN’T EXIST? “I DON’T KNOW. I WOULD BE SO SCARED. I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT I T. I T ’S M Y P UR P O S E .” She knows the feeling from the other side of the counter. She was a teenager in the eighties when a cousin took her around New York, and in SoHo she found a two-piece outfit she wore until she wore it out. “I always loved finding that one thing,” she says. “That's what I wanted Saffron to be.” Ask what she'd save from a fire and she doesn't hesitate: the furand-shearling “Penny Lane” coat, the one from Almost Famous. Sixteen years of helping other women find the one thing, and she still has hers. What would she be doing if Saffron didn't exist?

“I don't know. I would be so scared. I can't live without it. It’s my purpose.” An artist would probably put it that way too. So would a rock star. Which may be why Saffron is a delightful combination of both — and why it’s so many other women’s happy place. Saffron is at 308 W. Fourth Street in downtown Royal Oak, right near the Royal Oak Music Theatre. The shop carries handmade, one-of-a-kind women’s clothing, jewelry, accessories, candles, and gifts. For more info: (248) 565-3983 or @shopsaffron on Instagram. S EP TEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / R OYA LOA K

LONG ENOUGH A clothier too tall to cuff his jeans now sells custom denim that’s built to outlast almost everything you own

ARTICLE BY MARSHALL ZWEIG PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY GILLESPIE

M AK E R’S ST U D IO | STYLE + BE AU T Y

Andrew Schoen tells me he's six foot seven about a minute into the conversation. It isn't a boast; it's an explanation. He's describing why custom clothing meant something to him from the first piece he tried.

“It was very difficult for me to find clothes," he says simply. Before Joshua Gold Custom Clothier, Andrew did automotive body work. Hard on the back, hard on the knees, and he knew he didn't want to be old and still doing it. He didn't dress up much: date nights, special occasions, that’s about it. Then, on a trip to Italy, his wife Melissa bought him cuff links. He went looking for a French cuff shirt to put them in and discovered there wasn't one he could wear. The sleeves stopped short every time. But Melissa knew a guy named Josh. That’s where she got the shirt for Andrew’s next birthday. And the jacket for the birthday after that. Eventually, Andrew came into the Royal Oak showroom. He and his son Noah were buying suits for Noah’s wedding when Josh mentioned to Noah, offhand, that he was hiring. After talking with his wife, Andrew came back. "I was like, how about me, Josh?"

Denim is new to the store, and it came slowly: custom jeans turn out to be hard to source. The shop went through several suppliers who couldn't do it right before landing on the one that could. The result is Joshua Gold's own custom denim, cut from Candiani. Candiani is a storied Italian mill; the cloth is mostly cotton with a trace of give worked in, enough to move in without going slack the way cheaper denim does. The Joshua Gold custom denim bounces back. Wear it, wash it, wear it again — it holds. Andrew’s worn the pair he's got on for the interview about fifteen times, washed a few times in between. I’m a witness: they look pristine. No blown-out knees. No sag. I ask him how long a good pair should last, and I’m shocked at the answer. ”Twenty years,” Andrew says, and he means it. As proof, he offers up the first suit Josh ever made him in 2016. He got a full decade of wear out of it, only donating it because his own shoulders had changed. “And a suit,” Andrew points out, “is thin compared to denim.” CONTINUED >

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I’m shocked when I ask how long a good pair should last. “Twenty years,” Andrew says, and he means it.

M AK E R’S ST U D IO | STYLE + BE AU T Y

There's a catch: a jean can't be let out. There's no hidden fabric in the seam. You can take a pair in, but not the reverse. And that’s its own kind of motivation. Want to keep wearing the same pair? You’ve got to stay in shape. Fitting denim is less fussy than you'd guess. Andrew says it’s actually more forgiving than a dress trouser, because trousers are supposed to look tailored and exact, while jeans can be a little casual and broken-in and still be right.

In the shop they keep a set of try-ons. A client pulls on the standard fit, they lengthen the rise or bring in the leg, and only then does the real pair get ordered. Never four at once. One first — wear it, see how it sits, adjust — then the rest. The jeans mistake he sees most on other men: too long. Too much fabric pooling at the shoe. Most guys never think to spend just twenty or thirty dollars having a pair shortened, so they walk around in denim that doesn't quite land. Considering cost

per wear, Andrew notes, and spread across a hundred wearings, the alteration is pennies. But the fit is priceless. Then there's the detail he saved for last. I ask him how he can tell a finely crafted pair of jeans from an ordinary one. He hikes his leg onto the desk to show me: along the cuff of the Joshua Gold custom denim pair he had on ran a clean finished line where the fabric folded. That’s the mark, Andrew explains, of selvedge denim: the tightly finished edge left by shuttle looms. As he educates me, Andrew remarks that he can cuff his jeans now. “I never used to be able to.” For a man who’s six foot seven, a pair of jeans long enough to fold over once at the bottom is not a small

thing. This pair came in and he didn't touch it: no hem, no alteration, nothing. It simply fit, all the way down, with fabric to spare. He's wearing them tonight, to a Tigers game, under an orange summer sports jacket. He shows me the outfit. And I have to say: this guy who never used to dress up is likely going to be the sharpest-dressed guy in Comerica Park. Joshua Gold Custom Clothier (joshua-gold.com) makes custom suits, shirts, and now denim built to last, for men of every size — including the very tall. Find the showroom at 206 West 6th Street in Royal Oak.

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TWO KINDS OF HONEST FOR TWENTY-TWO YEARS, CHROME HAS HELPED ROYAL OAK CUSTOMERS SEE THEMSELVES CLEARLY — AND DRESS ACCORDINGLY. ARTICLE BY MARSHALL ZWEIG I PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY GILLESPIE

FASH ION F OR WA R D | STYLE + BE AU T Y

A customer walks into Chrome looking for an outfit, and two men see the customer differently. Tom Ankoo is already sizing them in his head: height, skin tone, what will work and what won't. If what they try on is wrong, he'll say it’s wrong, and he doesn't care if that costs him the sale. Chris Miller has a different approach. He's waiting to find out what the customer likes. And if what they like isn't what he'd have chosen, that's information, not a mistake to fix. Tom and Chris have been offering their contrasting versions of honesty for twenty-two years. And they’ve been friends for over thirty — almost as long as Tom’s been in the clothing business (he started in 1990 at Oakland Mall). In 2004 the two decided to open something together: Chrome. That's CHR from Chris, OM from Tom, plus an E to make it a word. When asked what Tom brings to the floor, Chris says, "He's a natural. I could never do what he does.” Chris came from restaurants and landscaping, and he runs the business end: the books, the billing. Tom trained Chris on the floor, and Chris readily — and honestly — admits: Tom has the eye. CONTINUED > S EP TEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / R OYA LOA K

Tom also has an unflinching version of what it means to be honest with a person — and he believes it's part of the store's success. He once fired an employee for telling a customer she looked good in a two-thousand-dollar gown that she didn't look good in. The employee's defense was that she was trying to make the sale. "That's not business," Tom says. "You'd rather lose the sale than your reputation." He applies the same ethical standard to bodies. A friend of his, a former competitive bodybuilder now in his sixties, kept wearing the spandex shirts he'd worn at thirty. Tom told him to stop. "You don't have the body we used to have. Face reality." Then the second half, which is just as important… and much easier to hear: "That doesn't mean you're not going to look good." Chris is honest too, just in a different way. He had a customer

FASH ION F OR WA R D | STYLE + BE AU T Y

who came in regularly and bought things Chris thought were too tight and not his style. Chris told him so, because he asked. The man bought what he'd chosen anyway. That's the way I dress. That's what I like. "And so after that," Chris says, "I knew that you just have to get to know the customers." He let it go. The man's been coming for years. Tom corrects people. Chris concedes to them. Ask them if they fight about it and Chris says, flatly, that they don't. "We really don't have disagreements, to be honest with you. That's why we're still here." Tom refuses to follow the color of the year. "There is no color that goes out," he says. "Whatever looks good on your skin, that's what you wear." He also isn't interested in what's in: "Trend goes out before it starts.” Chris keeps loud seventies shirts in stock, next to more conservative offerings… just in case someone walks in wanting both. The store carries more than clothing now too. It began with a painting of a Spanish dancer, hung behind the register, that customers wouldn't stop trying to buy. Now Chrome offers art,

sculpture, and custom furniture built in the U.S. and Italy. It also runs a thriving interior design and consulting service: Tom works on homes, lofts, and penthouses, locally and now nationally. "I design your home according to your personality," Tom says. "You live there, I don't live there." Every January, Tom cleans out his own closet. Whether he's gained weight or lost it, the garments get donated. He tells clients the same thing, and he isn't gentle about it: “Let go of the past. Move on." On breaks, Chris sits on the bench out front and watches the passersby on Fourth Street, still wanting to know more about them, to understand them. One will tell you to let it go. The other will wait to hear why you kept it. That's how it works at Chrome. And maybe, that’s why it works. CHROME is at 120 W. Fourth Street in downtown Royal Oak. The store carries men's and women's designer and one-of-a-kind clothing, art, sculpture, and custom furniture, and offers interior design services by appointment. Call (248) 399-1689 or find them on Instagram and Facebook: @chromeclothing

S EP TEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / R OYA LOA K

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY GILLESPIE

ECLEC TIC

HOME Q&A WHAT GOT YOU HERE?

SO I ALWAYS TRY TO USE THE REALLY SPECIAL, SOLID VINTAGE PIECES, AND THEN I’LL THROW A BIT OF MODERN OR UNEXPECTED WITH IT...

So, we have a long family history of being creative and design work. We had a family business for 25 years. My mom and I had a shop in Plymouth. We actually make costumes: we’re seamstresses by trade. So the costuming turned into wedding gowns, and then it transitioned into custom drapery embedding. And that's kind of when I got hooked up with an interior designer, and I worked for her for a long time, and so did my sister. Since we were kids, loved, like, picking something and, like, this would be a

PICKING SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A COOL SOMETHING ELSE 28

LOCA L LIM E LIGH T | HO ME + D E SIGN

cool something else, and, like, turning it into something and it's not supposed to be. We've done that our whole lives. We've always loved a treasure hunt, and for many years, we talked about having a store of our own. And during COVID, I reevaluated my life and what I wanted to do and where we were as a family. And the timing just seemed right, it gave me perspective, which I'm sure it did for everybody else about what's important. And going back to a job that I didn't love, as opposed to working for myself, just kind of made sense, so... we found this space, and here we are.

WHAT IS STYLE TO YOU?

Oh, gosh. That's a great question. It's very, it's very personal. I always love collecting meaningful pieces. And then marrying them up with new things, or maybe trendy things that aren't your pieces, your staple should be good pieces, with history, real wood, the things you can't find anymore, vintage because, to me, modern furniture is disposable. So I always try to use the really special, solid vintage pieces, and then I'll throw a bit of modern or unexpected with it, but that combination of stuff is why the store looks like this. That's why we, you know, use the word ‘eclectic.’ That is the only way to describe my style in a store like this is that I just love a lot of things. Black is always in style.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO STYLE? Ooh, um, bathrooms.

OKAY. WHY?

I think it's an untapped space in your house. I think it’s forgotten. I mean, it's forgotten. I think people just use it as a utility, and I think there's a missed mark in your bathroom. I love putting beautiful art and decorative pieces. Not junk, like, collective and beautiful. Everyone that comes into my bathroom says, oh my god, your bathroom's so beautiful. Second would be a master bedroom. But to me, the reason I say those are two very personal spaces in my home. My bedroom and my bathroom. those are my spaces and I just want to feel good and I love bathrooms. That's probably odd. They're like little mini sanctuaries. And it's missed. So many people just do not spend the attention on their bathrooms and they should. CONTINUED >

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“WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP IT VERY LOCAL.”

Two sisters from Metro Detroit, recognized for their creative flair and innovation, have joined forces to create a brand that reflects their unique style. With nearly 35 years of collaboration under their belts, they’re proud to introduce Eclectic Home. Specializing in handpicked vintage items and funky fashion finds, they bring a fresh perspective to home decor. Eclectic Home (248) 798-5080 133 W 14 Mile Rd. Clawson, Michigan 48017

LOCA L LIM E LIGH T | HO ME + D E SIGN

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEBODY THAT'S LOOKING TO EITHER REDO, UPDATE, REFRESH THEIR HOMES? WHAT KINDS OF THINGS TO CONSIDER OR KEEP IN MIND? Declutter. I think it's important to edit things out, keep things. I'm a minimalist too, but keeping things very simple and things that you treasure that are important to you. My living room is very small and everyone's always shocked when I tell them I'm a minimalist. I have beautiful art, of course, pillows and the house is decorated. Anybody can come sit on my sofa. You can sleep on it if you want. It looks nice, but it's super comfortable. I have small end tables. I can't fit a coffee table, so everybody has a drink table next to their chairs. And then I have a big buffet, things like that that they look nice, they serve a purpose. Storage is key in little houses.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEBODY THAT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THEIR STYLE IS, CAN'T VISUALIZE A FINISHED ROOM? So we offer home styling. We go to your house, we assess everything you have, we always try to use your pieces. You might have a beautiful armoire in your basement and it really should be present upstairs. We'll stage your whole living room. We use

mostly the pieces that they have and we add in our own stuff. We leave a detailed invoice of everything that we left, and you have 24 hours to live with it. Look at it at nighttime in the daytime, go through that list, edit some things out. We come back the next day, you tell us what you want to keep. So we do things very differently than, like, other design services. We kind of, we're just styling your home. We are just using what you already have to make your house the home you want it to be.

WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON, SAY, FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR? We're trying to pivot a little bit because small businesses are struggling. So we are trying to keep it very local. We have 21 vendors in here. They are all Michigan based. Local, women owned businesses, and we have one man. We want these great artisans and people to have a place to showcase their stuff that don't have brick and mortar, and keeping the price down too, we really have to be mindful of that. We try to come up with different ways to appeal to people, but our price point, we're trying to keep that. So instead of passing that on to the customer, we're just kind of editing some of that stuff out of our store and keeping everything very local.

S EP TEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / R OYA LOA K

SEPTEMBER 2026

events A S E L E C T I O N O F U P C O M I N G LO C A L E V E N T S

SE PT E M BE R 1 ST

North End Tap Room Happy Hour & Events North End Tap Room: 111 S. Main Street | 4:00 PM Happy Hour 4-6pm Tuesday through Friday. 30% of select drinks. Rotates weekly. Plus, exclusive happy hour bites. Check out the Talks on Tap Series: A lecture series to bring curious minds and great beer together right here at the taproom. Talks on Tap! Good beer. Great minds. Real conversations. Expert talks including Q&A from community members and industry professionals. SE PT E M BE R 4 T H

Arts, Beats & Eats Downtown Royal Oak | 11:00 AM Arts, Beats & Eats presented by Flagstar bank features 200 musical acts! It’s Oakland County’s Favorite Summer Festival Celebrating Art, Music, Food & Community in downtown Royal Oak! The Arts: Juried Fine Art Show of artists from across the nation! The Beats: Over 200 Bands, 9 stages, a variety of genres! The Eats: Enjoy a variety of eats! SE PT E M BE R 1 0 T H

Practical Magic Movie Night Royal Oak Public Library | 6:00 PM Celebrate the release of Practical Magic 2 by watching the first with your fellow witches! Practical Magic is rated PG-13. Witch outfits are recommended, show off your magical finery! Popcorn will be provided. SE PT E M BE R 1 2 T H

New Beginnings Animal Rescue Garage Sale 2502 Rochester Rd., Royal Oak 48073 | 10:00 AM o price tags, no pressure - just grab what you like and donate like your cat just Venmo'd us behind your back! We will once again be N collecting your items. To help us make the most of every donation - and keep unnecessary waste out of the landfill- we kindly ask that you refrain from donating the follow items. Info at nbarmichigan.org SE PT E M BE R 1 7 T H

Royal Oak Dinner Stroll Downtown RO | 5:00 PM This progressive four-course dining experience takes participants on a culinary walk through downtown. Four-Course Menu: Enjoy individual courses (appetizer, salad, entree, and dessert/drink pairings) served at different partner restaurants along the walkable downtown route. Social Strolling: Walk from venue to venue in downtown Royal Oak in a small group setting tailored to experience local culinary spots. SE PT E M BE R 2 0 T H

Royal Oak Classic Bicycle Swap Meet Royal Oak Farmers Market | 8:00 AM The 10th Annual Royal Oak Classic Bicycle Swap Meet! Vintage bike trading and collectible browsing. Over 50 vendors. Vintage balloon-tire bikes, Schwinn StingRays, BMX, road bikes, and a $10 bike corral to sell personal bikes. Kids 10 and under are free at this family friendly event.

EVE N TS

NORTH END TAPROOM

Grown Up Book Fair

WED. AUG 26 THUR. AUG 27 4PM - 10PM 4PM - 10PM at North End Taproom S EP TEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / R OYA LOA K

Where Two Proud Cultures Become One Extraordinary Spirit

WELCOME TO TEKIAH KOSHER TEQUILA Some brands begin with a business plan. Tekiah began with family. Founder Greg Sobol was raised in a home that celebrated two rich and enduring traditions. His mother was a proud Jewish Mexican, born and raised in Mexico City, and both of his parents instilled in him a deep appreciation for Jewish heritage, faith, family, and community. Growing up, Greg experienced firsthand how naturally these cultures complemented one another. Both value gathering around the table, celebrating life’s milestones, honoring tradition, and welcoming others with warmth and hospitality. As Greg grew older, he realized something remarkable. Although tequila is one of Mexico’s greatest cultural treasures, no premium tequila authentically celebrated the connection between Mexico’s craftsmanship and Jewish tradition. Tekiah was born from that realization—not as a marketing idea, but as a reflection of Greg’s own heritage and identity. Named after the Tekiah, the first blast of the shofar, the brand represents the beginning of something meaningful—a call to gather, celebrate, and remember. Just as the shofar has brought Jewish communities together for generations, every bottle of

H AP PY H OU R | FO O D + BE VE RAGE

Tekiah is an invitation to connect, honor tradition, and create new memories around the table. Crafted in the heart of Mexico from estate-grown 100% Blue Weber agave and certified OU Kosher, Tekiah is produced with an uncompromising commitment to authenticity and quality. That dedication has earned international recognition, including Gold for Añejo at the 2026 Agavos Awards, Double Gold for Reposado at the 2025 Agavos Awards, and Silver for Blanco at the 2025 Agavos Awards. But awards are only part of the story. Tekiah is about bringing people together. It is about raising a glass at Shabbat dinner, celebrating beneath the chuppah, gathering with family during the holidays, or sharing an unforgettable evening with friends. It is a reminder that the most meaningful moments in life are those we celebrate together. Today, Tekiah stands as the world’s first luxury tequila brand inspired by the authentic heritage of a Jewish Mexican family. It is more than an award-winning tequila—it is a celebration of two extraordinary cultures united through craftsmanship, tradition, and community. Every bottle tells a story. Every pour starts a conversation. Every toast is a celebration of heritage, connection, and L’Chaim.

RAIL& ANCHOR MODERN DAY GENERAL STORE

248.397.8985 502 S. Washington Ave, Royal Oak MI railandanchor.com

Set your schedule. Make an impact. Build a life you’re proud of. Behind each of our 200+ City Lifestyle magazines is someone who cares deeply about their community. Someone who connects people, celebrates businesses, and shares the stories that matter most. What if that someone was you? Or maybe it’s someone you know. If this isn’t the right time for you, but you know someone who could be the perfect fit, we’d love an intro.

Markets available nationwide. Learn more at future.citylifestyle.com

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TAILORED looks better. Because one size rarely fits all.

micsb.com Banking designed around you. Your goals, priorities, and financial journey are uniquely yours. That’s why we take the time to understand what matters most before recommending the right solution. At Citizens State Bank, personalized service isn’t an extra. It’s the standard. Because the best financial solutions are the ones built around you.

32500 Woodward Ave. Royal Oak (248) 833-6160