Berry & Sons Meat Market is a carnivore's paradise. At this butcher shop on Caniff you can get whatever cut of meat you want -- or the whole animal.

By Ian Perrotta

Just in time for grilling season — if it ever warms up this year — Hamtramck has a new shop that can “meat” all of your needs.

Berry & Sons Meat Market, located in the shopping strip at the intersection of Caniff and Gallagher, recently joined the ranks of Hamtramck’s numerous businesses. If it had a beating heart, chances are you can find a part at Berry & Sons.

The butcher shop is the fourth retail location of Berry & Sons, which was started 36 years ago by Salah Berry and now includes a slaughterhouse in Eastern Market.  Continuing a 100-year-old family tradition that stretches back to the family’s origins in Syria, the Hamtramck site is owned and operated by Salah’s son, Mohamad.

“This is what we’ve been doing all our lives,” says Mohamad Berry. “It’s all we know.”

For anyone who likes meat, all you’ll need to know is how to get to Berry & Sons at 3218 Caniff. Inside you’ll find whatever piece of cow, chicken or lamb you desire — just no pork. The business prides itself on being 100 percent Halal.

Another point of pride for the business is how clean it is. And if cleanliness is next to godliness, then Berry & Sons is basically a holy site. Because Mohamad Berry is big on preventing cross-contamination, there are different coolers for each meat, as well as for cooked, uncooked and marinated products.

The numerous coolers are just a small part of an overall larger overhaul done to the retail space. Formerly a T-shirt shop, the building was completely gutted from floor to ceiling and retro-fitted with everything needed to make it a functioning meat market, including floor drains and a 12′x12′ walk-in cooler.

In the coming weeks there are plans to build a new register counter, add some neon signs to the windows and start selling bread. And being an avid hunter, Mohamad Berry also has plans to display some of his deer mounts.

“Everybody’s really excited to see what’s going to come out of this place,” says Mohamad Berry. “And I can’t wait to find out, either.”

Berry & Sons Meat Market is located at 3218 Caniff and is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is a parking lot in the rear of the building and a ton of great deals to be had on everything from ground beef or chicken legs to whole goats or lambs and veal shoulders. For more information or pricing call (313)-870-9667.

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Mark Haron has been recycling various types of materials for over 25 years.

By Ian Perrotta

Styrecycle might be a new business in town, but it’s tackling an age old problem — what do you do with polystyrene foam after it’s been used?

The answer: turn that trash into cash.

After opening a few months ago, that’s just what Styrecycle has been doing in its plant at 3901 Christopher St.

“Our objective is to deal with difficult-to-recycle products from the municipal and commercial waste stream,” says co-owner Mark Haron. “With polystyrene being one of the major problems due to logistics and weight.”

If you’re scratching your head wondering what polystyrene foam is, don’t worry — you probably know it by its brand name of Styrofoam. But regardless of what you call it, the material still emits toxic fumes when burned and can take up nearly 5 percent of a landfill’s space.

Instead of those alternatives, Styrecycle uses a cold densification system that compacts the polystyrene down to 1/50^th of  its original size. The foam is shredded, blown into a feeder bag and then inserted in the densifier, where a “hot process” solution is thrown into the mix. Once the mix has been processed and extruded, any remaining granules are recycled for reuse.

Though Styrecycle can’t currently offer cash to individuals for their recycling, it can help businesses save money on waste removal by taking polystyrene away from commercial spots at no charge. It can also save communities the cost of disposal, all while helping the state become landfill- and incinerator-free.

“We save companies money by reducing dump fees and fuel costs, while saving space in the few landfills left,” says Haron. “We also help reduce the cost of cleaning the environment when polystyrene becomes a danger to the ecosystem.”

Of course, any business needs to make money, and Styrecycle is no different. In order to do so, it plans on recycling polystyrene foams for companies that use the material, and — in an ingenious business move — sell it right back to them.

“We hope to receive polystyrene from all types of industries and home use,” says Haron. “As well as produce products for packing electronics, furniture, appliances and other goods.”

So far, business has been good and interest in the company high. Since word has gotten out, Styrecycle has gotten a lot of inquiries from companies interested in its service, and it has been working out the logistics of transporting the product economically.

Fortunately, Styrecycle chose to operate in Hamtramck not only because of its proximity to other compatible recycling projects that are scheduled for the future, but also due to its accessibility to all major freeways. And with plans to add a hot extrusion system specifically for memory foam, it seems like the business can only get bigger.

“Currently we are hoping to have five people per shift on our first densifier,” said Haron. “But we plan to add people and shifts as we grow and expand our recycling facility with other equipment to handle other difficult waste stream elements and recyclable products.”

About a dozen new businesses will open in Hamtramck this summer. Beignets, which started as a food truck but will soon move to a building on Jos. Campau, is one of them.

By Ian Perrotta

Business owners around Detroit are now discovering what people in Hamtramck have always known: the city is a great place to do business in.

Over the next few months, about a dozen shops are slated to open throughout town. The Review will highlight each one individually over the next several weeks, but here is an overview of what’s to come:

• Perkins Pickles: Owned and operated by the eponymous Tom Perkins, Perkins Pickles used to operate out of the restaurant Traffic Jam & Snug before moving to a 1,500-square-foot house-turned-retail-space at 2635 Caniff.
• Flavor Restaurant: Long in the works, this soul food restaurant — to be operated by School Board President Titus Walters — was once slated to open in the ground floor of the large building at Jos. Campau and Belmont. However, after years of inactivity, the location has been moved just down the street, next to the soon-to-be-open Beignets.
• Beignets: Inspired by the great tastes of New Orleans, local business owners Michele Pearson and her partner Mark Hausner’s latest business will serve up its namesake (a donut-like pastry) and chicory coffee. The business will share a kitchen with Flavor.
• Cafe Europa: Located at 11547 Jos. Campau, this European-style cafe was supposed to open last year but plans were put on hold. Look for it to begin operation sometime in the summer.
• Rock City Pies: If you miss going to Maria’s Comida for lunch, get back in the habit — sort of. Opening this summer, Rock City Pies recently signed a three-year lease at the old Maria’s location and will soon start serving — you guessed it — pies.
• Cupcak’n: Not in the mood for a pie? Is a whole cake just too much? This summer, stop by Cupcak’n on Evaline, where you can design your own cupcake with eight different cupcake flavors, 14 kinds of frosting and over 20 different toppings.
• Hammer & Cycle: A long overdue business for Hamtramck, Hammer& Cycle is a bike shop featuring new and used bikes and equipment as well as repairs. The shop is located at Edwin and Jos. Campau.
• Styrecycle: One of only a few centers in the country dedicated to recycling polystyrene foam, this business will turn your trash into their treasure — all while saving the environment.
• Hamtramck Recycling & Transfer Center: Another business set to profit from waste, the Hamtramck Recycling & Transfer Center is located on Denton and is looking to hire a number of Hamtramck residents to work in its facility.
• Sticks, Strings and Other Things: Another business that has been in the works for years, Sticks, Strings and Other Things should finally open this summer. Located on Florian, the business will be a one-stop-shop for musicians looking to get accessories and other light musical equipment.

Of course, every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end, so we’d also like to take the time to recognize a few of the businesses that didn’t make it this year.

• Hungry Howie’s
• Al’s Corral
• Skipper’s
• Tubby’s
• Maria’s Comida
• New Deluxe Bakery
• Leka’s Clock

April Boyle, the Director of Recruitment for D:hive, makes a presentation at a recent business start-up meeting sponsored by the city’s Community & Economic Development Department.

By Ian Perrotta

For anyone interested in starting a small business, look no further than down the street.

Seriously — Jos. Campau has plenty of vacant storefronts, and as the Hamtramck Business Start-up Information Session showed, all you need is an idea.

That was the takeaway from last Wednesday’s meeting at Cafe 1923. About 60 people were on hand to hear from a half-dozen representatives from various agencies that help get new businesses off the ground.

Organized by the Community & Economic Development Department, the gathering was intended to both help potential business owners connect with the appropriate resources and also highlight Hamtramck as a viable operating location.

“We want to get the word out so people know what kinds of programs are out there,” said Community & Economic Development Department Director Jason Friedmann. “There have been a lot of new businesses moving to the city recently, and we want to build on that.”

The first representative to speak was Kory Scheiber of the Detroit Micro-Enterprise Fund (DM-EF). Essentially a fiduciary between large banks that don’t like to lend and small businesses that need the money, the DM-EF has the capability of providing businesses — both new and existing — with a serious infusion of cash.

According to Scheiber, new businesses are eligible for up to $10,000 in funding, with existing businesses eligible for up to $35,000. Most of the money is given directly to suppliers, and the loan has an interest rate of prime-plus-two with a maximum of 7 percent.

“Our applications are open books pretty much until the very end,” said Scheiber. “A business plan is really just a guess, and we understand that.”

Next up was April Boyle, the Director of Recruitment for D:hive. Among the many things that D:hive does — in addition to welcoming people to Detroit and helping them engage in the community — is host a workshop called BUILD which focuses on opening and operating small businesses.

Based on a nationally recognized curriculum that was constructed especially for Detroit, BUILD supports entrepreneurs by helping them turn their ideas for a program or business into action. Essentially an “Intro to Entrepreneurship” course, Boyle said it offers help with credit checks, business law, accounts, marketing and other services.

After beginning in January of 2012 at the D:hive location in Detroit, classes are now being offered at Courage Coffee in Hamtramck. The next eight-week course begins on March 14 and will be held every Thursday between 6 and 9 p.m. The cost is between $100 and $300 depending on income.

“It’s a safe place to explore an idea, take that idea and turn it to a project, and then make that project a business,” said Boyle.

Third up was Dan Blue from Kiva Detroit. Kiva is an international peer-to-peer lending program that helps provide people with interest-free loans of up to $5,000 by connecting them with micro-funders from throughout the world who believe in their project.

Blue explained that with a Kiva loan, lenders are motivated to fund projects because they are compensated in some way by the project upon its completion – kind of like a “this-for-that” arrangement.

“It’s not a large amount of money, but it’s a great stepping stone,” he said. “And the repayment plan works out to only $208 per month for 24 months, so it’s very affordable.”

The fourth speaker of the night was Sean Gray, a business consultant for the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center (MI SBTDC). The MI SBTDC offers training, research, consultation, and courses for potential business owners and can teach them the skills necessary to run a small business.

Though the MI SBTDC doesn’t offer any money, it also doesn’t charge anything – other than “effort,” according to Gray. Most importantly, it will help you realize exactly what is needed to be successful.

“I’m a realist. I will help you unpack the baggage of your business and finances, and put you on the right track,” says Gray.

Sonia Harb of the Arab Community Center for Economic & Social Services (ACCESS) spoke fifth. ACCESS will be launching a new training session in Dearborn beginning in April, and is looking to link immigrants to jobs and services.

“We help anyone with a cultural or language barrier that makes it challenging to deal with a traditional provider,” said Harb.

The final speaker of the night was Angenette VanLieu-Muno, an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer working at Friendship House. VanLieu-Muno is currently managing a program that helps people with handicraft skills and sewing ability earn money for their work by selling it through outlets like Ferndale’s Rust Belt Market and online.

“It’s not crafting time and it’s not social time,” she said. “It’s a program for people with skills who want to work.”

A final representative from HATCH Detroit was scheduled to attend but was unable to make it. HATCH Detroit is a vehicle to champion and support independent retail businesses and is essentially a contest to determine the business desired most by the community. Businesses compete against each other for a $50,000 grant and the winner is decided by the public.

At the meeting’s conclusion, Friedmann spoke about the opportunities available to businesses opening in Hamtramck. Among the ways the city can help new businesses is the New Business Start-up Grant, which can help subsidize rent, rehab a building, or cover payroll. The city also offers the Facade Improvement Grant and Brownfield Development grants.

“This city is a very diverse, vibrant and exciting place to do business,” he said. “We encourage all business owners to take a good look at locating in Hamtramck.”

Contact Information:

Detroit Micro-Enterprise Fund

Kory Scheiber, Business Development

kscheiber@dmlf.org

(313) 879-4479

D:hive

April Boyle, Director of Recruitment

april@dhivedetroit.org

(313) 962-4590

Kiva Detroit

Dan Blue

dblue@michigancorps.org

(313) 451-1217

Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center

Sean M. Gray, Business Consultant

sgray2@emich.edu

(313) 672-1106

HATCH Detroit

Vittoria Katanski, Executive Director

vittoria@hatchdetroit.com

Arab Community Center for Economic & Social Services

Sonia Harb

sharb@accesscommunity.org

(313) 945-8380

Friendship House

Angenette VanLieu-Muno, Project Manager

anvilspk@gmail.com

(313) 871-7443

Al-Amryah International Foods recently opened on Conant and Edwin, which specializes in halah meats, fresh produce and daily food specials.

By Ian Perrotta

If you’re looking to enlighten your taste buds, then check out Hamtramck’s newest grocery store, Al-Amryah International Foods.

Located at the corner of Conant and Edwin, the business just opened its doors last week. Before that, the previous five months were spent transforming an old mechanic’s building into something worthy of its name.

And just what exactly does the name mean? While it’s hard to give a direct translation, store manager Ahmed says it loosely means “Old College” and is a nod to the Al-Amiriya Madrasa in Yemen.

The comparison is an appropriate one. The madrasa in Yemen was painstakingly constructed by skilled craftsmen and artisans, and in a similar vein the Al-Amryah building was also built to exacting standards.

Inside the building, the storefront was completely gutted and rebuilt. Two cash registers were added for quick check-out, and floor-to-ceiling freezers were installed for frozen food. A 22-car, well-lit parking lot was created outside, and the walls were affixed with shiny black marble.

But the similarities between the two buildings don’t end there. Some people say the original Al-Amiriya building has a powerful and fragrant scent that comes from wood used to construct it. Similarly, the air in Al-Amryah is also very aromatic — just decidedly more spicy.

A final way the buildings are similar is their international stewardship. After falling into a state of disrepair, the original Al-Amiriya madrasa was rehabilitated by the Dutch and is now under consideration to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Being in Hamtramck, Al-Amryah will also undoubtedly exude cross-cultural appeal as well.

Of course, being in Hamtramck also means Al-Amryah is ready for anyone. In addition to the fruits, vegetables, halal meat, spices, toiletries, phone cards and perfumes that most people have come to expect from local grocery stores, one can also enjoy ready-to-eat food from an olive cart as well as unannounced daily and weekly specials.

“We try to have all kinds of food,” says Ahmed. “A little something for everyone.”

Al-Amryah International Foods is located at 9629 Conant (at the intersection of Edwin) and is open from 7 a.m. to midnight (or later) seven days a week. EBT and all major credit cards are accepted. For more information call (313) 872-0111.

Wayne County Commissioner Martha Scott (left) joins Hamtramck Mayor Karen Majewski and Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano (center) in a recent grand opening ceremony at a new county health clinic on Jos. Campau.

By Charles Sercombe

One of key features of the new Wayne County Health Center located on Jos. Campau is that it treats anyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Yes, you read that right. The clinic will treat those with no insurance or who have little or no money. Considering that 40 percent of the city’s residents live in poverty, that’s welcoming news.

Last week, county and city officials gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the clinic.

It’s being funded through a $1.2 million federal grant, which will keep the clinic operating for the next two years. County officials say they expect to apply for another grant when the money expires.

The federal government is funding similar clinics around the country in order to prevent hospitals from eating the costs of those who use emergency room services for ailments because they can’t afford primary care.

By nipping health problems in the bud through free and low-cost primary care, the thinking goes, hospitals will save millions of dollars in expenses for treating the uninsured.

The clinic has six examination rooms, two onsite labs and state-of-the-art technology.

Services include: Primary care, pediatrics, adult medicine, behavioral health services, prenatal care, pediatric dentistry and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services.

Fees are based on what the patients can afford. Folks who are indigent and have no money to spare will be treated for free. Appointments can be made and walk-ins are also welcomed. To make an appointment, or for more information, call (313) 365-1362. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday’s hours are 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The clinic is located at 11447 Jos. Campau.

Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano and Mayor Karen Majewski (center) pose with other county officials for the grand opening of a new county health center on Jos. Campau.

By Charles Sercombe

“Obamacare” is now in Hamtramck.

Thanks to a $1.2 million grant through the Affordable Health Act, which was the centerpiece proposal of President Obama’s first term in office, Wayne County’s Department of Health and Human Services opened a medical clinic on Jos. Campau.

On Thursday, county and local officials held a grand opening at the clinic. County Executive Robert Ficano was on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“The Hamtramck Health Center will enable residents to have a ‘medical home’ to receive regular, routine health care services instead of frequenting costly hospital emergency rooms for ailments best treated by a primary care physician,” said Ficano in a press release.

“It will help area families receive the quality health care they need and deserve regardless of their health insurance status.”

The clinic is located at 11447 Jos. Campau.

Those using the clinic will be charged depending on what their income is.

The county is also encouraging those with Medicaid and insurance to make the clinic their primary caregiver.

After commanding a price of over $200,000 in the Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction, the building at 10201 Jos. Campau was never paid for. The building is now owned by the city, which has erected a fence around it to protect pedestrians from the potential of falling debris.

By Ian Perrotta

You may have noticed some new activity at the corner of Jos. Campau and Belmont recently. Unfortunately, it’s only precautionary.

In January, the Department of Public Services a fence put up a fence around the four-story building at the northwest corner to protect people from the potential of falling debris.  The mortar on the southeast corner of the building is expanding and may pose a future problem.

“Nothing has fallen yet, but we wanted to be proactive,” said Community and Economic Director Jason Friedmann.

When Friedmann says “we” he means the city, which is primed to take ownership of the building in the next few days. Though the building was listed in the last Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction, the winning bidder failed to make a payment before the deadline.

After the first-highest bidder was disqualified, it was offered to the next highest bidder. That bidder declined, so it was then transferred to the city. Considering that the building sold in the auction for over $200,000, the city walked away with a steal.

However, before the building can be utilized it must first be rehabilitated. The Community & Economic Development Department is currently working on a strategy to redevelop the building, and there are already several incentives — including the Facade Improvement Grant and the Second Story Rehab Grant, among others — tied to the building.

“There are a lot of options on what we can do with the building,” says Friedmann. “We’d like to figure out what will work best.”

By Ian Perrotta

Just in time for the city’s new bike and pedestrian lanes, there are now plans to open a bicycle shop in Hamtramck.

Actually, the plans have been in a conversational stage for the past year or so, but it was only in January that residents Scott Wozniak, Erik Mitchell and Jeffery Van Andel announced the upcoming arrival of Hammer and Cycle.

The trio of twenty-somethings — all transplants to the area within the last few years — have plans to open a retail and repair shop at the corner of Edwin and Jos. Campau. The storefront is slated to open in the spring or summer.

At Hammer and Cycle, you will be able fix your “fixie” and then spruce it up with some accessories.  Or, if the bike is too far gone you can always just buy a new one — refurbished, or course. Stick around long enough and you might even pick up a new skill.

“We hope it’ll be the kind of place where you can get your bike working, learn something, and relax while you wait or hang out,” says Wozniak. “We’ll also be offering some kind of classes or events, and maybe some programs for kids and others to learn the basics of maintenance.”

Stores that buy and sell used merchandise in Hamtramck may soon have to purchase something new – a permit allowing them to operate.

The city council is considering an ordinance that requires businesses that purchase goods to be resold to register with the city and track their transactions online. The proposed law will be reviewed at next Tuesday’s regular council meeting.

According to Police Chief Max Garbarino, the new regulation is a way to simultaneously prevent stolen goods from being resold within the city while not burdening residential taxpayers with additional fees.

“It affects basically anyone buying stuff off the street,” he says. “The only exception is if the business is primarily clothing.”

For businesses that are affected by the ordinance, the difference will be noticeable. In addition to paying a $500 fee to operate, second-hand and resale stores must now also track their merchandise through a program called LeadsOnline. Each transaction will cost $1.

“The fee goes toward covering operating expenses,” says Chief Garbarino. “It’s not going to balance the budget, but it helps.”

A different, existing ordinance also requires businesses that sell used precious metals and gems to also pay a $500 yearly fee and keep track of purchases.

Around town, the reaction to the proposed law has yet to fully be measured. Catrina Stackpoole of Recycled Treasures was initially worried about the cost, but after discussing the situation with officials realized her store was exempt because she only takes donations and does not buy goods to be resold.

“In general, I’m happy that an effort is being made and something is being done,” she said.

The new ordinance isn’t the only business-related item on the agenda, however. Changes are also in the works to raise the yearly business license fee from $75 to $100. On the plus side, the increase will also cover the registration of business alarms, which used to cost $100 by itself.

“There’s always been an ordinance requiring repayment for alarm calls, but no one ever enforced it,” says Chief Garbarino “The old ordinance set a few years ago stated fees were to be regularly set by council, but they never did.”

Under the proposal businesses get a free response to their first two alarm calls. The third response will come with a fee of $100, the fourth will cost $200 and all subsequent calls thereafter will be $250.

“It had to be done. I picked fees that I thought were reasonable and presented them to the council,” says Chief Garbarino. “I kind of expected them to tinker with it, but they approved.”