Building Up Livernois

When , a business that specializes in construction post-disasters (fires, floods, etc.), set up shop in Ferndale between Eight and Nine Mile roads on Livernois in 1946, its owners probably didn’t expect a dog day care, a 100 percent soy candle and soap boutique, and a couple art galleries to be its neighbors one day.  

There may be a thriving downtown area in Ferndale, but the mile-long stretch on Livernois has become especially unique in recent years.

The batch of businesses that have popped up recently offer a new district to a city that is chockfull of potential artistic value.

Heading north on Livernois, off to the left may look a tad bit industrial, but immediately to the right, about a quarter-mile in, is a brightly lit shop with quite a warm, inviting atmosphere.

, which came to Ferndale last September, is a joint business venture between Anne Simonetti and Siouxsan Miller, both residents of the city.

The wonderfully eclectic batch of intoxicating aromas in this Livernois location fills the air of their part-work space, part-retail studio that sells homemade soap and candles. After starting in Miller’s basement, they’re incredibly pleased with their inviting neighborhood.

“Because we’re a working studio, we didn’t want to have to pay expensive storefront rents downtown,” Miller said. “As a happy accident we became supportive of the neighborhood on the other side of Eight Mile as well. People from Detroit come in to visit all the time too. It’s wonderful”

Their encompassing window-view of Livernois may be quite unusual for their type of business, considering the west side landscape is of housing and F. Lax. But, the duo is quite happy to be settled in where they are.

“(The neighborhood) is mostly artist types that you might not know what’s going on behind their doors,” Miller said. “Ideally though, we would love to have a coffee get-together with the other businesses of the strip to see how they feel about being more connected.”

She added a potential vision (depending on the neighborhoods' feelings) of giving their area a specific name like the has done on the east side of town.

Heading out of Green Daffodil, moving north, at the northwest corner of the Marshall and Livernois is the summer/fall garden supply stop for Ferndale.

opened up in 1996 and sells fresh stock daily, and everything you would possibly need for gardening.

While Miller seemed highly optimistic about where the area is headed, Seasonal Corner owner Carlotta Cardenas felt discontent towards the vacancies that are “still not filled up” on Livernois.

“I don’t see anybody thriving in this area because there’s not a lot of action,” Cardenas said. “There’s enough buildings here, just nothing is going in. They need to make it more like how the other side of Livernois past Eight Mile used to be.”

When asked of her view of Miller’s potential vision for a new “district” she didn’t see the same opportunity.

“Not the way it looks down this road,” she said. “Maybe if we got little restaurants, coffee houses, bakeries, or something.”

But, to offer up as a potential rising-to-the-vacancy challenge, President and said he hopes to maintain a responsible development strategy across the city if chosen in the Nov. 8 election.   

Martin, who also serves on the Arts and Culture Commission, has a very lustrous outlook on the area’s potential.

“The types of businesses that I would hope are attracted to Livernois are those that enhance the quality of life in the area without negative impact to the environment or character of the neighborhood,” Martin said.  “There is a great opportunity for service oriented businesses, as well as artistic venues.”

Martin says he feels there are tremendous opportunities in the commercial or mixed-use areas like Livernois.

“It is imperative that we ensure Ferndale is a place that is attractive to do business,” he said. “I am very positive about Ferndale’s outlook over the next 5 years. With careful planning and the investment that residents have made in the city Ferndale is posed to be a leader in the economic recovery.”