Gifts Galore at Grosse Pointe Woods Small Favors

The Grosse Pointe Woods gift shop should come with a big warning on the friendly "Welcome" pineapple hanging on the front door: You can come in for one thing, but chances are you'll leave with many.

If it's a graduation gift you're after, say a Dorm Survival Kit, a laundry bag or decorative wall decals, why not grab a hostess thank-you such as napkins printed with witty and funny expressions or a colorful cocktail shaker?

Seeing as it's summer and visits to friends' cottages or boats are in the forecast, try a basket filled with gourmet munchies and outdoor goodies, all of your choosing and filled by one of the owners. Or consider a Scout cooler bag—a Grosse Pointe staple to be sure.

That's not to mention the why-didn't-I-think-of-that items you'll want for yourself—an attractive gift and reward card organizer called the Card Cubby or Closet Skinnies that hang several pairs of flip flops from a pretty piece of fabric. 

"We tell people every day it's like overstimulation. It's a lot to look at," says co-owner Kasey Malley, who along with Betsy Enders founded the business that's morphed from house parties and online orders serving corporate and commercial clients to a retail store and online catalog in its nine years of existence. 

"This happens often, people will come in to buy gifts and splurge for themselves," Malley says. "But the thing is we have prices that make it easy to buy things you want for yourself."

It's not just the selection—there is a lot to browse and be sucked in by for sure —but it's the thought behind the selection and the service and little extras that come with the buying that can keep the shopping at Small Favors going.

Gifts are wrapped in cellophane bags filled with colored, shredded paper and wrapped in matching ribbon. They'll customize a basket or barrel and they've recently started personalizing items with a vinyl cutting machine that arrived not long ago.

Teachers and graduation gift-buyers are keeping the door moving lately.

"We work hard on those things have made us the neighborhood store," Malley says. "We're not the Target. We work hard to have the things you won't find just anywhere."

Take the Dammit Doll, a soft doll that gives its keeper directions and a target for expressing anger and frustration. It's just one of the many goodies responsible for the one-thing-leads-to-another shopping mentality that makes Small Favors a big hit with Grosse Pointers.

Small Favors, which was created by Malley, of Grosse Pointe Farms, and Enders, of Grosse Pointe, in 2003, is another successful example of a home-grown business that started from a basement headquarters and grew into full-fledged retail operation.

Their first basement business led to a bigger basement business as they looked for ways to make party favors and hostess gifts more fun, Grosse Pointey and personal.

The success of these then-mothers of young children took them to a bigger basement and then to a space on Mack Avenue used strictly for shipping.

Two years ago, after many requests to go retail they opened in a different and bigger spot on Mack.

"Another huge thing is for us … is the community we live in and how connected people are, how helpful and thoughtful they want to be," Malley said. "We love helping someone find just the right thing for someone. It's nice to have a store where they can come and talk and tell us what it is they need, what they're looking for."

Its shop, a little space with a lot of stuff, is at 19798 Mack Avenue, about a block from Grosse Pointe Woods City Hall and on the opposite side of the street and opened two years ago.

When the pair first started, they went to the vendors and searched out the items that would suit Pointers' styles.

"Now the vendors are coming to us," Enders said.

Enders and Malley do much of their research and make many of the decisions about what to sell after their twice-yearly visits to Atlanta Gift Market—three, 18-story buildings of retail products and ideas.

Their next market visit is in July. They'll scout what's new in unusual, fun, useful, clever, etc. However, new things are coming in all year long.

"The UPS guy knows us very well," Enders says, laughing. "We are changing things every day. ... People like to feel like they're getting something unique, and we like to keep it fresh."

"Customers also give us ideas," Enders said. 

The Dammit Dolls are an example of that.

Even with all the new inventory, there are the top-sellers that shoppers come back for again and again. The silver napkin holders or cheese trays. The Scout bags. Paddywax clean burning soy candles in floral and other scents. Oh Sugar cookies and belts and key chains by local Kristin Henchel and handmade cards by another Pointer, Judy Duffy.

Small Favors also stocks merchandise to represent local schools and universities — and , Michigan State University, the University of Michigan—as well Grosse Pointe and Michigan keepsakes.

Small Favors ships to other parts of the country regularly. The website offers a catalog and orders are taken by phone. At the holidays a big part of their business is filling gift requests for corporate and small business employees, locally and nationally.

"The community is very, very supportive of us," Enders says. "They want to see us do OK."

Malley says the Buy Local push is resonating.

"I think there is a growing awareness of the importance of small business to keep the community thriving," Malley says.

It's that local connection, the getting to know the customers that add to the business.

"We have fun because our customers are so happy to be here," Malley says. "They're so thankful for a local store. It definitely makes it fun. ... It makes it a labor of love."