Vote to Help Grosse Pointe Farms Native Open Healthy Restaurant

Stephanie Selvaggio has laser focus. This ability has served her well in her impressive list of endeavors and successes thus far in her life.

At just 28 years old, Selvaggio – a former resident of Grosse Pointe Farms – has received her Bachelor’s degree in Business from Northwood, graduated from the prestigious Parsons School for Design in New York City, developed and designed a line of surfing-friendly clothing for the younger set for the Rusty company, restores and sells vintage clothing for her online store Mille Beas Vintage and has hatched a great idea for a health food restaurant and tea room in the midtown district of Detroit, which today she calls home.

“I truly want Detroit to succeed,” said Selvaggio, who plans on opening the restaurant with her two sisters, Christina and Elizabeth. “Detroit is fantastic. It’s where we’re all from. There’s a real excitement in the city these days. Young people can come here, live here and start a business.”

Selvaggio presented her idea for the Woodbridge Gypsy Den & Tea Room to Hatch Detroit, a not-for-profit organization that helps all sorts of entrepreneurs realize their dreams. Today, Selvaggio’s is one of 10 semifinalist “ideas” that are part of Hatch Detroit’s most recent voting poll.

Selvaggio is the only entrepreneur who does not already have an established storefront. But because of her fresh idea and comprehensive presentation, the Woodbridge Gypsy Den & Tea Room is currently the leading vote getter in Detroit Hatch’s competition.

This is Selvaggio’s idea: The Woodbridge Gypsy Den & Tea Room will provide customers with whole, vegan and many locally grown foods prepared in delectable ways. In addition to being able to serve healthy food to her patrons, Selvaggio looks forward to teaching her customers how they can eat healthier when away from the Den & Tea Room.

“I have a big passion for a sustainable lifestyle,” she said. “Everyone understands why it is important to eat healthy. I want to take people to a place where they can get more involved in this. I want to look at educating them through cooking classes so that they can do this when they leave.”

She needs help from all of her Grosse Pointe friends and fellow health enthusiasts to keep her in first place until voting ends on Friday, Oct. 14. Those interested in voting can do so once each day from each of their IP addresses.

To vote, please go visit the Semi-Finalists Hatch Detroit webpage and click on the Woodbridge Gypsy Den & Tea Room. If she wins, Selvaggio will receive $50,000 in addition to assistance in establishing her Den & Tea Room.

“We need something like this in the Midtown area,” Selvaggio said. “When downtown and the financial districts close down at night, things just go to sleep. But we’re still up in Midtown. We have one pub (the Woodbridge Pub), so there is plenty of room for another business, especially with Wayne State (University) being so close.

“I would really appreciate people voting for this. It means a lot to me and my sisters, and to Detroit.”