Made In Detroit

The Sunday NY Times Style section featured an article about Shinola, a new Detroit design company opening a flagship store in the TriBeCa area of New York City this week.  The name Shinola comes from a American shoe polish company but the current designs from Shinola are watches, bicycles, leather goods and journals.

I didn't have to travel to NY City to visit Shinola.  Saturday, hubby and I drove into Detroit (about 30 minutes away) and visited the Shinola showroom there.

The collection was artfully displayed.

The back wall of the showroom has a display of bike parts in various colors.  Bikes are custom made in the shop.

The watches have achieved a cult status and the demand has made supply very limited.

The watches are assembled in Detroit.

Our day in Detroit included a visit to the Corktown section of the city and lunch at Slows Bar BQ.  

I've heard about Slows many times and the accolades it receives are well deserved.  The smoked meats were tender, flavorful and smokey good.  Generous portions and great side dishes.

The meats are smoked with dry rubs and you have your choice of sauces, ranging from sweet to hot.  My favorite was the pulled pork with the NC sauce, a vinegary sauce favored in North Carolina bar bq.  The seasonal flavor was pineapple-habanero.  

Just a few doors away from Slows is Astro Coffee.  A great cup of coffee in an eclectic, fun, neighborhood coffee shop.  They have a small selection of baked goods and lunch menu. The cafe features a great communal table for eating, surfing the web or hanging out with friends.

With all the bad news about Detroit last week, it is nice to know that there are a few bright spots in such a troubled city.  Best wishes Detroit!