A new handcrafted goods store has popped up in Midtown just in time for the holidays. Tribalfare has opened in the 71 Garfield building in the Sugar Hill Arts District and will remain there through Feb. 1.
The retail store features a variety of one-of-a-kind goods selected by proprietor Ojas Akolkar and brought from her native India. She travels to India once a year to find her products, which range from clothing to housewares, jewelry to handbags. Akolkar will also use the space to provide Bollywood dance lessons.
"It became clear to me that there is a tremendous appreciation of hand-made items from India," Akolkar says in a statement. "Coming from a place where such items were commonplace, the value of my heritage was long erased from my memory. Meeting people who appreciated this so much revived my enthusiasm and my passion. I am excited to share my enthusiasm and these gorgeous, one-of-a-kind goods with Detroiters."
The pop-up is opening with the help of a $7,500 award from TechTown. Akolkar is a recent graduate of the TechTown Retail Boot Camp,
where she was one of five to win that program's Kickstart Award. In addition to the prize money, the award package includes assistance from TechTown in selecting retail space and their connecting her with pro bono business support, like social media marketing.
Other recipients of the Kickstart Award include a vintage and resale clothing boutique in Southwest Detroit, an outdoor goods store in an as-yet-to-be-determined location, a musical instrument shop in the currently-under-renovation Forest Arms apartment building in Midtown, and a craft creamery, also without an announced location.
Tribalfare is located at 71 Garfield St., #40. It is open every Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 5 p.m. The pop-up run is expected to close Feb. 1.
Writer: MJ Galbraith
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