ShoeHouseBoulevard, a fashion-oriented boutique, has opened on Livernois, bringing upscale shoes, handbags and collectibles to the Avenue of Fashion. Proprietor Rufus Bartel is no stranger to the street scene, as his clothing shop Simply Casual is located just four doors down.
Both men and women will find items from labels like Kenneth Cole, Roca Republic and Betsy Johnson. Bartel is also working with local designer C. Granston Bullard to bring custom made eyewear and outerwear to the shop's roster.
ShoeHouseBoulevard is decorated in a "homey" manner, with couches and a warm color palette of orange, gold, chocolate and tan trimmed with wood.
Bartel, clearly bully on the Livernois corridor, is also planning a by-appointment showroom down the street. "I think this is a bright spot, this is a street going
through redevelopment, and we are filling in the blanks with what the immediate community is asking for," he says. "This was one of Detroit's premier shopping districts and we want to reinstall that." He says that a sit down restaurant and a coffee shop are two more new businesses being proposed for the area.
ShoeHouseBoulevard is located at 19450 Livernois. Call 313-241-2121. Hours are Wednesday and Thursday noon to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday noon to 10 p.m.
Source: Rufus Bartel, ShoeHouseBoulevard
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
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