WOODBRIDGE GYPSY DEN & TEA ROOM
CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR WOODBRIDGE GYPSY DEN!
OVERVIEW
Are you looking for a natural, organic, vegan, local cafe that promotes culture and community? The Woodbridge Gypsy Den & Tea Room is your answer!
The Woodbridge Gypsy Den & Tea Room, nestled in the Detroit neighborhood of Woodbridge, will be for the people, by the people. The Den will boast a sociable ambiance, viewed as an attraction to visitors & a sense of place by locals. The café will offer simple dishes and sweets, teas & espresso, juice, smoothies, beer, wine & catering services. The focus is all natural, organic, vegan, local. Upon entering, you will be greeted with an eclectic collection of people as well as vintage furnishings acquired from local thrifts & estate sales. The Den renders culture, amity & a commitment to the slow food movement. Come for a smoothie or juice after a run, a glass of wine & the world’s best vegan mac n’ cheese, or to watch a neighborhood friend play music in the Den.
Making your way to the back, you will see the Tea Room, situated behind a drapery entrance. The Tea Room has an intimate, clandestine setting, ideal for a pot of tea with a friend, a quirky first date or some quiet time with a book.
Click the PDF below to view the Official Woodbridge Gypsy Den & Team Room Submission:
The Woodbridge Gypsy Den & Team Room Submission
Click here to check out our Tea Room Menu!
THE TEAM
Stephanie Selvaggio – Owner
My name is Stephanie, Detroit designer/stylist, conservationalist & yogi. A year and a half ago I quit my job designing in the surf industry and moved home to Detroit. I felt like I was missing out on the excitement. Using my BA in Fashion Marketing & Mgmt & AA in Fashion Design, I opened a small, eco-indie business, milliebeasvintage.com, selling vintage/repurposed/clothing & jewelry & all natural body products. I started online & now sell in shops around town as well as festivals like Dally in the Alley. I am also in the process of becoming a yoga teacher.
While sustainable fashion is high on my list, the lifestyle itself is what I am most passionate about. I grew up an adventurist, and in my travels, my fervor to learn more about humanity, food & the body has drawn me to yoga, veganism & activism. These ideas breed community & compassion for all living things. It is not only a passion, but also a responsibility to share the knowledge I have & make a difference.
I grew up in the kitchen & it has always been a meeting place for family and friends alike; a place to laugh, bond & share a homemade meal. I want to create a meeting place for the community. Food is the only medicine we need.
Christina Selvaggio – Chef
Being raised in a very passionate ethnic family (Sicilian & Lebanese), food was the center of everything. My passion for cooking began at a young age. While most children were watching Nickelodeon, I was fascinated by Emril Lagasse’s “bam”, searching the internet for exotic ingredients I heard of on his show.
As I grew older, I experimented more in the kitchen, but my love for numbers lead me to Northwood University. I graduated on the Deans List with a double major in marketing & management, but my passion was food. When I should have been looking for work & sending resumes, I was in the kitchen watching Food Network, and re-creating dishes with a healthy spin.
After some time working as a financial administrator for the family company, PDF Foods, I decided to begin culinary school. As I continue to pursue this culinary path, my philosophy has become clear: Cook from your heart with freshest ingredients available.
Kyle Suczynski- Tea Guru
I graduated from Wayne State University in 2007 with a degree in Fine Art and Graphic Design. After graduation I took a marketing job & quickly found I was not going to find my creative outlet in corporate America. I traveled to China and discovered upon many things tea and tea culture. I fell in love with the process and the product itself. Upon returning to the States I felt creatively refreshed and started a freelance design company, designing & making greeting cards, bags and jewelry. My items are carried in shops around town & I love vending the craft/art shows every fall.
Last winter my creativity took me to a different place: tea blending. I researched & concocted & gave my inaugural blends as Christmas gifts in hand sewn tea bags. I thoroughly studied the ingredients to learn how they heal and aid the body. In February, I did an art show at the Park Bar. Under the name Tea-Troit, I gave out samples, vended teas and sold out of every bag. This past spring/summer I planted teas, herbs & flowers in my community garden & have new local blends in the pipeline.
Steve McCauley – Contractor
Steve McCauley is an eight year Woodbridge resident, as well as a local painter, carpenter and historic restoration specialist. Starting at a young age, he began working on historic homes and buildings with his family’s business, McCauley and Sons Painting and Restoration. There he learned the ins and outs of old buildings from finish carpentry, to plaster repair, to painting and even plumbing. As a homeowner in Woodbridge, McCauley has restored his 1906 Arts and Crafts home with great attention to preserving the historic details and using architectural salvage to replace those parts that were missing. He carried that same theme to his work on the Woodbridge Pub. He and his lifetime friend, owner Jim Geary, meticulously restored the building’s tin ceiling and terrazzo floors, as well collected salvage materials to build the bar, restrooms and shelving.
CONNECT WITH WOODBRIDGE GYPSY DEN & TEA ROOM
CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR WOODBRIDGE GYPSY DEN!
Leave Woodbridge Gypsy Den & Tea Room a comment below and tell them what you think. They would love to engage, interact, and answer any questions you have!
OB TRICE
Steph love ur idea to bring the community together. I know it will be great. xoxo
thanks for the support Tommy! Hello to the fam!
Good luck!
Thanks! If the people truly want it, they will get it!!
I think this is a wonderful thing for the city of Detroit!!Please Please let WOODBRIDGE GYPSY DEN WINNNN!!
))))
thanks for the support! <3WBGypsyDen
You make me want to visit Detroit! You girls are adorable! Best of luck to you and your business adventure, your ideas are innovative and genius. You will succeed. xo
There is always a place for you here, fellow gypsy!!! We will make you feel right at home! xoxoxoxoxoxo I’m sure there are some things we can learn from you!
Best of luck Stephanie!
Thank you Calud!
what a magical blend of people personalities and ideas. if I can help in anyway let me know
thanks aunt marge! just pass the info along! and remember to vote every day!
Team Selvaggio!!!
woop! woop!
Stephanie, you make your family so proud. I
know you can turn your passion for family,
food, fun…….and of course health into
a great business for the city of Detroit.
This will be a wonderful warm comfortable
place for all.
thanks Mari!!! you are always supportive & inspiring! love you
Great, idea, nothing like haveing a passion, which spends good luck and good wishes.
xoxoxox
Steph, You are sooooo cool….I love you!
uncle alex
love you uncle al!
Steph, love the idea so creative and so needed!!! Good Luck Lots of love Aunt Lorraine
thanks for always supporting!! xo
YOU HAVE THE TOUCH, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, LOVE YOU
thanks uncle joe, love you too
Best wishes! Love the idea! Can only imagine the ambiance of this place! Can’t wait to visit
I’ll keep voting daily. (hug Christina for me)
will do! thanks for the support!
Woodbridge residents spend a total of $7.8 million at restaurants annually.
Local restaurants capture 37% of neighborhood resident expenditures, 63% are spent outside the neighborhood.
Residents spend $4.8 million at restaurants outside the Woodbridge neighborhood, enough to support over 20,000 SF of restaurant space.
copy & paste the link to see more info about Woodbridge.
http://tinyurl.com/3evp2hb
Stephanie, if anyone can do this it would be you! You have the passion, drive, and support from all that love you. This will be a wonderful addition to the city of Detroit. Love, Aunt Sandy
thank you! i think it would be a great addition as well!
Love the idea!!! You Selvaggio women are so talented… I’ll keep voting. Love you guys
Love you & thanks for supporting us in our venture!!
Stephanie, uncle Danny and I are so proud of you. You are an amazing woman. Follow your dreams, you deserve everything your heart deseries. We will vote evwrday. Love ya lots auntie Annie XOXO
thank you!!! you guys are the best!!
Oh boy, if I would have opened my email sooner, I would have voted a million times. Yes yes yes, want u all to be in Woodbridge. Love the idea, I know u will win!!!! You have my support. I will help u set up, or anything u would need help on. You will be an asset to our communaty. Awsome, can’t waight for this to happen. And thank u. Have faith and this will happen. Love Margie
thanks Margie! Pass on the voting info on to fellow Woodbridgers & anyone who you think would believe in the idea! Help us create a space where local food, healthy lifestyle & community can breed!
I would love to eat at your restaurant when it opens. I eat vegan when I can, otherwise it’s lacto/ovo. We need lots of restaurants like yours in the Detroit area.
I hope our dream becomes a reality! Please pass the word along!!
Mmm. Not sure why “gypsy” is in the name of your restaurant. I hope you get to open your business, but that you will seriously reconsider appropriating the common name of a handful of ethnic groups. These groups face discrimination and ethnic cleansing. Your use of the term seems to exoticize and stereotype them. I think we would know better than to open an “Indian Den & Tea Room” too.
Stephanie & Christina!! Hugs, kisses & love to you both! This is an incredible idea and I wish you much success! I will vote routinely! And Stephanie, when you become a Yogi, I would love to be your student. I’ve taken some yoga classes at MCC and absolutely love it!! See you soon at the Family Christmas party! XOXO
Jennie, thanks for your support and love! Would love to do some yoga with you, and look forward to the Christmas party!! xoxo
[...] you looking for a natural, organic, vegan, local cafe that promotes culture and community? TheWoodbridge Gypsy Den & Tea Room is your [...]
[...] and is now competing to win a $50,000 prize. Stephanie Selvaggio, of Detroit, MI, wants to open Woodbridge Gypsy Den & Tea Room to serve vegan menu items like chai, macaroni and cheese, smoothies, and a variety of seasonal [...]
[...] our ideas full circle and offer more outlets and education on healthy and eco-friendly lifestyle. Woodbridge Gypsy Den & Tea Room is an idea you’ll be sure to like! Read our proposal & if you think we deserve your [...]
As a new resident of Detroit, I hope this group wins. I would really like to see a Tea Room open in Detroit. I also love the themes of this group, even though I’m not vegan, I do enjoy vegan food sometimes and I always love to find a spot to sip oolong and work on my laptop. Cheers, Gypsy Den! I will be voting for you.
thanks Meph!
[...] get off the ground. This week, on Wednesday, October 26th, the public will be able to vote for the Woodbridge Gypsy Den and Tea Room in the Hatch Detroit contest. They will be competing against three other teams for a chance at [...]
AMAZING!!!
Good people
good food
I love everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
<3
VOTE VOTE VOTE!!! Steph, so good bumping into you in Detroit. Can’t wait for you to win.
great to see you greg! about time!!!
I can’t wait Steph! A new place for me and the gang to come to for Lunch! Good Luck! So proud of you gals~!
thanks for all the support! xo
This Idea looks awesome…Good luck Steph!!!!
thanks cor!!! miss you!
I love women that have a passion for what they believe in . here in Alabama I am voting for you. I know your days are filled with excitement. God bless you . Cecchini from Alabama .
thank you! from the mitten… to alabama!
[...] you looking for a natural, organic, vegan, local cafe that promotes culture and community? TheWoodbridge Gypsy Den & Tea Room is your [...]