Give the Gifts That Make a Difference: An OUCU Holiday Gift Guide to Small Businesses With Grizzly Ties
November 27, 2024
Silver bells are fine and dandy, but the best way to make the holidays truly memorable is to go Golden.
Oakland University Credit Union is proud to be affiliated with Oakland University — and the Golden Grizzlies have left a large footprint in the business world after graduation.
As we all gear up for the season of giving, OUCU has done some inside-the-box thinking and crafted a list of small businesses with significant Grizzly ties that are ideal for gift ideas that will bring a smile to the face of all on your list this year.
Ace High
Keeping up on your grooming game is always a winning hand to play, and the Ferndale-based Ace High makes it easier than ever with a product line that includes pomade, beard balm, tonic, shampoo, and conditioner. Launched in 2016 by co-founder Christian Kettenbeil, a 2017 OU graduate, Ace High began with a modified slow cooker in the kitchen of a coffee shop. It has since grown into its own production building with a full staff. Ace High products can be found online as well as at salons and hair stylists throughout Michigan.
D’Marco’s Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar
Giving the gift of a night out is never a bad idea — and D’Marco’s Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar is always going to put a smile on anyone’s face. The restaurant at 401 S. Main St. in Rochester is owned by Mark Mendola, a Class of 1986 Grizzly, and features wood-fire pizza and handmade pasta paired with wine from around the world. The menu is full of countless reasons why the establishment was named Best Italian Restaurant in the 2023 Detroit Community’s Choice Awards presented by the Detroit Free Press.
Vajze Jewelry
Designed to empower through beauty and style, Vajze is the Albanian word for girl. Founded in 2016 by Valentina Juncaj, who graduated OU in 2008, Vajze was created to embody the multifaceted nature of a woman at any stage of her life. Juncaj, an American national who was born in Montenegro to Albanian parents, experienced a unique blend of cultures growing up, which inspired her to reflect on and search for the qualities that all inspiring women have in common. Vajze designs are available online as well as several locations in Birmingham and Rochester.
Linked Fit
Help those on your gift list get a jump-start on New Year’s resolutions. Linked Fit at 1855 Northfield Drive in Rochester Hills, embraces the philosophy of how fitness, wellness, and education are bound together by common links. The fitness center was opened in 2019 by Dane and Alexandra Bartz, who met as OU undergraduates and were engaged three years later in front of Elliot Hall. Staying close to the community where their love initially blossomed, the couple opted to open Linked Fit just six miles from the OU campus.
Rochester Mills Beer Co.
Located in the historic Western Knitting Mill, 400 Water St. in downtown Rochester, the Rochester Mills Beer Co. combines comfort food with handcrafted beers. OU alum Melissa Plesz and her husband, Mike, have been serving up good food, good drinks, and good times at the brewpub since 1998. Producing more than 1,500 beer barrels annually, the establishment pairs its creations with a menu of eclectic American cuisine prepared with the freshest ingredients. Special amenities include an outdoor patio dining area with acoustic performances on Thursday nights.
Rereadables Used Books
True bibliophiles know that the best part of a great read is being able to share it with others. Based in Fenton, Rereadables Used Books has been passing along that passion for more than a quarter-century. Owned by 1978 OU alum Katherine Novak, the online bookseller has more than 50,000 books in stock. With thousands of titles and authors in genres ranging from romance, science fiction, mystery, horror, and suspense to children’s, Western, classics, Harlequin, and more, most orders made through Rereadables ship within 48 hours.
Go Golden this December by supporting local community businesses and local Grizzly alumni. Happy shopping from all of us at OU Credit Union!
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