Videos Show “Faces of Ferndale”
(Crystal A. Proxmire, April 23, 2018)
Ferndale, MI- The Ferndale Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has been using online videos to help introduce people to the “Faces of Ferndale.” These quick videos on You Tube and Facebook give glimpses into the businesses and institutions that help make the community great.
PJ Jacokes, owner of Go Comedy! Improv Theater’s video takes place backstage in a room full of props with hilarious lines from shows past written on the walls. “We love the Ferndale community,” he said. “When we opened up almost ten years ago it was a no-brainer, this is where we wanted to be, and here we are.”
Some of the videos share memories, while others are optimistic for the future.
“I was born and raised in Ferndale,” said Candle Wick Shoppe Manager Patrick Vincent. “Remembering as a little kid walking down 9 Mile with my mom, going to Kresge’s, sitting at the counter having a milkshake while she did her shopping. I bought my first 45 record from Sam’s Jams. Tom Petty’s Refugee. I think I still have it. And I just love the community. It’s very welcoming.”
Heather DeLiso talked about the atmosphere of Valentine Distilling’s Tasting Room on Vester Street. “Here at Valentine we pretty much are an all-female run staff, especially my manager Laura Short and myself which runs the tasting room. It’s a great place to be. We’re all kind of self-described ‘unique individuals’ so it’s really great to be surrounded by people you can relate to at that level,” she said.
The videos feature several businesses, including 3Winks, Rouge Make-Up and Nail Studio, Liberty Tax and the Emory. The Ferndale Police even got involved, with an interview that discussed puppies and a goat. And Jarred Kassis of the Conserva did a demonstration making a cocktail.
Ferndale Mayor Dave Coulter also made a video. “I didn’t move to Ferndale until I was in my 30s and Downtown wasn’t redeveloped like it is now, and we had just a few events,” Mayor Coulter said. “I remember lying in bed one holiday morning and hearing all this commotion outside my window – music and people and stuff. So much so that it made me get out of bed, get dressed and go outside and see what the heck was going on. That was my first introduction to my first Ferndale Memorial Day Parade. We’re actually going to celebrate our 100th Memorial Day Parade in 2018.”
DDA Deputy Director Cindy Willcock is excited about the series. “The DDA launched “Faces of Ferndale” not only as a way to promote our businesses, but to build connections. Rather than just promoting individual businesses, we wanted to help build connections to the people behind the businesses. Our goal is to share information that most people don’t know to highlight the people who are so vital in making our businesses and downtown so special, and thereby build connections to the businesses themselves,” Willcock said. More videos are on the way.
Check out all the videos on the Downtown Ferndale You Tube page, or watch for them on Facebook. Here is one from AR Workshop: