City Bird -- the beloved Detroit craft label designed and produced by sibling duo Andy and Emily Linn -- will celebrate the opening of their new retail and studio space at the Canfield Lofts on W. Canfield between Cass and Second on Nov. 13 from 6 to 11 p.m.
In addition to its house line of goods, City Bird will carry vintage clothing and housewares as well as products from other Detroit and Midwestern designers. "Emiily and I are excited about GLUE (
Great Lakes Urban Exchange)," says Andy Linn. "We want to bring Rust Belt designers together -- there are a lot of things that tie us together." Local examples include
Bettula's birch bark jewelry, ties from
Cybertopix,
Citizen Jane t-shirts, lace jewelry from
White Owl and, from elsewhere in the Great Lakes region,
Biggie's pouches and purses from Illinois, printed tea towels from
Art Goodies of Grand Rapids and cards and invitations from Milwaukee's
Kate Frank.
City Bird's Detroit-inspired jewelry, home decor, bags and wallets will all be made on site; the Linns silkscreen, etch glass and make soap and candles. They credit their ability to get along to years of home-schooling and complementary undergraduate art studies. "We work together very well," says Emily.
According to Andy, making the jump from designers and crafters to retailers was not taken lightly. "We'd thrown around the idea of a bricks-and-mortar space," he says, crediting
Open City with a nudge in their current direction. "Seeing friends and acquaintances open up inspired us to make the jump and open."
After Nov. 13, City Bird's regular hours will be Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The address is 460 W. Canfield St.; call 313-831-9146.
Source: Andy and Emily Linn, City Bird
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
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