Lex and Jazz of Char’latte Coffee Company Detroit (photo by Char’latte)
* The sisters will be located inside Eastern Market’s Shed 5 during Detroit Bookfest. Come check out their amazing coffee! Please bring small bills, especially $1’s and $5’s.
I love coffee. The aroma, flavor tones, nuances, trimethylxanthine, and accelerated association of ideas that results after gulping down a cup or pot of it. So, when I heard that Char’latte Coffee Company is bringing some liquid deliciousness to Detroit Bookfest, I was ecstatic.
Officially opened in February 2022, Char’latte Coffee Company is run by two Metro Detroit sisters and former baristas who saw a need in the market and decided to fill it.
Alexis Hallam (aka: Lex) and Jazzmyne Cansler (aka: Jazz) are very close siblings. Lex is four years older, likes photography, plays the drums, and started working at a coffeehouse. She got her sister, Jazz, who plays the strings, a job at the coffeehouse and they both “fell in love with the Art of Coffee,” says Jazz.
Alexis Hallam (aka: Lex) and Jazzmyne Cansler (aka: Jazz) of Char’latte Coffee Company Detroit (photo by Ryan M. Place)
“After working in different coffeehouses, we decided to pool our talents, love of coffee, and entrepreneurial spirits,” says Lex. “We created our brand and started our own operation. The coffee is sourced from Stumptown Coffee Roasters and all flavored syrups are created in-house.”
Currently, the sisters offer specialty pop-ups, and their operation consists of an 8-foot-long mobile coffee cart.
“We offer drip, pour over, iced, cold brew, espresso, teas, hot chocolate, and lemonade,” says Lex. “We are hoping to add some pastries in the future.”
Some top sellers right now are:
Brown Sugar Lavender Oat Milk Latte
Hot chocolate with whipped cream
And the Madagascar vanilla bean
Char’latte Coffee Company Detroit
“We love the freedom of mobility,” says Jazz. “In the future, we’d like to add a large trailer and our ultimate goal is to eventually open a brick-and-mortar coffeehouse, most likely in the heart of Detroit.”
This is a true family operation. “Our Uncle Shane built the cart for us, outfitted it and he even helps transport it to events in his truck. His wife and kids all help contribute greatly to our success and we are very thankful for their love and support,” says Lex. “And the name Char’latte is in honor of my two-year-old daughter, Charlotte.”
The sister’s coffee cart can be booked for events. “We politely request a minimum of 50 people,” says Jazz. “There is no maximum. We do weddings, office parties, house parties, graduations, corporate events, community events, all sorts of different things.”
The sisters are trying to make this gig full-time. Help them out by booking them for your next event!
*Big thank you to Bookfest Committee member Louie Meizlish for sourcing and arranging this!*
Arts & Scraps Detroit Scrapmobile (photo by Arts & Scraps)
Arts & Scraps has been an interactive institution on the Eastside for over thirty years.
Founded in 1989 by Peg Upmeyer, Arts & Scraps was originally started to help cash-strapped teachers obtain affordable, creative resources for their students.
Arts & Scraps is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and recycling store which collects donated recycled goods and turns them into art.
They recycle over 28 tons (ie: 56,000 pounds) of industrial materials annually!
Arts & Scraps Detroit (photo by Ryan M. Place)
Their East English Village location includes a 5,000-square foot combination store, offices, classroom, and donation intake. Located across Harper Avenue is their 13,000-square foot warehouse where the Scrapmobile is parked and where their creative ‘sticky kits’ are assembled.
Open to the general public, the store features a delightfully whimsical interior, which fondly reminds me of rummaging for treasures at Neisner’s and Jupiter’s on Vernor Hwy many moons ago.
Arts & Scraps community store manager, Stevie Baka, was kind enough to chat with me about their operation.
Arts & Scraps Detroit community store manager, Stevie Baka (photo by Ryan M. Place)
Let’s hear from Stevie directly:
“Arts & Scraps is thrilled to be coming to Detroit Bookfest! Our 26-foot-long bus, the Scrapmobile, will be there. The inside is filled with recycled creative materials, kids can get a bag and make something completely unique. Building their own book, for example.”
“Arts & Scraps is a creative re-use that focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) education by reimagining teaching tools. Our programming is STEM, and the store is art-based.”
“Many businesses generate a ton of ‘waste’ which can easily be donated and used by someone else. You never know what somebody can use or re-use. We also encourage people to recycle what they can at home.”
“The store features things like fabric, yarn stock, rubber stamps, sewing materials, scrapbooking & collage-making materials, heritage crafts, old photos, postcards, magazines, bottles, paint, laces, etc.”
Arts & Scraps Detroit (photo by Ryan M. Place)
“Kids can make some amazing stuff! We encourage kids to focus on imagination, creativity, and open-ended experimentation. We’re experience-driven and encourage people to experiment with their innate creativity. We’re also a field trip program with a target age range of three to pre-teen.”
“If your company is looking for something unique to do, Arts & Scraps engages in corporate volunteering. Companies like Ford, Rocket, BCBS, Motown Mission, etc, have their employees volunteer here.”
“We often receive donations of the contents of entire houses when people’s relatives pass on. There is an energy transference when loved one’s pass away. People feel good knowing that their items are not going into the trash but being loved and re-used by the community.”
“In regard to book donations, we prefer anything kids, educational, old, weird, unusual, etc, because the books will be cup up and collaged, which we know is considered sacrilegious by many book collectors, but it’s still better than old books being pulped and completely destroyed.”
St. Albertus Rectory (4231 St. Aubin @ Canfield, Detroit) photo by Google
Interesting historical sidenote about Stevie:
They live inside the old St. Albertus Rectory (4231 St. Aubin @ Canfield, Detroit). Open from 1891-1990, the rectory is now in the care of Stevie’s family.
“My family immigrated from Poland and lived near the Rectory in Poletown. My Grandpa went to school there, got married there and my brothers were able to move in and rehab it under the guidance of the Polish American Historical Site Association (PAHSA) who owns the property. We are always looking for volunteers there, as well.”
The phrase “Eastern Market” refers to both the large district/neighborhood and also the series of Sheds owned by the city of Detroit and run by the Eastern Market Partnership non-profit organization.
Opened in 1891, Eastern Market is the largest historic public market in the United States.
Featuring 43 acres of space, Eastern Market is comprised of a series of indoor and outdoor sheds which function as thriving year-round consumer markets.
This year, Detroit Bookfest will be located inside Shed 5 where vendors will be selling all sorts of books (ie: used, rare, antiquarian, authors, children’s, new, unusual, ephemera, etc), comic books, vinyl LP records, creative arts, and more.
Debbie Maciolek will be documenting the experience with her keen and perceptive eye.
Two food trucks, Delray BBQ and Treat Dreams will be on the south side of Shed 5 on Alfred Street (east of Russell Street)
Char’latte Coffee Company: Two Metro Detroit sisters are bringing their Mobile Coffee Cart to Detroit Bookfest
The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau’s D-Rover van will be outside Shed 5.
Pong Detroit, the ping-pong social club, will be wheeling some ping-pong tables over to Bookfest!
Deon Forrest(aka: Greektown Hotbox) Detroit’s own world-famous street performer will be live on Russell Street (at Alfred Street) outside Detroit Bookfest.
Detroit’s own Arts & Scraps is bringing the ScrapMobile to Bookfest! Kids will be able to build their own books here!
And more!
Health and safety is our #1 concern.
Whatever safety protocols are in place on Bookfest Day, we will be following them 100%.
We ultimately have no idea what to expect this year but we will do our absolute best to make it fun and safe.
JR Jones and Lonni Thomas, two of Eastern Market’s finest and also members of the Detroit Bookfest Committee (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Our festival footprint has grown to include:
The Official Bookfest Afterparty down the street at Eastern Market Brewing Company (runs 10am-8pm)
Please explore the Detroit Bookfest Festival Guide below.
We also encourage you to make a day of it and explore the entire Eastern Market district, which is packed with hundreds of fun shops, restaurants, and experiences.
Eastern Market’s Shed 5 Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Here’s our totally professional graphic designer-approved not flawed in any way screenshot MAP of the Bookfest Festival Footprint
Detroit Bookfest festival map
Eastern Market Brewing Company
2515 Riopelle Street
Located three blocks southeast of Shed 5, Eastern Market Brewing Company (EMBC) is one of the most popular destinations in Eastern Market.
Currently, the street they’re on, Riopelle, is closed to vehicle traffic. It is pedestrian-only and they have tables in the street, food tent, live DJ, and of course beer, glorious beer.
Some of their most popular beers are:
Elephant Juice, Market Day IPA, Mae Blanc, Wonderboy, and White Coffee Stout
Special thanks to Dayne Bartscht (owner) and his team
Eastern Market Brewing Company Detroit (photo courtesy of EMBC)
EMBC Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
EMBC Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Bea’s Squeeze Detroit
1533 Winder Street
Half a block around the corner from EMBC is Bea’s lovely combination eatery and co-working space. This beautiful addition to the market is the brainchild of Beatrice Wolnerman and they now have a walk-up window.
Live boxing inside Bert’s Warehouse during Detroit Bookfest
Pong Detroit
This afterhours ping-pong social club is located inside Bert’s Warehouse (2739 Russell Street)
The brainchild of former Honolulu-based radio DJ and pong enthusiast Mal Lang, their slogan is “unplug and play.”
Mal says, “Soccer is # 1 and table tennis is the # 2 participant sport in world. Table tennis is huge in China, India, Europe (especially Sweden & Germany).”
Bert’s Warehouse also features a comedy club, kitchen, and bar, so you can drink and pong all night long.
Lessons are available and they will be doing wheelchair table tennis soon.
Their other slogan is “Food, drinks, music and pong.”
Pong Detroit inside Bert’s Warehouse (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Michigan shaped ping pong paddle (courtesy of Pong Detroit)
Bert’s Warehouse Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Red Bull Arts Detroit
1551 Winder Street
Directly next door to Bea’s is the 14,000-square foot two-story Red Bull Arts warehouse. Inside they have a library and recording studio.
The basement of the warehouse is the old Eckhardt & Becker Brewery and is basically a cool subterranean brick-walled cavern. The brewery was here 1891-1969.
New York City and Detroit are the only two Red Bull Arts exhibition spaces in North America. There’s also one in Sao Paolo, Brazil called The Station. Red Bull’s global HQ is in Austria and their North American HQ is in Santa Monica, California.
Dequindre Cut Freight Yard bar (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Dequindre Cut (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra concert @ Dequindre Cut Freightyard Bar (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Detroit City Distillery
2462 Riopelle Street
The Riopelle taproom of DCD is down the street from Eastern Market Brewing Company.
Here you will find a lively outdoor vibe, including music, cocktails and food from Midnight Temple, the Indian gastropub located above DCD. (hint: try the tandoori wings and gobi rollup).
Special thanks to Andrew Potvin (37th Shield), Toby Barlow and Lynne Avadenka (Signal-Return), and Brendan Blumentritt (Detroit Hustles Harder)
37th Shield Library, Signal Return letterpress, Detroit Hustles Harder (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
37th Shield Library (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
The Eastern (event venue)
3434 Russell Street
The Eastern is a lovely 5,000-square foot industrial space you can rent out for special events.
Built in 1888, this is the old Hook and Ladder # 5 fire station. The Eastern has capacity for 300 seated or 600+ strolling and a 3,000 square foot outdoor patio.
Note: The entrance is not directly on Russell St, rather the main entrance is located on the north side of the building next to Wasserman Art Gallery.
Deon will be located on Russell Street at Alfred Street from 11am-3pm during Bookfest. Please bring money to tip him. Paper money, small bills are appreciated.
Considered a Detroit street legend and one of the top street performers in the Midwest by many, the musically gifted Deon Forrest, has built a reputation for doing his own thing.
Self-taught and ambidextrous, Deon “plays the pots” on the streets of Detroit, most notably drawing massive crowds in the neighborhoods of Eastern Market, Greektown and Downtown.
Videos of Deon have gone viral numerous times. Some of the videos online have over 60 million views. He was featured on the Jimmy Kimmel Show and some fans of his work include Eminem, Janet Jackson, Post Malone, Jermaine Dupri, and many others.
Deon’s sense of rhythm, timing, theatrics, audience engagement and overall musicianship are what sets him apart from the competition.
Big Sean’s Detroit 2 album cover (featuring Deon Forrest on the front cover)
Let’s hear from Deon directly:
“I love Detroit. Straight up. I grew up on the streets, didn’t have nothing. Then In 2008, I got shipped here and lived in a group home in Southwest Detroit at Fort and Schaefer. I got myself together in Detroit. I found out who I was in Detroit, this city made me who I am.”
“At that time, nobody knew who I was. I didn’t even know who I was. I didn’t know what I wanted to be or what I really wanted to do. But I knew I needed a hustle. Couldn’t let my kids stay on the streets and I didn’t want to beg for money, so one day I’m at my friends and being a percussionist, I’m always tapping on stuff, and I’m getting into the rhythm and right then and there I realized Deon you’re going to be a street performer.”
“I started off as a techno drummer without the speaker. Now I got a TopTech Audio speaker specially rigged on wheels. Built my pots because I wanted to do something unique and different. And now I got a whole mobile orchestra! My kit includes: piano, pots, slider, etc. I use ten pots and one cymbal. The buckets provide the bass. My favorite drumsticks are the plastic-tipped marching band Vix Stix (aka: Vic Firth).”
“My style is like Daft Punk mixed with Stomp (the British percussion group) and I can remix any song.”
Deon Forrest (aka: Greektown Hotbox) Detroit’s own world-famous street performer (photo Deon Forrest)
“The streets is like a big petri dish for testing your skills. To be a street performer, you have to battle underground to see who’s the best. I earned the title ‘King of Greektown’ because I’m 10-0. You set up near a big crowd and try to take the crowd. Whoever draws and keeps the crowd is the winner and you earn that spot.”
“I beat the five Chicago bucket drummers. We were rivals for a minute but now we’re cool. I outmaneuvered the marching band and they even had big bass drums. Also whooped a few horn players. I’ll go toe to toe with anybody on the streets. You play something? Bring it. Let’s see what you got. I’m in Eastern Market, Greektown, all over Downtown, come find me.”
“I play outside a lot of sports games, especially the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings, and outside live music venues, especially the Fox Theatre and Masonic Temple. The most money I ever made in a short time was I made $1,200 playing drums for about 1h30min. On a typical night, I average around $500.”
“I did a performance for Post Malone in Greektown. I played Martha Reeves birthday party. I’ve been in an NFL commercial with Barry Sanders. I’ve done all sorts of stuff.”
Deon Forrest (aka: Greektown Hotbox) Detroit’s own world-famous street performer and Detroit rapper Big Sean (photo Deon Forrest)
“One of my main inspirations is Michael Jackson. I also find some parallels between his life and my life. For instance, there was the Jackson Five. I used to perform on the streets with five people, including my man Miles Hubbell, but gradually the group started shortening until it was just me. Plus, how he did the moonwalk, I built a slider on my kit so I can kick the pot out and moonwalk it back.”
“Believe it or not, I only practice in my head. I get the music on my phone and listen to it. I have a special ability to instantly memorize music. I have a song of list of hundreds of songs in my head. I also do requests. My favorite stuff to play is pop, dance, techno, R & B, etc.”
“I love Detroit because there’s all kinds of wonderful and different people here. The best advice I can give y’all is just be who you are. Because whether you like it or not, the Real You’s gonna come out eventually. Just let it shine.”
“I’m a big basketball fan, would love to do something with the Detroit Pistons.”
“Currently, I’m building a special set. It’s a 360-degree chair that spins. I sit in the middle and there’s four different drumming stations where I can spin and play multiple, different songs interchangeably.”
Come check out Deon on the pots!
Deon Forrest (aka: Greektown Hotbox) Detroit’s own world-famous street performer (photo Deon Forrest)
Iconic photo of Detroit Bookfest taken by Debbie Maciolek in 2018 (Eastern Market, Shed 5, Detroit)
Native Detroiter, Debbie Maciolek, runs Debography, a local photography company. She expertly photographed some early incarnations of Bookfest for us in the past. And now, thankfully, she’s back!
The quality of her work is superb, and we are immensely fortunate to have her documenting the event.
You will see her running around at Detroit Bookfest taking photos. Please treat her with courtesy and respect.
Debbie Maciolek self-portrait (photo by Debbie Maciolek)
Here’s Debbie:
“I’ve got lots of books to donate. I can’t throw out a book. It goes against everything I believe in.”
“My early years? Wow, well, I grew up on Detroit’s Upper Eastside. I lived on Lansdowne, between Yorkshire and Grayton and attended Guardian Angels at Kelly and Whittier and also Bishop Gallagher.”
“I attended Wayne State University, studying business and have my certificate of Photographic Arts from Macomb Community College.”
“For the past 28 years, my husband Bob and I have lived in Macomb. He’s a Colonel in the National Guard and we’ve owned a software business for 16 years now called Static Line Software.”
Abandoned Detroit building (photo by Debbie Maciolek)
“We have a son and a daughter, Blake and Claire, both finishing up college at Western Michigan and University of Michigan respectively and two furry kids. Our two dogs are Bella – a Lab-Pit mix, and Dexter – a Great Pyrenees-Siberian Husky mix.”
“I come from three generations of Detroit firefighters. My grandfather and father both retired as Chief of the city and my brother is a current Sergeant on the Eastside.”
“When I was young, my dad used to race stock outboard boats all over the state in short courses and marathons. This is actually how I started photography. To this day, I love photographing live sports, especially hockey, and capturing the raw in-the-moment action. Traveling frequently allowed us to camp all over the state. There is nothing like Michigan in the summer, the forests and lakes are incredible.”
“Debography was started November 2016. I was able to leave my job with a software services company and move into being a photographer full-time. I shoot senior photos, lifestyle, off the beaten path type stuff, abandoned buildings, nature photography, events, etc. Not weddings, never weddings.”
Detroit River photo (photo by Debbie Maciolek)
“My camera setup consists of a Canon 5D Mark IV and I use primarily Canon lenses, and Sigma Art lenses. My preferred editing software is Photoshop and I’ve found the absolutely best company for lighting supplies and support – Flashgear.net.”
“My advice for aspiring photographers is to understand the manual settings and remember that lighting is everything, it will always make or break your shots. Take the time to understand how light affects your subject.”
“As for hobbies, I love traveling, seeking out new adventures, experiencing off the beaten path type stuff. I’m an avid reader, mostly mysteries. I belong to a book club that’s…really more of a wine club, but hey, it’s fun. I’ve also been getting back into running, I’ve completed four half marathons and am looking to fit in a fifth one.”
“Michigan is a wonderful state, we love it here; there is always something new to do. My husband and I have a cottage in Gladwin on Secord Lake and have made some fabulous friends up there. I grew up going to Burt Lake and Indian River, which are about a half hour south of Mackinaw City, and will always be one of my favorite spots. The State Park is great and the swimming and hiking can’t be beat. Locally, we love spending time outdoors at Stony Creek Metropark and Dodge Park. Favorite restaurants near our house include Da Francesco’s Ristorante for Italian food and Golden Fleece in Greektown for Greek food.”
“Outside of Michigan, my favorite spot hands down is Ireland. Stunningly beautiful country. I recommend renting a car and driving around southern Ireland, especially the Killarney area. And yes, for some reason, the Guinness really does taste better over there, the rumors are true! It tastes like Irish Magic.”
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