Cherry Republic coming

Cherry Republic is expanding its retail footprint with a new store in Birmingham. Sara Harding, VP of Marketing & Impact for Cherry Republic, says the store opening is planned for late September. “We could not be more excited to become part of the downtown Birmingham community. We’ve long admired the energy and character of the area, and we can’t wait to welcome neighbors in for samples, stories, and a taste of Northern Michigan,” said Harding. The Michigan-based brand was founded in 1989 by Bob Sutherland, who began selling Cherry Republic T-shirts from the trunk of his car in northern Michigan featuring the now-famous slogan, “Life, Liberty, Beaches and Pie.” Building on the success of the T-shirts and Traverse City’s reputation as the Cherry Capital of the World — Sutherland introduced the Cherry Boomchunka Cookie, which quickly found its way into local shops throughout northwest Michigan. In 1995, Cherry Republic opened its first storefront in Sutherland’s hometown of Glen Arbor. Today, the company operates eight retail stores across Michigan, including Glen Arbor, Traverse City, Ann Arbor, Holland, Frankenmuth, Charlevoix, Mackinaw City, and Lansing. Cherry Republic’s stores offer more than 200 cherry-themed products, including salsas, chocolates, jams, wines, beers, and other specialty foods and gifts. Beyond our products, Cherry Republic donates a portion of sales each year to organizations supporting Michigan’s agriculture, environment, and communities — a commitment Harding says the company is eager to bring to Birmingham as well. The store will be located at 243 W. Maple Road— the former home of Detroit Guitar.

Business Matters for the Birmingham - Bloomfield area are reported by Gigi Nichols. Send items for consideration to GigiNichols@downtownpublications.com. Items should be received three weeks prior to publication.