the team at the table
helen aupperlee
Helen has worked at Art of the Table since the fall of 2011.
The best part of waking up is…
…thinking about that first sip of tea.
Read more about Helen!
Why do you think Amy hired you?
Because of my English accent!
Is there a section of the store you like to focus your time on while you’re here?
I’m always game to stock Patty’s chocolates!
What are some of your favorite products in the store?
Cheese and beer – perfect together.
Essential tool (kitchen or other):
Tea cozy!
Favorite book:
East of Eden by Steinbeck
Favorite GR bar/brewery:
Playing shuffleboard at The Hideout, assured that no one would find you even if they tried.
What’s the most interesting place you’ve traveled to?
Palestine
What is your favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving – I’m from England, but I’ve adopted it.
amy baas, a full-timer
Amy B. has worked at Art of the Table since August, 2010.
We call you…
Tall Amy
Read more about Amy B.!
Is there a section of the store you like to focus your time on while you’re here?
Beer, wine, and greeting cards
Essential tool (kitchen or other):
a meat tenderizer, because it makes guacamole making SO easy.
Favorite Wealthy Street Business (besides AOTT):
The best part of waking up is…
Madcap in my cup! (it’s the only thing that gets me up some days…)
What toy/game from your childhood do you miss?
The Sims computer game, Polly Pockets, and Littlest Pet Shop.
What is your favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving. Because it’s focused on family and food and it’s not very commercialized.
I can’t believe it but one time I…
…sat on a live crocodile…and lived to tell the tale (yes, I have pictures…)
Anything else that makes you – you?
What makes me, me is living in a walkable neighborhood. Leaving my car parked for a week or two at a time brings me great joy. I love knowing I can get anywhere I need to go without using fossil fuels.
andrea bierma
Andrea B. has worked at Art of the Table since March, 2005.
Is there a section of the store you like to focus your time on while you’re here?
I always loved to focus on customers, but now I am off the floor and only working on the bookwork in the office.
Read more about Andrea B!
What are some of your favorite products in the store?
Jeni’s ice cream, candles, cheese!
Essential tool:
Allen wrench. I’m the handy one in the house, though my husband uses the hammer because I can’t pound nails in straight!
What chore do you hate?
Cleaning. It doesn’t matter what part of cleaning or what room, I hate it all.
The best part of waking up is…
having breakfast with my son.
What toy/game from your childhood do you miss?
Cabbage Patch Kids.
I can’t believe it but one time I…
had milk poured over my head in fourth grade. Yup, it really happened, and the student teacher had no idea what to do about it.
jackie garner
Jackie has worked at Art of the Table since October, 2011.
Favorite book:
Belong to Me by Marisa De Los Santos. I love the main character Cornelia. She is quirky, a little sarcastic, and has a wicked sense of humor. If she were a real person, I would want to be her best friend.
Read more about Jackie!
Is there a section of the store you like to focus your time on while you’re here?
Everywhere, at the same time. I like a challenge.
What are some of your favorite products in the store?
Effies, all the chocolate, and Chef Robin’s Hummus. Yummmm!
Essential tool (kitchen or other):
My kettle for tea and oatmeal in the morning! Microwaving water just isn’t the same. Also an apron, because I’m a messy cook. I actually have 2 – I’m so messy! I have to have a back up for when the other one is in the wash.
Favorite GR bar/brewery:
Brewery Vivant. The first time I went I was with my family and all 7 of us crammed into a booth meant for 4. I could barely move my arms, but it was completely worth it.
Best dinner in GR:
Chez Olga – has the best food and everyone is very friendly. I always leave feeling the heat of the Caribbean!
The best part of waking up is…
…when I realize I don’t have to get up yet and can fall back a sleep.
What’s the most interesting place you’ve traveled to?
Brussels. It really is the quirkiest place in the world. I don’t know how to described it.
michelle hand
Michelle has worked at Art of the Table since the spring of 2009.
Why do you think Amy hired you?
When we moved to GR, we knew we found the right neighborhood as soon as we saw AOTT. The store was a perfect fit. I love cooking, entertaining, and chatting it up with new people. Amy might have hired me because I practically stalked AOTT on my daily strolls with my daughter Genevieve.
Read more about Michelle!
What are some of your favorite products in the store?
I can’t get my day started without my Madcap coffee. A guilty pleasure is certainly the Jeni’s ice cream or the Patricia’s Chocolates.
Essential tool (kitchen or other):
A good knife. I couldn’t live without my Wusthof Santoku.
Favorite GR bar/brewery:
Brewery Vivant. My husband took his family there the night our second daughter was born.
Favorite Wealthy Street Business (besides AOTT):
I love my girl Kristi at Jeffrey Richard Salon.
What is your favorite possession?
A picture of my husband when he was a boy. Awwww.
I can’t believe it but one time I…
…gave a kid a black eye. He pushed my brother down the stairs.
Anything else that makes you – you?
I’m a southern girl who loves sweet tea and sitting on porches in rocking chairs. My mother-in-law says the secret to sweet tea is brown sugar- now you know. 
lindsay hovingh
Lindsay has worked at Art of the Table since March, 2012
Essential tool (kitchen or other):
Honestly, my iPhone. I use it in the kitchen constantly to look up recipes, measurement conversions, etc. and, of course, play my favorite songs while I cook.
Read more about Lindsay!
Why do you think Amy hired you?
I think she hired me because…she could tell I get really excited when it comes to talking about food
Is there a section of the store you like to focus your time on while you’re here?
The wall ‘o sauces/oils/salsas/etc. – I like using them to spice up dishes that may otherwise be boring…
Favorite book:
Oh, there are SO many!! Cold Tangerines by Shauna Neiquist, Eat. Pray. Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and I am a Hunger Games fanatic!
What chore do you hate?
Hands down…laundry!
What toy/game from your childhood do you miss?
The old school Nintendo with Mario and Duck Hunt!
What is your favorite holiday?
I’m a sucker for Christmas.
I can’t believe it but one time I…
…backpacked through Europe with 5 of my best friends! Greatest experience of my life!
kate leeder
Kate has worked at Art of the Table since October, 2007
What toy/game from your childhood do you miss?
BB gun.
Read more about Kate!
We call you…
Chef Kate, or “the cheesemonger”
What are some of your favorite products in the store?
I like anchovies (both kinds), falksalt, country ketchup, sherry wine vinegar and all of the cheeses…except Maytag 
Essential tool:
A Microplane is essential for me…garlic, citrus zest, parm, ginger, etc. And my mini tongs that are like extended fingers.
Favorite GR bar/brewery:
The Meanwhile. I like going there and not seeing anyone I know, other than Bill, and having a great drink.
The best part of waking up is…
…husband, dogs, coffee, one more day.
What’s the most interesting place you’ve traveled to?
Hondarribia, Spain, on the balcony of the home my best friend grew up in, with Bill, my friend and his family having a 4 hour lunch. That makes the list of the top three meals of my life.
I can’t believe it but one time I…
…you can’t handle it.
katie meyer
Katie has worked at Art of the Table since July, 2011
We call you…
You can call me Katie, because Kate and Katherine are already taken and any other name would just be too confusing
Read more about Katie!
What are some of your favorite products in the store?
The rumors are all true, I am a self-diagnosed Art of the Table addict. My latest fixes are Sarah’s Sea Salts partnered with my Morrod’oro olive oil addiction on hot penne with freshly grated Parmesan. I also cannot seem to get enough of Spanish wines. Non-edible addictions include: Emile Henry (Ahn-ry) products and Wusthof (Voos-toff) cutlery. Not only is it fun to say both of those brand names, but they are absolute must-haves.
Essential tool:
Please do not make me do mental math. I absolutely need a calculator.
Favorite book:
In all seriousness, Oh The Places You’ll Go, by Dr. Seuss. I’ve also been known to read cookbooks for fun and accidentally not return them (sorry, Mom).
Favorite GR bar/brewery:
It’s a tie between Graydon’s Crossing and Founder’s. Graydon’s has this beer called the Terminator which is part New Holland’s Dragons Milk and part Great Lakes Edmund Porter partnered up in one glass. It’s dark, heavy, and delicious which makes it the perfect comfort beer. Founder’s is great at crafting hoppy beers, and I haven’t met an India Pale Ale that I don’t like.
What chore do you hate?
I’m that girl who likes to clean and thinks it’s fun. Every thrill has it’s downfall and mine is sorting socks and washing a full sink of dirty dishes.
What toy/game from your childhood do you miss?
I love hide and seek. Thankfully I have nieces and nephews that also have an affinity for that game, so there’s no nostalgia here. It really is a win-win.
What’s the most interesting place you’ve traveled to?
Marquette, Michigan. Climbing waterfalls, kayaking to more waterfalls and jumping into Lake Superior in the summer is one of my favorite memories.
andrea robinson
Andrea R. has worked at Art of the Table since before the store even opened! She volunteered with building rehab in the spring of 2003 and started working with Amy on opening the store in August of 2003. She left after about 3 years to work as a social worker and now she’s back part time after a 5 year hiatus.
Favorite Wealthy Street Business (besides AOTT):
Tree Huggers – because I’m just impressed with what they are doing to promote sustainability in so many ways!
Read more about Andrea R.!
Is there a section of the store you like to focus your time on while you’re here
Displays!! I’m also kind of obsessive about the aprons. I usually try to straighten them at least once while I’m working.
The best part of waking up is…
Rowster in my cup! Oh, and hearing my twin babies babbling to each other in their cribs!
What is your favorite holiday?
4th of July – It’s full of family AND friends and there’s not the pressure of gifts, decorating, fancy clothes. And it’s in the summer!
What is your favorite possession?
My wedding ring.
Anything else that makes you, you?
I love to sing, and have aspirations to sing in the GR Opera Chorus in the next few years. I love musical theater and if I had to start over in my career and had a voice more suited to that type of performance I would love to be on stage!
lora sieg, a full-timer
Lora has worked at Art of the Table since September, 2009.
Favorite GR bar/brewery:
Hopcat (can you say “crack fries”!!!)
Read more about Lora!
Jeni’s, Askinosie 72%, cheese, any Italian red wine.
Essential tool?
The french press
Is there a section of the store you like to focus your time on while you’re here?
Chocolate, ice cream, paper products, back room…
What toy/game from your childhood do you miss?
Light Brite
What is your favorite possession?
My Nana’s chair
aaron stek
Aaron has worked at Art of the Table since November, 2012.
What is your favorite book?
Do I have to pick just one? Food Lover’s Companion.
Read more about Aaron!
What are some of your favorite products in the store?
La Querica, Creminelli, Rush Creek Reserve, Winnimere, and Cranberry Bog Frogs
Best dinner in GR?
Tuscan Express served some of my most memorable meals.
Favorite Wealthy Street Business (besides AOTT):
Wealthy Street Bakery for their bear claws
Rowster for their macchiato
Johnny B’s for their olive burger
What toy/game from your childhood do you miss?
Broadsides & Boarding Parties
Calvinball
What is your favorite possession?
My wedding band. I take it everywhere I go.
I can’t believe it but one time I …
…rode down the Michigan street hill on a home-made big wheel at 2 in the morning.
allison vanskiver
Allison has worked at Art of the Table since April, 2011.
What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas and the Kentucky Derby (yes, it’s a holiday in my family)
Read more about Allison!
What are some of your favorite products in the store?
NITA CRISPS!!!! Abdallah Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels with Seasalt, and our selection of cookbooks.
Favorite book?
I have TONS of them. Color of Water, Sarah’s Key, Ask Alice, The Paris Wife, Loving Frank … the list could go on and on!
Favorite GR bar/brewery?
No doubt in my mind… Brewery Vivant.
The best part of waking up is…
…playing with my dog, Zeke.
What toy/game from your childhood do you miss?
Barbies
Anything else that makes you, you?
I grew up in GR and LOVE this city! I am so excited about what’s happening around here and love being a part of it. I also am on the verge of completing a Masters in School Counseling! So close…
delia venema
Delia has worked at Art of the Table since October, 2003 (when the store opened!)
Why do you think Amy hired you?
I lived in the neighborhood and even though I had a full time job teaching I really wanted Art of the Table to succeed. I thought about how I could make sure that it did and decided the best way was to work there, so I applied. I think Amy hired me when in the interview I said that I would do whatever needed to be done to make this store a permanent part of our community.
Read more about Delia!
Is there a section of the store you like to focus your time on while you’re here?
I lean toward stocking. I like the instant gratification that it gives me.
What are some of your favorite products in the store?
Chronic Cellars wine, Moon Dance Marinade, Laudemio Olive Oil, La Tur (a 3 milk soft ripened cheese), Jeni’s Salty Carmel Ice Cream, Lavasch Crackers, Vosges Barcelona Chocolate Bar
Favorite Wealthy Street Business (besides AOTT):
What chore do you hate?
Cleaning the toilet.
The best part of waking up is…
A hot shower.
What toy/game from your childhood do you miss?
My big wheel bike
What is your favorite possession?
Can family be considered a possession?
I can’t believe it but one time I…
I did a choreographed lip sync to “She Works Hard for the Money” in an AOTT talent show….
katherine williams
Katherine has worked at Art of the Table since August, 2011.
Favorite Wealthy Street Business (besides AOTT):
Rowster- gotta love the espresso and a cardamom shortbread cookie!!
Read more about Katherine!
Cheese & wine – I’m not an expert by any means but I really enjoy talking to others about their favorite cheeses and wines, also, sharing with them what I enjoy.
Favorite book?
Right now I’m reading and REALLY enjoying A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.
Favorite GR bar/brewery?
Stella’s – for their great bourbon selection; and The Pyramid Scheme – mostly for the pinball.
What chore do you hate?
I am a neat and clean freak so I don’t mind chores. Although, I am afraid of the giant ladder at Art of the Table, so I guess I don’t really like to change lightbulbs.
What toy/game from your childhood do you miss?
Easy Bake Oven
What’s the most interesting place you’ve traveled to?
I’ve been all over but I am still baffled by Las Vegas – entirely different world over there!
What is your favorite possession?
A depression era chain-link purse.
amy ruis, owner
friendly, hard working and trendy, Amy Ruis opened Art of the Table with her husband Steve on October 21, 2003.
What are some of your favorite products in the store?
Wine, chocolate, ice cream
Read more about Amy Ruis!
Essential tool?
6″ Wusthof chef’s knife
Favorite book?
Freckle Juice by Judy Blume or Small Giants by Bo Burlingham
The best part of waking up is…
…going to the gym at some freaking ungodly hour!
What’s the most interesting place you’ve traveled to?
Thailand
I can’t believe it but one time I…
…played Ms. Pacman for 8 hours straight.
steve ruis, partner
hired muscle and property picker-up.
bryan vander ark
fly-by night technology and information systems angel.
