Tess’ Tender Touch Finds New Home on Detroit Avenue

When one door closes, another one opens.

Sometimes, those new doors open a few blocks away.

That’s the case with Tess’ Tender Touch, which opened its doors in the former Detroit Savings and Loan building near the intersection of Detroit and Cranford avenues.

The gift shop shuttered its spot at 14419 Detroit Avenue in mid-July after two years at that location, and unveiled its new space at 16008 Detroit Avenue last month.

“We were homeless for a couple of months until we found this,” said owner Theresa Ferline-Carr, who also works full-time at Lakewood Hospital.

The store still carries the same favorites — including candles, jewelry and many other local gifts.

Many of those gifts are crafted by Ferline-Carr herself (think creative, handmade glass pieces of all kinds).

But now, there’s more space — three times as much. 

“It looks really empty compared with the other space,” said Theo Kent, Ferline-Carr’s partner, who manages the shop.  

“We want to become a destination, rather than just a walk-by. We’re pretty excited about what we do here.”

Ferline-Carr and Kent said that 95 percent of the items in the store are made in the USA — and many of those items are made locally.

“It’s about buying local,” said Ferline-Carr. “You really don’t need to know to go the big box stores. You can support your neighbors.”

Each gift at the store is wrapped at the check-out counter — with handmade bows made by Ferline-Carr.

“It’s all-in-one here.”

On Saturday, the gift shop is hosting a grand opening celebration, with live music provided by Mossy Moran from 2 to 5 p.m.