- [Tom] On this awesome episode of UTR, we're back Downriver for a brilliant bridge.

Whoa.

A plethora of potable, plantable pickables, and a fantastic family bakery.

We'll even have a pizza meal that's the real deal.

Get ready to explore the cool people, places, and things that make Detroit's Downriver a definite destination.

(whistle blows) - Okay, let's go.

(whistle blows) Back it up.

(crowd cheering) (upbeat music) - [Narrator 1] A visit to the Stahls Auto Collection will take you back to a time when cars were more than just a way to get around.

A fantastic assortment of gas pumps, neon signs, and automated music machines dating back 150 years that must be seen and heard.

Info at stallsauto.com.

- I've been around the world, but there's one place I keep coming back to and the more I explore, the more I realize it's the place to be.

I'm Tom Daldin and this is "Under The Radar Michigan."

(upbeat music) (graphics swoosh) You know, it took me getting my own TV show to come Downriver and discover what a wonderful place it is to live, work, play, own a business, raise a family.

So don't wait until you get your own TV show, come down and discover Downriver now.

Well, you can get your own TV show if you want to.

Heck, if I can do it, anybody can.

Hey, wait a minute.

Yep, before I hosted UTR and started exploring all of Michigan, I didn't realize I had a reason to come to this part of our great state, but now that I have, I know that there are literally thousands of reasons to make Downriver a regular part of my life.

And now, I do.

There are so many great walkable downtowns, wonderful waterfronts to wander, countless awesome eateries to enjoy and every kind of shopping you're sure to love.

Not to mention the beautiful parks, trails, and green spaces.

It's classic Americana, Michigan style.

Another thing I love about the Downriver area is the positive energy and attitude.

It's all for one and one for all down here.

And all you have to do is ask because these proud, creative, and motivated people will gladly show you all the amazing things they have to offer.

Downriver is for sure a great place to live, work, play, raise a family, or own a business.

It's also a great place to stay and play for a few days.

So get ready for some tasty, fun and adventure because our next destination is Downriver.

Now, once again, because I come here a lot, Downriver's many communities are located south of Detroit, north of Toledo, east of Ypsilanti, and west of our Canadian neighbors.

(graphics swoosh) You know, just the other day I was driving north on I-75 into Detroit and I saw something on the skyline that I've never seen before.

And when I saw it, I believe my exact words were holy cannoli.

Well, divine pastry aside, to say I was floored, flabbergasted, and dumbfounded when I saw it is a colossal understatement.

But there it was the incredible, international and very futuristic Gordie Howe Bridge.

And not only is it named after my very favorite hockey player of all time, it's also the glorious new connection between Detroit and Windsor over in Ontario, Canada.

So to find out more and sequester my surprise, I headed over for a look-see and a satisfying conversation with Grant Hilbers from the Bridge Authority.

First thing I have to ask you is whose idea was it to name this the Gordie Howe Bridge?

And whoever it was thanked them for me.

- So that came from the Prime Minister of Canada at the time, Stephen Harper, and the governor of Michigan at the time, Schneider.

So the, the two of them together, when they were pushing this project through, which they did a lot of the legwork so that we're here today, they got together and they named it after a Canadian player that played for the Red Wings.

- Looking at this bridge.

First time I saw it, I was amazed how futuristic it is.

Never seen a design quite like this before.

Is this the longest over the water suspension?

- This is a cable-stayed bridge.

So the difference between a suspension bridge and cable-stay, you'll see that the support and cables here are on an angle.

So they create a sail shape.

- Gotcha.

- So this is actually gonna be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America by considerable amount.

There's some longer ones in other parts of the world, but when this is constructed, it'll be by far the longest to North America.

- And I also read that this is designed to last like 140 years or something.

- 125 years.

- 125.

- So very close.

- Okay, yeah.

- So we were very deliberate in choice of materials, choice of design to make sure that it had a long lifespan.

- Another thing I love about this project is you guys have gone to such painstaking measures to make sure that the people are impacted positively and that the flora and fauna are also considered, you know, in the whole project, so yeah.

- Yeah.

Yeah, this is a wonderful infrastructure project, but we always had a focus on environmental stewardship and community benefits, and making this a community project because that's what we're building here, right, infrastructure to serve the public.

- This is such an amazing futuristic design on this bridge.

Who designed it?

- So there were lots, there's no who that designed a project this size.

There are lots of designers involved, but this design is somewhat unique.

It's got a composite deck, so concrete deck, steel superstructure, but it's also an architectural marvel too.

It's really nice to look at, but the number of people that were involved in something this sophisticated on a day-to-day basis is hundreds.

- Yeah, I mean, I have trouble making toast, so I can't imagine the scope of this project, is just mind boggling.

And this project obviously, is more than just a big bridge, correct?

- Right, the bridge gets all the focus because, you know, look, it speaks for itself.

But we really have four mega projects in one.

We've got the bridge, we've got two ports of entry, which will be the largest ports of entry, land ports of entry on the Canadian and US border.

And we also have a tie in to I-75, which itself is a very large project, that's what provides that highway to highway connectivity that we're delivering as part of the overall project.

- I'm so thrilled that you'll be able to walk or bike across the bridge.

- Yes.

- And my wife and I are already planning a bike across the bridge because we love going to dinner in Canada.

I dunno how far our favorite restaurant is in Windsor from the bridge, but, 'cause we're a little ways Downriver.

- Yeah, it'll be a bit of a hike to cross, but we believe there'll be a lot of cyclists using this.

The bridge was actually named part of the Trans Canada Trail.

- That's right.

And it hooks up to 401 on that side, on the Canadian side and 75 on the American side.

- Yep, so we've got highway to highway connectivity.

That's one of the elements of this project that was essential, it's one of the pillars.

But yeah, highway to highway connectivity with no stoplights.

- I can't wait.

I wanna be the first to ride my bike across.

You'll hear me whining and complaining about there probably.

- I can't promise you'll be the first, but I'll promise you'll be able to.

- Deal, deal.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, the Gordie Howe International Bridge is one of the most beautiful and amazing feats of human engineering I've ever seen.

And when you add it to the city skyline, it reminds you of Detroit's illustrious past and promising future.

Oh, and if you get a chance, for an awe-inspiring view of the bridge head to Belanger Park in River Rouge, it's the perfect place to sit back, relax, and see this magnificent manmade masterpiece up close and personal.

It's the perfect way to spend an afternoon and at the same time, feel proud about this incredible part of our great state.

(graphics swoosh) Guess what, we found a greenhouse and a farmer's market that's so awesome and so huge, you can probably see it from outer space.

Hey, maybe that's why they put it by the airport.

Actually, this amazing and historic family-owned farmer's market has been at the corner of Middlebelt and Eureka in Romulus for well over a hundred years, long before Detroit Metropolitan Airport was even an idea, back when this was just pasture and farmland way, way out in the country.

For generations now, Blocks Stand and Greenhouse has been feeding and providing plantings for this entire region and beyond and at prices that'll blow your mind.

Yep, if you're looking for potables, plantables, pickables or produce to just put in a pot and prepare, you'll find an amazing selection of plants, fruits and vegetables here.

So to find out more about this family who founded this fantastic farmer's market, I found Fred Block.

Okay, first thing I gotta ask you, Fred, is did the airport get permission from you to build there because you've been here a lot longer than they have.

- Oh, it just kind of happened that way.

But we did our best, worked around whatever kind of obstacles we get.

- Well, 'cause, okay, just gimme a sense of how long your family has been on this property?

- Our family's been here, our ancestors been here for over 150 years.

- 150 years on this corner.

- 150 years on this corner.

Middlebelt, Eureka.

Yes, sir.

- That is amazing.

And, coming here today, it's so early in the spring, I didn't think there'd be that many people here, but you have such a huge, loyal, oh, there's a plane right there.

A huge loyal, engaged audience.

I mean, I can't believe the amount of stuff you have here.

- Well, we always fill it up.

Always the last week in April, we open up, we fill all the greenhouses up, we grow all these plants here and we fill 'em up, and open up, and a lot of times, the phone's ringing off the hook to waiting, and when the sun comes out, everybody's waiting to come out and get the plants.

- Well, the fact that you've got a seventh generation here working right now - Yeah.

- is such a testament to your, the longevity of your family.

- Oh yeah.

- How dedicated you are to what you do.

And the sheer size of this place is mind boggling.

I've never seen anything like it.

- We want to have enough product for everybody to, you know, they can fill up their yards so, and then we only, we close up the last week in May, first week in June.

So everybody kind of comes and stocks up.

They just shop around, pick up whatever they like, you know, just self-serve.

- Well, I'm also impressed with the fact, that walking around here with you, you know everybody, it's like multi-generations have been coming here.

- Oh, yeah, sure.

- [Tom] You take the time to feed your employees, you got the house.

How long has that house been on this property?

- When they moved in here 150 years ago, the house is already here.

- Yeah, so you take people - So, it's a little over 150 years.

- into the home, - Oh yeah.

- you feed your employees.

- Yes, sir.

- And I've also never seen a place that's more of a family affair.

- Yeah, a lot of the customers here, they've been coming for, they're like the third generation of customers.

Their grandma came, their mas brought 'em, now they're bringing their kids.

So it's third and going on fourth generations of shoppers.

And you know, it's just, they're all like our family.

That's the how we feel.

- Well that's- - We wanna make sure if there's any, we talk to 'em, you know, if they got any questions, we gotta help 'em out and we wanna make sure it's a good experience for 'em.

Employees, our community behind us and we couldn't do it without all the great employees that are here night and day and you know, they never leave.

- Well, that's what I love about you is that's the first thing you told me is that it's not us.

- Yes, sir.

It's not about us, - Yeah, it's not us.

- It's about the employees and it's about the people who come here.

And that says a lot about your family.

- Yep, sure enough.

I mean, our nephews, their wives, they work hard.

But, you know, we couldn't do it without all our employees.

- We were here in the fall and just the variety of vegetables and the potable and plantable stuff.

- We want to have it fresh every day.

We don't carry anything over from the day before.

We start fresh every day.

In the evenings, we have a lot of sales.

We clean it up.

Some people come for the evenings just for a special price.

Buy the box, buy the bag.

And then everything's fresh starting in the morning.

- But how does it make you feel that you've carried this on, for now, seven generations?

It's gotta be.

- Oh yeah.

It's a great feeling.

You know, we have, my brother and I, you know, and our wives, and all our employees that we count on greatly, we couldn't do it without 'em.

It makes us proud and that was our chance to make it happen.

Now, we want to pass it off to our nephews and our great nephews so that they have their chance to make it happen, take care of all these people that we got coming, to take care of 'em.

- Well, plus your employees seem to absolutely love you guys and love working with you.

When I walked in, they cheered.

It's like they saw us together.

- Sounds good.

- Yeah.

I mean.

- [Fred] We have like a number of employees that's been here over 40 years.

- Yeah.

- And you know, they've been here over half their lives, and they, it's just like part of their own place, so.

- Well, I said this before last time I was here if you're a fan of the Grateful Dead, you're a Deadhead.

So I really like Blocks.

- Oh, yeah, sure.

- So does that make me a Blockhead?

- Yeah, sure enough.

Welcome to the society.

- I'm a Blackhead.

- We appreciate you.

Thanks.

- If you want the ultimate farm market experience, make room in your car and take a trip to Blocks Stand and Greenhouse in Romulus.

And who knows, since you can see it from outer space, maybe the Romulans will be here too.

Live long and prosper.

Or wait, is that the Vulcans?

Darn it.

(graphics swoosh) Now, we all know there's nothing more important than family, unless you're a family that owns an awesome bakery.

Maybe it's just me, but I think that's even more important.

Especially when it's a historic bakery that's the emotional anchor of an entire town.

And that's exactly what Elliot's Bakery in Trenton is, a place where the community comes to connect, share, care, and yes, treat themselves to incredible coffee and a bountiful array of baked goods.

Brad and Kris Davidson are the dough developing dynamic duo who are carrying on the tradition of this important, warm and tasty place.

So- - Hi, Tom.

Welcome to Elliott's Bakery.

- Why, thank you.

(Kris laughing) I heard a rumor, tell me if it's true that you actually, you and your husband bought this bakery just to get a recipe for a cookie.

- Absolutely.

That's the reason we bought the bakery, was for the recipe for the butter bud cookies.

- Come on, seriously?

- Yeah, seriously.

- Can you share it with me or do you have to kill me?

- Sure.

No, I can't share the recipe with you.

- Oh.

- You have to buy the bakery.

- Okay.

- Yeah.

- Oh, I have to buy the bakery.

- You have to buy the bakery to get the recipe.

(Kris laughing) - Well, this bakery really seems to be like, I think I say in the voiceover just moments ago, like, the anchor of this little community.

- Yes.

- People love it here 'cause of the history.

Well, just gimme a sense of the history because you're only the third owner.

- Correct, third family that has owned the bakery.

So yeah, Elliot's Bakery is an icon in downtown Trenton.

So the bakery opened in 1931.

William Elliott was the original owner of the bakery and he owned it until the early seventies when the Vidojevski family bought the bakery.

And then we purchased it from them in 2018.

- Wow.

So did you literally come in here and taste that cookie and go, honey, we're buying this bakery.

- Okay, so I've lived in Trenton my entire life and so when I was in middle school, I would walk past Elliot's Bakery on West Road, and I would save my lunch money, and then on my way home from school, I would stop at Elliot's Bakery and buy the butter cookies 'cause those are my favorite cookies in the whole wide world.

- So you grew up eating them?

- I grew up eating them my whole life.

- And now you're an adult and you're making them - Yes.

- [Tom] for the community.

That's kind of a neat story.

- Right.

- The fact that you grew up having them, you loved them so much, you buy the bakery and now you're sharing them.

- Yes.

- You know, you're kind of passing on a tradition.

- Correct.

And I have the recipe for ever and ever, amen.

- A lot of bakeries are open, like, first thing in the morning and they close very early.

You guys are open pretty much all day, right?

- All day, yes.

We open 6:00 a.m. we're open till 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and 6:00 a.m to 5:30 on Saturday.

Closed on Sundays.

- Now, and is that because the community just loves this place so much?

- It is.

It's to best serve the community 'cause there are people that stop by after school, after work, pick up things for the evening.

So yeah.

- And this is totally a family affair, I understand because you and your husband bought it.

Your son was actually apprentice here?

- Yes, so my youngest son Nathan is the baker and he apprenticed with the previous owners for about six months before we bought the bakery.

So, yep, so, and then our son-in-law is the barista.

So he's the one that expanded the coffee offerings with the espresso bar and all of the coffee stuff.

- I mean, you've kind of said it without saying it, but what does it mean to you personally, you and your family to be able to do this together?

- Right.

- And to be able to carry on a tradition that's been going on for almost a hundred years now.

- Right, and so that's our plan is that the tradition continues with our children and with our grandchildren.

And that Elliott's will be around for at least another a hundred years serving our community.

The same recipes that were from the original owner, we still have.

And then we've added some additional recipes that are my son's.

And so yeah, that's what it means to us.

It's family time together, it's craziness and chaos also.

And so yeah, it means the world to us to be together and work together as a family, and then also to serve our community.

- Now, if you don't believe me and Kris, just ask Cindy Smelter how special this place really is.

You know, Cindy, I usually say if these, you know, a place that's this historic and old, I usually say if these walls could talk, but I don't have to ask the walls, 'cause you've been here, how many years?

- 39.

- Almost 40 years you've been here.

So I'm gonna ask you to talk.

(Cindy laughing) What has it been like to be part of this historical bakery?

- It's been great, it's been fun.

Customers are fun.

- I mean- - Owners are terrific.

- But on a personal level, I mean, to be- - To me, I like baking.

My grandmother and I used to bake all the time.

So I like being around it, I like serving it, I like seeing different things.

My kids grew up here too.

I mean my youngest was 18 months old when I started here and she's 40 now so.

- Should I ask Kris, I mean it's personal, I know, but did you come with the building when she paid?

- Well, I tell everybody I came with the building (Tom laughing) when they ask about it.

You know, when they ask about Kris, and I said, well yeah, I just came with the building.

- You're on the deed, right?

- Well, yeah, whatever.

(Tom and Cindy laughing) - Well, sure enough, while we were there, we met some wonderful people, enjoyed some of the best baked goods and pastries prepared by a person and got to connect with this welcoming community.

If you've been going to the same bakery for eleventy billion years now think outside the pastry box and take a trip to Elliot's Bakery in Trenton.

All the new best friends you're gonna make, will thank you for it.

(graphics swoosh) Okay, now listen, next time you're on your way to the airport to fly to Naples, Italy to get yourself some real Italian pizza, no, don't do that.

Get on Telegraph Road and drive to Brownstown Township.

'cause we found a place that's gonna save you a lot of money in airfare, and you won't even have to buy nice shoes.

Bonus.

Oh, yeah.

And that's because Francesca's Brick Oven Pizzeria in Brownstown Township makes pizzas the Pope himself would probably prefer.

Yep, these fluffy, yet flat Italian delicacies are prepared the old school, old world way, with the right ingredients, proper pampering and approved oven.

Rami Elawadi is half of the young, energetic and creative couple whose story is as interesting as their pies are awesome.

Well, full disclosure, I'd been to Francesca's before and their pizzas are so good that last time I was here, I couldn't wait till I got home.

So I sat in the parking lot and ate my whole pizza in the car.

I'm really here for two reasons.

- Okay.

- One is gonna be- - To get a pizza.

- Well, one is gonna be very apparent 'cause I'm gonna have tomato sauce on my face.

But the other one is the backstory.

How this all happened Because you came to this country and you were how old?

- I was 12.

- 12 years old.

You came here, and you and your dad, well, tell me the story.

Your dad had a pizzeria, right?

- So we weren't even thinking about opening a pizzeria at that time.

We were driving one day, and I was 19 years old, and my dad said, hey, I want you to come and check out this place.

I said, okay, sounds good.

So we go in there, we walk into this place.

It was this pizzeria that was shut down.

It was out of business.

My dad goes, oh, this is a cool place, right?

And I'm like, yeah, I like it, it's nice.

And I'm thinking like, okay, what are we doing here?

Then all of a sudden a guy comes from the back and says, hey, yeah, just sign here and we're all set.

So I sign the paperwork and my dad says, okay, good luck and leaves.

- So you opened your own pizzeria at that age- - At 19 years old.

- And you thought you knew how to make grape pizza until you met an Italian girl, Francesca, right?

- Yep, yep.

So that was the beginning, when I was 19, when I started doing pizzas.

And then me and Francesca met in 2007.

First time we went to Italy was in 2015.

- And you went to Naples.

- And went to Naples.

- Napoli.

- Napoli, there we go.

And then when I had pizza there, and then it just ruined it.

It ruined it.

I couldn't have pizza anymore when I came to the US.

- You're like, what, what have I been doing?

- The first time I went, it was three weeks, I gained about 15 pounds.

- Right.

- And every night I'm like, okay, are we getting pizza?

And her family owns four pizzerias.

So I'm like, okay, which one are we going to today?

- I'll never forget the first time I went to Italy and had real Neapolitan style pizza, it was transformative.

It's just like, oh, that's pizza.

- You know, the Italian pizza, Napoli style pizza, it thrives really on the simplicity of how simple, but fresh the ingredients are.

I know a lot of pizzerias here in the US or just we're accustomed to, having so much seasoning and so much, you take away from how fresh your product is.

So using San Marzano plum tomatoes, those itself has its own unique flavor.

So literally, I mean, a dash of salt and a little bit of garlic, that's all you need.

- Well, that pizza, that oven really makes the difference.

- It really does, it really does.

So the bottom we have, it's a rare one.

The stone on the bottom, it spins, right?

Most traditional ones don't.

We like the style just because how even on the cook it gives you on every single pizza.

The stone itself, it's a natural stone that's mounted in there to spin cross.

And this oven in particular has a capability of wood, gas and also an element to reheat your stone to keep it at the right temperature.

- Another thing I love about Neapolitan style pizza, am I saying it right?

- It's Napolitan style pizza.

- Napoli style.

Real Italian pizza, is the char that you get on the pizza, that little bit of, 'cause some people don't understand.

They're like, my pizza's burned.

No, no, that char is flavor - That's all the flavor, you get, little bubbles are a charred.

Every single one of those gives you so much flavor into your bread.

I mean, honestly, you could just come in here and get a piece of dough, put it in the oven and eat it by itself.

And it's just amazing, it's amazing, just by itself with nothing on it.

- Yeah.

And it's too bad that the namesake couldn't be here, Francesca.

- Francesca, she's, honestly, I'm so sad that she's not here for this.

- Well, you got four kids.

I mean, she's soccer and- - She's honestly the heart of this place.

Everybody comes in here, always asks, is Francesca here?

Is Francesca here?

I'm like, no, but I'm here.

- Remember me?

- Remember me?

(Tom and Rami laughing) - She does an amazing job.

People love Francesca and she's an awesome person to know, honestly.

(phone ringing) - Well that's probably my wife calling right there with our to go orders.

She probably wants.

Bring me five pizzas.

I'm so happy that you're doing what you're doing.

- Thank you.

- I'm excited to get my pizza.

- I'm ready to make it.

- The atmosphere here is fun, bright and the pies are out of sight.

And I promise that every time you have one of their pizzas, you'll be thinking about it until you have the next one.

Next time you're looking for a pizza meal that's the real deal, it's worth the drive to Francesca's Brick Oven Pizzeria in Brownstown Township.

And take my advice, order two pizzas so you've got one to take home after you eat one in your car.

My other piece of advice would be to create your own UTR style Downriver adventure real soon.

Because the more you explore and discover this part of our state, the more you'll realize it really is a great place to be.

(whistle blows) - Okay, let's go.

(whistle blows) Back it up.

(crowd cheering) (upbeat music) - [Narrator 1] A visit to the Stahls Auto Collection will take you back to a time when cars were more than just a way to get around.

A fantastic assortment of gas pumps, neon signs, and automated music machines dating back 150 years, that must be seen and heard.

Info at stallsauto.com.

(upbeat music) (bright music)