Leaps of Faith--Fall 2023, London Beauty & Misfit Coffee

This column is a look at brave souls who have taken a leap of faith to open their own businesses in and around Ann Arbor. Business owners who are following their dreams and thriving despite the odds.

By Laurel Decker

Photos by Susan Ayer

London Beauty, Brighton

424 West Main Street, Brighton, MI 48116

(810) 588-4219

London Beauty, Ann Arbor

306 South Main Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

(734) 761-9350

@londonbeautyonline • londonbeautyonline.com

Kathleen London has loved luxury brands for as long as she can remember. So, she was thrilled when her dream career path took her from Hudson, Ohio to New York City, where she lived what she describes as “the experience of a lifetime working in an adorable walk up near Central Park.” London worked at both the store level and corporate level for brands like Barneys, Max Mara, Sergio Rossi, and Geox to name a few. She found that she was especially drawn to brands that stand for clean products that are environmentally responsible. She also discovered a problem that she felt uniquely qualified to fix.

After 20 years of living away from the Midwest, London knew she wanted to bring clean luxury beauty care to Michigan. She knew the industry inside and out, and after looking around various towns and cities in Southeast Michigan, she knew exactly where to open her small business. But there was something she could have never known when she opened London Beauty in Brighton, Michigan five years ago–that a global pandemic would force her to close her store just as she was planning to open a second one. But even as the virus threatened the stability of commerce, London did open a second London Beauty in Ann Arbor. This is where I met with London in the spa section of the store. We talked about everything from Chanel wallets to crystal healing mats, and I learned about her experience with opening her second store while Covid-19 was still very much a concern for small business owners.

I also had a chance to confide in London that the pandemic helped me to avoid the beauty product I felt most intimidated by. She smiled when I told her what it was and invited me to experiment with their products after our interview. The more I got to know about London and her values as a business owner, the more reassured I was that I was in good hands with the London Beauty staff.

Laurel Decker : How was it different opening your Brighton store before the pandemic compared to your Ann Arbor location during the pandemic?

Kathleen London: It all felt crazy. We opened 18 months before the pandemic and then took over this location just at the bulk of the pandemic. Now we are facing street construction. That has added issues with accessibility for our customers. I think the biggest thing small businesses face these days is the ability to pivot and compete with chain stores. Clients have to want to shop with us and not Amazon. We strive to provide more service, education, and comfort which is the unique nature of the smaller business. London Beauty stores are also a place where you can have an expert give you advice customized just for your beauty needs. Everyone is so different and at different phases in their lives. I had a mom come in who said, “I’ve been out of my beauty routine for over a year now and my daughter shows me all of these things on TickTock about beauty care and trends. It’s overwhelming!” She knew she wouldn’t get what she needed just by trying all the random things that worked for other people. Plus, that can be more expensive in the long run than just getting exactly what you need. So, she came to us, and we had fun finding what worked for her.

Laurel Decker : Were there certain spa services and products that people were most eager to come back for after being unable to get them during the lockdowns and mask mandates?

Kathleen London: I would say facials. We were able to sell products and to perform certain spa treatments once the mandates became less strict, but facials were not available at all due to masking. People were also excited to buy new makeup after working from home and having to wear a mask when they went out. Some people found that their preferences and skincare had changed by the time they went back to full makeup.

Laurel Decker : Your website says you carry “brands that are exploding in the indie beauty movement that are organic, local, cruelty-free, and effective.” Describe what that means to you, and why you are committed to offering clean beauty products.

Kathleen London: Rather like Whole Foods, people are taking an interest in transparency and ingredients. Your skin is your biggest organ. So, what we put on our face and body is as important as what we eat, if not more so. We are a boutique cosmetic store, and people come to us because they don’t want to sacrifice quality or integrity in their products. They expect both. I look for innovative and clean products when I select brands for my London Beauty customers. There are a lot of high-end beauty retailers in NYC that have clean beauty products. But when I would spend time in the Midwest, I couldn’t find those products anywhere. I learned the reason is that in NYC they see us [Midwesterners] as not being sophisticated and trendy. They joke that the Midwest are fly over states when it comes to buying. We know it’s an incorrect lens. There are so many others in this region who are like me—who appreciate high quality and enjoy current trends.

Laurel Decker : What is the London Beauty experience?

Kathleen London: This is a holistic thing for us because beauty care can be a space that is very vulnerable. As a brand, our point of view is that we are providing a safe place to talk about, and explore, what makes us feel beautiful. Whether you are born or identify as a woman, all of us wonder if self-care is an investment we are worth. We remind customers that there are no rules. You can try it all and experiment! Overall, London Beauty is a place where you don’t feel judged, and that goes back to feeling worthy of self-care. I think self-care is an affordable luxury that isn’t always about a specific possession or product. It’s about the experience. If you go to a beauty store and you don’t leave feeling like a million bucks, you were in the wrong beauty store. I don’t care if it’s lip balm or mascara, or if you get full treatments in our spa, beauty care should be fun, playful and rejuvenating. And easy. Nine times out of ten we are showing someone how to do a five-minute look and feel put together so they can go about their day.

As we left the spa section of the building, we walked up the stairs toward the front of the store. Natural light spilled through the large windows of the historic brick building. Recalling my beauty product dilemma, London introduced me to Ilse Devereux, who listened as I explained that during the pandemic, I started a job as a flight attendant. I typically wear neutral makeup, but I thought it would be fun to try the signature “red lip” statement makeup. Right from the start I learned why this is arguably the most daring, and tricky, makeup product of all. I struggled to get the color and technique just right. I tucked the tube into the back of my makeup drawer and decided maybe it was fortunate for me that I had to work with a mask covering my mouth.

Devereux knew exactly which brand had the best reputation for staying put and not fading, and she quickly helped me find the perfect shade. As she applied the makeup and gave me technique tips, she noted common mistakes and ways to keep the color in place. She then put my new lipstick in a cute bag with the London Beauty logo on it–a red lipstick kiss mark. I had such a great time solving this makeup riddle while also meeting great people. This demonstrated for me what London shared earlier about why she pushes through the challenges of owning a small business. She is passionate about making beauty and skincare an enjoyable experience. She knows that the value of shopping locally is that it’s fun, builds community, and provides personal service that can be compromised when shopping online or at massive stores.

I left London Beauty with more than new friends and a great product. I’m proud to say that with their help I have mastered the red lip technique, and now it’s a lot of fun to wear this look. Just as mask mandates were lifted from the airline industry, I took a break from flying. I am going back to work in the coming months, and I will be packing my new perfect red lipstick to wear confidently without the mask.

Misfit Society Coffee Club

615 East University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

(734) 263-228

misfitsocietycoffee.com

Social Misfits Coffee

43 Fulton Street West, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

(616) 272-4984

thesocialmisfits.com • Instagram: @socialmisfitswcc

During the Covid-19 pandemic, entrepreneur Spencer Raymond experienced both the closing of one business and the opening of another. Before becoming the founder of Ann Arbor’s Misfit Society Coffee Club (MSCC), Raymond had introduced the franchise Grabbagreen Food + Juice to Michigan. With three stores opened by the fall of 2019, Raymond had committed not only his money, but his creativity and passion for the food and hospitality industry toward supporting the Arizona-based company. Within months the pandemic was in full force, and he was forced to temporarily close his businesses following the Michigan shutdown mandates. Even as Raymond waited out the uncertain timeline for the mandates to be lifted, he was optimistic about reaching the brand’s full potential. When he was allowed to reopen to the public, business was understandably slow, and yet, Raymond remained hopeful that foot traffic would eventually pick up to resemble pre-pandemic numbers.

Things were looking bleak. Raymond sat in a meeting with the brand owners to figure out how to regain momentum, and he brought some progressive ideas to the table. Having a Bachelor of Hospitality Management from Michigan State and a solid knowledge of the culture in Michigan, Raymond’s suggestions were well thought out and supported by personal experience, so to his surprise, he found that his ideas were not welcomed. He kept trying to contribute to the conversation and kept getting shut down. Discouraged and feeling like a “social misfit” who was being restricted in how he ran his business, Raymond finished the meeting in silence. Yet, his heart was speaking loud and clear, and he was inspired to write down his thoughts. By the end of the meeting, Raymond had developed a vision for how he would run his own company if he could do things his way.

Shortly after that meeting, it seemed no matter what Raymond did, the businesses did not recover, and he was forced to close his three stores indefinitely. But his optimism remained. Feeling inspired by his realizations in the franchise meeting, Raymond was motivated to start his own business. Marketing was important to Raymond as he planned his first restaurant, and he made the smart move to hire Megan Seeley as the Brand Marketing Manager in May of 2021. Seeley hit the ground running, and her savvy use of technology and social media ensured that awareness of the unique “Misfit” brand Raymond founded would grow rapidly. Even as the pandemic continued to occupy headlines, Raymond opened Social Misfits Coffee, a full-service restaurant in Grand Rapids, in December of 2021. The one location he held onto when closing his franchises was at 615 East University Ave, adjacent to the U of M campus. He reopened it as Misfit Society Coffee Club in March of 2023, offering a place where students could study and lounge, and coffee enthusiasts like himself could enjoy a great atmosphere with outstanding coffee. Word is spreading, thanks to happy customers and Seeley’s strategic marketing. In a virtual interview with Seeley, she shared insights into how she and Raymond are keeping this brand going strong, and how business has been affected by the pandemic.

Laurel Decker: Have you noticed any lingering effects from the pandemic that have impacted, or continue to impact, your business?

Megan Seeley: We have only been open for nearly three months now, so I don’t have an accurate before and/or after pandemic effects to relate specifically to our MSCC coffee shop. However, online ordering still seems to be widely prevalent in sales and operations of any business large or small these days. It definitely wasn’t quite as common pre-pandemic, but it does seem to confidently dominate a business model and structure over and over again with any concept I see that opens. Another thing I’ve noticed is that, before the pandemic, restaurants were not disclosing information. Companies that were not disclosing information, or didn’t keep up with technology that would help them share their day-to-day availability, went under. Consistency was not possible for most businesses, as it was affected by staffing problems and supply-chain issues. That’s where the value had shifted to favor communication. I think our emphasis on transparency is one reason we are doing so well.

Laurel Decker: Have you received any meaningful feedback from the community?

Megan Seeley: We do have an on-going QR code scan for feedback that sits on every table at MSCC. We have staff encourage customers to provide feedback, comments, suggestions, etc. We have indeed adjusted since opening due to ongoing and trending feedback we have received from the customers who have responded to this. Since opening, this has been coming in from students at the Ross School of Business, our loyal followers on our social platforms, email, and SMS marketing. Also, our loyal followers in Grand Rapids have been in great support of our coffee shop opening in Ann Arbor. I have received a few SMS messages and DMs on social media from our customers and supporters of Social Misfits who have tried out our coffee shop in Ann Arbor and have begun to see the full vision, direction, passion, and edginess Spencer puts into his concepts. As a Brand Marketing Manager, this speaks volumes to the success we already have seen with recognizing our brand(s) alone only after just being open for a few short months!

Laurel Decker: What does it mean for you to provide a social gathering space, considering the social restrictions that were imposed during the pandemic? How is that different from providing a product?

Megan Seeley: With our brand, a “social gathering space” speaks more to a mindset, a lifestyle. We aim to provide a “come as you are”, a warm welcoming house of refuge for all. Meaning, we are pretty much a place for anyone and everyone; whether you feel you belong to a place or not, you’re always welcome here. We aim to build relationships in our community, to showcase that welcoming culture within our staff and in our customers foremost. Of course, we ultimately want every customer to LOVE our products, what we do, the value we provide, and the quality, when it comes down to business. If our culture and our why is well-received first, the creative insights of every detail we do daily will be recognized just the same.

Laurel Decker: What do you like most about where you are located?

Megan Seeley: Spencer, his wife, and three kids are native to the Ann Arbor area. He frequents downtown Ann Arbor on date nights with his wife and has always admired the community. He wanted a location close enough to home he could easily pop-in anytime. Spencer loves being directly in the heart of U of M’s campus, allowing for the business traffic and business operating hours to be reflected by the U of M students and the college-age demographic.

Laurel Decker: What keeps you motivated to persist through the challenges of running a business?

Megan Seeley: I am enthralled by the ever-changing trends in the food and beverage industry. I have an absolute passion for the hospitality industry and everything encompassing it. It is the only industry I have ever been in. It sort of sucks you in–the culture, the relationships you build, all of it. Like always wanting to go out and staying up-to-date on the latest food and beverage trends around the world and in my area. Ultimately, the stories that other restaurant and business owners have of their own genuinely intrigues and inspires me. I get lost into their story and their perspective of how they did it their way. I wake up every day thriving off the food and beverage industry and am constantly in awe. The Oxford Dictionary defines a misfit as “a person who is not accepted by a particular group of people, especially because their behavior or their ideas are very different.” Although Raymond did not expect to find himself as an outsider as a franchise representative, he embraced the experience rather than letting it keep him down. It gave him the inspiration and motivation that set him on the path of solo entrepreneurship. That drive, along with his edgy approach to food, beverages, and atmosphere, allowed him to establish a strong brand and customer base even as effects of the pandemic lingered. These days, Raymond and his talented team are leaning into not fitting in, and it’s working for them. As is brand awareness, great service, and product quality. I was short on time when I stopped by Misfit Society Coffee Club in Ann Arbor after speaking with Raymond and Seeley. Rather than describing my brief experience there, I will only say that I agree with the section on the MSCC website that informs time-crunched customers that they can pick up online orders– adding, “Although you’ll be missing out on some BOMB-ASS coffee shop decor (and a sweet movie) by not dining in with us.” My quick stop was a tease, and now I can’t wait to go back when I have time to relax and enjoy this truly creative Michigan original.

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