LIVONIA — A longtime dream came true with the opening of Sycamore Tree Bakery and Café, a cozy new spot built around coffee, croissants and community spirit.
Operated by husband-and-wife duo Fadi and Kenana Khozam, the business at 17150 Farmington Road held a soft opening Saturday, Dec. 27, with the couple focusing on a menu of coffee, tea and pastries while they ramp up toward a grand opening planned for mid-January.
“Yesterday was so busy and everybody was so impressed,” said Fadi Khozam, who offered a warm greeting and “Happy New Year” wishes to a continuous stream of new customers Dec. 31. “Everyone saw us on Facebook and I had empty shelves by 5 p.m.”
As the business builds momentum, he said, the café will be centered on espresso drinks — cappuccinos and lattes served hot or iced and a house blend coffee roasted locally by Germack Coffee Roasting Co. in Detroit’s Eastern Market.
Teas are available, too, and a pastry case features croissants delivered fresh daily from a Dearborn bakery, with options that include plain, chocolate, almond, cheese and za’atar.
There’s also a “Dubai chocolate” pastry featuring pistachio, part of a menu Khozam said is designed to feel familiar, quick and approachable for morning regulars and anyone stopping in for an afternoon pick-me-up.
Customers can also choose from treats like caramel apple strudel, cannoli, eclairs, brownies, macaroons, cheesecake and more.
Those craving something more savory can order from a selection of panini sandwiches, including a caprese. A lineup of classic soups — like tomato basil, broccoli cheddar — are coming soon, Khozam said.
The soup plan also includes a Middle Eastern staple: lentil soup, finished with cumin.
“Lentil soup is really, really popular in Syria and Lebanon, and it’s good for the cold weather … very warm,” said Khozam, whose path to opening Sycamore Tree started thousands of miles away. He and wife, Kenana, were both born and raised in Syria and came to the United States in 2014 after war upended life at home.
In Syria, Kenana studied as a teacher and says she may someday return to that path. Fadi Khozam holds a business administration degree and spent 16 years in hospitality management, largely in food and beverage and customer service at five-star hotels.
“Hospitality is in my blood actually,” he said.
When the couple came to the United States, Khozam moved through hotel jobs in Nebraska and Wisconsin before coming to Michigan.
When COVID-19 hit, he stepped away from the hotel industry, worked in sales and marketing and eventually built a full-time job transporting medical equipment — while still holding onto a long-term goal: a grassroots shop close to home.
“I’ve been dreaming about a small family business for my wife and me to work together,” he said, noting he now helps at the café in the morning, heads to his day job, then returns at night to close. “And the time finally came.”
The decision to open in Livonia was deliberate. Khozam said his family moved to the city in 2018, has three children born in the United States and has built their life here — from schools to church to friends and nearby relatives.
And now, Sycamore Tree Bakery and Café.
The roughly 800-square-foot storefront was previously a salon and had sat vacant for about three years, Khozam said, noting he led the Michigan-themed redesign himself, from layout, colors and concept, with build-out help from family members who work as carpenters.
The goal, he said, is a shop that feels “homey, simple, humble,” with a classic approach: Do a few things well, keep the line moving, and let the menu grow based on what customers ask for.
Contact reporter Laura Colvin: lcolvin@hometownlife.com
This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: New Livonia café serves up coffee drinks, croissants, paninis
Reporting by Laura Colvin, Hometownlife.com / Hometownlife.com
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