The first Detroit restaurant built entirely of Pampers boxes is set to open in Midtown on August 1.
“The pandemic situation delayed us a bit but now we’re ready ,” says owner/chef Margo Hollings. “And we think Detroit is ready, too.” While the city currently boasts six other restaurants built of disposable diaper boxes – four from Huggies and two from Luvs – Blovine’s is the first made of Pampers.
Hollings, who previously ran Kalmer’s – the Ferndale diner known for serving 48 varieties of pretzels, each named after a governor of Michigan – came up with the idea for Rashless after a meal at one of the Huggies eateries.
“I was served by a nice waitress name Destiny and the cucumber parfait was delicious,” she says. “But the experience just didn’t seem authentic.”
Hollings secured funding in late 2021, mainly from friends, family, and a man named George R. Tarnover. She then spent the next year rounding up the boxes. She needed 280,000 to build the 2400 square foot restaurant, which will include a state of the art kitchen featuring the area’s 12th walnut braiser.
“Getting the money was easy compared to the boxes,” she says. “Let’s just say I went to places I never thought I’d go.” She won’t comment on a February 2022 arrest behind a west side marijuana dispensary, other than to say that charges were eventually dropped.
As of this week, the exterior walls are in place. Work on the inside is on schedule, and Hollings has been busy categorizing and prioritizing grapefruit – which, offered in 17 different formats, will be one of Rashless’s staple dishes.
