The Whole Foods opening Wednesday in Midtown will feature something uniquely Detroit: tabletops crafted from car hoods.
A Chicago furniture company, Icon Modern, created the tables for Whole Foods out of the hoods of pre-1970s domestic cars from a scrap yard.
"Whole Foods asked us to do something special, and this just immediately jumped into my head," owner Rocky Levy said. "I mean, this is Detroit. This is the Motor City. How perfect can you get?"
Levy said Whole Foods gives his company the freedom to be creative, including picking the style and colors of hoods. The steel auto parts were cut and smoothed so that they function well as tables.
"We actually clear-coat them and we spray them with car paint," Levy said. "It's a specialty thing. It's not for everybody, but it's very cool."
Icon Modern has more car-hood tables set to go to other businesses, including a couple of Starbucks locations. Though the business typically focuses on commercial sales, Levy said he "certainly wouldn't turn down" anyone who wants one at home. A coffee table could cost $50-$100.
