Owners of specialty foods stores in Traverse City and Petoskey choose Holland for newest venture

Deborah Johnson Wood

It's their third store to open in the past two years and the owners say downtown Holland is the perfect fit.

Jim and Lane Milligan opened their first Fustini's Oils & Vinegars store in Traverse City two years ago, a Petoskey location last year, and this month they'll swing wide the doors to their shop at 24 E. 8th Ave., Holland.

The shop is a haven of specialty oils and vinegars the Milligan's import from all over the globe: extra virgin olive oils from Tunisia, Italy, France, Australia, Greece, California and Chile; pumpkin seed oil from Syria; and grapeseed oil, Japanese sesame oil and French walnut oil.

The vinegars include authentic aged white and dark balsamic vinegars from Modena, Italy, champagne vinegar and a selection of wine vinegars and aged sherry vinegars.

"We have almost 50 different items," says Lane Milligen. "We have an herbalist in Traverse City that does organic infusions for us, like wild leek or rose hips. He's gathering the wild leeks right now out in the woods near Traverse City."

The Milligens purchase oils from both the northern and southern hemispheres because of the differences in growing seasons – Lane says it's "so we can have fresh product all year."

The store bottles everything by hand on a daily basis, decanting the product into stainless steel Fustini with spigots on them. The containers – in Italian Fustino for one, Fustini for two – are popular in Europe. Lane designed the labels for each product.

"People come in and taste things, and we help them figure out what goes well together," Lane says. "We help them create a unique taste for themselves or their friends. It's great for people who like to cook at home or like to cook simply, or for people who pack a salad for lunch and want to create something fun to put on it."

Source: Lane Milligen, Fustini's Oils & Vinegars; Mimi Fritz, Downtown Holland Principal Shopping District

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].