Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Zaretsky.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story began in Belarus where I practiced table tennis daily since childhood, showing skill for the sport. I trained, competed, and eventually became a coach myself. Table tennis allowed me an opportunity to escape, to dream, and to travel, which was rare where I grew up. Once the Soviet Union split, I moved to America in 1989, first New York City and then Los Angeles. I worked a variety of jobs over the years, gleaning an understanding of business. All of those combined experiences brought me to 2003 when I opened the Gilbert Table Tennis center in Los Angeles and also founded the Sport And Art Educational Foundation, SAEF, shortly after. Through Gilbert and SAEF, I met Bernard Semerdjian, my co-founder at 11 Ravens, and we bonded over our appreciation for table tennis and our love for beautiful design. Bernard’s background is in Interactive Digital Interface Design, graphics, and 3D Imaging, which he integrates innovatively into our collections.
In 2011, 11 Ravens was born naturally out of a shared passion for sport and art between myself, Michael Zaretsky, and my co-Founder Bernard Semerdjian. We desired to create ping pong table designs that pushed the envelope and we began developing pieces that were timeless and modern, voluptuous and sensual, avant-garde and innovative. We envisioned exquisite craftsmanship and high-touch service, where customers could create the piece of their dreams limited only by their imagination. As the company started taking off, clients began inquiring about getting matching pool tables to complement their ping pong tables, so we expanded into billiards, then shuffleboards, poker, blackjack, air hockey, foosball and more. As we grow, we acknowledge the importance of the interior design trade to our business and continue to serve the interior industry, as well as end users, sports players, hospitality clients, and more. We continue to expand our offerings as a lifestyle brand and are working on developing new product lines.
From the beginning of the conception of 11 Ravens, Bernard and I had a desire to explore the spirits industry as well. My daughter Elizabeth Zaretzky joined our spirits venture as a partner in 2018. We dreamed of creating something that would meet the level of quality of our other work, that offered something rare. Out of those desires, Ravella Tequila launched in December 2022.
Elizabeth is the guiding force behind Ravella’s expansion and has been building relationships with the top caliber of restaurants and bars, like Catch LA where our Extra Añejo is now available to their patrons. Our rich Extra Añejo is also available worldwide through Old Town Tequila’s online platform. Crystallino, Blanco and Joven are in development. We are working to continue bringing a unique perspective to luxury entertainment and lifestyle products, to ping pong, spirits, and all fun things.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Our aim is to execute exquisite designs which take extreme attention to detail, organization, the best materials, designers, artisans, and employees.
Every road has its bumps and every business has its many challenges. With 11 Ravens and Ravella, we have found sourcing the best production and partners for our designs to be one challenge. It is just as much an investment finding the right people and parts to bring the vision to life as it is investment once you start producing. When you find an incredible manufacturer, supplier, or collaborator, don’t let them go. From Guala who created our golden zamac closures for the Ravella bottle to our local Los Angeles craftspeople who build each custom 11 Ravens piece, the makers matter and they help to aid in the challenges of a growing business.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
11 Ravens is a multidisciplinary design studio with a dedicated local manufacturing team in Los Angeles, California. Our talented roster of designers and craftspeople produce high-quality, precision-made game tables, furniture, and more. We are driven by a passion for innovation and meticulous construction, valuing our client’s needs and creativity by providing personalized design services. We continually work to achieve a positive impact on the sports played with our collections and the interiors in which they live.
We want everyone to know about 11 Ravens because we are innovators in the entertainment and design sectors. We love creating beautiful, functional, artful pieces that offer solutions for our clients, catering to every style and need with customization and personalized creative guidance. 11 Ravens has also partnered with athletes including soccer legend Steven Gerrard and hockey star Wayne Gretzky, artists like Ed Massey and Robert Standish, corporations Rolls Royce, Amex, Hastens, Rolling Stone, Genesis Invitational, and more – as well as having made tables for Ellen Degeneres, Steve Harvey, Sean Combs, Lilly Singh, Kobe Bryant and more. Our tables can be found in the interiors of high-end hotels such as MGM Mandalay Bay, Nobu, Caesars Palace, W Hotel Bellevue, Hilton Key Largo, and Marriott Anaheim, as well as public spaces like Neiman Marcus Hudson Yards, Museum of Ice Cream Miami, Austin City Limits Music Festival and more.
One of our recent partnerships includes our collaboration with Oppenheim Group on game table designs for their new offices. Check them out on Selling Sunset, airing soon.
What sets 11 Ravens apart is our dedication to innovation, high level of craftsmanship, and client-focused customizations. This is an experience of luxury without compromise. And we are continuing to expand our offerings with the same mentality.
We continue our focus on entertainment through our sister company Ravella which currently offers a small batch Extra Añejo. This superior sipping tequila is made of 100% Blue Weber Agave in Jalisco, Mexico. The agave is patiently aged for 7 to 10 years, cooked in traditional brick ovens at the source for 32 hours and finally rested, fermented and double distilled. Ravella’s Extra Añejo is aged in oak barrels to create a distinctive finish to be savored until the end. Keep an eye out for our new tequila varieties which will be released over the next two years.
Our greatest successes have come from putting ourselves out there, pursuing amazing opportunities that may feel out of reach. What do you have to lose?
Since our founding in 2011, 11 Ravens has had a multitude of partnerships, clients, collaborations, and so much more that have come through myself and my team thinking beyond the status quo. We’ve learned to dream big, work hard, and be engaged with diverse businesses and individuals. When you’re putting all of that into practice, doors open. That mentality has allowed us to create pieces for major celebrities, collaborate with companies like Amex, Rolling Stone, and more. There are so many possibilities!
Pricing:
- 11 Ravens: Inquire for custom pricing.
- Ravella: Extra Añejo $280 per bottle
Contact Info:
- Website: https://11ravens.com, https://ravellatequila.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/11ravens/, https://www.instagram.com/ravellatequila/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/11RavensLLC
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/11-ravens/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElevenRavens
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/elevenravens/
Image Credits
Photo Courtesy of Design Collaborative, Katie Nixon, Trevor Stevens, Erika Bierman, and 11 Ravens
