Grand Rapids Shop Owner Discovers Cousin In A Truly Small World Moment

It was a normal day for Janna Maris, owner and curator of the vintage clothing store Zabház on Division Ave. in downtown Grand Rapids. She had her arms full of clothes when her phone started ringing. She saw it was an unknown number from Massachusetts, and was about to decline the call and go along with her night.

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But for whatever reason, Jan picked up the call and was surprised to hear an actual person on the line, a woman named Michaela Sheranko Walz, who was hoping to get her band Fleuke booked to play at the store.

Zabház: More Than Just A Vintage Store

You see, Zabház does more than just sell clothes. Jan also hosts events, such as yoga and pilates on weekends and concerts three to four times a month. The punk shows that take place in her store stand in stark contrast to the cozy clothes that are sold here, but it's one of her favorite parts of running her store, and why she chose this location.

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But Jan has already fully booked for the entire summer, so she was ready to turn Michaela down, but something told her to book her anyway:

"I just loved her vibe, and we just started chatting. She's asking about my shop, and I'm asking about her music...and as we were about to get off the phone, she asked where she got the name of my store."

An Unexpected Connection, Over 800 Miles Away

Jan is Hungarian, and the word Zabház means "oathouse" in Hungarian (which is also how she got the nickname "Oatmama"). As it turns out, Michaela is also Hungarian, and it was this shared heritage that led them to make a startling discovery: they were related. 

Jan's grandma, Gazella, and Michaela's grandma, Eloise, were sisters, making Jan and Michaela second cousins. Gazella lived in Arizona, and Eloise would make trips to visit her. This connection led to a series of phone calls to their respective parents, leaving everyone in total disbelief.

Jan's mother stated that her fondest memories of Gazella were whenever Eloise was around because "she would turn into a giggly teenager." In the age where you hear of people finding lost family through websites like Ancestry.com, this story of an organic discovery is nothing more than a chance encounter.

The Family Reunion Show

But as it turns out, this uncanny connection was the sign that Michaela was looking for. A few days before placing this call, she was at a point in her musical career where she wasn't sure if she was even meant to be doing this anymore. She had toured Grand Rapids before and wasn't sure whether it would be worth visiting again.

At age 32, Michaela told herself that if she was meant to go on this tour, she wanted a sign that was "clear as day." It doesn't get much clearer than this. Now, they're going to perform together on June 22nd, with tickets available HERE

In fact, multiple commentators on Michaela's TikTok retelling this story have made unexpected family connections of their own, and now this show that almost didn't happen will act as one big family reunion.