Faced with the unprecedented challenge of closing the Downtown Synagogue amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Rabbi Ariana Silverman discovered new ways to keep her congregation connected while following thousands of years of Jewish tradition.
When restaurateur Ben Nolan opened the chic Woodbridge restaurant with his business partners in early January, they anticipated it would be busy and running smoothly by summer. But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
When Detroit artists Elena and Aubrey Smyth quit their jobs on a whim nearly eight years ago to become full-time artists, they knew there was no looking back. Today, the owners of Armageddon Beachparty are drawing on their creative resilience to navigate the unprecedented challenges of owning a small business during a pandemic.
Jeremy Damaske is no stranger to perseverance. Over the last nine years, the Detroit restaurateur has transformed the Woodbridge pizzeria, once an experimental pizza pop-up, into a popular local hot spot. Now, he’s rising to the challenge of running a business during a historic pandemic.
As hospitals around the state continue to require PPE amid the pandemic, Detroit brand Deviate has stepped in to produce isolation gowns while launching a new program aimed at creating opportunities for the city’s emerging fashion industry.
The pandemic has created challenges for local human trafficking organizations to continue providing services to one of the city’s most vulnerable populations amid increased demand with fewer resources. But from more street outreach to a technology initiative amid increased online use, advocates are finding a way to meet people where they are.
ISAIC, in collaboration with the City of Detroit, the Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s Pure Michigan Business Connect, Rock Family of Companies, and Empowerment Plan, is working to mobilize local apparel manufacturers to produce standardized PPE and automate the mass production of surgical masks.
As hospitals around the state – and the globe – experience a shortage of protective medical gear due to coronavirus, Detroit apparel manufacturers have stepped in to dedicate their factories to producing masks while creating jobs in an uncertain economy.
As volatility threatens to disrupt the global fashion industry, could Detroit’s manufacturing history make it the apparel hub of the future? Industry experts weigh in about the city’s skilled workforce and entrepreneurial spirit.
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