Downtown Detroit

Neighborhood mechanic wants to keep his Detroit community running

Phil Knight might just be Detroit's last neighborhood mechanic. Since he opened his own auto shop in 1998, he has seen his share of changes in the community, but still wants to keep his business small and prices fair. 

Immigrant entrepreneur draws on business support systems to brighten Detroit’s wardrobe

An innovative industrial engineer from Ghana is bringing West African-inspired prints to Detroit's fashion scene, despite COVID-19 creating roadblocks for her budding business.

Sandra Cavette is proud of her historical home and wants to see others investing in the upkeep of Detroit properties.
0%-interest loan program puts economic power in hands of Detroit homeowners

Sandra Cavette is one of 1,048 homeowners in Detroit who have used a 0% interest home repair loan program to maintain historic properties throughout the city. Long-term residents like Cavette have seen the city through its ups and downs and are investing in its future through the program, which launched five years ago and has generated $10 million in funding. 

Detroit designer combines fashion and science to start a conversation about skin color

Detroit entrepreneur Deirdre Roberson doesn't fit a mold. And the scientist-turned-fashion-designer doesn't want you to, either. “People will say to me ‘you look like a model,’ but why did nobody ever tell me ‘you look like a scientist’? We are complex. We are multidimensional people.”

Ally Vang, owner of Orchid Thai in downtown Detroit
Tostada Magazine: Downtown’s Orchid Thai navigates through one of the worst times for restaurants

Ally Vang opened Orchid Thai in downtown Detroit with the goal of being part of the area's revival. More than 15 years later, she credits the restaurant's longevity and ability to adapt as keys to its success in navigating two recessions and now a pandemic.

Black-owned beauty boutique Bronzed N Glow rides out COVID-19, roadwork to open in Detroit

Education. Inclusivity. Hair care. Two entrepreneurs in Detroit want to change the way you think about your locks.   

Meet the people paving the way for minorities in Detroit construction

Are minority contractors being left out of Detroit's construction landscape? We talk to the changemakers helping minority business owners become "bankable" and get a seat at the table: “The future in Detroit shouldn't just be Dan Gilbert. It should be Cliff Terry and people who built up a neighborhood, and with the neighborhood included.”

Flood's Bar & Grille reopens Thursday, May 28 for carryout and delivery.
Entrepreneur diaries with Stephanie Byrd: Back in business

Stephanie Byrd shares the process of reopening Flood's Bar & Grille, which is offering carryout and delivery with a limited menu (and yes, the lamb chops are back).  

Stephanie Byrd is co-owner of The Block in Midtown.
Entrepreneur diaries: Stephanie Byrd of The Block and The Garden Theater

Stephanie Byrd was born into a family of entrepreneurs, and while she initially never dreamed of going into the family business or returning to her hometown, here's what drew the co-owner of The Block back — and how the pandemic has changed her outlook on business.

CODE313 teaches computer coding skills to students ranging in ages from 7 to 17 years old.
Nonprofit to celebrate opening of coding and STEM academy for Detroit students from new downtown HQ

CODE313 provides Detroit schoolchildren opportunities to learn coding in a city that is considered the least connected in the U.S., according to the organization.  

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