Walking through the front doors of Basketball Warehouse, one doesn't expect a vast, 33,000-square-foot complex. The small set of double doors leading in looks like a mouse hole in the wall of a mansion. Owners Terry Willis, Jermaine Woods and Stephen Glymph all know the reaction of newcomers well: "Their faces light up," Willis says.
The enormous East Side recreation space holds four active basketball courts with a polished hardwood floor, and bleachers for onlookers or athletes who need a rest. There's also a room filled with moonwalks, batting cages and a weight room. The owners say they opened the Warehouse to give Detroit families a recreation option in the city, and have invested $350,000 in the business.
"It's all about the kids, all about keeping a safe haven," says Woods.
Away from the facility, Glymph is an attorney and mechanical engineer, Woods is a licensed real estate practitioner, and Willis is a handyman and licensed real estate practitioner.
One challenge the Basketball Warehouse faces is a lack of widespread recognition, though repeat customers are their biggest base. "It's all about getting the kids in here, once they come in, they come back," says Woods.
Admission is $5 weekdays, $7 Saturdays and Sundays. The Basketball Warehouse is located at 3939 Bellevue, near the corner of Mack and Mt. Elliot. For more info call 313-922-0311.
Sources: Terry Willis and Jermaine Woods
Writer: Ryan Kelly
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