Three Hands, One Scoop

It’s one o’clock on yet another sweltering mid-July afternoon in Detroit’s Central Business District. Dozens of white collar workers have poured out of the air-conditioned confines of their office towers to take in the heat and atmosphere of Campus Martius, this afternoon their lunch hour replete with jazzy accompaniment from the nearby bandshell. What could make this afternoon idyll complete? Ice cream, of course.

Of course, around the corner on Woodward Ave. in the Compuware building, just such a respite sits not-yet-open. At this hour, half-dozen teenagers are readying the new Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop for its grand opening at the end of July. The only Ben & Jerry’s in the CBD, let alone the city, is yet another sign of progress in a CBD that’s attracting the confidence of national retailers.

So this is yet another hip-hip-hooray story about Detroit retail? Well, yes and no. That a national chain with a reputation for steady, smart franchise growth like Ben & Jerry’s has chosen to locate in Detroit is important. But more importantly, perhaps, is how they’ve chosen to do it.

The Detroit Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop a unique partnership with Detroit-based charity, Goodwill Industries. When the Ben & Jerry’s Detroit “Partner Shop” opens its doors, it will do so thanks to a strong, exemplary, working relationship between private business (Ben & Jerry’s), the non-profit community (Goodwill) and civic-focused entities (the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation).

Partner Shops are Ben & Jerry’s scoop shops that are independently owned and operated by community-based nonprofit organizations. In a nod to their ongoing mission to mix business with progressive support of local causes, Ben & Jerry’s waives the standard franchise fees and provides additional support to help nonprofits operate strong businesses.

One such show of support came last year when several Goodwill employees and volunteers went to Vermont to Ben & Jerry’s HQ or hands-on training – a sort of Scoop U. if you will. They’ll be passing their acquired expertise along to participants in Goodwill’s employment training programs for at-risk youth. In fact, despite the yucks one must get serving up a scoop of Chubby Hubby, the underlying mission for the Partner Shop is a serious one and Goodwill Industries was uniquely positioned to do the job.

After careful consideration Ben & Jerry’s selected Goodwill based on its proven record of sustainability, experience in managing a multi-million dollar budget, curriculum in job training and life skills development for youth, record of success in fundraising and experience in the foodservice industry. 

Goodwill’s mission to provide employment training, work experience and employment in the community to those who face barriers to employment was important to Ben & Jerry’s decision (there was one other Detroit charitable organization in the hunt). 

The Goodwill Ben & Jerry’s PartnerShop will employ at-risk Detroit youth ages 15 to 21.  Prior to joining the scoop shop’s crew the young people will complete extensive hospitality, customer service and entrepreneurial training provided by Goodwill Industries.

Also in the mix getting this bit of unique Detroit entrepreneurial mojo moving was the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), Detroit’s lead agency for business retention and attraction. DEGC principle account manager, Mary Grace Wilbert, described Ben & Jerry’s presence as catalytic.  She said, “well known national brands like Ben & Jerry’s have the power of attracting other businesses to the area.  They produce a certain synergy that makes other businesses say, ‘I better get in on this now.’”

The process began nearly two years ago, when Goodwill sought out the Partner Shop at a time when Ben & Jerry’s was beginning to focus on the Midwest as a major center of product distribution. They have locations in Ann Arbor and Auburn Hills, but with the opening of the Compuware Headquarters and the critical mass that is building in the CBD, it seemed a natural fit.

Jennifer Shewmake, Ben & Jerry’s PartnerShop Program Manager, said the company evaluated the site with Goodwill and found it attractive because of the absence of scoop shops in the vicinity and because of the opportunity to serve up scoops in the city center, a place where foot traffic is expected to be relatively high.

Lindsay Chalmers, Goodwill Industries Director of New Business Development said “it was only logical” for Goodwill to seek a downtown location for its Detroit scoop shop. After all, Goodwill has retained a strong and growing presence in the city for some time now, with its main facility adjacent to the Motor City Casino.

Chalmers is optimistic that the over 300 concerts scheduled at Campus Martius Park through September will produce high foot traffic throughout the summer and downtown employees seeking sweet treats will maintain the traffic during the remaining months. 

“Compuware, DEGC and many others in the business community have been very supportive. We’re not a competitor to anyone.  We’re filling an empty niche.” 

All patent boosterism aside, there’s a growing buzz surrounding Campus Martius and the encouraging mix of residents and office workers. If it continues, then the kids Goodwill and Ben & Jerry’s are helping get a leg up should be plenty busy this summer. And that’s the kind of economic development on which vitality is born.