Map of Jos. Campau showcases diverse business and service offerings

The Hamtramck Downtown Development Authority has published a guide to Joseph Campau, the city’s main street. The 11-by-17-inch foldable document uses colors to differentiate between different business categories, giving the map the look of a striped tapestry.

The vibrancy was intentional, according to Gina Reichert of Design 99, a contemporary design store located in a Jos. Campau storefront. “The colors show the diversity of the shops, what the district has to offer,” she says. “What makes up the character of Hamtramck are
these small, locally-run businesses.

Reichert and her partner Mitch Cope designed the guides with simplicity in mind. “We wanted them to be easy to read,” she says. “We wanted businesses to be easy to find, parking to be easy to find — colorful and clear.”

The DDA’s Marcia Gebarowski thinks the pair succeeded. “The feedback has been great,” she says. “People are impressed with the quality of the product.”

Her organization supplemented the cost of printing 5,000 guides by selling ads to local businesses. The DDA hopes to not only spotlight existing businesses but attract new ones by visually demonstrating where gaps and vacancies do exist.

Sources: Gina Reichert and Mitch Cope, Design 99 and Marcia Gebarowski, Hamtramck DDA
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh