Flagstar Bank and Tour de Troit are once again joining forces to present Michigan’s largest cycling event on Saturday, September 17.


Attendance at the 15th annual ride is expected to exceed last year’s 7,500 cyclists. Since its inception in 2005, the Tour de Troit ride has raised more than $250,000 to support greenways and non-motorized transit projects in Detroit.

To celebrate this year’s event, Tour de Troit and Flagstar Bank are launching the Detroit Rides Detroit Sweepstakes on Monday, August 29. The Grand Prize winner will receive a Shinola Detroit Arrow bike, valued at $1,000.  To enter, visit www.tour-de-troit.org/tourdetroitride

The Detroit Arrow is Shinola’s single-speed bicycle, streamlined for urban riding and hand assembled by bike specialists in Detroit. The bike is available in black and white color options, in both men’s and women’s frame styles.

Winners will be announced on September 9, just in time to ride the new bike in the Tour de Troit.

“This is Flagstar’s third consecutive year as presenting sponsor of the tour, and it just keeps getting better,” said Beth Correa, director of Community Affairs and Quality at Flagstar Bank. “We’re proud to sponsor an event that puts the spotlight on Detroit in such a positive way. Tour de Troit is a great partner—they not only promote a healthy lifestyle but also raise funds to make the city better for biking. It’s a win all around.”  “

 “Flagstar Bank is an important part of Tour de Troit,” said Vittoria Katanski, director, Tour de Troit. “Their support allows us to make a real difference in the city’s biking infrastructure while presenting a fun, safe ride for the community to enjoy.”

The starting location of this year’s ride is Roosevelt Park, 2200 Michigan Ave. in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. The 30-mile ride will begin at 9 a.m. and will pass through several city neighborhoods before concluding at Roosevelt Park. The 62-mile metric century ride for advanced riders will start between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

“Our 15th anniversary is a real milestone,” said Kelli Kavanaugh, ride director, Tour de Troit. “Detroit has seen amazing growth as a bike city with the number of rides and events multiplying in the last decade-and-a-half.  We’re proud to have been a catalyst to all this growth while remaining the leading ride in the state.”

Funds raised from the Tour de Troit have helped develop more than 17 miles of bike lanes as part of the Southwest Detroit Greenlink. Tour de Troit has also raised money for the Villages of Detroit Community Development Corporation, the Connor Creek Greenway and other non-motorized projects.

After the ride, cyclists will be treated to food from local restaurants, including Slows to Go and Organaman, beer from New Holland Brewing and entertainment from local bands. Tour de Troit registration includes one food ticket and one beverage ticket. Additional tickets are available for $5.

Registration and Cost

Registration for Tour de Troit is $50 through August 31; Sept. 1 to Sept. 9 $60; Sept. 10 to Sept. 17 $70. Registration often sells out so register early.  The metric century is $60 until it sells out at 500 riders.

For registration and additional information, visit http://www.tour-de-troit.org  

Registration is now available for Tour de Troit’s international Bike the Bridge ride, taking place Saturday, October 9, 2016. The ride is limited to 750 people, and a valid passport is required. Registration information is available on the Tour de Troit website.



Click HERE For More Information On This Project! 



Detroit Tigers fans will have even 10,000 more reasons to cheer on August 27 when the Tigers and Olympia Development of Michigan team up for The District Detroit Night at Comerica Park – That’s the number of limited edition, Detroit Tigers/The District Detroit hats that will be given away to the first 10,000 fans when gates open.
But more than that - step through a red carpet experience, take photos with friends, win all kinds of prizes and learn about what makes The District Detroit such an exciting new destination for those who love sports, entertainment and spending an incredible Saturday Night in Detroit. 
Comerica Park is one of the major venues located within The District Detroit—one of the largest and most exciting sports and entertainment developments underway in the country, and the Detroit Tigers are in the heart of it. The District Detroit Night at Comerica Park will be held as the Tigers take on the Los Angeles Angels—and fans end the night with a fireworks display.

Here’s what else you can win:

Detroit Tigers and The District Detroit co-branded apparel
One night stay at MotorCity Casino Hotel and dinner at Iridescence
Tickets to Detroit Red Wings preseason games and one regular season game at Joe Louis Arena
Tickets to exciting events throughout The District Detroit:
How to win you may wonder?  Trivia and contests throughout the game and special rewards for sharing your photos from the game using #DistrictDetroit.
Tickets for The District Detroit Night at Comerica Park are available at the Comerica Park Box Office, online at tigers.com and by phone at (866) 66-TIGER (84437). For complete ticket information including season, group and suites visit tigers.com/tickets or call 313-471-BALL (2255).



The Belle Isle Conservancy is making a splash with the 12th annual Polish the Jewel Belle Isle Legacy Luncheon, presented by the DTE Energy Foundation, on Thursday, Oct. 13 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Funds raised at this year’s event will benefit a new Splash Play Area on Belle Isle Park.

After years of hosting the event at the Belle Isle Casino, the Conservancy is taking the celebration back to the garden – the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory gardens to be exact – where the first luncheon was held.

Hundreds of southeast Michigan’s most influential civic and business leaders – adorned in their favorite fascinators and chapeaus - are expected to attend for an afternoon of networking and mobile bidding at the luncheon’s silent auction. This year’s event is chaired by long-time Belle Isle supporter Denise Ilitch of Ilitch Enterprises.

New for 2016, guests will have the opportunity to win a one-of-a-kind pendant, created by Stephen Tapper of Tapper’s Diamonds and Fine Jewelry, called the Star of Belle Isle. After visiting the island with his nephew, Tapper was inspired to create a pendant that would reflect “just how precious the jewels of our great city are.”

Tickets (at $150 per person or $1,500 for a table of 10) are now available for purchase online at belleisleconservancy.org/polishthejewel or by calling 313-331-7760. Benefactor tickets (at $1,000, $500 or $300 giving levels) as well as corporate sponsorships are also available. Benefactor tickets will provide guests with exclusive access to a pre-Polish the Jewel celebration on Sept. 20.

The annual Polish the Jewel Belle Isle Legacy Luncheon began in 2004, then hosted by the Belle Isle Women’s Committee, which is today part of the Belle Isle Conservancy.
Photo: Detroit.Eater.Com

Standby, Detroit

A bar catering to the creative drinker in Detroit's revitalized arts district
 If we gave you directions to Standby in Detroit, it would be something like: Go downtown, turn up an old alley, and then walk straight into an elevator shaft. You’re so in, right? OK, so it’s true that Standby is located behind some strange doors in an alleyway downtown, but it’s a really well lit alleyway! In fact, this strip—known as The Belt—is actually a bustling public art space for the city’s hip, creative class. And Standby is the bar for the creative drinker.
In this sleek space, owner Joe Robinson and his bar team make libations with the strangest ingredients they can find. “Anything I’m unfamiliar with I’m always eager to work with,” Robinson says. Oftentimes he takes field trips to the Asian food markets in nearby Madison Heights looking for unique flavors. On the current menu, their drinks include everything from chrysanthemum flower syrup to milk-washed, black tea gin.
Click HERE To Vote And Read The Full Article! 




Work is moving along more quickly than expected on Detroit's Riverside Park.

The city gave three acres of the park in Southwest-Detroit to the owners of the Ambassador Bridge in a controversial deal last year. Detroit got five acres of land owned by the bridge company as part of the swap. That land will be used to expand the park.

Part of the deal called for the demolition of a former warehouse by late 2018. But that's underway now.

Click HERE For The Full Article! 

NYC Based Warby Parker To Open On Woodward

Photo: Bedrock 
Trendy eyewear retailer Warby Parker is preparing to open a shop in downtown Detroit, filling another once-vacant storefront along Woodward Avenue.

The New York City-based company was issued a building permit last week for renovations to the ground-floor of 1449 Woodward. This retail space is between the Woodhouse Day Spa and the newly opened Kit + Ace store.

Started in 2010, Warby Parker designs and sells eyeglasses and sunglasses that are typically priced between $95 and $145. The company began as an online-only retailer and has since opened over 30 actual shop locations. Warby Parker's eyewear was initially associated with a "hipster" aesthetic and acquired a broad audience as its popularity grew.

A Warby Parker representative on Tuesday confirmed that the company is planning a Detroit location. The store is to open sometime later this year.

Click HERE For The Full Article! 

Hatch Detroit today announced the top four finalists competing for the $50,000 grand prize from Comerica in the 2016 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest presented by Opportunity Detroit. The general election voting period is now open and the public has until noon Friday, Aug. 26, to cast their vote and do their part in electing the next brick and mortar business in Detroit, Highland Park or Hamtramck.

The final four businesses vying for public votes are:

·        Bird Bee -- a lifestyle clothing boutique offering a mix of modern bohemian, vintage inspired and contemporary clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories.
·        Corbé -- a ceramic design and manufacturing studio located in the North End of Detroit looking to open up retail space. They handcraft porcelain wares that are simple and useful, built for the modern home and table.
·        Coriander Kitchen & Farm, which is looking to expand their urban farm and catering business into a brick & mortar café featuring casual, affordable, healthy food in a rustic, beautiful environment in Detroit. 
·        Meta Physica Massage & Sauna, which will open a Wellness Center offering therapeutic bodywork, full spectrum infrared saunas, a raw juice bar, an herbal apothecary and health inspired retail, meditation classes and community workshops.

Full company bios are available at: www.HatchDetroit.com.

“A significant component to this contest is the support of the public,” said Vittoria Katanski, executive director of Hatch Detroit. “From the moment the Top 10 are announced to the continued support of our Hatch alumni, the public is our partner. We’ve had more than 21,000 public votes so far in this year’s contest, and we hope the community’s support for these businesses continues to grow.”

Votes can be cast at HatchDetroit.com/vote, Hatch Detroit’s Facebook page or in person at the following locations:
·        10 a.m. – 12 p.m.Saturday, Aug. 20 at KUZZO'S 
·        11 a.m. – 2 p.m.Monday, Aug. 22 at CADILLAC SQUARE in CAMPUS MARTIUS 
·        11 a.m. – 2 p.m.Tuesday, Aug. 23 at EASTERN MARKETSHED 2

The four finalists will pitch their business plans live to a panel of judges at the Hatch Off event at The M@dison Building in Downtown DetroitFriday, Aug. 26. Public vote and jury deliberations determine the contest winner. In addition to winning $50,000 from Comerica Bank, more than $200,000 in pro bono services including a $25,000 branding and design package from GTB (formally Team Detroit), a 30-second social media advertisement from MCCI, legal services from Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn, architectural renderings from Hamilton Anderson Associates and a package of accounting, IT, public relations support, and counsel from Hatch Detroit and its partners, will be awarded to the 2016 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest winner.

“Each year these entrepreneurs bring forth something new to Detroit,” said Linda Forte, senior vice president of Business Affairs, Comerica Bank. “We know independent small business growth is what keeps cities unique, vibrant and relevant and we are that much closer to finding out which business will continue Detroit on this path.”

For more information, visit www.HatchDetroit.com

Sneak Peak! This Old House Comes To Detroit!





The Next Best Thing To A Personal Tour!

Belle Isle Park has been a favorite retreat for Detroiters for almost 120 years. Whether you're a visitor or a local, you'll learn a lot about the history, cultural attractions, art, and recreational opportunities that abound there. Narrated by Detroit radio veteran Dick Shafran, "Exploring Detroit's Belle Isle" informs you on all major points of interest on the island:

  • 18 sculptures and monuments, including its world-class fountain
  • 12 historical buildings and structures of architectural interest
  • 5 historically significant locales
  • 4 indoor cultural attractions
  • and much more

The full-featured app employs GPS and helpful audio cues to guide you to over 40 points where narrations automatically provide the details. This 2.5-hour guide is a combination car and walking exploration. Biking the 9.5-mile route is an excellent option, too! Explore it all or pick and choose. It's up to you!

Click HERE For More Information! 
Photo: Robert Allen/Detroit Free Press

Name: The Michigan Cider Mill Donut
Weight: 4 pounds
Filling: Michigan apple filling 
Servings: 2-4
Cost: $15

Bamboo East Opens For Pop-up Co-Working This Fall

Photo: Model D


Bamboo Detroit is officially expanding to offer their first neighborhood co-working space, a pop-up space located at 14711 Mack Ave. inside of MASH Detroit called Bamboo East.

Bamboo East will offer affordable office space, a conference room, wi-fi, coffee, workshops and networking, Monday-Fridays beginning on August 15th. Bamboo East was created with the vision to be an access point connecting entrepreneurs coming from Grosse Pointe towards Downtown, and to better serve the growing Eastside business community.

"Co-working is a gateway to help bridge the resource divide in our communities,” said Director Nicole Mangis. “We see Bamboo East growing into a resource hub for our neighborhood entrepreneurs, freelancers, nonprofits, and remote workers. It takes a village, and Bamboo East can be a place for the village to come together to support one another."

Nicole Mangis is inspired to lead the initiative to help spread Bamboo’s mission of flexible office space and accessibility for entrepreneurs. Nicole Mangis is an entrepreneur herself having founded Brut Detroit, a pop-up wine bar, and previously consulting entrepreneurs through the Build Institute Co.Starters program and her consulting company Launch Exchange.

Bamboo East is piloted in partnership with MASH Detroit, a mixed-use venue that features shared retail, meeting and event space.

“It’s important for the same type of energy, quality, and experienced talent and resources found in places like Downtown and Midtown be extended to the rest of the city,” said Marlowe Stoudamire, Founder of MASH Detroit. “People should have an immediate place in their community to engage, grow and innovate. Adding a co-working space will help foster the next generation of collaboration, culture, and organic social collision that MASH is all about.”

Bamboo East will offer free open co-work days throughout the three month pop-up, workshops and lunches focused on business development, and also an inspiring series spotlighting local changemakers in neighborhoods of the city. Visit Bambooeastside.com for more information on the pop-up space and upcoming events.
Photo:  Detroit River Front Conservancy 


The Guardian asked their readers for stories of urban wandering, and they shared their favourite city walks – from Dublin to Detroit – that explore history, culture and nature.

Detroit, Michigan 

A walk along the downtown waterfront shows many facets of urban space and life. Along the water is a mix of renovated spaces and outdated factories built at the height of the industrial era. The contrast opens the mind to the challenges and changes in cities. A block off the water is the entrance into the thriving downtown that was thought to be dead just a decade ago. Excitement and energy are all around.

The architecture is a mix of 1920s art deco, mid-century modern and new. Wandering in and out of the grand buildings is an experience everyone can enjoy. The attention to detail and the enormous skills of the craftsman who built these icons is on full display. Everything is within a mile. Most of it is pedestrian friendly. All of it is enlightening. (Daniel Gilmartin)

Click HERE For The Full Article! 
Photo: Shanna Gorga

Last Night, Hatch Detroit announced the top 10 semi-finalists in the 2016 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest presented by Opportunity Detroit. The public is invited to cast their ballots for their favorite top 10 businesses during the primary voting period, from Aug 12-18, to determine the four finalists who will compete to win $50,000 from Comerica Bank and more than $200,000 in pro bono services from Hatch Detroit and its partners.

“With more than 150 applications submitted to this year’s contest, it’s clear that Detroit is a destination for small businesses,” said Vittoria Katanski, executive director, Hatch Detroit. “Now it’s up to the community to weigh in on which types of businesses they would like to see in Detroit by voting for their next retail neighbor.”

The top 10 businesses seeking public votes are:

·        Ash & Anvil is the first company to design clothes specifically for younger, shorter guys. After launching a successful eCommerce store, they’re expanding to a brick & mortar location.
·        Bird Bee is a lifestyle clothing boutique offering a mix of modern bohemian, vintage inspired and contemporary clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories.
·        Brut Detroit will be Grandmont Rosedale’s neighborhood wine bar, making wine approachable, affordable and fun for everyone through wine tastings, events and friendly service.
·        Chugga’s Main Street Bakery is a women owned, family operated bakery that is looking to open in Highland Park. They specialize in breads using simple all natural ingredients, that are healthy and nutritious.
·        Corbé is a ceramic design and manufacturing studio located in the North End of Detroit looking to open up retail space. They handcraft porcelain wares that are simple and useful, built for the modern home and table.
·        Coriander is looking to expand their urban farm and catering business into a brick & mortar café, featuring casual, affordable, healthy food in a rustic, beautiful environment in Detroit. 
·        Detroit Dart Club hosts Nerf battles, offering a fun way to engage kids and adults in exercise. They’re looking to expand to a second, larger location in Southwest Detroit.
·        ITADAKU (it-uh-da-ckoo) is a fine-casual sustainable sushi shop opening in Corktown. They make fine dining quality sushi at an affordable price, using sustainable seafood and organic produce.
·        Meta Physica Massage will open a Wellness Center offering therapeutic bodywork, full spectrum infrared saunas, a raw juice bar, an herbal apothecary and health inspired retail, meditation classes and community workshops.
·        The Natural Market’s vision is to open a boutique specializing in Handmade Bath, Body & Home Products and customized fragrances.

Full company bios are available at: www.HatchDetroit.com.

“We take great pride in working with Hatch Detroit and look forward to seeing each of these talented entrepreneurs bring their Detroit retail ideas to life,” said Linda Forte, senior vice president of Business Affairs, Comerica Bank. “The Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest has already helped 14 businesses open their doors and we can’t wait to see how this year’s winner and the nine semi-finalists will make an impact in Detroit.”

"The Hatch Detroit Contest is instrumental in accelerating Detroit's entrepreneurial community, and Opportunity Detroit is proud to be a part of an initiative that views small businesses as a catalyst for creating jobs and wealth for our city," said RJ Wolney, Director of Finance at Bedrock Detroit and Hatch Detroit Board Member. "We are excited to see the next group of companies that will join the Hatch Alumni network of retail businesses that embodies the innovative and collaborative environment that we believe makes Detroit so exciting."

To vote in the primary, please visit HatchDetroit.com/vote, Hatch Detroit’s Facebook page or vote in person at the following locations:
·        10 a.m. – 12 p.m.Saturday, Aug. 13 at SISTER PIE
·        11 a.m. – 2 p.m.Monday, Aug. 15 at CADILLAC SQUARE in CAMPUS MARTIUS
·        11 a.m. – 2 p.m.Tuesday, Aug. 16 at EASTERN MARKET, SHED 3
·        4 p.m. – 8 p.m.Thursday, Aug. 18 at GRANDMONT ROSEDALE FARMERS' MARKET

The primary voting period will close Aug. 18 at midnight. Finalists will be announced Friday, Aug. 19 and the general election voting period will begin. The finalists will present their final business pitches to a panel of judges before the winner is announced at the Hatch Off event Friday, Aug. 26 at The M@dison Building in Detroit.


Photo: Bon Appetit 



SISTER PIE
You’ve been to a library, but have you been to a piebrary? That’s the term for this bakery’s antique hutch filled with a selection of eclectic mugs, any of which you’re free to “check out” for your morning coffee.

The piebrary is just one of the many irresistibly charming details at Lisa Ludwinski’s sweets shop, a burst of friendliness and energy on an otherwise quiet corner of Detroit’s West Village. On the counter are the day’s creations: dozens of cookies in inspired flavor combinations like peanut butter-paprika (it works!), a healthy little salad, and—of course—the showstopping pies.

Ludwinski is famous for her salted maple, a creamy custard in a twice-baked, all-butter, crazy-flaky shell. Alongside that staple are rotating beauties that span the growing season from strawberry rhubarb-lavender in early summer to cranberry-tangerine in the winter. Each slice comes on a precious vintage plate, topped with freshly whipped cream, because, no, this place could not be any cuter.

Photo: Sister Pie



PRO TIP: 
The “Pie It Forward” program allows anyone feeling generous to purchase a slice for a future customer.

THE DETAILS: 
Closes at 4 p.m. on weekends—and popular pies might sell out before then. Tuesday–Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (closed Mondays).
http://sisterpie.com/

Click HERE For The Full List Of Finalists! 



With a number of major public projects well underway, Detroit’s planners and lenders have renewed focus on the role of small business development in the city’s ongoing revitalization. Now the next step of putting these lessons to work nationwide is taking shape.

The famous urban planning pioneer Jane Jacobs knew well that such comeback stories are built block by block, with diverse and stable communities creating a contagious vitality that could spread street by street, neighbor by neighbor, to form a diverse and thriving city. Vibrant local businesses are these blocks’ bedrock.

But building these strong communities hinges on local businesses that can help them grow, and that’s no easy feat. Difficulty accessing capital, business networks, and understanding of steps required to create a successful business can be daunting to would-be business owners. However, collaborations like Detroit’s Entrepreneurs of Color Fund, can address each of these factors on behalf of the burgeoning businesses they serve.

A case study of one such business in Detroit is the House of Pure Vin, a wine store nestled in the thick of downtown. During its first 120 days in operation, the store’s three female African-American founders have seen a steady uptick in business. And, like many similar small businesses across the city, their success stems from extensive pre-opening planning and support from outside entities. The support the founders experienced is varied and multifaceted; it’s an example of a new small business development system working effectively, and is a model that cities around the US can strive to replicate.

The founders got their start at a retail boot camp offered by Tech Town, Detroit’s preeminent business accelerator and incubator. Their boot camp experience helped them qualify for the initial phase of the Detroit Development Fund’s (DDF) newly established Entrepreneurs of Color Fund, a $6.5 million lending program with financial backing from the JPMorgan Chase & Co. foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. But the EOC Fund is just one project backed by the DDF: in its role as a certified community development financial institution (CDFI) the Fund makes loans to countless small businesses and serves as advisor to a wide variety of entrepreneurs.

“We felt they needed some assistance in addition to the retail boot camp,” DDF President Ray Waters explained. “We sent them to another business partner of ours called Lifeline Business Consulting… for fine tuning the business plan and their projections.” There, the team received guidance from seasoned retail veterans in tackling challenges such as the store build out and integrating a point of sale system. DDF helped House of Pure Vin budget as accurately as possible, and when inevitable overages arose, they leveraged their funding network, pulling in another CDFI for an additional investment.

The ability of new businesses to kickstart a local economy is anecdotally clear, but is also supported by US jobs data. A recent US Census-guided study found that while first-year businesses account for only 3% of total US employment, they are responsible for 20% of annual hiring activity—startups are more reliable job creators than larger legacy companies that employ more people but hire less frequently. In other words, these entities are crucial for growth and generating new jobs.

Click HERE For The Full Article! 
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