At Quicken Loans' headquarters, young employees play table tennis on breaks, ride scooters between offices and have management's ear whenever they want it.
The mostly-Millennial workforce — 55% of the 10,000 employees were born after 1980, the generation also known as Gen Y — also likes working in an urban area, so the online mortgage lender's downtown Detroit location can help attract them.
While other employers might scratch their heads — or pull out their hair — over Millennials' approach to work, Quicken CEO Bill Emerson says he embraces it. The company's brightly colored, free-spirited offices are designed to get the young workers' creative juices flowing and help chart the company's direction. Experience, he says, is overrated.
"It doesn't matter how long you've been inside of this organization, if you've got fresh eyeballs and you see things that can get better, please tell us what those things are and we will execute on those things," says Emerson, 50.
For Baby Boomers who grew weary of answering their toddlers' constant questions, Millennials' workplace "whys" can get tiresome. "Because I said so" may have worked when it came to kids and winter coats, but it's probably not the right answer to most Gen Y employees. Neither is: "Because we've always done it that way."
After all, workplace cultures need to adapt to both a younger workforce and tougher competition in this economy.
"Most managers don't think they owe explanations to people and can be offended by these young people who ask questions like, 'Why are we merging with this other company?' And 'Why aren't we adopting this new technology,' " says talent expert Leah Reynolds, a senior vice president with human resources consulting company Aon Hewitt. "It can be seen as insubordinate instead of saying, 'Wow, great energy and great initiative.' "
Besides, many young workers actually did get good answers to those "whys" growing up. Parents might have explained the family finances when they were breaking it that the vacation was off, says Reynolds. So they expect answers at work, where they are gaining on Baby Boomers, who currently make up 37% of the workforce, compared with the 25% that Millennials comprise, according to a report by non-profit company Catalyst.
Annual performance reviews and the seniority system are two workplace institutions that Millennials simply don't get. Reynolds says they don't make much sense anymore, anyway. After all, in many companies' tech-oriented offices these days, the younger workers often can be as valuable as older ones. And letting them move "a few boxes on the org chart" may be key to keeping them, Reynolds says.
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Starting June 3rd, German-based Kärcher, a global leader in cleaning technology, kicks off a two-week cleaning spree in Detroit, Mich. Through June 16, the Kärcher Clean Team will spruce up several beloved locations, including Belle Isle Park, Eastern Market and Isaac Agree Synagogue, just to name a few. The Kärcher Clean Team will also work on areas and structures that are nominated to be “Kärchered” TM by consumers via Facebook and Twitter.
Kärcher has also joined forces with Detroit native and renovation expert Nicole Curtis, host of Rehab Addict on DIY Network and HGTV, to rally the community and lend expertise to the effort. Curtis will join the Kärcher Clean Team for various cleaning projects throughout the city, including the Patton Recreation Center in Patton Park, from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, June 14.
“I really believe in Kärcher’s commitment to making the world a cleaner place, and I’m thrilled to be a part of the ‘Kärcher Me’ project. Detroit holds a special place in my heart and working to improve these neighborhoods is an excellent opportunity to make a difference, engage the local community, lift spirits and have some fun,” explains Curtis.
On Saturday, June 15, the Kärcher Clean Team will make its way to the Brightmoor neighborhood, working with a group of local volunteers from the Motor City Blight Busters, The Redford Theater and Motor City Java House, to clean an entire city block on Lahser Road (between Grand River Avenue and Orchard Street). The community is invited to participate and test out Kärcher products such as pressure washers and the new WV50 PowerSqueegee (2013 winner of the DIY New Product World Awards) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Attendees can also enter a raffle for a chance to win fun prizes.
The cleaning project in Detroit is a continuation of Kärcher’s long-standing commitment to global beautification. The Brightmoor neighborhood event is just one highlight of the two-city “Kärcher Me” program in North America, which also includes Toronto, Canada, where the Kärcher Clean Team will clean a variety of local landmarks and structures over a two-week period in each city’s downtown district and surrounding areas.
A tradition for more than 30 years, Kärcher has donated its services to clean some of the world’s most high-profile structures, including the Seattle Space Needle, Mount Rushmore and the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
“There’s such a sense of pride associated with city landmarks and neighborhoods,” said Hartmut Jenner, chief executive officer, Kärcher. “We take that same pride in our commitment to corporate giving and green cleaning practices, knowing that our products and services breathe new life into structures that are important to the community without risks to their surrounding environments.”
For more information about the “Kärcher Me” project and to suggest a location or landmark to be cleaned in Detroit, visit Facebook.com/KarcherMe, or @KarcherMe.
ABOUT KÄRCHER
Kärcher, a family-owned enterprise, is the world’s leading provider of cleaning technology. With pressure washers, vacuums and steam cleaners, home and garden pumps, sweepers and floor scrubbers, vehicle washes, cleaning agents, dry ice blasters, drinking and waste water treatment plants, and water dispensers, it offers a range of innovative problem solutions. These include coordinated products, cleaning agents and accessories, along with advice and service. Kärcher employs 10,000 people in 100 companies in 60 countries. More than 50,000 service centres in all countries ensure continuous and comprehensive supplies to customers all over the world. Innovation is the company’s principal growth factor. Around 87% of its products have been in existence for five years or less. More than 650 engineers and technicians are engaged in designing new problem solutions at the cleaning equipment manufacturer’s development centres. www.karcherresidential.com
ABOUT NICOLE CURTIS
A self-taught home rehabber and designer, Nicole is also a mom, a master of salvage picking, and spirited advocate for saving old houses. Resourceful, creative and always in motion, Nicole is hands on with all of her projects and would not have it any other way. She is a whirlwind of ideas, energy and vision, skilled with every tool in her belt (plus a few secrets she has tucked up her sleeve). Nicole harnesses her experience with interior design, contracting, and real estate on Rehab Addict, her show on DIY network and HGTV. She also consults and tackles projects for clients ranging from revamping a single room to redoing an entire home.
Whole Foods Market opens a 21,506-square-foot store today in Detroit at the intersection of John R. Street and Mack Avenue.
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow will join company leaders in presenting the highly anticipated store to the community at an 8:30 a.m. bread-breaking ceremony. Doors open at 9 a.m.
“I can’t describe the pride and joy I feel when I look at this store and think of how the community has come together to make it happen. I’ve been giving advance tours to curious residents and talking with our team members, and on both sides people are supercharged with excitement,” said Larry Austin, store team leader. “So, come on in, Detroit! We’re here to satisfy and delight you with fresh, healthy and affordable food. Tell us what you think and contribute to our community giving days – we even invite you to help decide the types of donations we’re going to make.”
Whole Foods Market has teamed up with local schools and arts groups to offer a full day of outdoor performances today as shoppers explore a myriad of natural, organic and local options inside. The entertainment lineup includes the Detroit School of Arts Youth Jazz Ensemble, Nanaou Djiapo African Drum & Dance, DJ John Jammin Collins, the Spain Middle School Choir, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra String Quartet, and Ballet Folklorico. The interactive experience also includes videos from Dark Rye, Whole Foods Market’s online magazine whose June issue is dedicated to the Motor City, and free rides to the store from the Detroit Bus Company. A full schedule of opening day activities is available on the store website: wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/detroit.
As part of Whole Foods Market’s commitment to community partnerships, the Detroit store is working with three local charities on opening day: the Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS), which provides support to Detroit’s homeless; Sisters Acquiring Financial Equality (SAFE), which helps victims of domestic violence; and Gleaners Community Food Bank, an organization that brings food to the hungry in southeast Michigan. Upon checkout, shoppers can vote to determine the type of donation each charity will receive. One will earn 5 percent of the five Michigan stores’ profits on a future date, one will benefit from the “one dime at a time” program from all five Michigan stores from July through September, and one will receive a donation of $250.
Whole Foods Market in Detroit
Whole Foods Market is dedicated to providing communities across the nation with fresh, healthy, natural and organic food. The company has been looking to open a store in Detroit for several years, an interest spurred by growth in urban farming, food artisans and local producers.
“The opening of the first Whole Foods Market in Detroit is a game changer for our city,” said Bing. “Not only does it offer central-city residents more choices and more convenience for grocery shopping, it also proves that Detroit is an attractive destination for national retailers. I appreciate the fact that the leaders of Whole Foods involved the entire community in the planning and execution of this development. This is a true community partnership, and we’re proud to welcome Whole Foods Market to Detroit.”
As part of its commitment to the Detroit community, Whole Foods Market is supporting Eastern Market’s renovation of Shed 5. Residents will be able to provide ongoing feedback regarding the store as well.
“We’ve worked toward this day for nearly five years. We’re inspired by what Detroiters are doing for this great city,” said Walter Robb, co-CEO of Whole Foods Market. “They are our partners, our neighbors, our team members, and our friends. We couldn’t be prouder or happier to be part of the mix.”
Inside the store
Whole Foods Market Detroit is designed with local elements.
“This store celebrates this city, its rich history and its talented, community-minded residents,” said Austin. “We’ve incorporated reclaimed wood and signs into the design and invited local artists to contribute murals. We want all our shoppers to feel at home – welcome 100 percent of the time – and we want them to understand how much it means to us to serve them with a store in Motown.”
Local design elements
The new store features décor elements, including:
· Wood booths and salvaged brick at the entrance from Reclaimed Detroit
· Tables made from old car and truck hoods
· Motown records adorning register lights
· Reclaimed factory windows in the Prepared Foods department
· Antique Detroit signs re-fabricated by local artist Richard Gage
· Tilework in the cheese department by local artisans Mercury Mosaics.
Shoppers will also find local art near the store’s Community Room; Detroit’s own Elysia Vandenbussche created a tile mural replica of the city of Detroit, which calls attention to community issues like access to affordable food.
The exterior of the store features four large murals by local artists Jerome Ferretti, Katherine Larson, Tylonn J. Sawyer and Mathew Sharum, who were selected from more than 100 entrants by a panel of 10 Detroiters.
Green design elements
Green store design elements include:
· 90 percent recycled structural steel · Energy efficient glass · Thermoplastic olefin white roof with high sustained reflectivity · Highly efficient refrigeration to reduce the store’s carbon footprint · LED lights in signage and frozen cases · SLOAN® low-flow sensors in faucets and toilets · Reclaimed produce bins · Recycled tile and glass throughout the store Product mix
Inside the store, shoppers will find high quality natural and organic items, including the company’s private label, 365 Everyday Value™. In addition, the store brings Detroit’s best local products to shoppers, including:
· Taste Love Cupcakes · Slow Jams · Great Lakes Coffee · Bhakati Chai Tea · Moon River Soap Company · Simply Suzanne Granola · Amy’s Kitchen · McClure’s Pickles · Bon-A-Rose Food · Ethel’s Edibles · Metropolitan Baking Company · Rumi’s Passion Gluten-Free Baker · Siblini Bakery · Al Dente Pasta Company · Ellis Island Tea · Red Pepper Deli · Ageless Pantry · Mama’s Sweet Side · Max’s Granola · Naturalicious Hair Care · Painexx Corporation · Westwind Milling · Teta Foods · Moomtaz Shea Butter Additional highlights include:
· Community Room – a public space for Detroiters to gather and dine. This will also be home to Healthy Eating workshops, chef demonstrations, children’s activities, and special events for the store.
· Full Service Smoothie Bar – near the entrance of the store, fresh-to-order smoothies available all day.
· Artisan Bakery – a wide selection of locally made Avalon International Breads, including hearth-baked breads, grab-and-go items, and bagged and sliced breads. This department will also feature Whole Foods Market brownies, cakes, fresh-baked pies, cookies, cupcakes and gluten-free, raw and vegan treats.
· Prepared Foods – a selection of foods hand-crafted by a team of in-house chefs. Specialties include a daily selection of soups, a salad bar, and an array of sandwiches and pizzas. The store’s commitment to offering healthy foods will also be featured with nutrient-rich items like quinoa, brown rice, and kale.
· Seafood – a seafood counter featuring a variety of fresh and frozen selections, as well as marinades, sauces, seasonings and herbs. The store will carry fresh Whitefish and Lake Trout from the Great Lakes as well. All wild-caught seafood sold at the store comes from fisheries certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council, or fisheries rated green or yellow by the Blue Ocean Institute. All farmed seafood meets the company’s leading aquaculture standards, which prohibit the use of antibiotics and establish guidelines for environmentally responsible fish farms.
· Meat – fresh counter with special offerings, including smoked meats, grab-and-go meats and house-made sausages. The store’s professional butchers can recommend the best cut for any budget, and will custom cut to order. The majority of the ground beef sold at the store is ground in-house, daily. Whole Foods Market’s quality standards for meat prohibit antibiotics or added growth hormones.* All beef, pork, chicken and turkey carried in the fresh and pre-packaged cases at all Whole Foods Market stores in the U.S., comes from farms that are rated according to Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step™ Animal Welfare Rating program.
· Beer and Wine – a large wine and beer selection featuring local and international offerings.
· Bulk Cooking Section – some 200 bulk food items, including grains, flours, nuts, spices, oils and vinegar. Additionally, this department offers a grind-your-own-nut-butter station, where customers can grind peanut or almond butters. To reduce packaging waste, customers are welcome to bring reusable containers.
· Whole Body – an extensive selection of mineral makeup and premium quality facial care products, organic apparel and sustainable accessories, best-selling books on health and diet, and healthy eating cookbooks, and a wide variety of supplements to support a healthy lifestyle.
· Store Tours – shopping tours tailored to special diets, such as gluten-free living, and store tours for parents, as well tours focused on budget-friendly shopping. Private tours can be arranged on request. · Health, Wellness and Food – Whole Foods Market is committed to sharing healthy eating education with shoppers and community members. Dr. Akua Woolbright, Whole Foods Market’s Health & Wellness Educator, will lead workshops meant to inspire and empower people to make the best dietary choices for their lifestyle.
· Community Giving Days – at least four times a year Whole Foods Market sets aside a day on which 5 percent of the day's profit is contributed to a local 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Opening day will establish the first 5 Percent Day recipient based on customer votes (COTS, SAFE or Gleaners). · Store Dining and Wi-Fi – free Wi-Fi and dining space inside and outside. · One Dime at a Time – when customers bring their own grocery bags, they have the option of receiving a 10-cent refund (per bag) or donating the money to a selected charity. The first nonprofit beneficiary will be decided on opening day (COTS, SAFE or Gleaners).
Store Information Whole Foods Market Detroit 115 Mack Avenue Detroit, MI 48201
Tel. (313) 576-5300
Hours: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Sun.
Store Team Leader: Larry Austin
Website: wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/detroit
Facebook: facebook.com/WholeFoodsDetroit
*Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in raising pork, poultry, goat, veal and bison.
ESQUIRE.COM: You're in Detroit right now?
CHRISTINA HENDRICKS: I am in Detroit, yeah.
ESQ: How long have you been out there?
CH: Gosh, it's been a couple weeks.
ESQ: How are you liking it? It can be a bit of culture shock.
CH: It really is. It's unlike any American city I've ever been in. And it's a bit shocking when you first get here, but then you just discover all these great little gems about the city. But the overall appearance when you first arrive is quite shocking.
ESQ: Any go-to spots?
CH: I think I might have had the best pizza I've ever had in my life the other day at Supino. It kind of blew my mind. This is a pretty bold statement 'cause I've had many pizzas in my day, but I think this is the best I've ever had. And my husband was like, "I think you're right. I think this is the best pizza." And he used to work at pizza places, so he's like Mr. Pizza. It was amazing.
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Beth Joy Swain, 28
Foran's Grand Trunk Pub Detroit
What do you think is the real, unedited bartenders' job description? The most important part of my job is to make sure that everyone's glasses stay full of a delicious local beer that they enjoy. And to talk a lot of shit. That helps, too.
Talk a lot of shit? Just give people a hard time. Crack jokes. It kind of feels like I have a bunch of guests in my living room. They're in my home, so I want to make sure everybody has a great time.
So your bar is in a pretty historic building. The foundation is actually pre-Civil War. It goes back a long time. The structure opened in 1879 as a jewelry store for Traub Brothers. Then, in 1905 it became the ticket station for the Grand Trunk Railroad. They put some amazing two-story-high vaulted ceilings. It looks like a church almost. It's beautiful. It became a bar in the '30s and it has been one ever since.
But why do people go there? We were the first bar in Michigan to go all Michigan draft. Michigan is in the top ten for microbreweries per capita in the country. There's a lot of great beer here. And for the food, too. We have what we call "gourmet pub grub." Everything is locally sourced and made from scratch in our kitchen. ...
And you have an "In Yo Face" burger. Oh my gosh, that burger is huge! It's got like two half-pound patties, sauerkraut, coleslaw, fried pickle, mozzarella stick, ham, corned beef, and three different kinds of cheese. My husband, Cokko, was challenged by our head chef to see if he could eat the whole burger in less than a half hour and he did it in about 25 minutes, so he got to name the burger "Cokko In Yo Face."
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Starting today, applications can be submitted for the 2013 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest. Entrepreneurs, new and experienced, are encouraged to submit their concepts for Detroit’s newest retail business at www.hatchdetroit.com.
The winning business pitch will receive a $50,000 grant courtesy of Comerica Bank and legal, marketing, accounting and IT support from Hatch Detroit.
“It’s amazing to watch these business plans evolve from mere ideas to brick and mortar retail shops around Detroit,” said Vittoria Katanski, Hatch Detroit executive director. “What’s even more exciting is that the contest has hatched more than just the two previous winners. Past contestants have been so inspired by the overwhelming community support during the competition, they’ve continued to move their business plans forward, turning their ideas into retail realities all over the city.”
Here’s a look back at some of the past contestants who have or are preparing to open up shop in Detroit:
2011 Contest
- Hugh, a male accessories shop concept, won the 2011 contest and has opened in Midtown.
- pot & box, a boutique flower shop, is currently operating a pop-up shop in D:Hive and plans to open a storefront in Corktown in the near future.
- Alley Wine recently received zoning approval from the City of Detroit and is moving forward at a Midtown location.
- Detroit Institute of Bagels is in construction mode at a location in Corktown.
2012 Contest
- La Feria, a Spanish tapas concept, the 2012 winner, is well on its way to opening this year in Midtown.
- Rock City Eatery, a locally- sourced artisan pie company, is in the process of opening a storefront in Hamtramck.
- Detroit River Sports, a river sporting company offering tours, lessons and rentals, has plans to open along the river this summer.
- Detroit Vegan Soul, a vegan soul food restaurant concept, plans to open in West Village this July.
- Pho da Nang, a traditional Vietnamese restaurant, is in the process of opening a storefront in Midtown.
“Comerica has a long history of supporting businesses in Detroit, from small to large, newcomers to century-old institutions,” said Mike Ritchie, president of Comerica Bank-Michigan. “Our hope is that investments like our grant to Hatch Detroit will continue to encourage others to explore new and creative ways to improve enterprise in the City of Detroit and across the region.”
This year, the contest submission period is limited to just six weeks and the application process now requires a supporting visual to better illustrate the business idea. For complete submission guidelines and contest rules, visit www.hatchdetroit.com. The deadline for submissions is July 13, 2013.
About Hatch Detroit
Hatch Detroit is a Michigan based 501(c)(3) organization that champions and supports independent retail businesses in Detroit through funding contests, education, exposure, and mentoring. Hatch Detroit was co-founded by Nick Gorga and Ted Balowski, Detroit natives who are passionate about the revitalization of the city and inspiring others in the community to create change.
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| WANT TO PLAY HORSE? Creative-economy firms like Lambert Edwards & Co. are finding downtown Detroit locations to be a powerful lure for young employees – and raw space that can be remodeled for 21st-century office amenities. (Courtesy photo) |
The Southeast Michigan office of Grand Rapids-based public relations firm Lambert Edwards & Co. had been located for years in a gleaming high-rise Troy tower, surrounded by a sea of asphalt parking lots and clogged highways.
“You couldn’t walk out your door to get a sandwich,” President Jeff Lambert said. “It was sort of an outmoded office environment.”
So earlier this year, Lambert relocated his office and the 15 people working there to what had been an abandoned retail storefront in a city many businesses once feared to tread—Detroit.
“There’s a business cheerleading section in downtown Detroit and we’re excited to get caught up in it,” he said.
Dozens of companies, many of them in creative industries such as advertising, architecture and design, are flocking to central-city Detroit in a surprising reversal of the mass exodus to the suburbs that took place during the past half century.
They say they are moving to Detroit to attract young workers who want to live and work in cities, and to attempt to revitalize a city that was abandoned by a previous generation of businesses.
Even Whole Foods, the upscale food retailer, is opening a new store next week in the Midtown section of what has long been one of the nation’s poorest, most crime-ridden cities.
“I’ve been here 16 years and this is the biggest burst of development in Detroit I’ve seen in that time frame,” said David Egner, executive director of the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan.
Egner’s group has raised $100 million from area foundations and is investing it in entrepreneurial ventures in the city and surrounding region.
While a reviving core city is generally seen as good economic news for the Southeast Michigan region, if not the entire state, there is little data on business formation occurring in Detroit.
And some say much of Detroit’s business growth is coming at the expense of the suburbs, amounting to a zero-sum game.
Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert, who gets much of the credit for breathing new life into downtown Detroit, moved his company and its 1,700 jobs from Livonia to Detroit in 2010.
Since then Quicken and its family of companies have moved more than 8,000 jobs to the city.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan last year transferred 3,000 workers from Southfield to the Renaissance Center in Detroit.
And advertising agency Campbell Ewald said in March it will move its headquarters from suburban Warren to a former J.L. Hudson Co. warehouse next to Ford Field in January. The move will shift 600 jobs from Warren to Detroit.
“I’m glad to see Detroit is back in business. I just wish it was recruiting businesses from out of state rather than the county next door,” said Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, who has long had a contentious relationship with the city.
“The suburbs are doing their part to help Detroit,” he quipped.
Even the threat of the financially troubled city filing for bankruptcy isn’t stopping business owners from investing in Detroit.
“I think I and many others in the business community have a tremendous ability to compartmentalize,” Lambert said. “We have to be optimistic to survive.”
By one measure, Detroit’s central business district appears to be prospering at the expense of the suburbs.
A report by real estate broker CBRE Inc. in Southfield said that 47,021 square feet of office space in Detroit’s central business district had been occupied in the first three months of this year.
But a net 29,760 square feet of space was vacated during the same period in the suburbs, according to the report.
Downtown Detroit’s office vacancy rate at the end of March was 23.3 percent, compared to 27.2 percent in the suburban market.
And the asking price for office space in downtown Detroit was $18.53 per square foot in March, $2.01 a square foot higher than in the suburbs.
“Tenants continue to have an urban preference as they look to appease a youthful workforce,” the CBRE report said. Still, the suburban office market, with 58.8 million square feet of space, is more than three times larger than Detroit’s 16.3 million square feet.
And demographic experts say there is no reliable data available on how many businesses are located in Detroit and how many have moved there in recent years.
The little employer data that is collected is held by the state and not shared with independent demographers and local officials, said Kurt Metzger, director of Data Driven Detroit.
Such data could help government officials and economic developers gain a better understanding of the dynamics of the city’s business activity.
“No one has put in the systems necessary to track the data that should be readily accessible,” Metzger said.
The Census Bureau’s economic census tracks the number of business establishments by locality. But the bureau won’t start releasing data from the census until the end of this year.
A report released in February by the Hudson-Webber Foundation offers a snapshot of what’s been happening the Detroit’s major business district in recent years.
The report says there has been $6 billion worth of real estate projects built in the greater downtown area since 2006. It also forecast that “creative companies” such as Campbell Ewald will add another 1,750 jobs by 2017.
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