By Lori Evelyn Allan
Third Thursdays on Livernois
It has been a year this May since the launch of the Livernois Community Storefront. The Storefront acted as a community hub to connect and engage locals. Since its launch, it has hosted community meetings, theatre events, an art studio, an old-fashioned soda house, and more. This year, the Detroit Collaborative Design Center takes the reins of the Storefront. Though the Storefront takes on many faces, it continues to connect the community.
“Third Thursday” began in April on Livernois Avenue. It was implemented to help support business and culture along the historic, “Avenue of Fashion.” On the third Thursday of every month, participating businesses are open until 9PM. Livernois will be lit up with art, shopping, food, entertainment— and thanks to ArtPlace, a renewed emphasis on arts and culture. Going forward, specific events and openings will be programmed around the monthly event.
Fire on the Ave
On April 1st, Terry’s Enchanted Garden, a popular floral shop on Livernois, caught fire. The business has been around for 34 years, and the building is now deemed a total loss. The fire has delayed redevelopment of neighboring Hunter’s Supper Club. Hunter’s is one of the signature projects that we have been working with to transform the Avenue of Fashion.
REVOLVE Guidebook Released
Guide to Detroit’s Retail Evolution made its debut at the beginning of April. It received hundreds of downloads and shares through various social media platforms. The REVOLVE Guidebook is a collection of resources to support Detroit’s Retail Evolution. Whether one is starting a business, installing a public art project, restoring a building or promoting a neighborhood, it is a one-stop shop for practical how-to information revitalizing Detroit’s neighborhood business districts.
It is designed for a broad audience of entrepreneurs, artists, community organizations, and building owners with the common goal of activating vacant space. It includes checklists, flow-charts, contact lists, permits and much more in easy-to-understand, ready-to-use formats. The goal is to provide information to help stakeholders work together and take action. We hope this serves as a tool to help build the field of creative placemaking.
Partnership with Charter One and Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation
REVOLVE announced, this month, a new partnership with Charter One through its “Growing Communities” initiative. The partnership is also in collaboration with the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation to bring two new pop-up spaces to Grand River Avenue in Detroit, MI. The call for entries is open to entrepreneurs looking to activate under-utilized space with art and retail.
Press
-- http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/popudetroit32514.aspx
-- http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/16/how-pop-up-stores-are-spurring-innovation-in-detroit/