Program Awardees

Irby Enterprises Company D.B.A. Balance & Flow Yoga Studio
$25,000 Grant

Council District: 7
Location: 18728 West Warren
Neighborhood (District): Warrendale

Description: Balance & Flow Yoga Studio understands that yoga and meditation classes can benefit the community. In addition to these classes, they offer a wide variety of health and wellness products and services to ensure the whole person (mind, body, and soul) can be supported in a sacred space.

Existing business opening in its first brick and mortar location

A + Fabrics LLC
$35,000 Grant

Council District: 4
Location: 15627 Harper
Neighborhood (District): Outer Drive-Hayes

Description: The Eastside’s oldest and only furniture upholstery shop is expanding into a retail space adjacent to their current service and wholesale space. The shop will allow Detroiters to buy custom fabrics and materials as well as purchase refinished furniture.

New business

Boarding House Hospitality – Adelaide’s Superette
$40,000 Grant

Council District: 3
Location: 13880 Joseph Campau
Neighborhood (District): North Campau
Description: Adelaide’s Boarding House Hospitality’s initial project is a re-imagined general store hosting events like live music, community meetings, and a bodega where guests can grab local beers, sommelier-chosen wines, Detroit- and Michigan-made groceries and produce, and gifts. There is also a kitchen which offers breakfast tacos, sandwiches, snacks and coffee.

New business

Our Gathering Place
$40,000 Grant

Council District: 1
Location: 20011 Grand River
Neighborhood (District): Miller Grove

Description: Our Gathering Place is an innovative cafe/community center. The business is equipped with local job training/ mentorship, safe social event meeting, and high-speed internet access needs. Our Gathering Place takes pride in serving custom-blended espresso coffees, soups, salads, and sandwiches to diverse youth and older adults among low-moderate incomes. Finally, community organization networking will assist in locating quality products.

New business

The Red Hook, New Center LLC. DBA The Red Hook Midtown
$45,000 Grant

Council District: 6
Location: 3695 Woodward
Neighborhood (District): Midtown

Description: The Red Hook Midtown will be the third location in Detroit for this longstanding coffeeshop and cafe. The operation will take over the former Great Lakes space on Woodward. Red Hook serves coffee and fresh pastries in the morning and wine and beer in the afternoon. The cafe will have plenty of seating for customers, with the potential for small private events.

Existing business opening its first brick & mortar

The Wildemere LLC
$50,000 Grant

Council District: 2
Location: 3143 West McNichols
Neighborhood (District): Martin Park

Description: The Wildemere is a traditional Bar and grill located in one of Detroit’s premiere neighborhoods, the historic University District. The Wildemere will fuse classic cocktails with funky contemporary mixology to cater to the fusion of diversity of taste and style present in the neighborhood paired with good food and entertainment.

New business

Channel One Productions, LLC
$50,000 Grant

Council District: 5
Location: 444 Meldrum
Neighborhood (District): Islandview

Description: Channel One Event Venue offers a unique warehouse-style venue available to rent for any special occasion. The space has a capacity to host 109 guests along with an outdoor courtyard for 200 guests. Channel One provides tables, chairs, linen, full room drapping, projection screen, staging, uplighting and a prep area. Located a block off E Jefferson near Belle Isle, in the shadow of Downtown Detroit, Channel One offers a convenient location to serve Detroiters.

Existing business opening its first brick & mortar

Youthnique, LLC
$50,000 Grant

Location: 19456 Livernois
Neighborhood (District): University District
District: 2

Description: YouthNique Business Consulting Firm is a cutting-edge company that is seeking to turn its current small business consulting firm into an Innovative, Fun, StartUP Center where dreams and visions are turned into reality. With a core staff of experienced strategists and a team approach to most projects, YouthNique’s foundation is set upon hands-on services and guiding clients through each chronological step in starting, building, implementing, and evaluating a nonprofit or business.

Existing business opening its first brick & mortar

Hope for Flowers L3C
$55,000 Grant

Council District: 5
Location: 119 Garfield
Neighborhood (District): Midtown

Description: Hope for Flowers sustainably designs women’s clothing and supports Detroit’s artisan ecosystem by training and employing local artisans, and offering free art classes and workshops to neighborhood children and adults. The enterprise reflects Tracy Reese’s deep commitment to her hometown of Detroit and its continued revitalization. Opening in the Freelon Development, Hope for Flowers will be ideally located to serve Detroit’s vibrant community of makers.

Existing business opening its first brick & mortar

Natural-ish, LLC
$65,000 Grant

Council District: 2
Location: 6375 West 7 Mile
Neighborhood (District): University District

Description: Naturalish is expanding to an all in one natural beauty supply store mixed with a natural hair salon that specializes in promoting healthier hair growth with all the proper products, supplies, and tools available for purchase. Located in the B. Siegel development, Naturalish will build on the already vibrant community of retail and personal care businesses flourishing on Detroit’s Avenue of Fashion.

New business

T&T Sip-n-Read LLC
$65,000 Grant

Council District: 6
Location: 1620 Michigan Avenue
Neighborhood (District): Corktown

Description: Sip-n- Read is a new, independent bookstore focused on staff-selected book selections. Sip-n- Read offers a book club, author events, and special offers for targeted customer groups. Customers can sit and read and enjoy a cup of coffee, wine, or food. We will also host wine and coffee tastings.

Existing business opening in its first brick & mortar

Detroit Future Ops LLC
$65,000

Council District: 6
Location: 326 18th Street
Neighborhood (District): Corktown

Description: Detroit Future Ops was created to respond to the barriers that local contractors experience in scaling. Over the last four years DFO has worked with the community and local stakeholders to build an equitable development model. From the space, DFO will facilitate workshops on navigating construction, design-build, estimating, project management, contracts, site plans, timelines, zoning, codes, adaptable use, placemaking, social design, and GSI feasibility concepts.

Existing business opening in its first brick & mortar

House of African Prints LLC
$70,000

Council District: 2
Location: 15101 Livernois
Neighborhood (District): Chalfonte

Description: Houses of African prints is a space where customers have their own artistic input in the creating an outfit incorporating traditional Ghanaian beads and fabric directly sourced and made in Ghana.of choice with fabrics and accessories. Owner Nawal Denard will use the shop to provide affordable, high quality, modern, chic pieces while empowering Detroiters through showcasing designers and entrepreneurs.

Existing business opening in its first brick & mortar

Al-Ahmed Halal Processing LLC
$75,000

Council District: 1
Location: 19055 West Davison
Neighborhood (District): Schoolcraft Southfield

Description: Al-Ahmed Halal Processing LLC will be a federally inspected and USDA approved halal-meat processing operation. Al-Ahmed will sell directly to the consumers as well as offering halal processed beef, lamb, and goat to wholesale accounts. The business will transform a warehouse space into a community serving retail operation while creating jobs for Detroiters.

New business

Dream Estates LLC
$75,000

Council District: 2
Location: 16000 Pembroke
Neighborhood (District): Greenfield

Description: Owner Melvie Bekrey and her team will convert a former convent into and assisted living and adult daycare facility. Dream Estates will provide continuous personal care, exercise and physical rehab, arts and crafts, and an on-site pharmacy that has the capacity to serve up to 30 Detroit seniors at a time. Additionally, the facility will create up to 10 jobs.

New business

Canfield Consortium
$75,000

Council District: 4
Location: 10545 E. Canfield
Neighborhood (District): East Canfield

Description: Canfield Cafe Coffeehouse will create a place designed for customers to socialize with each other in a comfortable and relaxing environment while enjoying premium coffee and dessert offerings. Canfield Cafe Coffeehouse is a project of the Canfield Consortium, a neighborhood organization serving the East Canfield Village for nearly a decade. The cafe will offer neighborhood residents a great ambiance, convenient location, friendly customer service and high quality coffee.

New business

Neighborhood Grocery LLC
$85,000

Council District: 4
Location: 500 Manistique
Neighborhood (District): Jefferson Chalmers

Description: Neighborhood Grocery is a community-owned grocery store concept that will be located in Detroit. By leveraging technology, and the Michigan Mile Act, Neighborhood Grocery will partner with community residents to develop modern, small format food stores in underserved areas in Detroit. Not only will NG partners share store profits, but they will also have some input on store development and operations.

Existing business opening its first brick & mortar