'Showcase Collectibles' on Cass Being Displaced

[Honky Tonk]

So you are under the mistaken impression that if he charged $550 a month in rent, that he was clearing $550 a month in profit from this tenant? You do know he had to pay property taxes out of that money, right? And maintenance/upkeep costs?

After expenses, the landlord was making peanuts on that property. Loyalty is great, but it seems many here expect it to be one-directional. The landlord has bills to pay too. He's got to make a living just like the tenant. Maybe he's got kids in college that he's go to pay tuition for. You don't know.

No, but you seem to. Do you have a copy of the agreement between them? Since they were taking advantage of your poor slumlord. Maybe THEY paid the upkeep, the heat, the water, the alarm system, repairs? What does it say it the Agreement? Better yet, why not post it so we can all discuss it, since you seem privy to the inner workings of it? "You do know he had to pay property taxes out of that money, right?" Are you serious even asking me that, or do you just want to hear yourself post? How much "Property Tax" was this guy paying? Before or after he had his assessment lowered? Take a look. It should be right there in the agreement.

[professorscott]

This entire discussion, to me, is kind of silly. Two things happened:

1. Somebody who owned a building has sold it to somebody else. Nothing unusual here.

2. A new owner of a building decided to do something with it, different from the former owner, so did not renew leases as they came up. Nothing unusual here.

Certainly, in that situation, the tenant has to find a new place [[or not), but there's nothing unusual to this. And all the talk of "loyalty" is inane; the new owner has no prior business dealings with the tenant [[that we know of) so there's no basis for any loyalty.

This happened in downtown Royal Oak on a large scale fifteen or twenty years ago. Just as another example. A lot of the hip boutiques were priced out as the rents went up, and the character of the neighborhood changed. In a healthy city that kind of thing happens everywhere, all the time. The hip boutiques will always find a new, inexpensive place to hang hipness on, and bigger-money uses of property will always be pricing out smaller-money uses. Everywhere, all the time. That it happens in one specific instance ought not to be even worthy of remark.

[Danny]

Gentrification is not an ugly word...

Gentrification is an ugly word for poor displaced folks.

[Wesley Mouch]

Gentrification is an ugly word for poor displaced folks.

Gentrification is a bad word.
Renovated good.

Whole Foods good.
DMC good.
Residents displaced when it was built bad.

Black entrepreneurs who bought property getting more rent good
Speculators from China buying property bad

We have a lot of reconciliation to do.

[DetroitPlanner]

Gentrification is a bad word.
Renovated good.

Whole Foods good.
DMC good.
Residents displaced when it was built bad.

Black entrepreneurs who bought property getting more rent good
Speculators from China buying property bad

We have a lot of reconciliation to do.

Reminds me of this article/issue:
http://thegrio.com/2014/02/04/trader...od-store-plan/

[Jason]

So what, it means they move to a new place. They should be lucky that they had such dirt cheap rent for so long. And while gentrification means that they have to move and pay more rent, it also means that there's more interest and customers in what they're doing and more opportunity to make money. These kinds of things happen in business. It's unfortunate that they have to go through the hassle of moving and close the business in the meantime, but these things happen every few decades.

The only thing is I think the sudden 30 day notice is a little low, although the article said "formal" notice, so they may have been informally told about the plans beforehand.

[Wesley Mouch]

Reminds me of this article/issue:
http://thegrio.com/2014/02/04/trader...od-store-plan/

That's a great article. How amazing that Trader Joes just pulled out. You don't want us, we're OK with that. Unusual.

These days, everyone says "we listened to the community and they told us...". I find this 'listening' arrogant and usually indicative of someone who has already made up their minds and is simply laundering their decision. Good for Trader Joes. I suggest everyone read DetroitPlanner's post/link.

Redevelopment issues are not just Detroit. And not just urban/poor/black/white issues. They affect everyone. Cities as well as vacation communities. Balancing the competing needs of existing residents as they grow with the needs of outsiders. Hard.

[ABetterDetroit]

Uhh... we are not really going to compare Portland Oregon's problems to Detroit Michigans are we? I can't think of two cities more diffrent. One has a murder rate of 3.9 per 100000 to .... Well the other a human tradgety of epic proportions. Another has 100 some square miles of low income housing the other very little. Detroit could use some of their problems, they would faint if they had ours. This comparison would only go on like this for hours....

[NickCharles]

Uhh... we are not really going to compare Portland Oregon's problems to Detroit Michigans are we? I can't think of two cities more diffrent. One has a murder rate of 3.9 per 100000 to .... Well the other a human tradgety of epic proportions. Another has 100 some square miles of low income housing the other very little. Detroit could use some of their problems, they would faint if they had ours. This comparison would only go on like this for hours....

"Uhh..."
Are you admitting that, after keeping up with this thread and then reading that article, you concluded that the point of the link was to compare the two cities?

[ABetterDetroit]

"Uhh..."
Are you admitting that, after keeping up with this thread and then reading that article, you concluded that the point of the link was to compare the two cities?

Yes, I am admitting that a article about about a community that organized a resistance to more high rent devolopment in one of the very wealthiest midsized cities in the US is completely irrelevant to the rising rent of a retail establishment in the largest city in US history ever to go bankrupt due to plummeting tax revenues for decades.

[Django]

This entire discussion, to me, is kind of silly. Two things happened:

1. Somebody who owned a building has sold it to somebody else. Nothing unusual here.

2. A new owner of a building decided to do something with it, different from the former owner, so did not renew leases as they came up. Nothing unusual here.

Certainly, in that situation, the tenant has to find a new place [[or not), but there's nothing unusual to this. And all the talk of "loyalty" is inane; the new owner has no prior business dealings with the tenant [[that we know of) so there's no basis for any loyalty.

This happened in downtown Royal Oak on a large scale fifteen or twenty years ago. Just as another example. A lot of the hip boutiques were priced out as the rents went up, and the character of the neighborhood changed. In a healthy city that kind of thing happens everywhere, all the time. The hip boutiques will always find a new, inexpensive place to hang hipness on, and bigger-money uses of property will always be pricing out smaller-money uses. Everywhere, all the time. That it happens in one specific instance ought not to be even worthy of remark.

I have to agree. I love these guys an gals at Showcase and the store itself. I hate to see it go but Rochester seems to have it locked in. I have not read this entire thread but 30 days seems pretty slim, that seems weird.

Ill miss strolling in, playing with the dogs, havin a smoke with whoevers there and looking to see if they have anything new.

[MSUguy]

A new tenant for the space has been found:

Craft beer specialty shop expanding with Detroit location
No, we are not talking about HopCat Detroit, but that is happening too.

8 Degrees Plato Beer Company is opening a second craft beer and specialty food location in Detroit’s Midtown neighborhood, specifically 3409 Cass Ave.
Owners Tim Costello and Brigid Beaubien currently run an 8 Degrees Plato location in Ferndale, and say they're expanding city-side because of their love for Detroit.



http://www.mlive.com/business/detroi...shop_expa.html

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

[QUOTE=Zacha341;423045]From article:

The building that housed Showcase Collectible, a vintage and curio shop, was bought by someone who vows to return the 8,000-plus-square-foot building to its glory.

Looking at the building from G-street view...I'm having a hard time imaging its former glory behind the pink fiberboard, it just seems like your average run of the mill early 20th century store front building. No famous architect, no unique stonework facade...makes you wonder what this "someone" as referred to in the article is selling?

[Danny]

That building at once Chinatown area. Oh Well. Those private greed spoiled private developers want to turn Crackhead Corridor to their personal gentrified Disneyland then go right ahead. Let's see what they get at the end.

Is gentrification of Detroit great or what!

Tell the owner of Showcase Collectibles they lease a corner store where Marwils used to be on Cass Ave. and W. Warren Ave. They more welcome to join progress in Wayne State University Campus.

[Danny]

A new tenant for the space has been found:

Craft beer specialty shop expanding with Detroit location
No, we are not talking about HopCat Detroit, but that is happening too.

8 Degrees Plato Beer Company is opening a second craft beer and specialty food location in Detroit’s Midtown neighborhood, specifically 3409 Cass Ave.
Owners Tim Costello and Brigid Beaubien currently run an 8 Degrees Plato location in Ferndale, and say they're expanding city-side because of their love for Detroit.



http://www.mlive.com/business/detroi...shop_expa.html

So that's what Showcase Collectables being replaced? A fancy beer bar! in the middle of Crackhead Corridor. Good luck with that!

[Django]

One early summer my Chow Farnsworth [[RIP) really needd a cut, Pat traded me a small welding job on the gate of his house for a trim to Farns. He was a one happy puppy. Heres some pics I took before they closed. Sorry I didnt get everyone.

[Honky Tonk]

One early summer my Chow Farnsworth [[RIP) really needd a cut, Pat traded me a small welding job on the gate of his house for a trim to Farns. He was a one happy puppy. Heres some pics I took before they closed. Sorry I didnt get everyone.

Geez, What a freakin' shame. Do you know if Rusty is still around?

[Chungs]

Long before it was the Showcase Collectibles, my great-grandfather ran a Chinese goods store in that storefront. They sold canned Chinese goods, supplies and medicine. My grandfather used to make Chinese roast pork in the back. It's sad to see the store go, but I guess change is a part of life.

[Honky Tonk]

Long before it was the Showcase Collectibles, my great-grandfather ran a Chinese goods store in that storefront. They sold canned Chinese goods, supplies and medicine. My grandfather used to make Chinese roast pork in the back. It's sad to see the store go, but I guess change is a part of life.

"the only thing constant is change"

[rjlj]

Awesome to hear. Thanks for posting about the store space history. Everything evolves but it is great to hear the history.

Long before it was the Showcase Collectibles, my great-grandfather ran a Chinese goods store in that storefront. They sold canned Chinese goods, supplies and medicine. My grandfather used to make Chinese roast pork in the back. It's sad to see the store go, but I guess change is a part of life.