No Hudson's but Shopping is Back Downtown

[1detroit]

Hey all, I just spent time shopping Downtown at this new boutique Sassy Fashion Couture in Millender Center next to Renaissance Center and the Tim Hortons. I missed their Grand Opening Party. The Lady told me they had food and wine and dj and raffle giveaways. But she is a real sweet heart! She carry's my size and has a lot of clothes for young adults and told me she is also getting in super plus sizes [[very fashionable)! Her prices are to die for, so reasonable and she is always getting stuff in three times a week since she likes to have one of a kind items! She gave me a gift for her grand opening. I have girlfriends who stay inside the Millender Center apartments and they said she actually ordered special items for them and she let them put it on Layaway! You Go Girl! Let's support. I mean shopping opened for business on weekends, now that's what i'm talking about. I don't know her address but she is inside the Millender Center by the Chinese Restaurant and Credit Union, and Domongo's Salon. My new hangout!!

[BrushStart]

I saw this place, my girlfriend always comments on something she likes every time we walk by. Very trendy. It's only a matter of time before she buys something. I hope they do good in that location. It's nice to see some retail back in Millender Center.

[stasu1213]

I would say that shopping had really came to downtown when I could buy a pair of Levi's, Lees, or Dickies blue jeans, sneakers, Khakis, casual cotton polos or long sleeve shirts, and fruit of the looms or Hanes underwear. Don't forget a hardware store

[SWMAP]

I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but there was a store that carried skimpy stuff made in Malaysia or similar and catering to hot young things in the Penobscot Building for a brief moment. And another one full of bargain basement fashions lasted a couple of years on Congress. It mixed up the plus sizes into the mix but that is a poor mixture. The sweet young things don't like to shop with the old ladies. As for me: I shop online now because can't find Lauren, jones, J. Crew, Gap, Banana Republic here. When that stuff available downtown, then shopping will be back.

[laphoque]

Not right downtown but Natural Dry Goods on Trumbull @ Howard has that stuff. For hardware you could go to Busy Bee in Eastern Market or there's one on Second St.

Downtown I don't think will ever have those things. I think they're trying to be more boutique than utility belt.

There's some men's clothing boutiques right off broadway that are cool too. They're real small but they have some nice things.

[DetroitDad]

Most, if not all of these things can be found Downtown in the Broadway/Randolph area, except for the hardware store. However, when improved M-1 transit is a reality, those three neighborhoods will affectively be one area/neighborhood.

I would say that shopping had really came to downtown when I could buy a pair of Levi's, Lees, or Dickies blue jeans, sneakers, Khakis, casual cotton polos or long sleeve shirts, and fruit of the looms or Hanes underwear. Don't forget a hardware store

[erikd]

Most, if not all of these things can be found Downtown in the Broadway/Randolph area, except for the hardware store. However, when improved M-1 transit is a reality, those three neighborhoods will affectively be one area/neighborhood.

The hardware store is at Gratiot and Russell. It takes me a little under 10 minutes to walk there from my loft in Harmonie Park.

[DetroitDad]

The hardware store is at Gratiot and Russell. It takes me a little under 10 minutes to walk there from my loft in Harmonie Park.

Excellent! I also found a place that sells my vacuum bags. Advertising in Detroit is so strange, it's almost completely based on word of mouth and blogs. Occasionally you will see a bill board or a television ad, but not often.

It isn't that Detroit doesn't have retail, it's that the retail isn't being marketed properly. When these businesses fail, it will be to all our detriment, because there are so many. It makes it look like Detroit can't sustain those businesses.

Actually, it can't.... the help and infrastructure for entrepreneurs isn't here in the scale needed. Although, I have seen it improving in just the past six or seven years that I have been attempting to get ideas off the ground.

[erikd]

Excellent! I also found a place that sells my vacuum bags. Advertising in Detroit is so strange, it's almost completely based on word of mouth and blogs. Occasionally you will see a bill board or a television ad, but not often.

It isn't that Detroit doesn't have retail, it's that the retail isn't being marketed properly. When these businesses fail, it will be to all our detriment, because there are so many. It makes it look like Detroit can't sustain those businesses.

Actually, it can't.... the help and infrastructure for entrepreneurs isn't here in the scale needed. Although, I have seen it improving in just the past six or seven years that I have been attempting to get ideas off the ground.

I wouldn't necessarily say that Detroit retail isn't being marketed properly. Most Detroit retail is independent mom-and-pop type stores that simply can't afford TV commercials, billboards, and major marketing campaigns. They rely on word of mouth and local support because they can't compete with the tens of millions that the national chains spend on mass media marketing.

The inner cities of America are the last hope for independent retailers in our country, because the large national chain, big-box superstores have destroyed most of the independent retailers in the suburbs and rural areas.

The racist suburban mindset of the national mega-chains has made them avoid our inner cities, and it gives us an alternative to their goal of market control and consumer subjugation.

If Kroger and Wal-Mart didn't avoid Detroit because we are too black and/or too poor, they would have put Eastern Market and Honeybee out of business years ago. I am very happy that Wal-Mart refused to build a store on the Tiger Stadium site because it was too small for them.

Fuck Wal-Mart, Kroger, and the other big-box mega chains. I don't want them in my neighborhood. I don't want them to destroy 4 or 6 blocks of the downtown area for a hideous warehouse store with acres of parking. I moved to downtown Detroit to get away from that awful blight. I want to shop at small local independent grocers and retailers, not some blood sucking mega-chain that would do anything to show a short term profit of an extra nickel per share to appease their greedy Wall Street investors.

[DetroitDad]

Hey, I'm with you. I'm talking about basic promotion; putting out a sign or passing out flyers.

[erikd]

Hey, I'm with you. I'm talking about basic promotion; putting out a sign or passing out flyers.

I know that we are basically on the same page here, but I don't think that my local grocers and retailers are really failing on signage or promotion. If you go past University Foods, Food Pride, Busy Bee, etc, you will see the signage and know what it is. The only problem is the people who expect every grocery store or hardware store to be some mega-chain like Wal Mart or Lowes. The local independent stores rely on word of mouth promotion and support from the community.

[stasu1213]

Not right downtown but Natural Dry Goods on Trumbull @ Howard has that stuff. For hardware you could go to Busy Bee in Eastern Market or there's one on Second St.

Downtown I don't think will ever have those things. I think they're trying to be more boutique than utility belt.

There's some men's clothing boutiques right off broadway that are cool too. They're real small but they have some nice things.

Detroiters should have a mindset of a tourist. If I just flew into town and is staying at the Westin Book Cadillac, Best Western, Greektown Hotel, or the others in the surrounding area, I want to walk to a place nearby in the downtown area on woodward, Broadway, Washington Blvd, or nearby streets for CASUAL CLOTHING. I don't want to walk through deserted areas to the dry goods store which is on Trumbull to buy it. I wouldn't know where I am going. Harmomy Park is nowhere from Russell and Gratioit. It is quite a way if you are staying on Washington Blvd. You don't need a big box store to sell these items.

[stasu1213]

Most, if not all of these things can be found Downtown in the Broadway/Randolph area, except for the hardware store. However, when improved M-1 transit is a reality, those three neighborhoods will affectively be one area/neighborhood.

There aren't any clothing boutiques that sell jeans, khakis, or casual clothing on Broadway and Randolph. The stores in that area only sell funky boutique like clothing. A person would have to leave downtown just to buy a pair of underwear. I am not a business saavy person. I would open up a booth inside the Kresge building or somewhere in one of the older building in Detroit and sell nothing but underwear, socks, and items as the such

[stasu1213]

I know that we are basically on the same page here, but I don't think that my local grocers and retailers are really failing on signage or promotion. If you go past University Foods, Food Pride, Busy Bee, etc, you will see the signage and know what it is. The only problem is the people who expect every grocery store or hardware store to be some mega-chain like Wal Mart or Lowes. The local independent stores rely on word of mouth promotion and support from the community.

They probably go by word of mouth hoping that the word would get out without those shop spending money on flyers or electronic advertisements. There is a boutique named "The Black Dress" in the midtown area on Canfield off of Woodward. The owner was wondering why business is real slow and no one seem to know she exists. I had told her to put a 2 to 4ft sidewalk billboard on the corner of Woodward and Canfield with an arrow pointing to where your store is at. People will come to your place of business.

[laphoque]

Detroiters should have a mindset of a tourist. If I just flew into town and is staying at the Westin Book Cadillac, Best Western, Greektown Hotel, or the others in the surrounding area, I want to walk to a place nearby in the downtown area on woodward, Broadway, Washington Blvd, or nearby streets for CASUAL CLOTHING. I don't want to walk through deserted areas to the dry goods store which is on Trumbull to buy it. I wouldn't know where I am going. Harmomy Park is nowhere from Russell and Gratioit. It is quite a way if you are staying on Washington Blvd. You don't need a big box store to sell these items.

Dry Goods is only a mile from Campus Martius, and the buildings along Fort St or Lafayette are pretty well kept up. If you are a tourist I'd suggest you contemplate the effects of sprawl made possible by the industries of the city. Look at the grandeur of the buildings made when Detroit was expanding within the city limits. Fort St & LaFayette are not deserted during business hours. If you take Lafayette St you could stop at John K. King's book store too. Heaven in the city. There's even new construction on LaFayette. Albeit some kind of MDot building but hey.

I'd also like to point out that one reason the train station was built at 14th St instead of the central business district was because they expected downtown to extend to it. And I'd consider Corktown to be part of Downtown—at least as much as LaFayette Park is.

[stasu1213]

There is walkability from Downtown to Lafayette Park, where however another dry goods store should open in the lafayette/orleans strip mall, which has businesses and stores along the route. You know your city and you know that there is a dry goods place on trumbull to buy some underwear but a tourist would want something not too far from where he/she is residing. Detroit at that time had more smaller shops that had lined the streets to promotes walkability. You don't need a box store around the immediate downtown area to sell these items. I am still waiting on someone to tell me what store on Broadway that sell casual unfunky clothing

[erikd]

Detroiters should have a mindset of a tourist. If I just flew into town and is staying at the Westin Book Cadillac, Best Western, Greektown Hotel, or the others in the surrounding area, I want to walk to a place nearby in the downtown area on woodward, Broadway, Washington Blvd, or nearby streets for CASUAL CLOTHING. I don't want to walk through deserted areas to the dry goods store which is on Trumbull to buy it. I wouldn't know where I am going. Harmomy Park is nowhere from Russell and Gratioit. It is quite a way if you are staying on Washington Blvd. You don't need a big box store to sell these items.

If you are a tourist staying downtown, you don't have to go to National Dry Goods for socks and underwear. You can buy that stuff at Jos A Bank in the RenCen. It might cost a little more than National Dry Goods, but I would assume that you didn't fly to Detroit to stock up on cheap boxer shorts. I would also assume that a tourist would not need to go to the hardware store while visiting Detroit. Perhaps I am underestimating the need for tourists to conveniently purchase bolts and plumbing supplies, but I tend to think that tourists would be more interested in our theaters, museums, casinos, restaurants and bars.

[erikd]

There aren't any clothing boutiques that sell jeans, khakis, or casual clothing on Broadway and Randolph. The stores in that area only sell funky boutique like clothing. A person would have to leave downtown just to buy a pair of underwear. I am not a business saavy person. I would open up a booth inside the Kresge building or somewhere in one of the older building in Detroit and sell nothing but underwear, socks, and items as the such

BTW, what is the deal with your obsession to buy underwear in downtown Detroit? I promise that you can conveniently buy underwear here. I have the boxers to prove it.

[stasu1213]

BTW, what is the deal with your obsession to buy underwear in downtown Detroit? I promise that you can conveniently buy underwear here. I have the boxers to prove it.

I was just saying that Detroit does not have the basics downtown. Underwear is just one of them along with items such as a nice pair of AFFORDABLE CASUAL WEAR that many Detroiters and visitors alike are forced to go to the suburbs to buy. National Dry Goods are limited to clothing such as Dickies jeans and some other itemes. I had been there before. One of their stores should be in the easter market area at least. Many visitors were looking for a place where they could purchase a camera downtown during the superbowl here. It was a Saturday. The camera shop in the Penobscot was closed. He had said that he felt that he wasn't going to make much money opening that weekend or any other. The hardware store would be for residents living downtown. Busy Bees closes at 5pm which is a time when many people are getting off work. An Ace Hardware would be a great idea somewhere near downtown.

[DetroitPole]

I was just saying that Detroit does not have the basics downtown. Underwear is just one of them along with items such as a nice pair of AFFORDABLE CASUAL WEAR that many Detroiters and visitors alike are forced to go to the suburbs to buy. National Dry Goods are limited to clothing such as Dickies jeans and some other itemes. I had been there before. One of their stores should be in the easter market area at least. Many visitors were looking for a place where they could purchase a camera downtown during the superbowl here. It was a Saturday. The camera shop in the Penobscot was closed. He had said that he felt that he wasn't going to make much money opening that weekend or any other. The hardware store would be for residents living downtown. Busy Bees closes at 5pm which is a time when many people are getting off work. An Ace Hardware would be a great idea somewhere near downtown.

There is an Ace Hardware "somewhere near downtown" it is Brooks Lumber Ace pm Trumbull. Now WHY would it be "a great idea" for a hardware store to open in the CBD when there are at least 3 good quality independent hardware stores [[Det Hardware, Ace, and Busy Bee) within a mile of downtown? The couple thousand [[not enough to support a store of any size by themselves alone, as you propose) people who live in the CBD are generally not putting decks on their dwellings or inground swimming pools. Someone should open another hardware store so apartment dwellers can buy picture frame hangers and tourists can buy....!?!?

I'm also not quite sure why National Dry Good should open a franchise in "eastern market at least." So the suburban moms on flower day can stock up on dickies?

What we really need is a Cheesecake factory. Open 24 hours. In the GAR Building. No exceptions.

[casscorridor]

Chain retailers are now looking at urban areas as the next round of expansion. I for one actually look forward to when chain retailers are located in the city of Detroit, and not just in the suburbs. People will drive to get to the stores in the suburbs, even if there are good independent retailers within the city. Many major cities already have these options, Detroit does not.

[stasu1213]

Chain retailers are now looking at urban areas as the next round of expansion. I for one actually look forward to when chain retailers are located in the city of Detroit, and not just in the suburbs. People will drive to get to the stores in the suburbs, even if there are good independent retailers within the city. Many major cities already have these options, Detroit does not.

Midtown area would be perfect for some of these chain retailers to congregate. I could see "The Gap" somewhere near the corner of Woodward and Warren for the young college students and professors to shop at.

[stasu1213]

There is an Ace Hardware "somewhere near downtown" it is Brooks Lumber Ace pm Trumbull. Now WHY would it be "a great idea" for a hardware store to open in the CBD when there are at least 3 good quality independent hardware stores [[Det Hardware, Ace, and Busy Bee) within a mile of downtown? The couple thousand [[not enough to support a store of any size by themselves alone, as you propose) people who live in the CBD are generally not putting decks on their dwellings or inground swimming pools. Someone should open another hardware store so apartment dwellers can buy picture frame hangers and tourists can buy....!?!?

I'm also not quite sure why National Dry Good should open a franchise in "eastern market at least." So the suburban moms on flower day can stock up on dickies?

What we really need is a Cheesecake factory. Open 24 hours. In the GAR Building. No exceptions.

Chessecake factory should be in the greektown area

[stasu1213]

There is an Ace Hardware "somewhere near downtown" it is Brooks Lumber Ace pm Trumbull. Now WHY would it be "a great idea" for a hardware store to open in the CBD when there are at least 3 good quality independent hardware stores [[Det Hardware, Ace, and Busy Bee) within a mile of downtown? The couple thousand [[not enough to support a store of any size by themselves alone, as you propose) people who live in the CBD are generally not putting decks on their dwellings or inground swimming pools. Someone should open another hardware store so apartment dwellers can buy picture frame hangers and tourists can buy....!?!?

I'm also not quite sure why National Dry Good should open a franchise in "eastern market at least." So the suburban moms on flower day can stock up on dickies?

What we really need is a Cheesecake factory. Open 24 hours. In the GAR Building. No exceptions.

There is a Cheap Charlies in the eastern market area who sells dry goods but only used jeans. He is doing ok. Eastern Market is an area where many things are sold. I could see a dry goods type of business that sells work clothes and JEANS in that area.

[stasu1213]

Detroit planners should take there lessons from the surrounding suburbs. The suburbs retail district has rows of stores and shops and an occastional hardware store next to each other which stimulates walkability without the shopper/walker having to walk through an deserted area such as a freeway overpass that is on Lafayette going up to the drygoods place and Gratiot going up to BusyBee.I am not disclaiming Busy Bee. It is a good hardware store which should be accompanied by other small businesses along that Gratiot Russell corridor. Hell; I liquor store is going to open up in merchants row so Detroit could profit off money from the liquor tax. Why not a dry good, hardware, or any other common needs store in the area. They doesn't have to be on merchants row. You have Griswold, Library, Grand River, Cass, or any other streets that are in the area of Woodward.