Part of the less than friendly attitude toward smaller businesses in Detroit comes from the xenophobic attitude that city and church leaders have promoted over the decades. "Them" has often been white code for blacks. But in Detroit, "them" often means any business owner that looks like an outsider. I once worked with the city with licenses and permits. Businesses could be owned by Detroiters, but it doesn't seem like a priority, unless it's a church.