To Larissa Carr, Detroiters have a different kind of hustle and grind no other city possesses.
Carr said local neighborhoods have found ways to revitalize themselves through beautification or foreclosure prevention, butCarr thinks residents can also see that hustle through entrepreneurship especially in the Grandmont Rosedale community.
Carr is manager of Grand River WorkPlace,19120 Grand River, a 24-hour per day office sharing location and pop-up retail space.
Grand River WorkPlace, through Grandmont Rosedale Development Corp., supervises and supports pop-up shops by offering low-rent space for six to eight months testing the store in the area with hope it will transition to its own building.
“We’re really trying to cultivate a community of small businesses where they feel embraced and connected,” said Carr, 26. “We’re here – Grand River WorkPlace and myself – along with Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation to make sure to help cultivate those small businesses in every stage from idea to brick-and-mortar.”
Since it began Carr said five pop-ups have come through Grand River WorkPlace. One success story was the first pop-up store Carr supervised.
Love Travels Imports specializes in fair-trade and handmade women’s accessories and gift items.
The store now located at 19452 Livernois.
Owner Yvette Jenkins worked with Grand River WorkPlace from October 2014 to May 2015 and from the venture she said residents started noticing her business, her customers increased and she developed a stronger relationship with the community.
“It was overall a positive experience,” said Jenkins. “I’m glad I participated. It was extremely helpful.”
But Carr said the businesses aren’t the only ones that benefit.
“The great thing about this space is not only are we connecting small businesses to each other, we’re also connecting neighbors,” added Carr. “About half of the businesses that work in this facility live in the neighborhood. So not only are they getting to know each other but they’re also getting to know some of their neighbors.”
In addition to giving pop-up stores their start, Grand River WorkPlace also offers programing for local businesses to improve their own ventures.
Upcoming business events at Grand River WorkPlace include:
BP 102: Marketing Essentials with Detroit SCORE
June 22: 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m
Grand River WorkPlace
19120 Grand River
Detroit, MI 48223
Click to register
Small Business Workshop Series: Managing Your Social Media
June 28; 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Grand River WorkPlace
19120 Grand River
Detroit, MI 48223
Click to register
One-on-One Mentoring with Detroit Score
Tuesdays; 10 a.m.
Grand River WorkPlace
19120 Grand River
Detroit, MI 48223
Click to register
For more information visit Grand River WorkPlace
Editor’s note: Jenkins is a graduate of TechTown’s Retail Boot Camp and was a pop-up winner in the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation’s Revolve Program.