Support small businesses this holiday season with Shop Detroit
DETROIT, Mich., November 13, 2015 – Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP) is proud to present the 12th annual Shop Detroit in partnership with American Express’ Small Business Saturday. Shop Detroit will take place Saturday, Nov. 28 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event encourages people to shop locally throughout the holiday season and beyond.
DDP’s Detroit Experience Factory (DXF), Build Institute and Downtown Detroit Business Improvement Zone (BIZ) are working together to offer information about local retailers, special discounts and giveaways as well as a free shuttle service with tour guides to retail options throughout Detroit. Partners of this event include Challenge Detroit, City of Detroit, the Office of the M-1 Rail and Live6.
The event is free, but RSVP is encouraged. Sign up at weknowdetroit.org/shop. Additionally, a free walking tour of downtown will be offered at 2 p.m. starting at the DXF Welcome Center, where attendees can learn about the great history, new developments and of course shopping options downtown.
“Each year as momentum grows, we are able to feature more small businesses and enhance what Shop Detroit is offering to downtown,” said Eric B. Larson, CEO of Downtown Detroit Partnership. “This year, we are excited to connect to Detroit neighborhoods helping people discover small businesses they might not have known existed, while exposing them to all the wonderful additions to downtown.”
Special for Shop Detroit Small Business Saturday, Build Bazaar, a rotating popup marketplace celebrating emerging entrepreneurs from the Build Institute, will feature an exciting and diverse array of local vendors selling products ranging from artisanal candles and soap to fresh baked goods and handcrafted jewelry in the atrium of One Campus Martius throughout the day. Vendors such as Detroit Bikes, Motor City Soap Company LLC, Sweet Potato Delights and Detroit Water Ice Factory will be participating and have products for purchase. This Build Bazaar is presented by Bedrock Real Estate Services and Meridian Health Plan.
DXF is also partnering with the fellowship program, Challenge Detroit to encourage both residents and visitors to use the hashtag #ShopDetroit. Throughout the holiday season, use the hashtag to share shopping experiences and continue to build awareness of the unique locally owned new and long-time businesses across the city. Gift certificates and prizes will be given away to selected participants who share comments and photos about their Detroit shopping experiences. In addition, people can visit Challenge Detroit on Facebook and Twitter, where Fellows have already begun visiting businesses throughout the city and sharing their stories online with the #ShopDetroit hashtag.
“This fall, we were honored to work with the Mayor’s Office on a project to build awareness for neighborhood small businesses,” said Shelley Danner, Challenge Detroit’s program director. “Launching #ShopDetroit with DXF and other partners is an integral next step to further that effort and engage the greater Detroit community.” Additional event listings for Small Business Saturday in Detroit including Shop Small Grandmont Rosedale, Us Too Detroit and more can be viewed on our website at: weknowdetroit.org/shop.