Hey friends and happy Tuesday. Jer here.
The other day when I was doing our annual "let's figure out what the heck we're kinda doing in 2025" meeting with our podcast producer Shianne, we decided to head east to Decent Detroit.
Recently opened on Kercheval just inside the city border of Alter Road, the coffee shop has added new energy to a building from the 1920s.
Proprietor Leo Oloffson has clearly poured a lot into the space. Not just time, but following the shop's Instagram over the last few months, the transformation has been great.
The lattes and pastries we had were solid, and the vibes were chill and welcoming. I personally appreciate that the seating isn't the standard set that seems to come with every coffee shop nowadays, and the lighting fixtures fit the space well.
This place has a personality. In this age where 75% of coffeeshops look exactly the same, that's a huge plus.
I also appreciate subtle details of the building, such as the floor design which seems like it came with the place.
Talking to Oloffson briefly, it seems like he has some big plans for the space. I can't wait to visit when it's warmer, and I'm glad to see even more stuff happening on this side of town.
You can find Decent Detroit at 14834 Kercheval in Detroit and on Instagram.
We also talked about the shop on our Daily Detroit podcast.
🍔 The owners of popular Detroit restaurants Grey Ghost and Basan are expanding to the suburbs. Four Man Ladder Hospitality bought a former insurance office on Woodward Avenue in Ferndale, where they plan to open their first fast-casual restaurant this summer.
The yet-to-be-named spot will focus on carryout service, featuring their acclaimed Grey Ghost burger and chicken sandwich. The 1,000-square-foot space will serve as a test concept, with the restaurant group planning to open additional locations in the future.
Construction is set to begin this month at 22305 Woodward Avenue.
This could be a great location. And I think this is part of a trend we have seen especially since the bulk of the pandemic, seeing more and more things that started in Detroit expand into the 'burbs.
⚡️ In a big shift for the American automaker, Ford's electric Mustang Mach-E has outpaced its gasoline-powered namesake in sales for the first time.
The all-electric crossover moved more than 51,000 units in 2024, compared to 44,000 traditional Mustangs.
While purists initially criticized Ford's decision to use the Mustang name on an electric SUV - and I remember the stack of messages I got - the Mach-E saw nearly 27 percent growth over the previous year. Meanwhile, sales of the gas-powered Mustang declined almost 10 percent.
Despite this milestone, Ford CEO Jim Farley says the company has no plans to develop an all-electric version of the traditional Mustang coupe. [Edmunds] [Ford Authority]
We talk about both the Mustang Mach-E and the new burger joint on this episode of the podcast.
🚴 The City of Detroit is getting $10.5 million to construct a portion of the Joe Louis Greenway. This includes an important off-street segment between Woodward Avenue and Dequindre on a former rail corridor now owned by the city.
The money is part of a larger, $44.5 million grant for communities in 13 states and Puerto Rico from the Federal Highway Administration's Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program. [USDOT]
📕 Pages Bookshop in Detroit is closing. In an email to customers, they say the owner Susan Murphy will be retiring and the last day is January 31. The shop cat, Pip, will be coming home with the shop owner.
🏭 A local logistics warehouse serving Stellantis is shutting their doors. 352 people will lose their jobs. Warren-based Logistics Insight Corp. will shutter their warehouse on Georgia Street in Detroit's east side. Layoffs are planned to start February 18. [Free Press]
🏈 Amik Robertson of the Lions had a lock on Justin Jefferson of the Vikings all night with their 31-9 win. With the Spirit of Detroit now wearing a Lions jersey, preparations are underway for the NFL playoffs on and off the field. We talked about it with Fletcher Sharpe. [Daily Detroit Podcast]
⬆️ "It's Buzzing Here" — The Guardian has a piece out talking about Detroit's renaissance as a technology hub and more. They get into startups, groups like Black Tech Saturdays, the renovation of historic buildings and more. [The Guardian]
If you missed it, here's our conversation from last month with Johnnie Turnage of Black Tech Saturdays about how Detroit and Detroiters could use technology and AI to their advantage. It's an interesting conversation.
Norris Howard
And that's it for today. If you haven't told a friend about Daily Detroit, forward this to a friend or five!
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Until next time, remember that you are somebody - and I'll see you around Detroit.
-Jer