Hey friends, Jer here.
Talking with our neighbors everyday is one of the great honors of my life. Today, we hit publish on episode 1701 of the Daily Detroit podcast.
For those of you that aren't Detroit history nerds like me, the city was founded in 1701. The idea that an all-local, independent show can make it this long is a testament to our community, our contributors, and our supporters on Patreon.
Thank you for sharing space in your podcast apps, inboxes, and social media feeds with us. I don't take the responsibility lightly (although I do have jokes and puns).
To celebrate, we did a livestream of the episode. We recorded our regular show, then took your questions and chatted with followers. We'll be doing them on YouTube on Wednesday afternoons going forward.
Plus, we're having a studio open house and community conversation on Saturday from 10a-1p at our spot in TechTown. Spots are going fast (and the event is free), but RSVP so we know how much coffee and donuts to bring.
Let's hop into some things to know about around town. And hey, if this is your first time here, consider signing up free for future notes.
☕️ I checked out A.M. Buzz, the new coffee shop that opened over on West Lafayette in the Cambria Hotel. If you didn't know, the Cambria is in the old WWJ studios. Some of the event spaces there are former large recording areas.
Personally, I enjoyed all the old-looking radios.
The booth seating down the middle seems perfect for opening up a laptop if you're at the hotel, getting some caffeine, and starting off your day. Plus, it added a bit of a diner meets modern coffeeshop vibe.
I tried the sugar free caramel iced latte, and my colleague did the lavender. Both were on point. They also serve breakfast and grab-and-go items.
If you're in the western part of downtown, or need somewhere to run in and run out for a cuppa joe, check it out. Open every day 6a - 2p at 600 W. Lafayette in Detroit. [Website] [Instagram]
🍰 In other tasty news, the award-winning Warda Patisserie is opening a second location at 9a tomorrow morning (Friday). It's on Detroit's east side at 1286 McClellan in Detroit's Little Village area. It's just around the corner from that soon-to-come grocery store I told you about last edition. [Instagram]
🗳️ In the city of Detroit — a city of nearly 650,000 people — less than 4,500 voters are under the age of 30 in mayoral elections. For every person under 30, nearly 10 vote that are over the age of 60. [Bridge Detroit]
If the city wants to look to the future, we have to ask why not only those under 30, but those under 60, aren't really participating in the present.
🎭 The Detroit Opera is in financial trouble. Revenue from attendance, donations, and the government is all down, forcing them to cut their first production of the season. The Freep reports a 45% drop in admission and performance fees, and $1.74m in government grants, gone.
🏗️ The University of Michigan has approved a 40-year lease inside a soon to be built tower containing 313 units of housing in Downtown Detroit. It'll be for students and faculty to support the new University of Michigan Center for Innovation, rising up on Grand River. [Crain's Detroit Business]
Interesting stat, from Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan: "Detroit has added 7,000 people a year the last two years, which means we need 3,500 new housing units each year to prevent our residents from being displaced."
🍴 Acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelsson joined us at the Global Citizen: NOW conference to talk about how food can bring cultures together. Norris Howard has the interview that you can watch above.
🎥 Jer Staes
🏃🏻♀️ Belle Isle's shoreline trail is getting some finishing touches. You're now able to enjoy much of the entire Belle Isle State Park shoreline without having to drive it.
Recently, I talked to the head of the Belle Isle Conservancy about everything that's happening this summer on the podcast. [Daily Detroit]
And that's it for today. Of course, I can't leave without a track.
As hinted above, I was at the Global Citizen:NOW conference at the Hudson's Tower last week.
Lots of bright minds (including Mark Cuban) were in town talking about sustainability, investment, and bringing ideas that work from other cities here.
After, me and Norris Howard hit the town for four stops. You can watch our travels here on Instagram, but a quick recap:
- The grand opening of the new expansion of Detroit City Distillery, including a tasting room in Eastern Market at 1000 Gratiot.
- Woodward Throwbacks in Hamtramck had a party showcasing items salvaged from upgrades at Comerica Park. Also enjoyed a top-notch cocktail from Castalia, thanks to to Kyle DuPree.
- One of the soft open nights for The Rectory, Detroit's newest pizza place that's connected to The Congregation
- And finally, a party at Third Man Records where Wyclef Jean performed.
So that track. I gotta go with the "Ready or Not," from Wyclef's Fugees days.
Thanks so much for your support on Patreon — and see you on Saturday morning if you can make it.
Remember that you are somebody, and I'll see you around town.
