If you don’t evolve, you die: How Jacob Bishop re-energized the Mr. Alan’s brand
Jacob Bishop transformed Metro Detroit's longtime bargain menswear chain into a place for finding the latest trends in shoes and clothing. Here's how he did it.
Hamtramck
Can urban farming work in the suburbs?
Urban farming is all the rage in Detroit, but it's also taking root in the suburbs. Metromode's Mickey Lyons shares the stories of three suburban farms and the unique challenges they face outside of the city.
Discover the diversity of Middle Eastern cuisine in metro Detroit
Metro Detroit has one of the largest, densest concentrations of Arab-Americans in the country, and thanks to them, a diverse and eclectic mix of Middle Eastern cuisine.
An Ypsilanti musician sets out to document the sounds and songs of Michigan
Matt Jones is determined to collect and preserve Michigan's musical identity -- one song at a time. He's recorded 150 artists for his River Street Anthology so far... and has no intention of stopping.
The Porous Borders Festival to bring attention to Hamtramck’s boundaries through art and activity
From May 16-19, over 50 performances and events will take place along Hamtramck's borders with Detroit and Highland Park as a part of the Porous Borders Festival. "The idea is to make the border visible with art and activity that brings neighbors together," says organizer Liza Bielby.
Getting metro Detroit millennials ‘on board’ and into leadership positions in local government
Millennials account for 29 percent of registered voters in the region, yet only 6 percent of board and commission members in metro Detroit are young people. So how do we get millennials "on board"? A few local young leaders have some ideas.
Uncool in all the right ways: Five years of Public Pool, Hamtramck’s storefront art space
This Saturday, Hamtramck art space Public Pool is celebrating five years of solo and group shows, music and dance performances, panel discussions, and readings. The anniversary show is called "I Only Want to See You Underneath" and features the work of Public Pool co-founder Tim Hailey.
From almost famous to truly famous: Metro Detroit’s up-and-coming chefs have arrived
Back in 2012 Metromode ran a two-part story on metro Detroit's up and coming restaurant scene and the chefs who were striving to make a name for themselves. So, where are these culinary young guns now? As it turns out, each and every one has not only delivered on their promise but exceeded expectations.
DDOT to get 80 new buses, real-time app
Detroit bus service is entering the new millennium with a fleet of new buses outfitted with GPS technology and an app for riders. Excerpt: "The city says 10 of the buses from the fresh fleet will be longer, 60-foot articulated buses that provide additional capacity on DDOT's busiest routes. The other 70 will be standard 40-foot buses. The new fleet arrives thanks to a $38 million in federal grants, with the Michigan Department of Transportation kicking in the necessary amount in local matching funds. " Read the rest here.
In Detroit, a shipping container called home
GM is teaming up with a local nonprofit - Michigan Urban Farming Initiative - to provide homes made out of shipping containers. That's pretty dang cool. Excerpt: Organizers hope the container project can lure millennials who don't want their grandfather's bungalow yet also provide predominantly poor, longtime residents with a low-cost housing alternative. "Finding a place where both those communities can find common ground is beautiful," said Gersh, president and co-founder of the group that operates a farm and owns property in the North End, where blight and vacancy are common, but so are signs of residential and commercial renewal. "It's scalable, works for everyone and it's also not going to ruin the environment. It's easier to maintain and can repurpose existing materials." Read the rest here.
