Business & Economy

Detroit ice cream stores face obstacles amid pandemic, keep moving forward

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Courtesy of Zahra Saad of The Custard HutHot Waffle Sandwiches sold by The Custard Hut of Dearborn Heights, Michigan

Zahra Saad was startled by the reactions when she announced the opening of her business, the Custard Hut. “When we opened on April 10, I received multiple death threats, multiple threats on my business and actually had people calling the cops to try to shut me down, but we were allowed to be open,” said Saad. For many people, ice cream is the go-to staple of the summer. But during a global pandemic that limits face-to-face interaction and differing opinions by the public and business owners alike about when the appropriate time is to open a store, the sweet treat has undergone a lot of changes these past few months. Several Detroit ice cream stores were forced to close down because of the shelter in place order that was effective March 24.

Arts & Entertainment

World Trade Center architect’s Detroit vision

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By AMANDA PROSCIA
Capital News Service
LANSING — John Gallagher profiles Japanese-American architect Minoru Yamasaki in his new book Yamasaki in Detroit: A Search for Serenity. Best known for his design of the World Trade Center in New York, a number of Yamasaki’s designs adorn Detroit’s urban landscape, including the One Woodward Avenue building (formerly the Michigan Consolidated Gas building). The city was Yamasaki’s adopted home. He moved from New York to a Detroit suburb in his mid-30s and remained in the area until his death in 1986. “The great irony is Yamasaki is known as the architect of arguably the most gargantuan project in the U.S., but mostly all of his other projects were very modest,” Gallagher said.

Business & Economy

Detroit’s comeback might leave some residents behind

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By CHEYNA ROTH
Capital News Service
LANSING – Persistent poverty and a focus on commercial developments in Detroit are raising concerns that efforts to revitalize the city are ignoring its low-income population. “We don’t talk enough about how Detroiters who grew up in the city and are now in their 20s and 30s are concerned they won’t be able to participate in the revival of the city that made them,” said Aaron Foley, a Detroit writer whose book, “How to Live in Detroit Without Being a Jackass,” published by Rust Belt Chic, is due out this fall. Detroit’s economic and cultural health are tied directly to Michigan’s overall fortunes. Gov. Rick Snyder has said a strong Detroit is central to revitalizing the state. Millions of dollars have been invested in moving the city through bankruptcy and rebuilding parts of the city, such as refurbishing the David Whitney Building into luxury apartments and office space.

Business & Economy

Authors “Canvas Detroit” for art’s impact on the urban environment

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By BECKY McKENDRY
Capital News Service

LANSING — In “Canvas Detroit,” a new book from Wayne State University Press, Nichole Christian and Julie Pincus profile the Motor City’s brightest and most diverse up-and-coming street artists. From murals on boulevards to grass sculptures, their work can actively improve the urban environment and shine a light on previously ignored and abandoned cityscapes, the authors say. Detroit is a city that needs “problem solving,” Christian says, and art won’t solve it all. But the city is fostering a wickedly creative atmosphere that is ripe for revitalization. In a recent interview, Christian explained the importance of street art and how it can revitalize a city.