Ashka Stephen - week 4

I can always find free food in TechTown, and I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t my favorite perk of working there.

Just today, actually, Joe and I were offered four muffins from Avalon Bakery from a lady sitting next to us as she was leaving. Not wanting to come off as rude, we took all four of the muffins —a delicious start to an average day in TechTown.

Food is great —that everyone can agree on. Thus it makes sense how the acts of discussing, finding, and eating food can bring people together. No wonder so many important conversations tend to be held with and centered around meals (like family bonding at brunch or getting to know someone over dinner). Detroit too reaps the benefits that food and restaurants can offer.

Mabel Gray, a successful and chic new eatery located in Hazel Park, resembles an intersection between the “old Detroit” and visions for a new, revamped future. After reading an article detailing “Hazel Park’s suburban sapphire,”I couldn't help but draw parallels between the restaurant’s qualities and the growth trends of the Motor City’s startup scene. 

First and foremost is the location. Snugly situated in the“friendly city” (as Hazel Park is known as) the eatery’s location would surprise most. Whereas most trendy, young restaurants are located in either midtown or downtown, Hazel Park strikes the average foodie as a curious choice for a restaurant vying to be recognized. But by stepping outside the realm of normal locations, Mabel Gray has pioneered a potential path for expansion (in terms of location choice) when it comes to other restaurants and businesses. By stepping outside the delineated comfort zone, Mabel Gray has increased not only the likelihood of more businesses taking similar risks, but also the investment appeal and economic viability of a new area.

"Wall of 100 Makers" on the second floor of TechTown.

Mabel Gray’s location isn’t the only noteworthy characteristic of the restaurant, however. The article cautions the patron to “expect two or three wildcards”when dining due to varied food origins that spice up the menu; from French influences to tangy Mexican flavors, dishes never seem to fail to delight diners. The diversity of dishes paired with the curious location of the eatery go along with the general Detroit predilection and disposition for innovation and stepping outside of the box that I’ve seen grace startup culture here in the city. Working in TechTown has its perks (besides the free food, of course), one being the ability to work in an open space near many different companies. I remember speaking to the Founder of Pro-Up (http://pro-up.co), a startup focused on helping high school students find local scholarship matches and providing general college prep advice. When I asked why she founded the company, Justine Sheu launched into a narrative on the lack of funding for Detroit Public Schools and the resulting lack of attention from administration on underperforming schools and students. She wanted to help those left  behind academically by providing a platform that could even out the playing field (or at least try to). Before speaking with Justine, I had only heard locals rave about the tendency for Detroit natives to tackle problems head-on, taking initiative and solving issues themselves rather than waiting on others (or the government) to address them. To me, conversing with Justine had solidified that perception as fact. Through countless similar conversations with startups stationed throughout TechTown and Corktown (the focus area of the project Joe and I are working on), I can honestly say that the startup scene is diverse, vibrant, creative and booming. Mabel Gray represents exactly that. 

Sadly, DukeEngage’s stipend is a little tight so I may not be able to indulge in the somewhat pricey delicacies Mabel Gray has to offer. But reading about the restaurant both satisfied my inner foody and gave me hope on the future sustained success of Detroit’s startup scene.