DEARBORN — Carhartt today announced plans to bring its first Carhartt-owned retail store to Detroit.
After a lengthy real estate search, Carhartt has signed a long-term lease for a three-story, 51,000 square foot building in Midtown Detroit at 5800 Cass Ave. Visible from the I-94 expressway, the building is the original home of the Marmon Motors auto dealership and, for 40-plus years, the home of Cass Motors.
The first floor of the building will become Carhartt’s new flagship retail store. Carhartt owns and operates 16 retail stores around the country, but this will be the first Detroit-based store in the company’s 126-year history. Design is currently underway for the retail store and construction will begin within the coming weeks. The grand opening of the retail store is planned for late spring/early summer 2015.
“We have long had a desire and need to open a store in our company’s birthplace and what many of us at Carhartt consider our own hometown. This is a very exciting chapter for our business,” said Mark Valade, CEO and chairman of the board.
The historical building was constructed in 1928 by famed local architect Charles Degree, following an art deco design and construction, to serve as an automobile showroom. While the first floor is planned for retail, plans for the second and third floors have yet been decided. The building also features 75-plus secure parking spaces in the attached garage.
“The city of Detroit is experiencing a renaissance and rejuvenation led by small and large businesses alike,” says Linda Hubbard, president and COO. “Carhartt has been committed to the city for well over a century and we take great pride in calling Detroit home.”
