Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
PAO Detroit Named One of Most Beautiful Restaurants in America by People
Detroit Asian fusion restaurant PAO Detroit has been named the most beautiful restaurant in Michigan by People magazine.
Nestled in the historic Michigan Oriental Theater, the supper club offers a refined blend of upscale ambiance and cultural heritage, using original details from the 1920s-era Detroit building and a new mezzanine and glass garage-style doors.
“PAO Detroit has always been a special project for our team,” says Joe Barbat, chairman and CEO of Barbat Holdings. “This accolade not only highlights the restaurant’s beauty, but also enhances the storied legacy of this iconic building in downtown.”
WCCCD Hosting Detroit Urban Summit IV Conference Today
Scholars, authors, and civic leaders are gathering at Wayne County Community College District today for its Detroit Urban Summit IV: New Visions of Integration and Civil Rights in American Democracy.
The event is taking place until 4:30 p.m. at the school’s new Culinary Arts and Banquet Center (8200 W. Outer Drive) in Detroit.
The summit is being hosted by WCCCD Chancellor Curtis L. Ivery and the WCCCD Institute for Social Progress.
“Our mission has always been to provide pathways to better lives through higher education,” says Ivery. “Providing forums that build broader understanding of the barriers that our communities face in growing to their full potential is critical to building a national dialogue of how we can remove those barriers and pull together to thrive in the first multiracial democracy in the world.”
G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs Wins $100K Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest by TechTown
The winner of the 2024 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest by TechTown is G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs, which takies home the $100,000 grand prize from Comerica Bank to open the brick-and-mortar business.
As the winner of the 2024 Hatch Off, G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs will receive technical assistance from TechTown and its partners, in addition to the $100,000 business grant from Comerica Bank, to kickstart and open a brick-and-mortar business in Detroit, Hamtramck, or Highland Park.
G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs is a certified woman- and minority-owned business based in Detroit, specializing in natural, organic body scrubs. It provides jobs, training, and mentorship to underserved individuals, especially women who have been victims of domestic violence and human trafficking, as well as returning citizens.
Tiffany Cartwright, owner and founder of G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs, launched her business in 2018 after losing her job. As a new mom determined to soothe her daughter’s eczema without harsh products, Cartwright turned to the kitchen to concoct a solution with natural ingredients that would not be harmful to the skin, and G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs was born.
With the $100,000 business grant from Comerica Bank, Cartwright plans to set up shop for her G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs storefront in the Rosedale Park community.
This year, the three runner-up finalists also were awarded a $10,000 grant to assist with the opening of their storefronts, courtesy of TechTown’s Small Business Support Hub grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
Georgia Company Acquires National Ladder & Scaffold Co. in Madison Heights
White Cap, an Atlanta-based distributor of specialty construction supplies and safety products for professional contractors, has acquired National Ladder & Scaffold Co., a Madison Heights distributor of safety products, equipment, and workwear for contractors serving residential, commercial, industrial, and public infrastructure end markets.
National Ladder & Scaffold Co. is now part of the White Cap suite of brands, branches, and value-added services.
Founded in 1935 in Detroit, National Ladder’s original focus was on manufacturing straight and extension wood ladders to customers in a wide variety of end markets across the Midwest. In 1984, the company established the Contractors Clothing segment to distribute workwear clothing specific to the construction trade. By 2024, these two entities had merged to become National Ladder & Scaffold Co. It is now in its fourth generation of family management.
EY Adds Signal Restoration in Troy as New Ecosystem Participant
Signal Restoration in Troy has agreed to be included in Ernst & Young’s EY Claims Recovery service offerings.
Under terms of the agreement, Signal’s property recovery services will be an integrated component of the offerings and is expected to provide customers with broad disaster recovery assistance and is anticipated to help drive innovation in the claims and restoration marketplace.
Leveraging EY Claims Recovery offerings and incorporating Signal’s customer service; clients who have experienced a property loss may expect a transformative experience through a seamless process, incorporating assistance in property recovery as well as support through insurance review and reimbursement.
MiLEAP Announces $59M Investment to Expand, Improve 1,100+ Child Care Facilities
The Michigan Department of Lifelong Learning, Achievement, and Potential (MiLEAP) announced that the $59 million Caring for MI Future Facilities Improvement Fund (FIF) has helped more than 1,100 home- and center-based facilities fund more than 3,500 renovation and upgrade projects, expanding access to safe, quality, and affordable child care for Michiganders.
Caring for Mi Future is a federally funded Michigan plan to open or expand 1,000 child care programs by the end of 2024. This goal was met and exceeded one year ahead of schedule, with 1,200 new childcare centers and 2,159 home-based providers expanding to create 36,783 new spots in child care facilities across Michigan.
Work on some of the FIF projects will continue through July 31 when the final funds will be dispersed. IFF, a mission driven lender, developer, and real estate consultant, is administering the FIF on behalf of MiLEAP.
Sentinum Moves Bitcoin Mining Operation from Michigan to Montana
Ault Alliance Inc.’s subsidiary has received 1,000 Bitcoin miners from its west Michigan facility at one of its two Montana Bitcoin mining sites.
Those miners are currently being installed and the company anticipates that a majority of them will be actively mining Bitcoin this week. Sentinum believes that approximately 2,250 Bitcoin miners will be installed and mining over the next three months.
Urban Science EV Sales Microstudy Unveils U.S. Electrification Trends
Urban Science, a Detroit-based automotive consultancy and technology firm, released a proprietary electric vehicle (EV) sales microstudy rooted in the firm’s unrivaled industry sales data, which is updated daily, delivering a science-driven overview of the EV sales landscape in the U.S.
The microstudy includes detailed 2024 sales insights through April 30, for the battery electric vehicle (BEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) segments, and state-level sales insights for the nation’s top five states for BEV retail sales volume.
Among the findings:
As of April 30, total retail industry vehicle sales, including internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, achieved 3,892,181 units, marking a growth rate of 1.2 percent compared to the same time period last year. By the end of 2023, one in six vehicles sold featured an electrified powertrain, a figure that rose to about one in five YTD through April 30, 2024.
BEV sales rose 2.8 percent YOY through April 30, growing slightly above the overall retail industry sales growth rate. A total of 317,086 retail BEV units were sold during this period, with retail share holding steady at 8.1 percent YOY. The top-selling brands in this segment were Tesla, Ford, Hyundai, Rivian, and BMW.
Tesla unit sales decreased 13 percent YOY through April 30, 2024, while non-Tesla BEV sales increased 33 percent. Moreover, unit sales in all non-Tesla EV segments — comprising BEVs, PHEVs and HEVs — increased by 32 percent.
The PHEV segment exhibited strong YOY growth with a 24.8 percent increase through April 30. With 77,750 units sold, PHEVs captured 2 percent retail share in the U.S., rising from 1.6 percent last year. The top-selling brands in this segment were Jeep, Toyota, Volvo, Mazda, and Kia.
Among all electrified powertrains, HEV sales surged the most with YOY growth of 33.4% through April 30, 2024. With 382,015 retail HEVs sold through April 30, this segment reached 9.8% retail share in the U.S., a notable increase from 7.5% share in 2023 YOY. Toyota, Honda, Ford, Lexus and Hyundai were the top selling HEV brands during this period.
Combined PHEV and HEV unit sales increased by 31 percent YOY through April 30, outpacing the total industry sales growth rate by a wide margin.
Impact100 Oakland County Makes $291K in Grants Available to Local Nonprofits
Impact100 Oakland County announced it has added 291 members in the last year. As a result, the organization will award $291,000 in grants in 2024. The funds will be distributed as three high-impact grants of $97,000 each, slated to significantly support the missions of three deserving local nonprofits this fall.
While the total membership and grant amounts did not reach the highs of 2023, the organization says it remains proud of its accomplishments and the tangible impacts these grants will have.
Becoming a member of Impact100 is a simple and tangible way to make a substantial impact on Oakland County. Looking ahead, the organization is optimistic about the future, aiming to not only regain but exceed past numbers.
Nonprofits interested in applying for one of the three 2024 grants can visit here.
Lotlinx Unveils Inventory and Pricing Report for Majority of OEMs and Retailers
New Hampshire-based Lotlinx has released its inaugural Quarterly Vincensus Report, which it calls the most comprehensive monthly/quarterly inventory report in the industry.
Each month and quarter, the Vincensus Report will offer deep real-time data and insights visibility into the trends shaping OEM-specific and dealership inventory for both new and used vehicles, as well as key data on vehicle pricing and markdowns.
Vincensus is a syndicated report crafted to demonstrate the state of automotive inventory across major OEMs. It serves as a detailed comparative analysis that shows how each OEM is performing against industry benchmarks, so dealers can see where they rank amongst their competition. This approach not only highlights relative performance metrics but will also demonstrate where buyer demand is. It also shows how their data has changed each month, month over month, and quarter over quarter.
To download the report, visit here.
Detroit Tigers to Host City Connect Block Parties Today, Saturday
As part of Detroit Tigers City Connect Launch Week, the Tigers and Nike will host a pair of free block parties outside Comerica Park today and Saturday prior to home games against the Houston Astros.
Friday’s block party will take place on Witherell St. in front of the “Big Tiger” statue from 4-7 p.m., while Saturday’s event will run from noon-6:30 p.m.
Consistent with the Tigers’ “Motor City” theme for its sleek, new City Connect uniforms, the block parties will be automotive-themed, including a classic car show. The festival atmosphere will feature live music performed on the Meijer Stage, local artists and food trucks featuring local flavors.
Both events will be enjoyable for fans of all ages, featuring a 360-Degree Camera Experience, presented by Chevrolet, several City Connect-themed photo opportunities, a digital graffiti wall, inflatables, prize wheel, a gaming truck and face painters.
Draft beer will be available for purchase, prizes will be given away, and lounge seating will be available for fans to enjoy the entertainment and food offerings. The Corner Tap Room, featuring food and beverage fare from Marrow, will be open and offering a limited-edition City Connect-themed beer with custom can art called Detroit City IPA.
Tickets are not required to enter Friday or Saturday’s block party and will take place rain or shine. Fans will be screened before entering the area and are encouraged to reserve parking in advance at ParkWhiz.com.
The first 15,000 fans to enter Comerica Park for Saturday’s game will receive a “Motor City” license plate cover and car decal.
Families Against Narcotics Partners with Canton Township, Northville Police Departments
Thanks to a new partnership between Families Against Narcotics (FAN) and the Canton Township and Northville police departments, more people who are seeking treatment for a drug or alcohol addiction will have a convenient, local option for accessing the help they need.
FAN, a Clinton Township-based nonprofit that compassionately assists individuals and families affected by substance use disorder (SUD), is excited to announce that its Hope Not Handcuffs initiative is now up and running in both Canton Township and Northville.
One of FAN’s most successful programs, Hope Not Handcuffs is designed to give people who are struggling with SUD a safe and easy way to access help: by visiting their local police station.
The program’s concept is simple: Any person who is battling a substance use disorder can go to a participating agency and say they want help. They will be greeted with support, compassion, and respect, and one of FAN’s trained volunteer “Angels” will be dispatched to meet them. The Angel will then contact FAN’s Call Center and work with them to get the individual placed into treatment. In addition, program participants will be connected with peer support services, and their families will be offered family support services.
FAN’s Hope Not Handcuffs program, which depends on volunteer Angels to help it run smoothly, is looking for people in the Canton Township/Northville area to fill that role.
For more information on becoming a volunteer Angel, or to register for an upcoming virtual or in-person training session, visit here.
Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids Generates $7.7B Annually in Economic Activity
Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority, in partnership with Grand Valley State University, unveiled its new economic impact study.
The study assessed the airport’s role in driving growth in the 13-county West Michigan region. Results showed the Airport annually supports or contributes:
- 40,324 jobs
- $7.7 billion in economic activity
- $10.3 million in fiscal impact
- $1.3 billion in catalytic impact on household income
Airport visitors spend $637 million annually in West Michigan, or an average of $161 per person. When visiting West Michigan, visitors stayed an average of 4.43 days. Airport construction activity has also been significant, supporting an average of 328 construction jobs each year over the last five years.
To view the full report, visit FlyFord.org.
