Southfield sees excitement in string of new business openings

SOUTHFIELD — The past month was a very busy one for Southfield’s business district, as many ribbon cuttings were held to welcome new businesses to the city.

Design Menswear, 18211 W. 10 Mile Road, held its ribbon cutting on July 12, followed by Labcorp, 22250 Providence Drive, on July 15 and Bloom Southfield, 25080 Southfield Road, on July 24.

Last week, Fifth Avenue Furniture at 22555 Greenfield Road held its grand opening on Aug. 2. From Greenfield Plaza, where Fifth Avenue is located, to Cornerstone Plaza, which houses Ross for Less, Five Below and Burlington Coat Factory, Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Molly LaLone agreed that Southfield is on a bit of a hot streak, though she said it’s also summertime, so businesses that might have opened earlier in the year waited until summer to celebrate.

“It’s so exciting to be in Southfield right now,” she said. “There’s just so much going on, and there’s a lot of excitement and a lot of promise.”

LaLone said there has been $50 million of private investment in the Cornerstone district alone, as well as about $5 million of public investment last year and $20 million since 2014.

“There’s seven roads that have been reconstructed in this district and there’s been water main updates and sidewalk additions,” she said. “The city has been doing its part to update this area, and as a result, $50 million of private investment is significant. That’s huge. And we can point at Henry Ford Health System coming in, the Costco business center opening last year and then … there’s been properties that have been purchased and cleaned up. It’s a collective effort between the city and property owners and businesses who see the potential here.”

Rochelle Freeman, Southfield’s business and economic development director, said the city always has seen people looking to open a new business or new locations, and what the city is trying to take an active role in doing is to see how it can help these investments in the community.

“My department is taking a more active role, where we’re going to help facilitate these investments and the ribbon cuttings and coordinating the efforts with our Mayor’s Office and City Council, again, just so that we can celebrate all the successes that are coming into the community and everyone’s investment,” she said. “There’s always been investment in the city. It’s been going on for a while, but we really just wanted to amp it up and put a new look on things.”

The recent string of openings Freeman partly attributed to people and businesses finally coming out of the COVID-19 era and now making a splash at the same time.

Freeman said her department has been working with LaLone and the DDA on different initiatives to help bring resources to entrepreneurs and teach them skills to be successful in their businesses, such as workshops on budgets or seeking financial assistance.

“We just want to make sure that our business community and people that are looking to make investments have the right skills before they move forward,” she said. “When you’re investing in a new store, you sign a lease, you’re making a very long-term commitment, you have to purchase inventory. So, we want to make sure that people do that with open eyes and have a full understanding of what the commitment is going to take so they can have a long, successful business. … A lot of businesses fail in the first couple of years, so we want to help give them the support to keep them in business.”

Freeman is excited about Southfield’s future prospects and potential businesses that are both now opening and will open in the future.

“It’s revitalizing our business corridors,” she said. “It makes a strong impact for the neighborhood. And, again, a lot of these stores are opened by our own residents. So, it’s a double whammy. It gives them — the business owner — strength and keeps them in business and then cleans up the neighborhood. So, it’s all very positive, and we’re excited about the new activity that’s been taking place in the community.”