Sunday, September 27, 2009

The Burton Theatre Blog

We're very excited to have the owners of the Burton Theatre blogging for Open CIty about their new venture. Check back every week for updates by the operators of the Burton Theatre. Learn more about the Burton Theatre

By Nathan Faustyn.....
My apologies for the tardiness this week but as you can imagine with T- 2 weeks we are really working long. This week we had to accept the lukewarm reception of our benefit show last weekend at the Magic Stick. Unfortunately we were kind of mislead about the price and realized a bit too late that promising beer to six bands can be expensive. Regardless of the cost, and stress, and lack of attendance it was inspiring to see the dedication and goodwill from the bands to play a free gig for us and Stevie and Cotton Museum even made new media for the show. Thanks also be to He-Bops, Carjack, TerribleTwos and Rogue Satelites/Marco Poleo split.

Beyond the show this week was just the emotional rises and falls as we were told our screen was ruined, then it wasn't, we experienced in fighting due to the stress of it all, and we received our FIRST FILM PRINT(Examined Life) and our first Faygo order.

But Wednesday Night was really the first real great evening for us in theatre as we finally sat down in our seats, looked around at the chandeliers and curtains and the rumored to be ruined screen and we realized that we are about to own a business. Ready or Not there is 1 week to sort everything and put ourselves in a position for success. All the pre-production is now going to be thrown in the fire. It's exciting and...well scary(to me at least.)

Thanks for reading I'll keep you up to date this week and tell you now look to the Detroit News this Thursday! /nathan

Friday, September 18, 2009

An Update from the Burton Theatre


By Nathan Faustyn.....
In this, the first blog entry for the Burton Theatre, perhaps it's best to say that we are an organization starting up in the Cass Corridor and blindly we have been leaning on our own impoverished knowledge of small business ownership and start-up. That said it has been refreshing and ultimately essential to our success that we have found the OPen City organization and on a micro level our neighbours at mantra, showcase and k9 to 5. Being someone who was almost ready to give up on Detroit just a year ago, the good will that these local businesses have engendered among eachother, and the open arms we have been welcomed with have kept us going especially through the some what arduous and unrewarding final push. Especially as we have gotten our first taste of the media and can say that we have had to make our new mantra, "There is No Such THing as bad press." Well hopefully we'll see everybody OCT.3..............which can't come soon enough.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

September Open City Resources

Thanks to everyone who came out for our September meeting! Here are links to some of the small business resources discussed:

SmartStart - TechTown

Urban Retail Loan Fund - Detroit Investment Fund

Social Compact Detroit Report - DEGC

Please mark your calendars for next month. Every Third Tuesday, same time, same place.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009
6:30-8:30 PM

Cliff Bell's
2030 Park Avenue
Detroit, MI 48226

In the meantime, visit our website at for links to local small business resources!

Photos for our Open City Season Opener

Monday, September 14, 2009

Group aims to rebuild Detroit store by store

Despite Detroit's economic troubles, Jennifer Willemsen never wavered from her goal of opening a business in the city limits.

Two years ago, Willemsen, 28, learned she wasn't alone.

As Willemsen and her business partner planned to open a new hair salon in Midtown, Willemsen started attending meetings of small-business owners where the advice flowed.

"There's resources here. It's not just going to be me," Willemsen said she realized after attending meetings hosted by Open City, a group of local business owners who share advice with aspiring retailers in Detroit.

Open City kicks off its third season Tuesday at Cliff Bell's bar on Park Avenue and it plans to hold meetings the third Tuesday of every month through April.

Read the entire article here

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Michigan turns to entrepreneurs to create new jobs

Sometime next year, Michigan will lose its 1 millionth job since the state's economy began its downward slide in mid-2000. With a frenzy born of desperation, the state is trying to rekindle the entrepreneurial spirit that made Dow, Kellogg and Ford household names.

That trio founded the state's famous chemical, cereal and auto companies a century ago. These days, the state is doing what it can to foster a new generation of innovation.

At universities and community colleges, in downtown office spaces and 15 "SmartZone" technology centers designed to spark collaborations between universities and industry, Michigan is working to encourage the creation of new industries to provide the middle-class jobs that made the state a mecca for generations of workers.

There's lots of room for improvement. The state ranked just 27th nationally in the 2008 Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, lagging behind most western states and national leader Georgia in the survey's measure of adults creating businesses each month.

To boost its standing, the state has awarded millions of dollars to high-tech firms through its 21st Century Jobs Fund, and companies are sponsoring contests that reward new "green" technology ideas. Business incubators are sprouting up from the urban streets of Detroit to the snowy streets of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Read On......

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Shop Local

Open City is not just about opening new small businesses in the City of Detroit, but also supporting the ones we have!

Here are some ideas on starting a SHOP LOCAL CAMPAIGN