Milwaukee Junction Small Business Center Sparks Economic Growth in the North End

Friday, December 4, 2009

By Lori Ella Miller, Detroit LISC Scribe


Detroiters have been hit hard by the recent recession.  Despite the loss of jobs and wages, Detroiters are not letting go of the American dream.  Fueled and invigorated by the spirit of entrepreneurship, many residents are launching their own business, and breathing new life into the local economy. 

Small and medium-sized enterprises are sprouting up throughout the metro area.  These “micro businesses” are engines driving an economic renaissance in the city.  Micro enterprises can also contribute significantly to social stability and quality of life in a community.

Vanguard Community Development Corporation, which has served the North End community for 15 years, is redeveloping Detroit’s North End neighborhood by nurturing the emergence and expansion of the micro-enterprise and small business sector. This innovative economic development work is a critical component of the comprehensive neighborhood revitalization efforts driven by the Central Woodward / North End Collaborative.

Vanguard CDC recently opened the Milwaukee Junction Small Business Center (MJBSC), on Grand Boulevard, adjacent to Detroit’s New Center Area.  The MJBSC serves as a business incubator for emerging, new, and seasoned businesses. The center provides valuable services; resources and support to both real and virtual tenants – services that help promote sustainability and growth during the start up and expansion phases.

"Milwaukee Junction is the part of Vanguard that teaches individuals to become business owners, and to be self-reliant,” said Scott Alan Davis, Executive Director of the Vanguard Community Development Corporation.  “This is Vanguard’s way of championing entrepreneurship in Detroit.”

Photo Caption:
Deborah L. Younger, Executive Director, Detroit LISC (sixth from left), joined Scott Alan Davis, Executive Director, Vanguard CDC (fifth from right) and other Vanguard CDC staff and supporters for the official Milwaukee Junction Small Business Center grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony. 

According to Davis, the center houses 11 renovated, 100-square-foot offices that lease for $250 per month.  The offices are equipped with desks, chairs, a business phone and high-speed internet connectivity.  Tenants also have access to a fully-equipped business resource center that features six computer stations, printers, fax machine, scanner and copier.  Other amenities and resources include convenient parking, conference rooms and wireless internet.

The Milwaukee Junction Small Business Center is an active partner with its tenants, providing a wealth of development tools, such as web design services, branding and identity management, as well as access to a network of attorneys, accountants, marketing consultants and tax specialists.

The center is home to an eclectic mix of both real and virtual tenants from
non-profits, urban agricultural companies and human resource consultants to computer technology companies, architects, landscapers and home health care providers.

These tenants benefit from more than low rent. The MJSBC hosts monthly networking sessions that allow tenants to cultivate new business leads, share resources and build strong partnerships.

Business workshops are also an integral part of the Milwaukee Junction Small Business Center’s mission.  The popular six-session workshop entitled First Step Fast Track will return in January 2010.  First Step Fast Track is a free micro-enterprise training program that offers entrepreneurs the tools and knowledge they need to establish and grow a successful business.

Vanguard CDC also nurtures the city’s future business leaders and creative thinkers by sponsoring a youth mentorship program, and an annual Camp Positive Influence summer program that focuses on entrepreneurship through the arts. 

The Milwaukee Junction Small Business Center is reshaping the economic landscape in Detroit’s North End.  A revitalized North End and the emergence of a working micro enterprise model can lead to stronger communities and future opportunities for all Detroiters.

Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of the Vanguard Community Development Corporation