New retail for Detroit?

**Satiricalivory** · December-02-21, 01:09 PM

Wonder how long before the well known luxury brands start setting up a presence downtown. Feel like they're going to have in order to capitalize on the wealthy business tourist that stays downtown. Those people are not driving out to Somerset when they visit.

**401don** · December-02-21, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Satiricalivory

Wonder how long before the well known luxury brands start setting up a presence downtown. Feel like they're going to have in order to capitalize on the wealthy business tourist that stays downtown. Those people are not driving out to Somerset when they visit.

What is a business tourist? If it's someone who shops while in town for business Detroit still has a very small and not diverse corporate presence downtown.

**Satiricalivory** · December-02-21, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

What is a business tourist? If it's someone who shops while in town for business Detroit still has a very small and not diverse corporate presence downtown.

You're kidding right? A huge portion of tourists in the city are here on business travel. The city also has tons of events that bring in travelers with money. Detroit has a small downtown corporate presence? Is that a joke?

**401don** · December-03-21, 08:14 AM

Originally Posted by Satiricalivory

You're kidding right? A huge portion of tourists in the city are here on business travel. The city also has tons of events that bring in travelers with money. Detroit has a small downtown corporate presence? Is that a joke?

No. Compared to other cities Detroit doesn't have much diversity in medium to large corporations downtown. It's still primarily the banks and utilities, [[neither of whom generate much corporate travel) GM & Rocket. Who are the corporate employers with 500 plus employees downtown?

**313WX** · December-03-21, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

No. Compared to other cities Detroit doesn't have much diversity in medium to large corporations downtown. It's still primarily the banks and utilities, [[neither of whom generate much corporate travel) GM & Rocket. Who are the corporate employers with 500 plus employees downtown?

Rocket doesn't generate much corporate travel either. Let's call it for what it is, primarily a glorified call center for homeowners with mortgages and homebuyers.

GM also doesn't generate nearly as much travel as it did years ago, since it's a much smaller company today and has shut down / greatly reduced its operations in every place not named the US, China or Mexico. That's why they sold their interest in the Courtyard Marriott.

**401don** · December-03-21, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Rocket doesn't generate much corporate travel either. Let's call it for what it is, primarily a glorified call center for homeowners with mortgages and homebuyers.

GM also doesn't generate nearly as much travel as it did years ago, since it's a much smaller company today and has shut down / greatly reduced its operations in every place not named the US, China or Mexico. That's why they sold their interest in the Courtyard Marriott.

Exactly. Varvatos opened downtown because he was from Detroit. I'm guessing he got a great deal on rent as well. How long did he last? We're just hoping stores like H & M can hang in there. To think that current downtown demographics can support national luxury retail chains is absurd.