The Quicken Loans Family of Companies is supporting artists and entrepreneurs in its home base of Detroit through “The Small Business Murals Project,” placing murals on small business facades in six neighborhoods, the company recently announced. The Project is a partnership between the Quicken Loans Family of Companies and 1xRUN, local publisher of fine art editions and producer of the Murals in the Market program at Eastern Market.
“We see this project as a way to support small businesses, artists and neighborhoods and also as a way to connect our team members to the city in a creative and impactful way,” says Helen Johnson, vice president of Strategic Investment at Quicken Loans. “Small business is the lifeblood of a community and we believe that the blend of arts and entrepreneurship plays a powerful role in successful neighborhoods. The Small Business Murals Project is an example of how we can contribute to the city we all love and continue to work together on a path of forward momentum.”
Seven local artists recently began painting murals in collaboration with six local small businesses across Detroit. More than 150 volunteers from the Quicken Loans Family of Companies will follow the artist’s instructions for filling in three of the murals. All of the murals are scheduled to be complete by May 21.
1xRUN has tapped some of Detroit’s most prominent street artists to participate in the project, whose work many will recognize from Murals in the Market and other local businesses around the city:
Freddy Diaz – Diaz was recently commissioned by the Lear Corporation to create a unique mural painted inside their new Innovation Center in Detroit’s Capitol Park.
Jesse Kassel – National burger chain Shake Shack commissioned a permanent piece for the opening of their new downtown Detroit location.
Sydney G. James – Recently commissioned by Under Armour to paint Justin Verlander in the new Brand House on Woodward
Ouizi – Detroiters may know her work best from the Flower House project in partnership with Pot+Box, and her mural at Astro Coffee.
Sheefy McFly – Visual artist turned musician who co-founded Rager Haus artist collective and The Air Up There hip-hop showcase
Phil Fresh Simpson – Founder of The Smile Brand, a streetwear and lifestyle brand dedicated to the life of smiling and spreading joy
Michelle Tanguay – Tanguay’s “Lollipop Building” murals adorn vacant street-level windows on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Washington Boulevard.
All of the entrepreneurs joining the Project are graduates of local entrepreneurial training/development programs BUILD Institute, Lifeline and/or ProsperUs. Quicken Loans is a funder for each of these programs. Participating businesses are Cutz Lounge The Grooming Shop and Garden Bug in Rosedale Park, Social Sushi and E&S Uniforms and Apparel in University District, La Posada Taqueria Y Carniceria in Springwells Village, and Craft Café in Jefferson Chalmers.
For each of the murals, the artist and entrepreneur collaborated on the design, each painting unique and representative of the flavor and character of the business and neighborhood, as well as the artist’s unique style. Four of the six works were designed to allow for multiple painters to work on each mural.
Mural Locations
Community:
Cutz Lounge The Grooming Shop (Sheefy McFly, Phil Fresh Simpson)
19655 Grand River Ave., 48223
Social Sushi (Jesse Kassel)
18663 Livernois Ave., 48221
La Posada Taqueria Y Carniceria (Freddy Diaz)
1930 Springwells Ave., 48209
Independent:
E&S Uniforms (Sydney G. James)
18986 Schaefer Hwy, 48235
Garden Bug (Ouizi)
18901 Grand River Ave., 48223
Craft Cafe (Michelle Tanguay)
14600 Mack Ave., 48215
For more information, please visit www.quickenloans.com.
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