After a handful of years without a permanent home, Playground Detroit is finally leasing an "amazing" 1,500 square foot, street-level space located in a historic building on the outer edge of Eastern Market, and they're going to "bring it to life."
Playground Detroit, a creative catalyst that empowers, supports and promotes Detroit's top emerging artists, designers and musicians, will open a new retail storefront, gallery and event space at 2845 Gratiot Avenue this summer in the the two-story historic red brick building which dates back to 1877.
"After five years of operating in different pop-up venues from coffee shops to retail stores to bars, we are so excited to finally have a home," said Paulina Petkoski, co-founder of Playground Detroit. "Our new space will be a place where people can find exciting, edgy art and design. We will feature carefully curated, exclusive merchandise including artwork, limited edition art objects, special events, and community programming."
A successfully funded Kickstarter campaign launched in late November 2016 and Motor City Match helped raise $75,000 needed to complete start-up costs and interior build out construction.
In 2012, Paulina Petkoski and Samantha Schefman launched Playground Detroit, a company targeted to promote and consult with music and visual artists in Detroit. Previously, Petkoski and Schefman worked out of New York, and then out of a residential loft in Detroit. Petkoski said she believes the new commercial storefront will help Playground Detroit's artists to accomplish their goals.
"Spaces that are safe and inclusive for creative people to not just be recognized, [and] active think tanks are super important when you think about redeveloping and reimagining what the city can be in the future," Petkoski told The South End in March.
Schefman told TSE she hopes the new space will make Detroit into a more creative city.
"Especially due to its location, the new Playground Detroit space will bridge gaps in Detroit's current art and retail landscape and also bridge a gap between Detroit's greater community and its creative community," she said. "I'm excited to bring something one-of-a-kind to Detroit that inspires and encourages creativity, growth and education."
Check out what Playground Detroit is doing online at http://www.playgrounddetroit.com/.
