This post was originally published on Michigan Chronicle
By Popular Demand The Collective, LLC, is a whole collaborative vibe, and the retail-based company is inviting other small businesses looking to get a slice of shelf space to join them at their new location in Detroit.
Owned by husband and wife, Devin McKenzie and Daisha McKenzie, the couple started By Popular Demand The Collective because they recognized a void in the marketplace.
The retail store will place small businesses into an elevated and premier space for unique businesses in the Michigan marketplace under one roof in a collaborative setting. They currently have 18 merchants on board.
Operating since the 2020 holiday season, the business faced setbacks that delayed its brick and mortar opening until recently. The official grand opening was Sunday, March 13.
“Starting our business during this pandemic was definitely a risk,” the owners said. “It was challenging at first just helping people feel confident to come out of the house to shop. We were able to overcome that by providing scheduled appointments for shoppers to ensure their safety. We believed fully in our mission and had complete faith in what we set out to accomplish. … Having faith in our mission has turned out to be the best decision we could have made.”
Together, the McKenzies have a combined 35 years of experience in sales, customer service, business ownership, management and marketing, information technology, and more. Their experiences have landed them jobs across the Midwest, and they have held positions at Ford Motor Company, Puffer Reds, Sneaker Villa, White House Black Market, Detroit Is The New Black, Verizon Wireless, and The Auto Club Group, according to their biography.
“We decided to take the skills we have acquired over the years and help others in the areas we feel are most important to small product-based business success,” they said. “We opened By Popular Demand The Collective to bridge the gap between small businesses and availability, along with customers and retail options. We are here to [put] small businesses into the marketplace, providing an elevated and premier retail space for local businesses in Michigan and creating a culture of new business success.”
Described as a catalyst for growth, development and exposure for Michigan’s up-and-coming businesses, authors, artists, and more, The Collective is geared to help small business owners by providing credibility for businesses and having valuable opportunities that are not readily available. By bridging the gap between small businesses and availability along with consumers and retail options, The Collective is creating a culture for new business success.
“As we began looking for opportunities that would help us grow and bring awareness to our businesses, we realized the opportunities in retail were not readily available,” the owners told the Michigan Chronicle. “We began building our own businesses, Trinkets and Such and Fearless Rebels Lifestyle Brand.”
Trinkets and Such is a gift shop focused on the principles of quality, style, and service with hand-stamped jewelry and a collection of curated items. Fearless Rebels Lifestyle Brand is a streetwear clothing company providing high-end comfort streetwear for men and women.
The Collective is looking to house retail options including: hand stamped jewelry, accessories, men’s grooming kits, hand-poured candles, natural handmade bath, and body products, hair products, apparel, Michigan-based prepackaged food and beverages, cosmetics, packaged pastries, floral arrangements, leather goods and more from Michigan business owners looking for a location to sell their products. Merchants would also keep 100% of their total product sales.
“We dedicate our time daily to each of our merchants by providing them with business strategy sessions, curated content and events, access to recourse and more,” the couple said. “This has given merchants within The Collective the opportunity to collaborate … and create new products, marketing ideas and develop relationships with other small business owners. … and experiences big-box retailers do not provide.”
They added that during this COVID era, their business practices are allowing small product-based businesses to thrive and “move the needle forward” and bring others along.
“We want to be the leaders of the small business community providing opportunities to those who are retail ready,” they said, adding that growing up in Detroit prepared them in more ways than one. “You learn early that success comes with hard work, dedication and sacrifices. Ford, Chrysler, GM, DTE and others have provided hundreds of thousands of jobs for many families for generations. We want to do the same for that mother, father, son and daughter who are looking to build their own successful small business to provide for their family. We are the [change] we want to see.”
For more information visit www.bpdthecollective.com.