Crowdfunding campaign launched for completion of Popps Emporium in Hamtramck

$30,000 goal to win matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative

LANSING, Mich. – A new crowdfunding campaign will complete a public arts and community incubator on the Popps Pack campus located on the Hamtramck and Detroit border, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Popps Packing announced today. The Popps Emporium will include an experimental storefront gallery, tool lending library, and community resource space. The campaign is being offered through Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $30,000 by July 31, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program. For project details and to donate, please visit: http://www.patronicity.com/popps.

“The Popps Emporium is a creative and useful space for people to experience, exchange, and engage,” said MEDC Senior Vice President of Community Development Katharine Czarnecki. “We are pleased to provide resources for and serve as a partner in this innovative effort under the Public Spaces Community Places program.”

This project is the next phase of developing the work in community arts led by Popps Packing, an artist-run neighborhood organization. The campaign will complete the final phase of the Popps Emporium Project by completing of all interior finish work, installing a solar system, finishing facade renovations and signage, equipping the tool library and resource space, and finishing the build-out of the outdoor workshop spaces. Once completed, the space will serve many functions as an intimate gathering space for neighbors and visitors.

Popps Emporium will create an outdoor covered workshop area so that neighborhood residents can build their projects here and be able to host skill- sharing workshops. It will provide a fully stocked tool library where neighborhood residents and artists can borrow tools and equipment for home improvement and landscape projects, art projects, and community events. The emporium will also serve as a resource space with digital and analog resources like computers, printers, books as well as a message and barter board to help neighbors share information and resources.

"Popps Emporium project creates a much needed space for neighbors and artists living on along the Hamtramck /Detroit border to share information, resources and skills so that we can collaboratively begin to build the neighborhood we envision,” said Popps Packing Executive Director Faina Lerman. “The PSCP matching grant program will allow us to complete the final phase of the project that will provide an engaging space for the community and visitors alike.”

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity, in which local residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC. Communities, nonprofits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan.

“Developing spaces where people can gather, share and learn is key to creating a welcoming community,” said Dan Gilmartin, CEO and executive director of the Michigan Municipal League.

“Popps Emporium will give residents a multitude of reasons to get together for education and entertainment.”

The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched funding of up to $50,000 for community improvement projects throughout Michigan. As of June 5, 2018, MEDC has provided $4,938,166 in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 166 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with $5.9 million raised from 30,187 individual donors.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.