“That list is: C Cooper Designs, Ida Belle Soaps, Tooth And Nail Oddities, Painted Lady Trashions, Attack Hunger and Detroit GT. They did two things that we’ll never forget. They took a chance on a strange business model ten years ago when we needed a vote of confidence most. And they stuck with us through good times and bad. That kind of loyalty is rare and never forgotten. There are other shops like 248 Studio, Outer Spaceways and Speedcult that have been with us almost nine years and we have gratitude towards them as well. We have a lot of gratitude towards our shops in general.”
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HAT SEEMING SENSE OF ETERNAL GRATITUDE IS VIBRANTLY RECIPROCATED, coming full circle, back around from the small business owners within The Rustbelt. “It can't be overstated how important our partnership with Rustbelt has been since our inception,” says Jeremy Olstyn, Board Member and Production Director of Ferndale Radio. “Back when we were ramping up to apply for our construction permit with the FCC, we weren’t even sure where we could house our little station. Part of my day job is running WPHS-FM (a small high school radio station in Warren) and Chris Best invited my students and I to broadcast live from the Rustbelt one weekend. So, when we were looking for a home for Ferndale Radio, Chris and Tiffany were really enthusiastic about having us onboard. From what I recall, having an in-market radio station was part of their original business plan. It’s not hyperbole to say that without Chris and Tiffany, we would not be on air in Ferndale.”
By Kevin Lamb
“H
UMBLED AND LUCKY TO BE GIVEN the opportunity to give others an opportunity,” Chris Best says.
When it comes down to it, isn’t that what we should all be striving for? A series of fortuitous happenings, propelled by hard work, and community support which create the space, time and mechanism to help others experience the same. “In 2011 we set out to create an environment where everyone wins,” and they’ve done just that at The Rustbelt Market. “The patrons get an authentic human experience which is the antithesis of online shopping. The vendors get to practice and hone their skills turning their passion and dreams into a business they can rely on to bring in steady income. We as the owners get to increase our own business acumen including starting our own events business with a full bar and a plant shop. Practice makes more perfect and we all learn from each other while lifting each other,” Best says. It is a tremendous gift, and business model to help lift others; not so different from a community garden where space is shared, nurtured, and cultivated for a common good. “I cherish our time at Rustbelt: the friendships we have made, and the unique shopping experience it gave our customers. It was a great way for us to expand our brands. Tiffany and Chris Best do a great job managing the market and listening to vendors. All the vendors look out for each other and the sense of community is very strong there as well. The Rust Belt Market is the best business incubator in all of the Metro Detroit area,” Paul Marcial of Ink Detroit and The Great Lakes State says. Best has a deep sense of gratitude towards the brave group of business owners who have been with them since the beginning.
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2021 FERNDALE MEMORIAL EDITION