DETROIT – Small Business Advocate Creates The Summer Experiences You Love

Crawford may be best-known for her successful, independently-organized event, All Things Detroit in Eastern Market or her shop, All Things Marketplace. But she also works behind the scenes with the organizations like the Downtown Detroit Partnership and Detroit Riverfront Conservancy to curate markets and experiences throughout the city.

Curating markets and events is a crucial part of her business – accounting for 70 percent of her company’s current income. Crawford links small businesses, makers, chefs and other start-ups with the audiences they need to survive and grow.

“We love to work with vendors that have unique, creative products,” said Crawford. “We also ask them about their stories – how they got started and why they created their business.”

It’s those stories that resonate with customers who shop the hundreds of vendors Crawford assembles. And they run the gamut – from natural bath and body products by Natural Red to handmade products by Paisley Paper Company and vegan sweets by Zella’s Bakery.

“At Ask Jennyfer we curate these events in an effort to put small businesses in front of thousands of customers,” she said. “We want to see them grow.”

And the city of Detroit is stronger for it.

“It’s my job to make sure that small businesses have a strong presence in Detroit,” said Crawford, who lives in the city. “We give business owners a chance to host their own pop-up in the heart of Downtown Detroit – without paying the expense of running a brick-and-mortar store.”

Crawford curates events that Detroiters embrace wholeheartedly. She’s behind the collection of food trucks who gather weekdays as part of Downtown Street Eats. She’s the curator of local vendors you’ll find at Market Fridays in Cadillac Square and on Saturday’s at The Night Market at Beacon Park.

“A lot goes into creating a successful market like these,” said Crawford. “Picking the right location, knowing your target audience and promoting the event is all part of it. It takes consistency and creativity. People want to see different things each time they visit, so I try to create a different experience every time. I try to step outside my comfort zone.”

Working as a marketplace curator, Crawford chooses businesses that will resonate with the crowd for that particular event. Collaborating with a wide array of venues – from Eastern Market to Beacon Park and beyond – she knows how to plan a custom layout and secure necessary details, like ensuring a strong WIFI connection so business owners can connect their Point of Sale systems. Every aspect is carefully considered.

Her ultimate goal is always the same – to showcase the city of Detroit in its best light. And here are some places to see that in action:

Downtown Street Eats with Downtown Detroit Partnership is on now – from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday until Oct. 14, 2022. Dine at a rotating selection of the city’s best-loved food trucks in Cadillac Square all summer long. It’s the perfect lunch break away from your desk, whether you WFH or need a break from the office.

Market Fridays returns 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 3 and continues through Aug. 26, 2022 at The Pop-Up Place at Detroit’s Cadillac Square. Expect more than fresh flowers, produce and handmade goods. On the first Market Friday of each month, a DJ will entertain crowds. And on the final Friday of each month, the market will follow a theme. On June 24 experience Market Fridays Dessert; on July 29 stop by to shop Market Fridays Health & Beauty and on Aug. 26 the final event features Market Fridays Handmade. It’s all free and open to the public. There will not be a Market Friday on July 1 due to the holiday weekend.

The Night Market at Beacon Park returns 6-11 p.m. June 4 and runs Saturdays through Aug. 27 at Beacon Park, 1903 Grand River in Detroit. The event is free and set to feature more than a dozen local businesses each week. There will not be a Night Market on July 2 due to the holiday weekend.

All Things Marketplace is about to open in its new, larger space at 1620 Michigan Ave. Ste. 123 in historic Corktown, Detroit. Shop in-store 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The space is available for private events, photo shoots and more. Every Saturday, noon to 5 p.m., Crawford will present small business pop up events on site.

ABOUT ASK JENNYFER

Ask Jennyfer is a black- and female-owned, Detroit-based firm specializing and branding and promoting small businesses. The firm is available to curate and coordinate small business vendors for events. Its roots are in Detroit, Mich. and its reach is nationwide.

Learn more at www.askjennyfer.com.