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Detroit In The News

May 6, 2007

Mercado boosts entrepreneurship in SW Detroit

The Mexicantown Welcome Center and Mercado opened its doors on May 5 as a small business incubator for Southwest Detroit.

Excerpt:

María Elena Rodríguez, president of the Mexicantown Community Development Corp, calls the construction of new businesses a re-awakening of the community.

"Despite the (local) economy we keep on growing," Rodríguez said. "There's such a demand for retail space that people are fighting for land."

Indeed, neighborhood groups have cataloged tremendous growth: There were 1,029 businesses in the three ZIP codes that make up Southwest Detroit in 2004. In 2006, it climbed to 1,719.

Read the entire article here.