D-Biz: Java Exchange celebrates one year of bringing coffee and financial literacy to TechTown

Ramone Crowe is not your typical coffee shop owner. He is interested in not just the success of his business, but also in seeing others  prosper. Which is why the name of his cafe, Java Exchange, is so apt: It acts as a place for people to meet, network and exchange  ideas.

Java Exchange just celebrated its first anniversary in its TechTown location. Crowe counts Henry Ford Health System employees and NextEnergy and TechTown staff and visitors among his regular clientele. "The building as a community has really been growing," he says. "I've watched companies start from one or two employees and grow to five or six or seven -- and some even up to 15 or 20!"

The Java Exchange hosts entrepreneurship forums with brokerage firm Edward Jones as well as group viewings of "The Big Idea" with Donny Deutsch. After watching the struggles of now-successful entrepreneurs, the group discusses issues and solutions for their own businesses.

Crowe has also worked with Wayne County Community College's Entrepreneurship Institute and banks to offer seminars and forums. "The Java Exchange is a destination for resources," he says. "It's an environment where you can go and learn outside of a real institution -- we can provide the same information in a relaxed environment."

Although the Java Exchange has free parking, Crowe is looking forward to increased foot traffic in the area when Wayne State University's police department relocates nearby and University Preparatory Academy opens a middle school next door.

Java Exchange hosts poetry Friday night and was named the best place to hear poetry by Metro Times readers for 2007. A Wi-Fi hotspot, it's located at 440 Burroughs Street and can be reached at 313-822-6456. Hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon. through Thurs. and 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Fri.


Source: Ramone Crowe, Java Exchange
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh