DETROIT (WXYZ) — The downtown revival is finally getting back on track. After COVID-19 canceled some of downtown Detroit’s holiday favorites in 2020, the celebration is back on this year.
“It’s kind of cold, really fun though!” said Elsie Larue from Hartland.
“It's happy, people are out and about, it’s bustling,” said Jenn Opperman, who brought her family downtown from Howell.
The ice rink is now open along with the pop up shops in Cadillac Square, which stayed closed in 2020. The local business owners who toughed out the pandemic are hoping for a big season.
“It's just good to see people out again, and coming into the shop and not afraid to be around each other,” said Jaida Franklin, whose mother owns Detroit Man and Women Collection, which has a pop up location in Cadillac Square.
Downtown businesses are also hoping for the same. With empty office buildings and limited events, they’re relying on the holiday foot traffic.
“Pandemic really hurt us big time," said Jermaine Jackson, Head Chef for Grand Trunk Pub which is located on Woodward near Campus Martius. "It will be great to see people walking by our building again.”
Grand Trunk is already seeing more business, and is expecting large crowds next weekend for the tree lighting. They plan to finally be able to extend their hours past 10 p.m. with the larger expected crowds.
“It's good to at least see people coming back, for a while it was kind of a ghost town,” Jackson said.
“It's happy, people are out and about, it’s bustling,” said Jenn Opperman, who brought her family downtown from Howell.
It’s a sight downtown Detroit hasn’t seen in a long time, and with a full holiday season still ahead, downtown businesses hope the customers are here to stay.
“It's really big to keep these staples downtown, otherwise it would just be empty,” Jackson said.
The 18th annual Detroit Tree Lighting will also be back in person this year on Friday, Nov. 19. It will be carried live on WXYZ.
