In(ter)dependence

"Independence through Interdependence."

-Jackie Victor, Avalon International Breads

"I think we're here for each other."

-Carol Burnett

Happy (belated) Independence Day! I was thinking a lot about Detroit yesterday. In particular, Jackie's words about the importance of collaboration between the small independent businesses in Midtown's North Cass Neighborhood. Before I left, several of us worked together to coordinate activities for the U.S. Social Forum. The experience reminded me just how critical cooperation is for our survival.

Common wisdom is that entrepreneurship is all about fierce independence, individualism and innovation. The market rewards individuals who take risks, make bold moves, and ultimately outsmart and outlast the competition.

There is certainly truth in this. But if you're in the business of place-making (as we Detroit retailers are), your primary motivation must be community-building and culture-change. We're still creating the conditions for businesses to thrive. Until then, the name of the game is interdependence.

That was the idea behind Open City. Dialogue and exchange breeds openness. Openness begets opportunity. Liz Blondy was there for me. Lee Padgett was there for her. And now we're all here for each other.

I'm sad to miss a meeting of the West Willis & Canfield villagers while I'm away, but I hope we can build on the Shop Midtown campaign we started. It ain't perfect, but it's a start. And I'll always be grateful to the beautiful Sonya Harrison for being our poster girl.

While I'm here in Portland, I'm particularly interested in two neighborhoods that host monthly district-wide open houses as a possible model for Midtown. First Thursdays in the Pearl District, Last Thursdays in the Alberta Arts District. People come for the art, stay for the shopping and dining. I love that folks can set their watch to it. I'm much more interested in regular events than one big annual blowout. The goal is to build comfortability, familiarity and everyday foot-traffic.

I smile remembering one of our first big Detroit Synergy events (see below). It's cute how literal we were. My most vivid memory is lots of wind, rain and unruly balloons. So maybe it didn't change the world, but it certainly presaged better, bigger things to come.