After years of paying her own way, Motor City Match helps entrepreneur’s venue reach the finish line

• The Ideal Rental Space marks Motor City Match’s 209th neighborhood ribbon cutting, bringing a new event venue to Detroit’s Nolan neighborhood

• Owner Johnnie Meeks spent 12 years funding and renovating the formerly vacant building largely on her own, without taking out a loan, before a $50,000 Motor City Match grant helped her close the gap and complete the project

• The grant covered two ADA-accessible bathrooms, a new HVAC system and parking lot improvements at 2039 E. Seven Mile Road

• The 1,900-square-foot event space can accommodate up to 114 guests and is designed to host celebrations, meetings, community gatherings and other events

August 28, 2026 (DETROIT) – Mayor Mary Sheffield and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) today celebrated the grand opening of The Ideal Rental Space. It’s the 209th neighborhood ribbon cutting for Motor City Match, and the payoff of a vision more than a decade in the making for Detroit resident Johnnie Meeks.

The venue, located at 2039 E. Seven Mile Road in the Nolan neighborhood, was completed with help from a $50,000 Motor City Match grant that covered two ADA-accessible bathrooms, a new HVAC system and parking lot improvements

Meeks said the grand opening represents the culmination of a vision that began more than a decade ago. Meeks bought the building in 2014 and spent 12 years renovating it herself, doing much of the work by hand and refusing to take out a loan along the way.

“I’m overjoyed. I’m so excited. I’m nervous. You name it, I’m feeling it right now,” Meeks said. “To have all this come together has been absolutely amazing.”

A place to gather

The Ideal Rental Space is designed to accommodate events both large and small, with capacity for up to 114 people. Meeks envisions everything from weddings, birthday parties, bridal and baby showers to corporate meetings, bingo nights, live music and community gatherings.

The 1,900-square-foot event space includes tables and chairs, chandeliers, multiple lighting options, a television, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth sound system and a lighted stage. A dedicated bar area can accommodate licensed mobile bar services.

Meeks is developing a referral list of caterers, decorators and DJs that clients can work with when planning events, with an emphasis on Detroit-based vendors.

The venue is currently a family operation, with Meeks’ daughter and son-in-law helping with the business. As it grows, Meeks hopes to create opportunities for local students to gain work experience at the venue.

“Every ribbon cutting tells a story about someone who refused to give up on their neighborhood, and Johnnie’s story is one of the best I’ve seen,” said Sheffield. “She saw a dilapidated building and decided it could be transformed into a space where people can gather, fellowship, and create bonds with one another.”

Seeing potential in a vacant building

Meeks first noticed the building while attending church directly across the street. At the time, the property had been sitting vacant with no indication that it was available for purchase.

Her first thought was a restaurant. After researching the property and connecting with a real estate agent, she discovered the building was for sale and purchased it in 2014. The idea that ultimately stayed with her was creating a place where people could come together.

“In my heart, it was always the desire to create a rental space,” Meeks said. “I wanted to give back to the neighborhood, to revitalize the neighborhood and have a space for people to gather, make memories and have fun.”

The building needed extensive work. A previous fire had left it in poor condition, and Meeks began with a new roof before gradually tackling other improvements. Rather than borrow money to complete the project all at once, she chose to renovate as she could afford it.

She worked on portions of the building herself, with her children, family, friends and members of the community lending a hand along the way.

“I did it on my time, slowly, with my money,” Meeks said. “There were tears shed, there were sleepless nights, but I just kept going.”

The project also required Meeks to navigate the process of changing the property’s use. Previously designated as a resale shop and carryout restaurant, the building needed to be rezoned to accommodate her vision for an event venue. Meeks credits staff with the City of Detroit, particularly the Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department (BSEED), with helping her navigate the process and encouraging her during moments when she considered giving up.

“Sometimes I wanted to give up and quit, and they were really encouraging,” Meeks said. “They were instrumental in keeping me motivated, keeping me on track and keeping me going.”

Getting across the finish line

Eventually, Meeks reached a point where completing the remaining work would require additional funding. But after years of avoiding debt to build the project, she remained reluctant to take out a loan.

That is when someone at BSEED told her about Motor City Match. Meeks applied, and the program stepped in to help her cross a finish line she had been building toward on her own for years.

“Johnnie spent years investing in this property because she believed in what it could become and what it could add to her neighborhood,” said Sean Gray, DEGC senior vice president of Small Business Services, which administers the Motor City Match program. “She had already done so much of the hard work herself. We’re proud that Motor City Match could give her the additional resources she needed to finish the space.”

Ideal Rental Space will operate from 9 AM to 10 PM on weekdays, with weekend events running as late as 11 PM. Pricing and rental packages are currently being finalized.

“It’s been a journey,” Meeks said. “I did this with my own sweat, my own money, until Motor City Match came along.”

Through 30 rounds of Motor City Match:

• Total cash grants: $21 million (Total leveraged investment: $111 million)

• 84% of awardees are minority-owned

• 72% are women-owned

• 70% are owned by Detroit residents

About Motor City Match

Motor City Match is a small business incubator program powered by a partnership between the City of Detroit, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) and Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC). The program awards cash grants and provides planning, design and development support to entrepreneurs looking to open or expand a brick-and-mortar business in Detroit. Applications are accepted quarterly. More information is available at www.MotorCityMatch.com.