Hastings Market opens, giving emerging Detroit entrepreneurs a rent-free shot at retail

• Hastings Market officially opened on September 9, 2026, as the centerpiece of the NextUP313 Retail Incubator, letting entrepreneurs ages 18 to 30 test brick-and-mortar concepts rent-free. 

• Up to six vendors will operate their businesses for 30 hours a week over a 20-week period, with two more hosted on Detroit’s west side through the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation. 

• Participants receive business development coaching and point-of-sale technology from DEGC, and the space will also host 18 vendors through 72-hour pop-up markets. 

• NextUP313 grant applications are open now through Oct. 5, offering $1,500 to $10,000 to Detroit business owners ages 18 to 30. 

(September 15, 2026) DETROIT — Hastings Market officially opened its doors on Wednesday, September 9, giving a new group of emerging Detroit entrepreneurs a chance to test their retail concepts without the overhead that usually comes with it. 

The market is the centerpiece of the NextUP313 Retail Incubator, a program built for Detroit residents and retailers ages 18 to 30 who want to see if a brick-and-mortar business can work before they commit to the rent, loans and build-out costs that typically come with the leap. 

“Hastings Market is proof that when we invest in our emerging entrepreneurs, they deliver,” said Councilmember At Large Mary Waters. “It meets people where they are and gives them the tools to build something lasting.” 

A rent-free testing ground 

Up to six vendors will operate their concepts out of Hastings Market for 30 hours a week over a 20-week stretch, rent-free. Two more 20-week vendors are being hosted on Detroit’s west side through a partnership with the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation at 19120 Grand River Ave.  

Every participant gets business development coaching from the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) staff, along with point-of-sale software and hardware to help run their shop. The space will also host 18 additional vendors through 72-hour pop-up markets programmed by DEGC throughout the pilot. 

“Starting a business is hard enough without having to gamble tens of thousands of dollars just to find out if your idea works,” said Sean Gray, senior vice president of Small Business Services at the DEGC, which manages NextUP313. “Hastings Market takes that risk off the table so entrepreneurs can focus on what matters, which is building a customer base and refining their concept.” 

Hastings Market is operated by the DEGC in partnership with the City of Detroit, the Office of City Councilmember At-Large Mary Waters and the Detroit Vanguard Community Development Corporation. The pilot runs through May 31, 2027. 

NextUP313 gives emerging entrepreneurs a leg up 

Hastings Market is part of NextUP313, the DEGC’s program for emerging 18- to 30-year-old entrepreneurs, now in its third fiscal year. The program connects Detroit residents with the city’s compliance requirements and business development resources, and includes $100,000 in grant funding for revenue-generating companies, the 20-week Supported Retail Program for eight entrepreneurs and 18 pop-up market vendors, a virtual course with 145 students enrolled, and in-person networking events and seminars. 

“Participants are receiving an opportunity to scale their retail operations from popping-up 1-4 days per month to 4-7 days per week at a consistent, public location,” said Medvis Jackson, special projects director for the DEGC. “They’re getting coaching, tools and a tangible opportunity at figuring out what works before they scale.” 

NextUP313 grant applications are open now through Oct. 5. Detroit business owners ages 18 to 30 can apply for grants of $1,500, $3,500, $5,000 or $10,000 at bit.ly/DEGCsmallbusiness. 

About the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation: 

Detroit Economic Growth Corporation is a non-profit organization that serves as Detroit's lead implementing agency for business retention, attraction and economic development. DEGC is led by a board comprised of business, civic and community leaders. Its staff provides services for key public authorities that facilitate incentives and other forms of financing for projects that bring new jobs and investment to the City. DEGC also manages important initiatives to support small businesses and grow neighborhood commercial corridors. DEGC is dedicated to inclusive development and access to economic opportunity.