Motor City Match awardee brings a “dose” of food, plants and creativity to Detroit’s Cass Corridor

• Dose. detroit (styled as “dose. detroit”) is a cozy, plant-filled cafe and shopping destination where guests can find eccentric specially curated homewares

• Co-owners Adam Cichy and Alan Alexander received a $70,000 Motor City Match grant in Round 27 to support construction and equipment purchases

• Dose offers a curated menu of elevated staples like chicken salad sandwiches, advo toast and smoked salmon carpaccio, along with drinks like strawberry lavender matcha and salted Nutella rose lattes

• Motor City Match has awarded $19.5M in cash grants; 85% of overall winners are minority-owned businesses, 70% are women-owned and 68% are owned by Detroit residents  

APRIL 28, 2025 (DETROIT) — The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) and the City of Detroit today held an official ribbon cutting for dose. detroit, marking the 182nd Motor City Match business to open its doors.

The plant-filled cafe, created by entrepreneurs Adam Cichy and Alan Alexander, blends food, plants and curated design. The couple met in New York and moved to Alexander’s hometown of Detroit two years ago after noticing its growing food scene. With help from Motor City Match and their creative energy, they transformed their vision into a space where guests can enjoy small bites and shop for unique home décor.

“We have a huge love for food, drinks, plants, and I have a huge shopping addiction,” Alexander explained. “We really wanted to just hone in on our dinner parties at home, but translated that into a use-all space where folks can come, relax, chill and get inspired.”

The space is intentionally designed to spark creativity, with rotating menu items, one-of-a-kind retail finds and an atmosphere that invites guests to linger and explore. Lush plants placed throughout the establishment immediately catch visitors’ attention, adding warmth and freshness to the environment. Dose is not a full-service restaurant – guests order and pick up at the counter – but the attention to detail and personal touches make it feel like an experience built just for them.

Alexander, who’s a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, has curated a menu of elevated staples like their popular chicken salad sandwich, advo toast and smoked salmon carpaccio. Guests can sip on drinks such as strawberry lavender matcha on ice, ube matcha and salted Nutella rose lattes while browsing eccentric tchotchkes, or purchase fully styled plants with expert guidance on how to care for them.

“We’re allowing ourselves to be creative and have almost no boundaries in what we think will taste good and translate well with people,” said Cichy, adding the venture offered him an escape from corporate America into something more fulfilling. “Often, when people walk through the door, we see the ‘wow’ expression on their face. It always comes down to a ‘dose’ of experience and surprise.”

“When entrepreneurs bring their passion here and create spaces that aren’t just businesses but community gathering places, they transform neighborhoods,” said Marshall Bullock, director of Government Affairs for the City of Detroit. “Adam and Alan have created a destination that celebrates creativity and sustainability. This kind of energy is rebuilding our neighborhoods – one plant, one perfectly crafted latte, and one ‘wow’ moment at a time.”

Located at 3706 4th Street in Detroit’s Cass Corridor, dose was supported by a $70,000 Motor City Match grant, which supported construction and the purchase of equipment and furniture. The cafe is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

“Our grant may have helped with construction and equipment, but Alan and Adam brought the vision and heart to bring this project to life,” said Sean Gray, vice president of Small Business Services for the DEGC, responsible for managing the Motor City Match program. “Motor City Match does an excellent job of connecting resources with the right people who will create spaces that add value to the community. And when you walk into dose. detroit, you can see why we supported them.”

Through 28 rounds of Motor City Match:    

• Total cash grants: $19.5 million (Total leveraged investment: $104.5 million)   

• 85 percent are minority-owned businesses   

• 70 percent are women-owned businesses   

• 68 percent are businesses owned by Detroit residents

About Motor City Match    

Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Competitive financial assistance is supported by a broad partnership of Southeast Michigan community development financial institutions and corporations including, Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Foundation, Hudson Webber Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, New Economy Initiative and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Motor City Match applications are available quarterly. More information is available at www.MotorCityMatch.com