A decade after its founding, local footwear business Pingree Detroit is getting ready to open its first flagship shop.
The company, which is worker-owned and supports U.S. military veterans by making shoes and bags out of upcycled auto materials, says it will open its new shop at 11 a.m. on Veteran’s Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11.
The store will be located at 22 W. Columbia St., Detroit around the corner from the Fox Theater among “The District Detroit” development around Little Caesars Arena.
“Detroit’s energy is incredible right now,” Pingree Detroit co-founder and CEO Jarret Schlaff said in a statement. “We’re excited to introduce our products to everyone who visits The District Detroit and experiences the spirit of this city.”
The company is cooperatively owned and employs military veterans and Detroiters, and says 77% of its profits are shared or reinvested locally.
“Worker-ownership isn’t just a feel-good idea, it is an economic survival strategy,” Pingree Detroit co-founder and CEO Jarret Schlaff said in a statement. “When people have real ownership, they stay, they persevere, and they build. That’s how we’ve thrived for the last 10 years, and how we’ll grow for the next 100.”
It also boasts that it has diverted more than 55,000 pounds of leather, vinyl, and seat belts from landfills to make handcrafted footwear, bags, and accessories.
In addition to retail, the space will also serve as a showroom and workshop where people can watch Pingree Detroit workers make products and even meet their makers on “Footwear Fridays.”
“Pingree is retail transparency designed to reconnect people with the hands and hearts behind what they buy,” Schlaff said. “Every purchase supports Veterans and Detroiters who are building opportunity and impact right here in their own neighborhoods.”
On Monday, Nov. 10, Pingree Detroit will host a pop-up inside Little Caesars Arena offering a limited-edition collection with the Red Wings in celebration of the team’s 100th season.
A portion of proceeds will benefit local charities for veterans.
The company was founded in 2015 and is named after former Detroit mayor and Michigan governor Hazen S. Pingree, whose Pingree and Smith company was once the second-biggest shoe manufacturer in the U.S.