Today City Bird is a beloved retail institution in Detroit, but when the store opened in 2009 this stretch of Canfield Street looked very different.
“The view from our counter was just an empty auto factory and a vacant lot,” says Emily Linn, co-founder of City Bird. Today the design-focused gift shop sits across from retail pioneer Shinola Detroit, a watch factory and store, and Third Man Records, a label and store launched by Jack Black, among other local gems. “This has become a vibrant neighborhood with great shopping. It’s very walkable and it’s been exciting to see that transformation.”
