JENNIFER WOOD/THE OAKLAND POST

Dozens of bicycles sit outside Wheelhouse Detroit, ready for somebody to rent them for a scenic ride through the city.

By Jennifer Wood

Staff reporter

With inhabitants dwindling at less than half of peak population, the city of Detroit may not seem like a favorable place for new independent businesses.

The empty storefronts and deserted streets bear little resemblance to the booming metropolis that once was.

Despite the current recession and instability over Detroit’s future, Kelli Kavanaugh and Karen Gage of Wheelhouse Detroit are halfway through their second season as Detroit

business owners.

Wheelhouse Detroit, located on River Walk in downtown Detroit, offers the public bike rental, guided tours, repairs and retail. One hour rentals start at $10 per hour.

As Detroit natives Kavanaugh and Gage are well aware of Detroit’s potential and feel that independent businesses could play a significant role in restoring the city.

“Not just the Wheelhouse, but we really feel strongly that small businesses are a major key to reviving Detroit. Our friends like Liz at Canine to Five, Joe at Mezzanine, Shawn and Kevin at Pure Detroit, Torya at Good Girls Crepes and Claire at Bureau are our constant inspiration and support network,” said Kavanaugh.

Teaming up with local organizations including Hamtramck’s Preserve our Parks, Creekside Community Development Corporation and Greater Corktown Development Corporation, Wheelhouse aims to give customers a never before seen view of the city, designed by those who know it best.

These collaborations are beneficial not only to Wheelhouse, but also to Detroit and surrounding neighborhoods.

“Karen and I both feel strongly that these organizations are responsible for much of the good that has happened and is happening in Detroit and this is a way of us supporting them while exposing people to their community.

“On the flip side, they know their neighborhoods better than anyone, so we are making sure that riders are getting really insider information. It’s a classic win-win,” Kavanaugh said.

Wheelhouse returns half of the proceeds from the price of the tours back to the neighborhoods they visit and arranges stops at local restaurants and stores for cyclists to stop and check out.

Something to see:

On Saturday, Aug. 29, Wheelhouse will be exploring the Southwest Detroit/Fort Wayne area, winding through the shops on Vernor Highway, Woodmere Cemetary and Mexicantown.

For $25, riders will be able to get a new take on the cultural center of the city, which Gage and Kavanaugh see as an essential part of rebuilding Detroit.

“People who haven’t spent much time in the city lately will be pleasantly surprised as to how much is going on in the greater downtown area,” Gage said.