Professional training, $1000 for sundry startup costs and free rent for three months in a 760-square-foot storefront in the heart of Gordon Square round out the loot the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization (DSCDO) is offering up as part of a Gordon Square pop-up competition. Ward 15 Councilman Matt Zone is funding the effort.

"It’s a real opportunity to shape the future of urban retail in Gordon Square," says Adam Rosen, economic development director for DSCDO, noting that the district has added 85 new businesses since 2006, "and it's going to keep going." He tags the imminent openings of superelectric, Banter, Astoria and the Arcadian as evidence of such.

Currently Esperanza's unique clothing and home goods store is operating in the space, which Rosen describes as "retail ready" with shelving, lighting and bathroom facilities. The previous tenant was Retropolitan.

In addition to forthcoming neighbors, venues such as the Capitol Theater, which garners some 60,000 visitors a year, the new Near West and Cleveland Public Theaters, Luxe, Happy Dog and the ever-popular Sweet Moses ice cream confectionary attract their share of feet on the street.

"You've got all that traffic," says Rosen, noting the inherent value for prospective pop up shop proprietors. "It's an opportunity for someone to slide right into a highly active district and get new customers to expand their reach and hopefully to establish their brand to fit into Gordon Square."

Thus far, DSCDO has received approximately a dozen entries for businesses looking to expand their retail footprint for clothing, food and art. Rosen expects that number to double by the September 28^th application deadline. While he looks forward to a new retail offering for the 2015 holiday season, the goal of the competition goes beyond that.

"The ultimate goal is to keep that business in the neighborhood. That’s why we're doing this training with ECDI (Economic and Community Development Institute)."

The successful candidate will be obliged to take that organization's Small Enterprise Education Development (SEED) training series, which focuses on business concept, organization, customer relations, and helping entrepreneurs develop their venture through an action-oriented process. One runner-up will be offered the SEED training as well.

"We provide all those tools so you can be a sustainable business in a neighborhood that lasts. That's really the goal—to have someone that lasts." And if that business eventually moves elsewhere, Rosen says there will be no sour grapes.

"Even if they don’t stay in Gordon Square," he says, "we view it as something that will give Cleveland as a whole better business plans and better business models."

In order to select the winning candidate, DSCDO's economic development committee will review the applications and select one much in the way they evaluate a prospective lessee, with the organization's master plan and strategic vision for the neighborhood as criteria.

"It’s a very similar process, albeit this application and what we ask of businesses for a pop up is much less than what we'd ask of a business for a potential long term lease agreement."

The DSCDO owns more than 50,000 square feet of property within the district. Regarding the management of those assets, Rosen sees a community development landlord as being slightly different than a standard landowner when working with potential tenants.

"We work with tenants to help them be the best they can be in fitting in with the existing flow and atmosphere of Gordon Square and Detroit Shoreway," he says. "We kind of go the extra mile. We really have the best interest of the neighborhood in mind."

Information regarding the competition, including guidelines, the application and questionnaire are available here. The successful candidate will be announced on October 9^th.