DETROIT (WXYZ) — Worker-owned Detroit company Pingree Detroit will open its first flagship store on November 11 in the heart of District Detroit, just steps from the Fox Theatre on Columbia Street.
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The retail location represents a major milestone for the company, which has been crafting leather goods from upcycled automotive materials since 2015.
"We've been wanting to have a flagship store since we started," said Jarret Schlaff, Pingree Detroit founder. "We're just thrilled we get to connect with folks, really experience the brand, see the craftsmanship up close."
The new store will serve as more than just a retail space. It will also function as a workshop and classroom, with live shoemaking demonstrations planned for Fridays.
"A store and a bit of a classroom, on Fridays you'll see some live shoemaking," Schlaff said.
Upcycling automotive waste into luxury goods
Inside Pingree Detroit's manufacturing center on Livernois, the company transforms automotive industry waste into high-end products.
"Everything is made with this material that was otherwise destined for the landfill in the production of brand new car seats and steering wheels," Schlaff said.
The company produces everything from bags to footwear to handcrafted leather goods using these upcycled materials from the automotive industry.
Pingree products are currently sold in stores across metro Detroit, from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to the Somerset Collection.
Supporting veterans and Detroit workers
The worker-owned cooperative prioritizes creating jobs for veterans and Detroit residents. David Wilson, a master carpenter and Army veteran from Detroit, was hired to help build the flagship store's interior.
"As far as veterans go, every company should reach out to veterans, you're getting the creme of the crop," Wilson said.
Wilson takes pride in his contribution to the project.
"Every person that walks into that door, they'll be seeing my personal project," Wilson said.
Nathaniel Crawford II, an Air Force veteran and Pingree Detroit co-owner, exemplifies the company's commitment to veteran employment. Crawford is credited with designing and crafting the first Detroit-made sneaker since the 1950s.
"After two years of being with Pingree Detroit, my dad told me, my grandfather was a cobbler, it's like this is where I'm supposed to be," Crawford said.
The company produces just 10 pairs of these sneakers per month, made to order and crafted with leather reclaimed from the Detroit auto industry.
"Endless possibilities of what we can do with this upcycled leather," Crawford said.
The flagship store opens at 11 a.m. on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
"We hope this is our first store of many," Schlaff said.
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