Even though its exact borders may be a subject of debate, one thing is certain when it comes to Southwest Detroit: you need to visit.
Southwest Detroit: Preserving and Making History
Story by Matt Homrich-Knieling
The neighborhood, known for its vibrant character and close-knit community, is on the precipice of new changes and development. Despite this, the community remains dedicated to preserving its historical roots and traditions.
People of Southwest Detroit
For many decades now, Southwest Detroit has been one of the main destinations for immigrants seeking jobs and lifestyles that would help them provide for their families. Not only does it still have a reputation for having a diverse community, but it is also known for being an inclusive and welcoming one, so long as current residents’ cultures are respected.
“Southwest Detroit is more than just a neighborhood—it's a vibrant mosaic of cultures, innovation, and resilience,” President of Southwest Detroit Business Association (SDBA) Laura Chavez-Wazeerud-Din said. “Our Nationally Accredited Mexicantown Mainstreet Corridor, filled with legacy businesses, stands as a testament to the community's dedication to preserving its rich heritage while fostering growth and opportunity.”
As a lifelong resident of Southwest Detroit with strong family-ties to the neighborhood, Chavez-Wazeerud-Din’s work as President of SBDA is deeply personal. “I am honored to witness daily the entrepreneurial spirit and community pride that make this area not just a place to live, but a place to thrive,” she said.
Staples in the Community: Southwest Detroit Businesses
Donut Villa, which first opened its doors in 1975, is a long-standing Southwest Detroit business. Although recently, the donut shop has undergone some changes. This started after the original owners of Donut Villa sold the business in 2018 to Gabriel Gutierrez, who was born-and-raised in Southwest Detroit.
After his first year as owner, Gutierrez started dreaming up some changes to the business based on recurring feedback from regulars. “The customers wanted a public restroom, a drive-thru, and food options on the menu,” Gutierrez shared. Once he sorted through city-permits and zoning, construction was set to begin at the start of 2020. But then COVID-19 hit, and Gutierrez had to put these renovations on pause.
Finally, in the summer of 2022, construction began on Donut Villa, and in February of 2024, the donut shop reopened with Gutierrez’s and his customers’ visions coming to life. Today, patrons can swing by Donut Villa’s drive-thru and grab a donut and coffee on the go, or they can sit down inside the newly renovated space and enjoy a sandwich and an ice-cream or milkshake.
This expanded menu also reflects Gutierrez’s values around community and health. As much as he can, Gutierrez sources his food from local companies, like Dearborn Brand and Calder Dairy & Farm, to keep his products fresh and local.
Like a microcosm for the neighborhood, which is in the midst of transformational changes and investments, Gutierrez had to negotiate how to facilitate these changes to Donut Villa while remaining true to its identity and its loyal, longtime customer-base. “This is my community. A lot of people I know and love are my customers,” Gutierrez said.
While these modern updates and upgrades make the business more inviting to new customers, they don’t change the culture of Donut Villa: “It’s still a place for dialogue and exchange and community. It’s a place where people in the neighborhood grab a cup of coffee at 5am before heading to work. The changes aren’t what make the business, it’s the people,” Gutierrez shared.
Gabriel Gutierrez comes from a family of Southwest Detroit entrepreneurs. His great-grandfather opened a tortilla shop in Mexico, which led to his grandfather opening his own tortilla shop, La Michoacana, in Southwest Detroit after immigrating to the neighborhood in the 1940s. Soon after opening La Michoacana, Gutierrez’s grandfather opened Mexican Village, which proudly holds the title of oldest Mexican restaurant in the city.
Gutierrez’s father, who grew up around the tortilla business, eventually started his own tortilla company with Gutierrez’s mother. This company, Hacienda Mexican Food, is well-known today for its tortilla chips, 313 Urban Chips.
This family entrepreneurial history defines Gabriel Gutierrez’s experience as a business-owner in the community. “Every one of my families’ small businesses is a mini-miracle. Businesses are so difficult to run, you have to do it out of love and out of joy,” Gutierrez shared. Gutierrez’s family story also exemplifies the spirit of Southwest Detroit.
Even before this new wave of investment and development, community members – through determination, hard work, and vision – were making the neighborhood a thriving place for its people.
Another established and popular Southwest business is Honey Bee Market, which has been family-owned and operated for over 60 years. Honey Bee sells fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, delicatessen goods and canned and frozen products in addition to a large selection of Central American ingredients to both their loyal Hispanic customer base, as well as, what they call (and we at Visit Detroit concur with), the “burgeoning” Southwest community.
“Wake up, and smell the chorizo” is the store’s slogan, so it should not come as a surprise that it is also a go-to spot for its house-made chorizo, which happens to be a secret family recipe.
If you’re not in the mood to shop and cook, another neighborhood staple is Armando’s Mexican Restaurant, located in the heart of Mexicantown. Established in 1967 but taken over by the Hernandez family in 1986, it has gained an impressive amount of diners who return, again and again, craving the restaurant’s signature dishes and warm atmosphere.
In addition to supporting the business community, SDBA has expanded its scope of its community development efforts to encompass the flourishing arts and culture community in Southwest Detroit.
One step towards this is through The Center of Music & Performing Arts Southwest, which started in 2007 and provides year-round, youth-focused arts, recreation and educational opportunities, including lessons in various genres of dance, instrumental music and art with a focus on the rich Latino heritage of Southwest Detroit.
Southwest Detroit is filled with arts and culture programming, from the Motor City Street Dance Academy, which offers dance, arts, and music classes to both children and adults, to Living Arts, which provides arts programming and education to students as young as three months up to 18 years old.
Changes and Growth in Southwest
Southwest Detroit has many recent and in-progress developments that continue to bring growth and opportunities to the community.
Set to open in the summer of 2025, La Joya Gardens, a joint development led by the SDBA and Cinnaire Solutions, will be a mixed-use building, providing commercial space and 53 apartments, 30 of which will be at deeply affordable rates.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge, slated to open in 2025, is another transformational project for the Southwest Detroit community. Once open, residents will not only be able to drive across the Detroit-Windsor bridge, but they will also be able to walk or bike across the pedestrian path.
With an anticipated opening in 2027, Detroit City Football Club (DCFC) will be building a new stadium at the site of the former Southwest Detroit Hospital. The new DCFC stadium will add more foot traffic, activity, and energy to the already vibrant Corktown and Southwest communities.
A recent change to the community is the Southwest Greenway, a former railway corridor transformed into a beautiful walking trail. The Southwest Greenway, running from Bagley Street to Jefferson Avenue, opened in May 2023 and serves as a component of the in-progress 27.5 mile Joe Louis Greenway. When the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park opens in 2025, the trail will also serve as a connection between Southwest Detroit and this world-class riverfront park.
The Southwest Greenway also connects to another renowned site: Michigan Central. Home to the former Michigan Central Station, this iconic building was purchased by Ford in 2018 and underwent an extensive and meticulous renovation, opening to the public in June 2024. Once a symbol of Detroit’s economic downturn, Michigan Central is now a shining symbol of the city’s resilience, determination, and beauty.
Food still remains a staple of Southwest Detroit. Favorites in Mexicantown include Taqueria Lupita and Xochimilco Restaurant, while El Asador, El Nacimiento, and La Palapa del Parian will satisfy your cravings further into Southwest.
Many new businesses have recently opened up in Southwest Detroit, including juice bars and cafés like Utila Juices and ArteSano Juice Bar, both located along Vernor Hwy. Another new and exciting business in the neighborhood is Candela, a live entertainment venue in the historic former Lithuanian Hall.
A College for Creative Studies graduate, owner Paula Anderanin’s love for the arts is reflected in her vision of Candela. “While our focus is on Latino music, we’re open to all types of music, entertainment, and arts events,” Anderanin shared. Candela can also be rented for public and private events, from community plays to quinceañeras.
In the near future, Anderanin plans to open a commercial kitchen to expand what Candela can offer, connecting foods to cultural events like Tango night. Reflecting on her appreciation for the neighborhood, Anderanin said, “I just love Southwest. What better place to open Candela than Southwest?”
Every year, Southwest Detroit hosts many events, most notably the Cinco de Mayo parade, which runs along a 3-mile route on Vernor Hwy, the longest parade in the city. Organized by the Mexican Patriotic Committee, the Cinco de Mayo parade dates back to 1965 and continues to be a thriving cultural celebration today.
Another annual event in the neighborhood is the Run of the Dead, a 5K and 10K run that commemorates the Mexican holiday of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The newly renovated Clark Park – which now features a splash pad, an inclusive playground, and sports courts – also hosts events throughout the year, like the Winter Carnival and the Culture and Arts Festival.
For more information about upcoming events in Southwest Detroit, visit Southwest Detroit Business Association’s website or Visit Detroit’s event page.
