Experience Detroit Like a Local

Parini

Parini is a Detroit-based interior design studio shaping hospitality spaces that feel grounded, intentional, and quietly bold. Founded by Christine Babini and Amy Pariser, the studio grew out of shared history and good timing – first crossing paths at a previous firm, then reconnecting years later while road-tripping through Iceland, where long drives turned into big conversations about building something of their own.

Launched in 2018 with $2,000, two laptops, and a very Detroit sense of grit, Parini has since grown into a 10-person team with a sharp point of view and an expanding portfolio of award-winning work. Their projects have earned an HD Award and two Gold Key Awards, recognized for interiors that balance restraint and warmth with a strong sense of place. Now, returning to Detroit Foundation Hotel for its redesign, Parini comes full circle – deepening a relationship that began with the hotel’s original transformation and continuing their work of shaping spaces meant to be lived in, not just looked at.

Soft Goods Detroit

Soft Goods is a Detroit-based apparel factory and brand rooted in craft, patience, and place. Founded in Corktown in 2017 by Josh York after leaving the corporate fashion world, Soft Goods began in a small second-floor room of an old car factory – built one T-shirt at a time. Today, the brand is known for high-end knitwear made entirely from U.S.-grown and knit cotton, with heavyweight tees, crewnecks, and hoodies designed for real wear and long life. Each garment is cut and sewn by a tight-knit team of Detroit craftspeople who take pride in durability, fit, and responsible production. Soft Goods pieces can be found in specialty shops across the U.S., Japan, the U.K., and South Korea – and were dubbed “The next great American Hoodie” by GQ. We’re proud to partner with Detroit Foundation Hotel on a custom French Terry robe, debuting as part of Soft Goods’ upcoming fall line – shared with guests of a hotel that’s been a true neighbor to the brand from the start.

Third Man Records

Third Man Records was launched by Jack White in Detroit in 2001 and in 2009 opened its Nashville location home to label offices, distribution center, photo studio and record store. In 2015 its Detroit location was opened housing a record and novelties lounge, mastering studio, and Third Man Pressing manufacturing facility. Third Man is an innovator in the world of vinyl records and a boundary pusher in the world of recorded music, aiming to bring tangibility and spontaneity back into the records business and issue releases that leave no doubt in the minds of listeners that music is indeed sacred. Third Man Records has been on the decks and selling vinyl at Detroit Foundation for pop-ups over several years – keep up with our calendar to see when they pop-up next.

Hyperion Coffee

No Palera

Nuestra Jefa & Founder says “The passion I have for my Mexican heritage extends far beyond the walls of Beauty. My pride is loud, colorful, and omnipresent in everything. I hold dear the values of resourcefulness that continue to inspire our ingredient formulation, just as firmly as I carry the values of resilience that my Mexican immigrant parents embodied. The courage to explore an unknown land and ultimately carve their own path is what inspired the vision behind Nopalera. Today, my ambition is to activate a new generation to explore beauty through a different lens: one that embodies boldness, scent transportation, and fresh takes on common beauty rituals.”

Citizen Yoga

Citizen Yoga is a community-driven yoga practice built around connection, curiosity, and mental health. Grounded in the belief that movement is a way to learn, unlearn, and relearn, Citizen treats yoga as more than physical maintenance – using asana as a tool for self-discovery, integration, and resilience in a culture under real mental strain.

Radically welcoming by design, Citizen fosters belonging, confidence, and authentic expression, creating space for unexpected friendships and people better equipped to handle the stresses of everyday life. As a collaborator at Detroit Foundation Hotel, Citizen extends this approach beyond the studio – bringing a shared commitment to care, connection, and wellbeing into the hotel’s programming and community.

Q Music

Q Music is a talent and music curation agency that leverages both taste and technology to achieve its mission: creating a marketplace for elite independent artists in the hospitality and events space. Q Music currently curates for hospitality venues in the Chicago, Detroit, and Miami markets.

Mothfire Brewing Company

At Mothfire, we focus on collaboration, creativity, and quality craftsmanship, partnering with the resilient farmers of Michigan who provide the grains and hops that ignite the signature character of our beers. And we want to share the Mothfire spirit, from our cans to your home—and soon through art, music, and live events at our new taproom. Noah Kaplan is an artist and entrepreneur who has always been obsessed with the international craft beer culture. Through the years, he met other like-minded “beer freaks”, and together they have set out to spark a cultural awakening through this passion.

David Becker has a background & passion for environmental sustainability with a commitment to utilizing local Michigan farms to procure the freshest and finest ingredients available. He also brings 20+ years of operations experience in the small business, nonprofit and utility industries.

To help fuel the fire, Mothfire added head brewer Alexis Jorgensen to the team. Alexis has over 10 years of experience in large-scale breweries across the country, including Stone Brewing in California, where she mastered her craft. Locally, she is celebrated for her recipes at Witch’s Hat and Wolverine.

Detroit Bikes

Detroit Bikes aspires to contribute to healthy urbanism by creating a product that enriches the urban experience while telling a story that is uniquely about urban revival. These are the only bikes being produced in a rapidly rebounding US city, and they are being produced so that people in cities across this country can expand their affordable, reliable, and fun transportation alternatives.

McIntosh Poris Associates

For more than 22 years, McIntosh Poris Associates has helped save many of Detroit’s 20th-century landmark buildings, historic districts, and iconic neighborhoods. The firm is proud to be part of a collaborative team that celebrates community, social entrepreneurship, and economic engagement. The Foundation Hotel successfully brought together the city’s architecture, art, design, and manufacturing communities to create a hotel atmosphere that embraces a “Detroit State of Mind” to welcome both visitors and locals with an authentic sense of place.

Pewabic Pottery

Founded in 1903, Pewabic is one of the oldest continually operating potteries in the country. Working out of their National Historic Landmark studio on Detroit’s east side, this iconic institution continues to preserve a tradition of handcraftsmanship that has enriched lives for generations. Pewabic today is an active working pottery, architectural tile studio, ceramic arts education center and vibrant cultural destination that attracts visitors from around the world. Visitors are invited to shop handcrafted pottery and tiles made onsite, along with Independent Artist work from across North America, and explore the free second floor Pewabic Museum. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Detroit’s Pewabic Pottery continues to be guided by a singular mission — to enrich the human spirit through clay.

Urban Ashes

Saving Trees and Lives … As a full service design and fabrication company, we focus on providing meaningful work for our returning ex-felons and our marginalized youth in partnership with other community members. In this process we are able to create a positive environment for mentorship and opportunities for our crew to repurpose their lives. Ultimately, this allows us to reclaim these too often discarded resources and lives.

We create intentionally simple and timeless designs, crafted from salvaged woods, featuring rich organic textures integrated with raw modern and industrial materials. This dynamic combination between our people and our materials creates an unparalleled quality behind our hand-made furnishings, fixtures, picture frames and other wood goods for commercial and residential spaces that tell a uniquely human story to pass down through the generations.

Detroit Laser Co

A long-time fan of the DFDHQ as an architectural wonder in downtown, both as a home-base to our civil servants as well as a killer location for after-hours Autoshow parties, Detroit Laser was thrilled to contribute to its next phase of life and work with the all the great people from the design, build, and property management teams that made it all happen. We are proud to have played a small part in the Detroit Foundation Hotel’s launch and look forward to its continued success!

Woodward Throwbacks

On Detroit and their brand…

Detroit is a rough and raw place, and we want our products to reflect the environment they were gathered from.  The beauty is in the imperfection.  And we are trying to bring as much beauty as we can out of an otherwise ugly and contagious problem.

At Woodward Throwbacks we are doing our part in trying to recycle as much raw material as possible from our city.  And in the process helping to clean up streets and neighborhoods that we salvage the materials from.

Bon Bon Bon

On Collaborating…

Bon Bon Bon makes Bon Bon Bons. “Bon” means “good” and the whole idea, really is to employ good people to make good chocolate for other good people using really good ingredients. Working with Detroit Foundation Hotel has given us the opportunity to collaborate with likeminded people. We are thrilled to have such a destination and experience like that of Foundation Hotel, full of wonderful new neighbors to work and create with,  right around the corner!

Two James Spirits

Detroit Foundation Hotel has partnered with Two James Spirits to offer our guests a unique cocktail experience to enjoy in-room or on tap in the Apparatus Room beginning November 4th, 2021. Born from our shared passion for history and art, we are excited to introduce our new canned cocktails, 1929 and Midnight City.

1929 is a bourbon-forward cocktail symbolizing and commemorating the year that the new fire station, which now stands as the Detroit Foundation Hotel, was built. Two James Distillery curated 1929 featuring J Riddle Pleated bourbon alongside notes of chamomile, honey, and lemon.

Midnight City is a rum-based cocktail that pays homage to Detroit’s placement in the history of the Underground Railroad movement. Although Detroit may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of the Underground Railroad, our city was a part of the route that many slaves took as they sought to reach Canada, where slavery was abolished in 1833. This cocktail, named after Detroit’s Underground code name “Midnight,” features Doctor Bird Rum, Pineapple, Lime, and Falernum.

Each canned cocktail was created in-house at Two James Distillery and offers 3-4 individuals cocktails per can.

Detroit Musix

The best of Detroit, music and more.

Sam Donald and Detroit Musix, bring incredible experiences to that highlight the city  and educate visitors and locals alike on its history.

Detroit Historical Society

DON’T JUST MAKE PLANS – MAKE HISTORY

The Detroit Historical Museum is located in Detroit’s Midtown Cultural Center and is home to the Streets of Old Detroit, America’s Motor City and many other exhibits sure to entertain and inspire your party guests.

We’ve partnered with the Detroit Foundation Hotel to provide installations, tours, and other activations through the years.

Excited to contribute to the fabric of this historic building.

HOT BONES

We are an infrared yoga and pilates studio & bone broth bar hybrid concept born in Detroit.

BEES IN THE D

Our mission is to create a cooperative effort between residents, schools, organizations, and businesses to contribute to the health of honey bee colonies, native pollinators, and the education of their importance to our environment.