The past few months I have been learning about the Alger Theater and the communities surrounding it as a part of my impact project. I was introduced to the Alger Theater through my impact project partner and fellow fellow, Jeffery Lewis II. He is a native of the MorningSide Community and is actively spreading awareness about the Alger Theater.
The Alger Theater sits along Warren Avenue straddling three communities: MorningSide, East English Village, and Cornerstone. The Warren Avenue corridor, in which the theater is located, is suffering an economic hardship; most recently the loose of the hardware store which had been family owned an operated for 50 plus years. The Alger Theater is one of three remaining neighborhood theaters in Detroit. Unfortunately the theater has been closed since 1983, however the theater is currently under renovation and has hopes of reopening one day. The theater is in such disrepair that many in the surrounding neighborhoods are unaware that renovations are occurring. How could the Alger promote awareness of their ongoing work? How could we gain an awareness of community needs? That is where Jeffery and I came in.
Why not bring awareness through a familiar event? The Alger Theater used to host an event called “Alger in the Alley” in which they would host small summer time concerts in the shared alley with the library next door. Jeffery and I worked with the board members of the Alger to host a new series of Alger in the Alley to promote the new rooftop deck, the work which needs to be done, and to provide tours of the interior. We also engaged in conversation with visitors to learn more about their vision for the Alger and the Warren Avenue Corridor. Through this we learned that residents of the community wanted to see after school activities at the Alger for students K-12 along with typical theater programming such as movies, concerts, and plays. They also wanted a space to gather with other residents and enjoy food and conversation. Lastly they expressed a need for a pharmacy, bank, stores with general goods, and entertainment and food options.
A common gathering point was expressed multiple times over, which got us thinking. What better way than to open a coffee shop? As a part of the Alger’s renovation, two new storefronts will be opening; one of which we suggest become a coffee shop. We spoke with many coffee shop owners and visited many shops across Detroit, to gain a better understanding of what makes a shop successful. We learned that shops were successful when products were locally sources, employees were from the neighborhood, and when coffee was made and served with care.
The Alger Theater is working tirelessly toward reopening and becoming a community hub. Jeffery plans to open a coffee shop/cafe in August of 2018. And I look forward to continuing my work with The Alger Theater and Jeffery to accomplish their goals. If you are interested in learning more about The Alger Theater, come attend our last “Alger in the Alley” of the summer August 12th from 9am to noon or check out their website: http://www.algertheater.org/
