New retail, restaurant to move in along Woodward in New Center

Cooking with Que, Ferne Boutique among new shops

Midtown Detroit Inc. to announce more on investment in early 2018

A health food kitchen, a casual boutique and other shops are filling in spaces along Woodward Avenue in New Center as Midtown Detroit Inc. continues to renovate, sell and build its presence in the Detroit neighborhood.

Progress on the nonprofit economic development group's $7.5 million Woodward Grand redevelopment at the southeast corner of Woodward and West Grand Boulevard has moved along since it was announced in January 2017.

But more is in store for that wide, half-empty block just east of the Fisher Building on Woodward between West Grand Boulevard and Milwaukee Avenue.

Sue Mosey, executive director of Midtown Detroit, declined to comment on renovation of the several aging structures it owns across the street from the Woodward Grand — most as part of an 11-building purchase in mid-2015. She said the nonprofit would wait until it makes an official announcement in the first quarter of 2018 to comment on its "investment there."

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But the owners of small businesses Ferne Boutique and Cooking with Que spoke about their plans to lease soon-to-be-renovated Midtown Detroit-owned spaces on that side of the block.

Ferne Boutique, a casual women's clothing store in Bay City, is opening a second location around May at 6529 Woodward Ave., owner Laura Horwath said. And Que Broden, who runs a small health-food education and media business under the name Cooking with Que, will be Horwath's neighbor at 6529 Woodward Ave. — they're splitting the building.