The 2022 Comerica Bank Hatch Detroit winner is Little Liberia!

Little Liberia was crowned the winner of the 2022 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest, taking home the $100,000 grand prize from Comerica Bank to open the brick-and-mortar business of their dreams in Detroit.

In addition to the cash grant, Little Liberia will receive a package of pro bono support and counsel from Hatch Detroit powered by TechTown and its partners to bolster its opportunity for success.

Congratulations to Little Liberia and the other four finalists for their success in the competition!

Learn about Little Liberia and its goals to open a storefront in the community.

Little Liberia has just been crowned the winner of the 2022 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest, taking home the $100,000 grand prize from Comerica Bank to open the brick-and-mortar business of their dreams in Detroit.

As the winner of the 10th annual Hatch Off, Little Liberia will receive $100,000 from Comerica Bank and a package of pro bono support and counsel from Hatch Detroit powered by and its partners to bolster its opportunity for success. The annual contest supports brick-and-mortar business growth in Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck.

Little Liberia is an Afro fusion pop-up restaurant looking to find a permanent space to introduce Liberia’s rich multicultural cuisines to the people of Metro Detroit. They serve authentic Liberian dishes, a cuisine whose heritage is a mixture of African, Caribbean, and Antebellum-South African American influences and would serve as the first ever Liberian restaurant in Michigan.

Owner and founder of Little Liberia, Ameneh Marhaba, decided to open a business back in 2016 when she started hosting pop-up dinners as a means to pay bills. She continued to pursue her business and love of cooking and hopes to open a storefront in Midtown, Greek Town or Corktown. Marhaba draws business inspiration from Hatch Detroit alumnus, Mamba Hamasi after his success in the Detroit small business community with Baobab Fare.

“We are eager to support and spotlight Little Liberia as the newest addition to the city’s growing small business environment,” said Vittoria Katanski, executive director, Hatch Detroit. “After 10 years of the Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest, it is so evident how strong and deep the entrepreneurial spirit in Detroit runs, and Little Liberia is a prime example of tenacity and hard work paying off. As an organization, Hatch Detroit continues to support its alumni and winners even after the competition, and we look forward to seeing where this victory takes Little Liberia.”

Little Liberia was announced as the winner in front of a live audience at the contest’s Hatch Off event that took place Thursday, July 21 at the Wayne State University Industry Innovation Center in Detroit. The event functions similarly to a ‘Shark Tank’ style pitching competition where the top five businesses had the opportunity to present their business pitch to a panel of judges as well as a live audience. Public voting, along with the judges’ deliberation, determined that Little Liberia was the winner.

“Comerica Bank congratulates Little Liberia as they join the previous nine winners and the special network of Hatch alumni after a momentous and well-deserved victory,” said Mike Ritchie, Comerica Bank Michigan Market President. “After a decade of Hatch Detroit competitions, we are still continually amazed and in awe of the innovators and talent, this contest inspires. It’s truly what makes this such a rewarding partnership with Hatch Detroit and TechTown, and we’re overjoyed to support Little Liberia and the other finalists as they work tirelessly to open their doors and join Detroit’s vibrant small business community.”

Ten semi-finalists in the Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest were announced to the public for voting in early June. After tens of thousands of votes were cast, the five finalists, COLFETARIE, Detroit Farm and Cider, Gajiza Dumplins, Lily’s & Elise, and Little Liberia were selected by and introduced to the public. A second round of public voting took place and each finalist pitched their business idea live to a panel of judges and an audience of their peers during tonight’s Hatch Off event.

“The overwhelming support and continued success of Hatch alumni is a testament to the sense of community and drive for innovation in Detroit. We’re confident we will see great things from Little Liberia and the other four finalists,” said Ned Staebler, president, and CEO of TechTown. “We are so fortunate to be in a city like Detroit where the community rallies around self-starters and rewards ingenuity, and we are thrilled with the results from TechTown’s first year leading Hatch Detroit.”

Little Liberia joins previous Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest winners La Feria (2012), Sister Pie (2014), Live Cycle Delight (2015), Meta Physica Massage (2016), Baobab Fare (2017), and 27th Letter Books (2019). Together, Hatch Detroit alumni have opened 49 businesses, employ more than 500 people, and have invested more than $7 million in their businesses.

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Leading up to this 10 semifinalist had been announced:

2022 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest reveals top 10 semifinalists

Online and In-Person Public Voting begins as metro Detroit small businesses go head-to-head for $100,000 grand prize from Comerica Bank

DETROIT (June 16, 2022) – The wait is over! The Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest powered by TechTown, which has launched some of Detroit’s most popular neighborhood storefronts, has officially named its top 10 semifinalists. These businesses have the opportunity to make their dream of owning a brick-and-mortar Detroit, Hamtramck or Highland Park storefront a reality by winning $100,000 in startup funds from Comerica Bank, as well as a package of accounting, legal, IT and public relations support from Hatch Detroit and its partners.

With the semifinalists officially named, it’s now time for the public to share their voice and vote for which business they would like to see pop-up in their neighborhood. The public can vote once per day for their favorite business from June 17 at 12:00 a.m. until June 23 at 11:59 p.m. by visiting www.hatchdetroit.com/vote.

The four finalists of the 2022 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest will be announced Friday, June 24 and the final round of public voting will follow before wrapping up on Thursday, June 30.

Individuals who wish to cast their vote in person can do so in addition to the online vote at any of the following locations:

• Tuesday June 21: Eastern Market Shed #2 (2518 Market St in Detroit) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 22: Norma G’s (14628 E. Jefferson Avenue in Detroit) from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Thursday, June 23: Grandmont Rosedale Farmers Market (19566 M-5 in Detroit) from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

“One of the reasons this contest has been so successful is because of the level of support the business owners receive from their neighbors and how community driven it is,” said Vittoria Katanski, executive director of Hatch Detroit. “Every vote they receive is someone saying, I want you in my neighborhood and will support you, which is incredibly powerful. They not only get the public support from day one, they also have access to the technical assistance expertise of Hatch Detroit and the support of our partners at Comerica Bank and TechTown.”

Together, Hatch Detroit alumni have opened 49 businesses, employ more than 500 people and have invested more than $7 million in their businesses. Over the years, the Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest has helped launch some of Detroit’s most successful and well-known businesses, including, La Feria (2012), Sister Pie (2014), Live Cycle Delight (2015),Meta Physica Massage (2016), Baobab Fare (2017) and 27th Letter Books (2019). 

Below are the top 10 businesses competing to win the 2022 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest:

• COLFETARIE: a European dessert and pastry shop, specializing in Romanian desserts and pastries. Their goal is to bring together the cultures of Detroit and Romanian, while offering a taste of Europe, right in the heart of Downtown Detroit, no passport needed!

• Craig’s Coffee: a community coffee roastery and coffee bar that plans to roast and sell their own coffee, while also offering fellow roasters a place to roast and sell their product as well. Additionally, the space will serve as a commissary kitchen, where food and drink businesses can use the kitchen for food prep, storage and service.

• Detroit Farm and Cider: a 4.9 acre commercial farm on Detroit’s West side with plans to build a cider mill and offer youth day camps and horseback riding classes.

• Gajiza Dumplins: a dumpling shop that specializes in Asian style eats and handmade dumplings from scratch. The dumplings come in more than 30 flavors and range from traditional pork and shrimp Shumai to contemporary western style, including miso cheeseburger gyoza or goat cheese and leek. Their focus is based on Asian street food: fast and delicious.

• Jo’s Gallery Cafe: a pan-ethnic fusion restaurant located in Detroit on the famous Livernois Avenue of Fashion and adjacent to Jo’s Gallery, a 20-year-old art gallery in the second generation of ownership. The restaurant will serve food with identifiable African origins and influences of Asian, South American, Caribbean, Mediterranean, and American fusions.

• K. Walker Collective: a high-street, lifestyle clothing company seeking to fulfill the fashion needs of young urban professionals by offering an eclectic range of street, comfort and refined garments.

• Lily’s & Elise: a luxury tea lounge on the Avenue of Fashion whose primary focus is in the premium service of European-style afternoon and high tea with fresh pastries and small plates to accompany orders.

• Little Liberia: an Afro fusion pop-up restaurant looking to find a permanent space to introduce Liberia’s rich multicultural cuisines to the people of Metro Detroit. They serve authentic Liberian dishes, a cuisine whose heritage is a mixture of African, Caribbean, and Antebellum-South African American influences.

• Motor City House of Stone: a distributor of natural and engineered stone slabs in Southeast Michigan. Focused on providing character, stability, and grandeur back to the Detroit community, they carry a wide selection of Granite, Marble, Quartz, and other premium stone in their 10,000 square foot warehouse located in Detroit.

• Pong Detroit: a table tennis social club where players of all skill levels and abilities can come together to get some exercise and play a fun, safe Olympic sport. In addition to providing a space for competitive ping pong matches, Pong Detroit engages Detroit youth programs, provides accessible play for adaptive wheelchair table tennis and offers programs for seniors. 

“Comerica Bank values the cultivation and support of our community’s small businesses – we are proud to contribute to a passionate organization that uplifts and rewards driven entrepreneurs with big ideas and incubates economic development,” said Linda Nosegbe, Comerica Bank Vice President and Southeast External Affairs Market Manager. “The Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest incentivizes innovation, creative thinking and originality that ultimately contributes towards Detroit’s revitalization. We now look forward to this next big step where we see the excitement, reaction and support from our residents for the business concepts who have made it to this stage in the contest.”

On July 21, the four finalists will have their opportunity to present their business pitch to a panel of judges as well as a live audience for a shot to win the grand prize at The Hatch Off competition. The winner of the 2022 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest will be chosen through a combination of the public’s vote and judges’ deliberations.

Tickets are now available to witness the top four business pitches and see the winner of the Hatch Off competition crowned. The Hatch Off takes place on July 21 at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6p.m., located at the Wayne State University Industry Innovation Center at 461 Burroughs Street in Detroit. To purchase your ticket to the Hatch Off, visit hatchdetroit.com/events. 

About Hatch Detroit
Hatch Detroit supports both existing and new retail initiatives in the cities of Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck. Hatch Detroit was founded in 2011 to give residents and aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to have a voice in neighborhood retail development and joined TechTown Detroit’s suite of entrepreneurial programs and services in 2022. Beyond the contest, Hatch Detroit provides funding, exposure and mentoring in support of its alumni entrepreneurs. With support from Hatch Detroit, 49 alumni have opened businesses. They employ over 500 people and have invested over $7 million in economic development. To learn more, visit hatchdetroit.com. 

About Comerica Bank 
Comerica Bank, a subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated, has served Michigan longer than any other bank with a continuous presence dating back over 172 years to its Detroit founding in 1849. It is the largest bank employer in metro Detroit and over 4,500 employees (FTE) statewide. With one of the largest banking center networks in Michigan, Comerica nurtures lifelong relationships with unwavering integrity and financial prudence. Comerica positively impacts the lives of Michigan residents by helping customers be successful, providing financial support that assists hundreds of charitable organizations, and actively participating in Detroit’s downtown revitalization. Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) is a financial services company strategically aligned by three business segments: The Commercial Bank, The Retail Bank, and Wealth Management. Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Comerica, Twitter: @ComericaBank and Instagram: @comerica_bank.  

About TechTown Detroit
TechTown is a nonprofit business service organization that provides programs, education and resources for early- to growth-stage small businesses and tech entrepreneurs. By building bridges for entrepreneurs to succeed, TechTown is accelerating an inclusive economy for Detroit and Southeast Michigan. Since 2007, TechTown has supported more than 4,700 companies, which has created thousands of jobs and raised more than $172.5 million in startup and growth capital. For more information, visit techtowndetroit.org.