frankly… Episode 87: We’re Ready for Summer in the City

In this episode of frankly…

The transcript below is AI-generated and may contain minor inaccuracies. Tune in to the episode audio to hear the full conversation! 

Transcript

Dan

Hello and welcome to frankly. So today’s going to be a little bit different type of episode. We’ve got six different folks from around Franco to talk about what they are excited about coming to the city this spring and summer, some of their favorite recommendations for things to do and eat around town, and some of the things that they’re excited about in our new office space here in the Palms Building. So you’ll hear from three different groups of folks from Franco throughout this episode. Before we jump into it, I mean, for me, looking ahead to spring, really the unofficial start for me, even before opening day, which you’ll hear a little bit about throughout the rest of the episode, we’ve got the St. Patrick’s Day parade coming up this weekend, or by the time you hear this, past weekend, which without fail always comes with a bit of spring weather before and after and during it has 35 in sleet. So looking forward to that. But also, you know, you’ll hear people talk about the energy around this area of our new Franco home. which really is great. We’re right across the street from Comerica, so really looking forward to seeing the Tigers games get kicked off here in a few weeks and just bringing life into the city that comes with spring and summer. So with that, I’ll turn it over first to Tina Kozak and Leslie Dagg, who are going to give you their thoughts.

Tina

Hi, it’s Tina Kozak and Leslie Dagg.

Leslie

Hey.

Tina

Talking about post 313 day Detroit love and Detroit inspires me, all things Franco. Love it. This year, 313 day feels a little different because just a few weeks ago, we moved into our new digs.

Leslie

So great.

Tina

Right in the heart of Detroit and our sports and entertainment district. So Les, what are you excited about in the new neighborhood?

Leslie

Well, this is teed up so nicely because we’re heading into spring. We could not have a better time. I’m really looking forward to kind of walking and exploring our neighborhood a little bit more, checking out nearby shops, coffee shops, restaurants, things I don’t even know are here yet that might be surprises. I know there’s a new Asian restaurant opening up right around the corner out of Chicago. That might be an ideal happy hour spot. I’m feeling.

Tina

Yes, I think so too. I am super excited. Although we’ve been downtown and in Detroit, I’m really excited to just kind of walk this side of Jefferson with ease and just kind of feel the energy around the office, even just walking in past Columbia Street and the music and the lights. And obviously Comerica Park, we haven’t even mentioned, speak of spring.

Leslie

Right, when that kicks off, I can only imagine Comerica Park across the street, Fillmore next door, Fox Theater on the next block. It’s just a different vibe. The liveliness, I feel it’s going to be off the charts, especially as we go into summer.

Tina

Yes, Grand Circus Park has been under construction since we’ve been here and through the winter. But I imagine that that’s kind of wrapping up soon too. And that mud will turn to like a beautiful area that we can walk through. So yeah, just a totally new area for us to explore.

Leslie

Right, I mean, being in the RENCEN was iconic and it was great being on the riverfront, but this is just a totally different kind of, like you said, being in the sports and entertainment district, the walkability, really looking forward to it.

Tina

Yeah. What else beyond the new office are you excited about like this spring summer in Detroit?

Leslie

Well, we mentioned the Tiger season. I just feel like this summer is going to be so lively and hopping downtown. I just feel like it’s going to be, I mean, summer in the city is always something, is always a vibe. But I really feel like this year and us being a part of it, like you said, in and out of the office, I think there’s just going to be so much energy. And I also love always revisiting favorite spots. Kind of my 3 go-to S’s: She-Wolf, Selden Standard, and Super Guile. Never Let Me Down, always top recommendations.

Tina

So, She-Wolf, so good in the summer.

Leslie

So good.

Tina

They know how to summer.

Leslie

They really do. They really give me a spritz at summer. I’m ready.

Tina

Yes, a little bit outside of downtown, excited for Father Forgive Me. I mean, it’s been open, but to be like a fully open with the outdoor space again. So spent a lot of time there last year and that is close to my neighborhood so it’s a nice opportunity. And then for me also, always Belle Isle. Oh. Always Belle Isle.

Leslie

I mean.

Tina

Of course. The water, I will miss the riverfront. And I just get a lot of energy from the water. So I get really excited when I get to kind of get close to the waterfront again. Even in the winter, like I’ll do a little walking. I like the ice formations and everything, but nothing like Belle Isle in the summer. And yeah, just excited to be on the river. So.

Leslie

That’ll be great.

Tina

One more thing is we have always had like, not always, but Detroit inspires me. has more than a tagline for us. And we’ve said this for years and we’ve celebrated it in different ways when we’ve been out in the community and we’ve done like a video series and photography, talking to people about why Detroit inspires them and what about Detroit they kind of draw inspiration from. So this year, we’re kind of invigorating that Detroit Inspires Me brand and launching our first ever Detroit Inspires Me merch collection. Because if there’s one thing we love, as much as we love Detroit, it’s a merch.

Leslie

Love merch. Lesson swag.

Tina

Yes.

Leslie

I’m so excited.

Tina

So franco.com slash shop. And we launched the merch store on 313 day. And 100% of the net proceeds are going to Detroit-based Alternatives for Girls, which we love, Detroit-based nonprofit that empowers young women. homeless and at-risk women, helping them get back up on their feet, providing lots of intervention and support. And we love young women and empowerment. And so all of the things we love coming together in this merch store.

Leslie

So much of what we love all in one.

Tina

So shop the collection. And we’re excited to see everyone’s Detroit pride on social media out and about in the city this summer. Anything else, Les?

Leslie

No, I think that’s the perfect way to end it. So looking forward to summer in the city.

Tina

Very exciting.

Nikki

Okay, this is Nikki Little. I’m here with Alex London, who just celebrated three years at Franco. Yay. We’re talking.

Alex

Hello.

Nikki

Yes, talking about things that inspire us in Detroit. So I’m going to tell you, Alex, my first day that we were here, which is not that long ago now, but when I walked out of the garage and walked onto Woodward, I just stopped and soaked up the moment because it was so cool to just be in this new area. We’re so used to being on the riverfront, which I definitely miss that view, right? Like we had the nice view of the sparkling river, but we definitely felt a little secluded from the rest of downtown, right? So it was really cool to just walk out, look at Comerica Park, just felt energized from the moment we got here. How about you?

Alex

Yeah, no, that actually is so funny because this morning I was feeling the same way. So yeah, the energy is so good, very lively. There’s actually people walking around. And I had a conversation with someone in the elevator, which I feel like barely happened when we were in the Renaissance Center.

Nikki

I know.

Alex

So just the sense of community already that I’m feeling here is really inspiring and I’m excited to, I don’t know, it’s exciting to come to the office.

Nikki

Yes, right. So we have Union Assembly, which is right here, which I actually went to on a non-office day last week, but it was so nice to just park here. We can walk to Union Assembly for drinks or dinner after. And then of course we have Comerica Park, right? So I’m really excited for opening day and just, like I said, just the vibe, the energy, just like there are going to be so many people coming out and walking around once the weather is nicer. We could walk to Campus Martius, which is great. So I really feel like we’re in kind of the heart of a lot of really cool things going on here, being in the sports and entertainment district. So I couldn’t be happier for our new home.

Alex

Yeah, and it’s also allowed me to be a little bit more closer with my coworkers too, because we’ll just go and get coffee and leave the office and walk down Woodward and try different coffee shops, which we weren’t really doing so much at the last office just because we felt so secluded and separated from the town and the city and everything. So yeah, that’s been really nice, especially when it begins to be summer and a lot warmer. Really excited to just take some walks during the day and break up our day that way too.

Nikki

Same here.

Nina

Hello hello, this is Nina Scarpelli speaking, Integrated Communications Coordinator at Franco, and I have my lovely colleague here.

Alexis

This is Alexis Schuchert, Senior Integrated Communications Specialist. This is This is so exciting. We’re excited to talk about our new office that we moved.

Nina

Into, all the great things around the 313 that are coming to. Oh my gosh, there’s so many new foodie restaurants coming, Alexis. I have a whole TikTok file or save list that has about 100 TikToks and I cannot wait to explore them this summer and spring.

Alexis

Oh, I believe it.

Nina

All right, so I’m curious, Alexis. So what do you think of this beautiful new office we’re in?

Alexis

Oh, it’s so cool. Isn’t it? It’s such a nice The RENCEN was great, but now we’re kind of in the heart of the city, which is really, really cool. My drive in, I go through Ford Field, Comerica Park, and then my walk in, you’re walking past the Fox, the Fillmore, and then we’re right next to that in the Palms building. So it’s really, really cool. We’re by a lot of new food places that we’re going to be able to try. So yeah, super exciting and a nice change.

Nina

Oh, I know. I think just like location, like you said, is so prime to being in the middle of everything. I feel like even just being more in this area, of the city. It’s more lively. You see so many more people out and about. And I just, you could feel the vibes here. And I know vibes is like a very like Gen Z term to be using at the moment, just gonna plug that in. My Gen. Z terms will come out in this podcast episode. But the vibes just here are immaculate. Like you could tell, you could sense the feeling of the 313 is embodied in the area. We’re right next to the Little Caesars building and the Huntington headquarters and everything. Great brands and organizations around us. So very fun to be exposed to this new little network of people around us in the block.

Alexis

Absolutely! Nina, what are you most excited about for spring and summer in the city?

Nina

Oh, all right. Well, personally, I am a sports gal. Like, live and breathe. I have my significant other, Nick, he just lives and breathes Detroit sports, so do I. So I’m really looking forward to those Tigers games. Like, coming, being in this office and being right across from Comerica Park, the yearning in me for baseball season just to be to be here and we’re going to be in the mix of such a great season with great players. I mean, Justin Verlander’s back, like, come on, like, this is going to be a great season. So specifically just, you know, sports season as well as it to warm up around here. Detroit is so like enlightening and is filled with so much life just when it’s warm out. And I love that. I love that about the city.

Alexis

Yeah, even just like lunch break, going for a walk outside through the city, like that’ll be really nice. Comerica Park, Our view is amazing. So opening day will be really cool and throughout baseball season. I think we’re even going to come the home openers on April 3rd and we’ll be hanging out in the office, wearing some Tiger’s gear.

Nina

We’re going to hear everyone screaming on the top of their lungs. Oh, it’s going to be so fun. I could just envision it now, all of us gawking out the windows with our little binoculars, trying to look in and see what’s going on at Comerica Park. But yeah, just it’s going to be fun. I know I am an avid Metro Detroiter. I live about 30 minutes outside the city. So do you. So coming to the city just during the summertime, just to take a breather, just like a staycation or anything like that, just to explore a new area that you aren’t very familiar with. That’s how I look at Detroit. There’s always something new around here.

Alexis

Yes, there is. It’s really hard to keep up, honestly.

Nina

Oh my gosh.

Alexis

I’ve never been a Detroit girly, but now that we work in Detroit, we’ve worked in Detroit, now we’re in the heart of the city. I’m like, gosh, I got to keep up with all these new restaurants, these new bars.

Nina

Oh yes, life in Detroit is just, it thrives at the moment and it does thrive the most during the spring and summer.

Alexis

I’m excited.

Nina

Yeah. So let’s talk about what’s new and coming. I don’t know if anyone’s already previously mentioned, but I don’t know if you noticed downstairs by Union Assembly, there’s a new Asian restaurant that just opened called, I think, New Sunday Asian Fusion.

Alexis

Yeah, something like that.

Nina

It looks really good. So just based off of that opening, I know there’s other, like Metro Detroit in the area, new, like in diverse and cultural eats coming to the city. I know there’s a Southern Cajun kitchen called Fixin’s Soul Kitchen. Very good Southern food, but like for me, I love giving recommendations for the Italian food lovers out there. I’m A pasta lover. I will eat pasta till the day I die.

Alexis

Me too, girl, me too.

Nina

I would say if I had any recommendations for anyone who are looking to do things in the 313, I would say La Lanterna, Sam Morello, Auto Via, those are great Italian restaurants in the area, and go Check out Fixens. That’s definitely a recommendation I give.

Alexis

I’m about to add all of those to my list. Thank you so much.

Nina

Please do. They’re based off my TikTok save folder that I’ve been just slowly picking away at, but there’s just so much to dig into here. Like I can’t. And of course, within just the restaurant scenery, obviously with the tourist scenery, Michigan Central Station.

Alexis

Mhm.

Nina

You remember we took a visit to that last year.

Alexis

We did.

Nina

What were your thoughts?

Alexis

It’s gorgeous.

Nina

Yes.

Alexis

The history behind it, all of the renovations that they did, trying to keep the history there with the architecture and stuff, they did a very, very good job. So just another staple to have in the city.

Nina

Oh yeah, especially if you’re looking at something to do in the 313. But from Alexis and Nina, that wraps us up for our recommendations for the 313. And happy 313 day, guys. Happy 313 day.

Dan

Thank you to everybody from the Franco team for chiming in here and agreeing to come on and give their two cents on what they’re looking forward to over these next weeks and months, spring and summer in the city and some good recommendations there. You know, I know Tina mentioned it up front, but one thing definitely looking forward to here around the office is really reinvigorating or relaunching the Detroit Inspires Me campaign this year as we’re in our new home and really excited to see the Detroit Inspires Me merchandise collection get off the ground, which is now live. We’ll link that in the description so you can take a look at everything that’s available there. And yeah, it’s a great time to be in Detroit, just coming out of the winter and looking forward to some sunshine and some good times in our new neighborhood. So thanks again for listening and we’ll catch you next time.