Detroit’s borders encompass 139 square miles, a footprint large enough to fit Manhattan, Boston and San Francisco combined.

Yet, unlike these other urban centers, Detroit has a relatively low number of national “big-box” retailers.

Outside of the city’s downtown and midtown business districts, there exists one Home Depot, two full-sized Meijer locations and a Meijer mini-market within the city.

When families look to buy home goods, school apparel or electronics, they often need to travel to nearby suburbs such as Dearborn, Southfield or Oak Park.

“I shouldn’t have to drive to the suburbs,” said one Detroit resident in a Wayne State University food access and retail study, which reflects a common perspective among city residents.

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield introduced a bold retail attraction strategy during her first State of the City address in March 2026. The initiative aims to capture the estimated US$3 billion that Detroit residents spend in suburban communities due to the lack of retail options closer to where they live.

To lead the charge, Detroit announced the hiring of Addofio Addo, a former Bedrock executive, as the city’s first director of retail attraction in July 2026. He’ll lead efforts to bring national and regional chains into the city.

I am a Ph.D. candidate studying fiscal and social policy, with a specific interest in local tax reform and urban economic development. As a Detroit native, the topic of retail attraction for the city aligns with my research.

My co-author, Stephanie Leiser, is the director of the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy at the University of Michigan where I am studying.

Although attracting retail brands remains a struggle for Detroit, here’s how city leaders can take on multiple approaches to address this issue.

Why national retailers don’t invest in Detroit

After the city’s population peaked at nearly 1.85 million residents in 1950, widespread deindustrialization combined with racial conflict notably affected the automotive industry. These events led to over 600,000 residents relocating outside of the city by 1980.

Stores need customers, so when hundreds of........

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