Former NBA Players Open Cafe-Bar and Event Space in Detroit

Former NBA players and brothers, Joe and Jordan Crawford, have opened a new cafe-speakeasy in their hometown of Detroit. CRED Cafe is located in the city’s Rivertown district and offers coffee, pastries, snacks, and a hidden speakeasy.

As Detroit News recently reported, the former NBA players’ cafe space is open for coffee and snacks during the day. At night, a hidden door leads to a speakeasy reminiscent of Detroit’s Prohibition-era establishments. The speakeasy can host up to 75 people and offers a variety of cocktails and liquor.

The Crawfords said they conceived the idea for CRED Cafe while traveling abroad. They noticed a lack of similar spaces in Detroit and decided to create one themselves. They pitched the idea to their parents and younger brother, and the family applied for a grant from the city’s Motor City Match small-business program.

The family was awarded a $60,000 grant to help with renovations and equipment. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. joined the Crawford family for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Rivertown.

Desire to Contribute to Detroit’s Growth

Sylvia Crawford, the brothers’ mother, said she is proud of her sons for opening CRED Cafe.

“Our story is one of passion, commitment and a genuine desire to contribute to Detroit’s growth,” she told Detroit News. “We started with a dream and transformed a vacant, blighted building into a multifaceted space that reflects the spirit of our community.”

Mayor Duggan said he is excited to see CRED Cafe open in Rivertown. “It represents how individuals like Joe and Jordan who have achieved success at the highest levels outside of Detroit and Michigan are coming back home to reinvest in the city that raised them,” he said. “I’m so proud of what they have done with CRED Cafe, and I just know the community will support them.”