jews d
on the cover
in
the
S queeze
queezed Out
d
Rising rents and
gentrification are the dark
side of Detroit’s resurgence.
STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
PHOTOS BY JERRY ZOLYNSKY
TOP: Paul Wasserman in
front of his hat display.
RIGHT: Wasserman in front
of his store.
10
August 17 • 2017
jn
I
t is the dark side of urban
revitalization.
A rundown part of town
gets a facelift.
Old buildings with good
bones are gutted and restored
while others come down to
make way for shining new
structures. Trendy shops and
restaurants open and a once
undesirable area is suddenly on
the rise.
Unfortunately, so are the
rents.
It is happening in cities from
Seattle to Chicago. The silver
lining of urban gentrification
comes at a heavy price. Long-
time residential and commer-
cial renters feel the pinch and
are often financially squeezed
out at the expense of an area
becoming trendy and hip.
The most prominent and
longtime retailer to fall victim
is Henry the Hatter at 1307
Broadway in Detroit. According
to owner Paul Wasserman,
who took over the 124-year-
old business from his father 25
years ago after working by his
side since the 1970s, the store,
which custom fits hats for
musicians, celebrities and U.S.
continued on page 12