Detroit was one of the hardest-hit cities in America during the recession.
Its auto industry, which helped build America's middle class, needed multiple government bailouts.
Unemployment rose to 20% in the city in 2011, but could have been as high as 50% if you include people who stopped looking for work.
But every bad situation has a silver lining. The lack of enterprise and abundance of failed businesses left great opportunities for newer and cooler businesses.
From restaurants and bars to bike shops and tech startups, these are the coolest businesses in Detroit.
Are You A Human
What it is: A tech startup
Why it's cool: When submitting a form online, most websites often have a human verification step where you type in a series of numbers and letters. This technology is used to prevent bots from submitting the form over and over.
Are You A Human uses mini games to verify that you are in fact a human, which leads to 40% more submissions than the typical CAPTCHA technology.
AutoBike
What it is: A company that makes bicycles
Why it's cool: This isn't your average bicycle. Autobike has come up with a new feature that lets your bike change gears automatically.
Now you can ride without pressing levers, and you will always be in the perfect gear.
The Batata Shop
What it is: A restaurant that serves homemade comfort food made from sweet potatoes
Why it's cool: The Batata Shop makes all of its food from scratch using fresh, homemade ingredients. Batata means sweet potato, and the restaurant uses sweet potatoes in many of its recipes including in their waffles, pancakes, and biscuits.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Please follow War Room on Twitter and Facebook.
     |