Bedrock is hosting Shop, Eat & Be in the D to encourage holiday shopping in downtown Detroit

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Bedrock is making sure you do your holiday shopping in downtown Detroit. It is part of its "Shop, Eat & Be in the D" campaign. 
    
More than 50 local brands will be represented in six pop up locations.

"My practice is anchored in exploring the temporal nature of our world and understanding our relationship to our world and existing and understanding our relationship to things in the world," said artist Gerald Collins.

Collins is the artist behind perceptual immersive light installations like the one taking shape Thursday night at Playground Detroit downtown. 

An indoor and outdoor experience that come "Small Businesses Saturday" will transition into a pop-up store featuring local artwork and products.

"Just because there's a pandemic and a lot of things are closing it doesn't mean artists are willing to (throw in) the towel," said Paulina Petkoski, co-owner of Playground Detroit. "It's 1435 Farmer, right next to the Shinola hotel. It's been vacant for the majority of the year, and I really wanted to find a way to activate it."

These six pop-ups are part of Bedrock's Shop, Eat & Be in the D campaign are filling vacant properties owned by Bedrock in prime downtown storefronts - and.a total of 50 brands will be represented.

"It's really about bringing what we don't currently have on Woodward into this space," said Tee Capel, Dose Collective curator/ owner.

Dose Collective on Woodward is another pop-up and boasts the most expansive list of brands in this holiday timed rollout with  22 packed into her store. 

The downtown Detroit markets in Cadillac Square are canceled this year because of Covid concerns so Bedrock thought these storefronts would allow for greater social distancing.

"These pop-ups are kind of a replacement to still give people a place to come downtown to do some Christmas shopping," Capel said.

As Covid numbers skyrocket Capel knows her business and the other five popups may have to pivot on a dime if numbers spike even more.

"As small businesses, it's something we're dreading, another shutdown, but it's a matter of being prepared, if it happens - we can still operate," she said.

Even though these stores are opening downtown for the holidays many like Capel's are considering sticking around longer,