NFL Draft 2024: Detroit vendors excited for temporary spots on Woodward

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The NFL Draft is less than two months away. As Detroit prepares to welcome hundreds of thousands of fans to the downtown area beginning April 25, so are the vendors.

Anthony Tomey is CEO of the Tomey Group and the Born in Detroit brand.

"According to Bedrock the NFL, actually, took all of Campus Martius. They rented out everything right off the bat," he said.

Tomey is excited that the NFL Draft is in Detroit and he believes his clothing line just may soak up some of the spotlight.

"They basically have told us that everyone’s going to be coming down Woodward," he said. "So, everyone’s going to be walking back and forth and seeing the Born in Detroit store."

Tomey’s business is one of the vendors that will occupy one of the dozens of empty storefronts downtown for the draft. Their location is a 2,000-square foot site at the corner of Grand River and Woodward

"We actually have enough room to do half the space all our clothing line and the other half will be an event space," he said. "So it’ll be awesome. We’re going to have autograph signings, podcasts, private events, happy hours."

Along with large TVs, a lounge area, and he says iHeart radio will broadcast live from there.

"Just to be able to have this is perfect timing. The Lions are doing great, our stuff is doing well," he said. "And to have the draft here is just a great opportunity to showcase our brand."

There’s going to be so much to do and see at this location - you will not be bored. Even though Born in Detroit are only going to be here for the draft, they are looking ahead and thinking longterm.

"We'll see how it goes," he said. "I mean I’m not going to guarantee it, but if it does well and we can be a storefront, I’d love it. it’d be awesome to be able to do that."

Tomey says they open from March 15 through the NFL Draft.

But folks can get a sneak peak any time before then, especially when they're downtown for St. Patrick's Day, the NCAA tournament and Tigers Opening Day.

"It’s the opportunity of a lifetime I believe," he said. "Everything has a reason, start somewhere, right? And we’ve done this for about three years. We put some effort into and stuff but we didn’t have any employees.

"And now we’re really like, let’s take this and go to the next level."