Actor Hill Harper buys The Roasting Plant, investing in Detroit

DETROIT (WJBK) - A popular TV star is getting involved in the revitalization of Detroit. "CSI" and "Homeland" star Hill Harper just bought The Roasting Plant coffee shop in Campus Martius.

"Coffee is a portal to having jobs and income in desperately-needed communities, particularily young people where unemployment rates are high. I couldn't be more proud of this company, The Roasting Plant, who makes the best coffee in the world," Harper told us.

The Roasting Plant was founded by two New Yorkers back in 2013 during the Detroit bankruptcy. They took a gamble on their business - and it's paid off.

"At first, all of our advisors said, 'There's no way, you should not go to Detroit. It's too risky; you're too early in the brand cycle.' We made the bet, we came to Detroit. We wanted to part of opportunity Detroit; we wanted to be part of the renaissance here. It has really paid off. We're doing double the business we thought we'd do," says Thomas Hartocollis, Roasting Plant co-founder.

It's more than just coffee. Careers are also being brewed at the shop.

The Summer Empowerment Academy will host Detroit Youth to learn how to work here, making Detroit youth as strong as the coffee.

Harper also didn't just decide to buy the business. He also bought a home here in Detroit, too.

"I bought a beautiful home that's about 100 years old. I've begun the renovation of it. Detroit is the great American city in my opinion, and I think it takes people with vision and innovation. The history of this city is innovation; to me, detroit is the original Silicon Valley," Harper says.

We're told Harper will be very involved in the company. They plan on using machinery and engineering that no other coffee shop is using.