Detroit, MI
NFL Draft in Detroit: Pop-up shops planned for re-purposed empty downtown buildings
Downtown plans underway for the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit
Claude Molinari says at least a dozen empty storefronts will have something in it – so, people won’t have to go too far, to have fun.
DETROIT (FOX 2) – The NFL Draft begins in two months which means the City of Detroit will be in the national spotlight.
“With the NFL Draft with hundreds of thousands of people descending on the City in Detroit and Southeast Michigan, it’s going to be a spectacular show,” said Claude Molinari, Visit Detroit CEO.
Molinari says the city is thrilled to host the three-day extravaganza for the NFL Draft.
“First of all our partners at Bedrock and the Rocket family of companies are doing an incredible job not only supporting us, but also making the city more attractive,” he said.
And making the city aesthetically appealing is what they are focusing on right now, considering the number of empty and boarded-up buildings in the downtown area.
“They’re adding pop-up locations and stores and restaurants,” he said. “So, we’re going to have a lot of things. Fanatics is coming with a gear shop.”
Molinari says at least a dozen empty storefronts will have something in it – so, people won’t have to go too far, to have fun.
“Often when people are coming to a place they say where am I going to eat? Where am I going to shop? Where am I going to get my food? Where am I going to get my gear?” he said. “So all those things come into place and again I think we’re going to be hit with such an incredible number of people, that the ability to augment it and have more opportunities and more options I think is really critical.”
Even though the short-term plans include pop-up shops, they say there is have a long-term plan to have permanent residents in those buildings.
“Well that’s the hope,” Molinari said. “Again, as we’re developing and, when you look out over the city, you see cranes everywhere you look, there is development underway, we’re building hotels, we’re building new establishments.”
By building up downtown as much possible, and with hosting the NFL Draft, he believes is going to lead to new economic heights and less vacancies.
“I think now getting hundreds of thousands of people here and a worldwide TV audience of over 60 million, people are going to see Detroit in a very different light. and that perception change is going to catapult us to a different level,” he said.
The Detroit Zoo welcomed a new giraffe, Nguvu, to the herd, officials announced on Wednesday.
Officials say 1-year-old Nguvu came from Utah’s Hogle Zoo as part of the zoo’s “long-term plan for the giraffe herd.”
“This move was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Giraffe Species Survival Plan, which promotes the health, genetic diversity and overall sustainability of giraffe populations in zoos – and we’re eager to support Nguvu as he adjusts to his new home,” the Detroit Zoo says.
Officials say Nguvu has been working with the animal care teams for several days and will be introduced to the herd soon.
According to Utah’s Hogle Zoo, Nguvu was born in February 2025. His name means “strength” in Swahili.
The Detroit Lions are taking part in the NFL’s International series for the first time since 2015 by hosting the AFC Champion New England Patriots Week 10 in Munich at Allianz Arena on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 9:30 a.m. ET (3:30 p.m. local time in Germany) on FOX.
The Patriots represented the AFC in the Super Bowl this past February after a 14-3 season and their 22nd AFC East title. They beat the Los Angeles Chargers (16-3), Houston Texans (28-16) and Denver Broncos (10-7) in the playoffs to earn their 12th Super Bowl appearance, which they lost to Seattle (29-13).
Patriots QB Drake Maye is one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL entering his third season and New England’s defense is coming off a 2025 season in which they ranked fourth in points allowed (18.8) and eighth in total defense (295.2).
This is the second of Detroit’s 2026 matchups to be announced early (Week 2 TNF in Buffalo). The rest of the Lions schedule will be revealed Thursday evening.
4Warn Weather – Metro Detroit is getting a bit of everything this week: from freezing temperatures to summerlike heat.
Mixed in are rain chances.
Tuesday night will feature scattered showers and a chance of a few thunderstorms as a cold front moves through Southeast Michigan.
The strongest storms Tuesday night are not expected to be severe, but a few downpours and gusty winds will be possible before the rain tapers off overnight.
Overnight temperatures will settle into the 40s and 50s in most locations.
Cooler air will arrive first across the Thumb and northern communities, with lows dipping into the mid- to upper 40s near Lapeer, Port Huron, and Sandusky.
Detroit and Downriver communities will be in the lower 50s.
Wednesday
Wednesday will feel noticeably cooler and breezy behind the front. High temperatures may struggle to climb much beyond the mid-50s in Metro Detroit, while communities farther north could remain even cooler at times under mostly cloudy skies.
A stray shower cannot be ruled out during the day, but much of Wednesday looks dry.
That cooler air will greet fans heading downtown Wednesday evening for Game 5 between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers at Little Caesars Arena.
Temperatures around tipoff at 8 p.m. will hover near 50 degrees with cloudy skies. By the time fans leave the arena later Wednesday night, readings may slip into the upper 40s.
Anyone heading downtown may want a jacket, especially with a lingering breeze making it feel a little cooler outside.
After the chilly midweek stretch, temperatures will rebound quickly heading into the weekend.
Looking ahead
Friday evening looks comfortable for the Detroit Tigers’ series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park.
First-pitch temperatures around 6:45 p.m. should be near 60 degrees under partly cloudy skies.
Saturday may end up being one of the nicest days Metro Detroit has seen in a while. Temperatures are expected to surge into the lower 80s.
Plenty of sunshine and warm conditions should make for ideal baseball weather and a busy day across parks, patios, marinas, and outdoor events across southeast Michigan.
Sunday remains warm, with highs in the upper 70s and approaching 80 degrees, though the atmosphere may become more unsettled later in the day.
Flower Day at Eastern Market in Detroit should still feature decent weather for shoppers and visitors during the morning and early afternoon, but a few showers and isolated thunderstorms could develop later Sunday as moisture increases again across the Great Lakes.
That means people heading to Eastern Market may want to keep an umbrella nearby, especially if spending several hours outdoors later in the day.
Even with the chance of rain, temperatures will remain warm and pleasant for browsing flowers, plants, and outdoor vendors.
The warming trend continues into early next week, with highs climbing into the 80s again on Monday with additional rain chances.
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