Chevy Rents Out the Rust Belt for A Private Event

The is only opened on Saturday and Sunday, but Thursday evening, during the opening night of the Ferndale Dream Cruise events, the artist and artisan market played hose to Chevy and about 50 guests.

For the private event, Chevy planned to bring in about 20 vehicles for journalists and others attending to examine.

Chris Best, who runs the Rust Belt Market with his wife Tiffany, said the event happened rather unexpectedly.

"People from the Mullen ad agency" -- who works with Chevy -- "came by one night after leaving Como's," he said.

Best said he spoke with those from Mullen who had expressed interest in holding a business meeting here.

The business meeting took place, Best said. It had about five or six people. After the meeting, walking through the Rust Belt, Best said, those in the meeting were then discussing holding a pre-Dream Cruise event there.

"I thought it was just talk but I ended up getting a call from them," he said.

Best said Chevy loved the space and the location. He charged them a fee to rent it out. "With this kind of frontage" – Woodward and Nine Mile – "it was a way for Chevy to introduce the Dream Cruise and what it is all about to some of these folks from out of town," Best said.

Best said the event might lead to others like it.

"It really opened my eyes to what (Rust Belt) could do," he said. "We're only opened two days a week, but there's more we could do with this space."

Best said they'd definitely look into growing this potentially new revenue stream. "This could help offset added costs as we grow," Best said.

The Rust Belt Market is open Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.