Food Dominates Final Four of Hatch Detroit Contest

Voters have narrowed down the Hatch Detroit start-up contest to four competitors who are all vying for $50,000 seed money to launch businesses throughout the city.

Three of the four contenders are hoping to sell food in some capacity. Cockadoodle will be a full-service breakfast and lunch restaurant, with smoked chicken as the eatery's highlight, on the city's Avenue of Fashion. Gabriel Hall plans to be a live entertainment bar and restaurant that would serve a Cajun menu and boost the New Orleans-Detroit musical connection; and Sister Pie, which, as reported by Eater Detroit, plans to open a brick and mortar pie shop in West Village.

The sole non-food related retail hopeful is Third Wave Music, an instrument retail store concept that would sell new and used instruments, provide lessons and a repair facility.

The winning business pitch will receive $50,000 from Comerica Bank, and legal, marketing, accounting and IT support from Hatch Detroit.

Voting for the final four runs now through noon Wednesday. To vote, go to hatchdetroit.com, the Hatch Detroit Facebook page or vote in person at one a number of local retailers.

Wednesday evening the competitors will present their pitches before a panel of judges and the winner will be announced later that evening.
-Serena Maria Daniels
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