DETROIT (WXYZ) — Celebrations happened all over Detroit on Thursday for 313 Day, a day recognized across the city due to the date being 3/13. But when you think of Detroit, what is it really known for?
Is it a coney dog, the city’s sports teams, music or just the culture in general? To find out, I spent the day talking to Detroiters about what they thought the city’s signature is.
I met up with Jamilah Jackson at The Lip Bar. She says Detroit’s signature is a mix of things, but one of them cannot be denied.
“Detroit’s signature, it’s the Boss Up Dance, the Blade Icewood,” said Jackson, who grew up on both the east and west sides of the city, as she showed us the dance.
Hear more from Jamilah Jackson in the video player below:
What is Detroit known for? Jamilah Jackson at The Lip Bar explains
Jackson showed me The Lip Bar’s signature lip glosses: Big Gretch and Boss Lady.
Another Detroiter, Brian Bradley, was inside the Three Thirteen Store when I talked to him about Detroit’s signature. He said Detroit’s claim to fame is one thing: “just style period.”
But over at The Social Club, a local barbershop, the consensus was a little different.
Hear from barbers and clients inside The Social Club in the video player below:
What is Detroit known for? The Social Club barbershop explains
“It’s just being authentic,” a client said while getting serviced. “Like we’re not really boxed in.”
To the people who live here, Detroit is a city that is unique in every way. To put us in a box is a hard thing because there is so much versatility, especially when it comes to a coney dog, according to The Social Club.
“I feel like Detroit’s one of the best food cities I’ve been too,” another client said. “Like you can get anything in Detroit. We have such like a diverse population. You can get Mediterranean food, you can get Mexican, you can get whatever you want in Detroit. What do you mean you can only get a coney dog?”
But if you ask someone to choose between hair and fashion, it’s a toss up.
“Detroit is known for fashion,” said Greg Greenhill, who is from the west side of Detroit. “You gotta come down to The Fashion Avenue.”
East side Detroiter, Andrea Gighton said she was torn between the two.
“I’m a little 50/50 on that one,” she said. “Between the fashion and the hair, ’cause you do know a Detroit swoop when you see one.”
Following that signature statement, Gighton pointed out that I too had a signature swoop in my hair.
But when I asked a group of downtown Detroiters what Detroit’s signature was, they all chanted one name: “Jared Goff, Jared Goff, Jared Goff.
And since we are talking about talent as Detroit’s signature, Clement Brown of the Three Thirteen Store reminded us that creators are the signature for the city.
Hear more from Clement Brown in the video player below:
What is Detroit known for? Clement Brown of the Three Thirteen Store explains
“It shows up everywhere in our culture,” he said.
But when you get to talking about the Detroit slang and swag, Detroiters definitely agree on one thing.
“What up doe, in Detroit” said Breana Hunt over at The Lip Bar. “That is definitely a signature.”
However, the most heartfelt signature of the city, according to Lonell Carr, is this: “resilience.”