About
Bank Suey is a community space located in the heart of Hamtramck, at the corner of Joseph Campau and Caniff. From 2014-2020, the building was an experiment in layered programming-- a combination of unique events along with other organizations that called Bank Suey home. We’ve produced and partnered on over 350 gatherings hosting 6,500+ guests, working with 60+ other community organizations. Our programming spanned a broad range of topics unified by a purpose: to build skills, understanding, and confidence resulting in citizen involvement and greater community wealth. We're exploring new ways to fill main street spaces-- with the goal of adding to the walkability and vibrancy of Hamtramck the way that more traditional storefronts have been able to.
Since early 2021, the main floor of the building evolved to solely house , Book Suey (formerly a rotating tenant), a cooperatively-led bookstore who carries on the goal of community convening.
Bank Suey was founded by Alissa Shelton, all efforts supported by Ken and Connie Shelton, and Eric Anderson. The Shelton family spent 2 years restoring the interior of this historic 1920s Bank building, including plaster ceilings, unearthing historic tiles, and restoring historic fixtures. In 2022 Alissa and Eric led an extensive intervention towards exterior restoration, cleaning and repairing the pre-cast limecrete exterior. Both Connie and Eric are members of the Book Store, and the family continues to manage building operations and administration.
To learn more about our experiment, check out "How we think about things."
History of the Building
The building was built around 1923 as the Merchants & Mechanics Bank of Hamtramck. Due to the Great Depression, it wasn't a bank for very long. For most of it’s life, the building has housed restaurants and bars, while the 2nd floor has held doctors' and dentists’ offices. Learn more about the lives of 10345 Jos. Campau in our historical timeline.
