Exploring Life & Business with Dominique Davenport and Nakesha Kelley of Caniff House, Simply Social Detroit & Detroit’s Future Is Female

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Davenport and Nakesha Kelley.

Hi Guys, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Dom- Hi, My name is Dominique Davenport.

Kesha- Hello, My name is Nakesha Kelley.

We are both owners of the Caniff House, a creative studio in Hamtramck, Michigan.

We met at a networking event someone organized at Dom’s event space Simply Social Detroit (Hamtramck).

Dom- I had started Simply Social during the pandemic 4/2020.

Kesha- & I had just got started in short-term rentals – Airbnb. It is a very popular rental located in Corktown.

We just thought to pair up and combine our expertise to open a photography studio. We don’t have a background in photography but understand interior design and what customers want as it relates to creative spaces.

Dom- I found Caniff House on Craigslist (Real estate background) asked Nakesha if she would like to partner and we flipped the space in 60 days. Our grand opening was in February 2022. Now we have created a lifestyle studio for photographers and entrepreneurs alike to create content for their businesses.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Dom- It has not been a smooth road just in terms of buildout. Anytime build-out of a commercial space occurs there are bound to be some challenges and or setbacks due to the scope of work changing, shortage on materials, or budget constraints.

Kesha- For example, because we started the buildout and inspection process around the holidays some things were a bit slower just because people were out of town… etc…

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I was able to quit my 9-5 job a little over a year after starting my business. Simply Social also located in Hamtramck is an industrial-chic event space for private events and photoshoots. We have created an entrepreneurial hub through the use of pop-up shops and networking events.

I recently acquired an apparel business named Detroit’s Future Is Female. The brand empowers women mostly to advocate for social change. The New Feminists!

Kesha- I left my full-time job as a supervisor in 2020 to pursue entrepreneurship and used some savings and my stimulus check to get my first Airbnb and never looked back. I have been a full-time entrepreneur since then focusing on residential and now commercial short term rental partnering with Dom. I love the career in hospitality and the people I had met along the way.

Any big plans?
Dom- As far as Simply Social, We are working on opening a downtown location, Simply Social District which will be the next best location for weddings and larger events. We just finished the zoning process and are moving forward in the buildout to have the same great features of Simply Social but more of a minimalist approach in the aesthetic making the space a PERFECT canvas for a dream wedding.

Kesha- & My short term rental business will also be expanding. The building that my current space is in is a converted 3 unit building and the owner is in the process of renovating those units to also be my next locations. One will be much bigger, the other will be the same size and have even better amenities to replicate the luxury model I currently use.

We are currently looking studio partners to use the space for longer term and give creatives the opportunity to have a brick and mortar dedicated space with less start up money and less liability. We would love to expand Caniff House to the upstairs unit which would allow us to Airbnb the top apartment and rent the bottom half to traveling photographers for example. Who knows, with this approach we could possibly franchise but only time will tell.

Thank you for this opportunity to hear share our story with you.

Pricing:

• $65 per hour space rental
• $50 cleaning fee

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: http://caniffhouse.godaddysites.com/
• Instagram: caniffhouse
• Facebook: thecaniffhouse

Image Credits
I Am Alisha Nicole