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Shawn Ward
In the past several years, Detroit has become home to businesses peddling luxury goods: Shinola, John Varvatos, Will Leather Goods.
Now comes this:
Shawn Ward, a Detroit native who founded the Brooklyn-based Ward & Fifth Consulting for startups and early-stage companies, announced he'll launch a new luxury sports equipment company, Williamson Goods, in Detroit next month, reports Kirk Pinho of Crain's Detroit Business.
Ward made the announcement during the kickoff of the Detroit Homecoming III event at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit.
Williamson will make products such as a crocodile skin football and a $35,000 bicycle that's copper-plated and has a seat made from Florida crocodile hide.
Ward, a graduate of Cass Technological High School, University of Michigan and Oakland University, also announced the opening of a new Eastern Market office of his consulting company, Crain's reports, and a new initiative that will offer Detroit companies business development services at one-quarter of his usual rate.