Some might have questioned the reasoning behind 1xRUN's move from downtown Royal Oak to Eastern Market a year and a half ago. The team at the online artwork startup can't hear those critics anymore over all the hiring it has been doing over the last year.
The 4-year-old firm, which was founded by the team behind the
Inner State Gallery, has expanded its staff to 15 employees thanks to nine hires over the last year. The startup has also expanded its service offerings, moving into digital printing and book publishing -- all from its new home at 1410 Gratiot Ave.
"Moving downtown has been such a great experience for us," says Jesse Cory, CEO of
1xRUN. "There is just tremendous support for local businesses and the arts."
1xRUN sells limited-edition prints and other pieces by contemporary artists online. The idea is to create scarcity for cutting edge artwork while also making it easily accessible and affordable. 1xRUN recently wrapped up
a show in Honolulu with Pow Wow Hawaii, a large mural festival. It is also looking at doing similar events in Taiwan and Israel later this year.
"We're definitely busy," Cory says. "We have a lot of cool projects going on."
1xRUN also is expanding into publishing and is working on books of artists that have inspired the company’s team. It is currently working on six titles and is set to release its first book in L.A. this weekend. 1xRUN made the jump into the printing world, too, adding that service at its headquarters in Eastern Market.
"We're doing all digital printing in-house," Cory says. "We hope to open that up as a retail operation later this year."
Source: Jesse Cory, CEO of 1xRUN
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.