Detroit Is Different

"You’ve got to have something you control—and for us, that’s Soul Detroit." Zana Smith, founder of Spectacles Boutique, as she reflects on 41 years of fashion, funk, and fearlessness in Detroit’s ever-changing downtown. In this deep-dive episode of Detroit is Different, Zana opens up about starting on Dexter in the psychedelic '70s, when “we were one of the first head shops with Easy Widers and Liquid Silver chains,” to anchoring downtown Detroit with Black fashion, music, and soul. “You don’t go into business for your friends and family. You go into business for your customers,” she states firmly, detailing how her “marriage” to her boutique built the blueprint for longevity. From housing pop-ups and DJs to launching iconic Soul Detroit gear, Zana has cultivated more than just a shop—she’s built a cultural institution. This episode is packed with Detroit history, hard-won wisdom, and humor that only decades in the game can deliver. “Sometimes what’s unknown becomes the biggest reward.” Detroit is D