Rebel Nell

Founded in Detroit, Rebel Nell is a mission-driven jewelry and accessories company that employs women facing barriers to employment, providing both meaningful work and wraparound support services. Named after First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and inspired by her activism, the business transforms fallen street art and iconic materials into handcrafted, one-of-a-kind pieces that carry the stories of the communities they celebrate.

From collaborations with Detroit sports teams and Michigan’s universities to iconic landmarks like the Fox Theatre, Detroit Zoo and Michigan Central Station, Rebel Nell’s pieces preserve history and create timeless pieces of wearable art.

In 2013, Amy Peterson co-founded Rebel Nell with Diana Roginson. Peterson was working for the Detroit Tigers organization at the time and living next door to a women’s shelter; inspired by the city’s resilience and a mission to empower women with employable skills, Peterson has built Rebel Nell into a growing business – and a movement.

A Chance Meeting in Austin

In 2025, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) invited Rebel Nell to take part in a You Can in Michigan collaboration at Midwest House during the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas.

The opportunity came at the perfect time for Peterson and her business. Peterson had previously hosted a booth for Rebel Nell at SXSW and used the Midwest House as her hub to connect with others from the region and share ideas.

“Every time, I would meet great people, and there was always a strong MEDC presence there,” Peterson said. “I started to have these ideas for activations and to make Rebel Nell more experiential. I thought, ‘There’s more to Rebel Nell than just jewelry. We’re preserving history and moments, but we can create them, too.’”

At that time, Peterson says the business was at an inflection point: “We were in a rough spot. My business partner had told me she was leaving, and financially we were in a dark place. Then I got the call from the MEDC. They said they saw my hustle at SXSW each year and wanted to have me do an activation at Midwest House. It felt like I manifested it.”

The whole Rebel Nell team flew down to Austin, where the jewelry creation activity was a success.

Then fate stepped in.

At an MEDC-sponsored lunch during SXSW 2025, Peterson had a chance meeting with Richard App, a retail attraction specialist with the Grand Rapids Chamber (GRC). She shared her business struggles and desire to seek a second location that could serve as a national test market, and he encouraged her to consider the west side of the state.

Growth into Grand Rapids

Connecting at SXSW led Peterson to explore Grand Rapids as an expansion market for Rebel Nell. Once back in Michigan, Peterson talked with GRC’s Economic Growth Business Consultant Alex Benda. When she visited Grand Rapids a few weeks later, the GRC gave her a downtown tour, showed multiple potential locations and supported her with local accommodations during her visit. Peterson was also introduced to key local partners, including Independent Bank, who became part of the process as the location opportunity took shape.

In 2025, the MEDC awarded the GRC with $250,000 in funding through the Trusted Connector grant program, which supports small business development initiatives across the state. With help from the MEDC, GRC assisted Rebel Nell’s expansion by removing barriers, opening doors and creating an environment where Peterson could embed quickly into the downtown ecosystem.

“Support from the MEDC enables the Grand Rapids Chamber to dedicate staff capacity to individualized, one-on-one support for small businesses,” said Benda. “Through our work, we learned that broad, one-size-fits-all programming was not effectively addressing the unique challenges facing local entrepreneurs. MEDC funding allows us to take a more tailored, hands-on approach, one that requires additional staff time, expertise and relationship-building, to deliver meaningful, high-quality assistance that helps small businesses make real progress.”

Within a month of selecting the location at 96 Monroe Center, Peterson had signed the lease. Rebel Nell Grand Rapids officially opened in October 2025.

“It just happened so quickly, and so much credit is due to Grand Rapids and the Chamber,” Peterson said. “It was nice to be treated so well as a small business there. Seeing the number of people who showed up for our grand opening, they know how to treat small businesses.”

Keeping with the company’s mission of sourcing local materials for its pieces, jewelry at the Grand Rapids location features fallen graffiti paint, which serves as a “vibrant symbol of Grand Rapids’ resilience and creativity” according to the Rebel Nell website.

The Road Ahead for Rebel Nell

Beyond the expansion into Grand Rapids, Peterson says she’s excited to grow Rebel Nell’s presence and brand recognition to reach a broader audience.

“We’re starting to do more national collabs that give us a bigger reach to become a nationally recognized brand. I will never not be a Detroit brand – Detroit’s amazing, and I love my home! With our ambitions and to sustain our vision, we need to grow our audience outside of Michigan.”

Peterson is also proud of her “lean and mighty” team of 10 full-time employees – plus some part-time workers and contractors – and says it’s “the biggest compliment” when people assume her small business is a larger operation.

With locations in Detroit and Grand Rapids, Rebel Nell will continue its journey through making a statement, growing its mission and finding the beauty in the world around us.

Learn how the MEDC supports small businesses like Rebel Nell across the state of Michigan.