Quad Citizens Behind the Businesses: Josh Graves

Josh Graves saw a need in the community for creative professionals and entrepreneurs to have a place to meet and build their business together. He opened the doors to The Underground Economy in August of 2018 and moved downtown just last summer.

His goal is to bridge the gap between art and entrepreneurship by empowering creatives and entrepreneurs to learn, collaborate and grow their businesses and careers.

Best known for:
Production services ranging from photography to videography and specializing in audio engineering and music production. It goes beyond the tools for this company, they also provide the workspace and connections to a community of creatives. They offer a full production studio, a professional podcast station, open desks and other resources suited for the modern entrepreneur. Many of our favorite Quad Cities based podcasts have recorded episodes here! Whether you need to create or meet clients in a professional environment, The Underground Economy has you covered.

What do they love most about being downtown?
The downtown energy and the aesthetics overall.

What is the best way you can support this business?
It’s a collaborative space offering a variety of services, events and resources for other creative professionals & entrepreneurs. Bring those ideas to life and create something here, and tell your friends about this cool space downtown!
#WelcomeToDowntownDavenport #DowntownFrontPorchProject #QuadCitizensBehindTheBusinesses

About the Downtown Front Porch Project:

The Downtown Front Porch project is a way to get to know the humans behind the businesses in downtown Davenport. Featuring more than 40 organizations, the images and stories that will be shared are reflective of the energy, passion and resilience of the people that make downtown tick.

“As we all try to navigate a global pandemic, finding ways to connect with our neighbors is more important than ever,” stated Kyle Carter, Executive Director of DDP. “With a year of cancelled events and less foot traffic on the streets, it’s critical that we spend our dollars locally to support the people in our own community. Small, locally-owned businesses are at the center of what makes downtown a special place. This campaign is an opportunity to show the faces of hard-working Quad Citizens and ways the community can rally to support them.”

The goal of the Downtown Front Porch project is to remind people that downtown is vibrant, welcoming and open for business.