 
Sarge
Member
Username: Sarge
Post Number: 801
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 10:27 am: |    |
Working as a stockboy at the age of 14 at the 7-11 on 12 Mile Rd. in Berkley for the princely sum of $3.35 per hour. |
Islandman
Member
Username: Islandman
Post Number: 1107
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 10:30 am: | |
Worked at a concession stand at the zoo during the summers in high school. |
Gingellgirl
Member
Username: Gingellgirl
Post Number: 74
Registered: 04-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 10:34 am: | |
Christmas temp at Hudson's Oakland Mall. Mom worked at Hudson's Downtown (Manager, Better Dresses), so I followed in her footsteps.
Day after Christmas, I found myself alone working the opening shift in the Christmas trees & ornaments department. My co-worker called in "sick." They announced the store was opening, and I heard a rumble like a herd of buffalo. Women were RUNNING up three flights of escalators to come tear ornaments off the trees for a 50% discount. It was ugly. |
Elimarr
Member
Username: Elimarr
Post Number: 25
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 10:43 am: | |
Everyone...
Wow! We already have quite an interesting variety of experiences listed (& the pix are cool.) Keep 'em coming! |
Oliverdouglas
Member
Username: Oliverdouglas
Post Number: 155
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 10:45 am: | |
Shearing Christmas trees on several farms in the Thumb. Big long knife that you walked around the tree with, swinging as you go. Got Pop-Eye arm.
Early 70's. |
Smogboy
Member
Username: Smogboy
Post Number: 6329
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 10:50 am: | |
Peddling papers for The Detroit News. I had 74 customers at the peak of my route. Those Sunday papers back then were heavy as sin compared to today's light fluff (editorial content included). |
Blueidone
Member
Username: Blueidone
Post Number: 161
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 11:20 am: | |
First job was as an usherette at the then Premier Theatre in Sterling Heights 1965 to 1967...it was brand new and the largest theatre in the metro area. I made a whopping $0.90 per hour to start...and after about a year and a half when I left for college, I was making $1.25!
Some great times working there...but it was tough seeing some movies over and over again. For example..our first film was Thunderball and I saw it 93 times all the way through...plus many more partial times.
This was a theatre where you were actually walked down the aisle by an usher or usherette..so we had to stand at the top of the aisle through the entire movie.
Our theatre did not allow you to take pop to your seat because the floor was all carpeting. We had a lot of disputes over that..but there were big signs all over the place warning the patrons about it. One night a "gentleman" bought two cups of pop and headed down to his seat, but was promptly stopped by the young lady at the aisle next to mine. The man was so upset, he poured both cups of pop down the front of the girl's uniform.
She stood there very calmly while I went to get our boss...he was an ex-Detroit cop...about 6'2" and 220 lbs. After we pointed out the man who had poured the pop on her, the boss went down the aisle...grabbed him by the collar and "escorted " him out of the theatre, telling him never to return!
Many more stories could be told...but I'm on vacation in Traverse City and there are things to do! |
Chris_rohn
Member
Username: Chris_rohn
Post Number: 340
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 11:25 am: | |
I worked with Johnlodge at the same Kroger using the same Kansmacker. We also bagged groceries with DaveMyFriend.
We both quit around the same time, and that's when they installed the do-it-yourself machines in the entrance. |
Passion
Member
Username: Passion
Post Number: 5
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 12:41 pm: | |
First job was as at Stan\'s Market on Schoolcraft and Rutland - Cashier in 1967. |
Johnlodge
Member
Username: Johnlodge
Post Number: 3373
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 12:47 pm: | |
Passion, I think my Mom worked at that Stan's Market. If it was still Stan's in the 80's, then turned into Foodland, that's the place. |
Passion
Member
Username: Passion
Post Number: 6
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 12:53 pm: | |
That would be the one John. I worked there for about 3 years while attending Marygrove College. Stan opened up another one in 1970 in Plymouth. |
Belleislerunner
Member
Username: Belleislerunner
Post Number: 378
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 12:58 pm: | |
Daily paperboy for the Pt. Huron Times Herald. Think I did it from 94-97. Getting up on the weekend wasn't fun - but the amount of tips and Christmas presents you got - made it all worthwhile. Not to mention the cokes in the summer and hot chocolate in the winter. Door to door collecting from customers on Friday's wasn't the ideal way to spend those high school years. Sometimes I think the older customers actually looked forward to your knock as they spent the rest of the day in relative isolation. Ahh the good old days... |
56packman
Member
Username: 56packman
Post Number: 1881
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 2:00 pm: | |
I want my two dollars! |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 2194
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 2:19 pm: | |
"Ray 1936, working in the area of Joy Rd and Grand River, did you eat at Famous Pizzeria, right down from the Rivera theater."
I remember the place, Mother_earth, but never tried it. Sounds like I missed something! |
56packman
Member
Username: 56packman
Post Number: 1884
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 2:24 pm: | |
Ray--did you ever go to the Annex theater? |
Spacemonkey
Member
Username: Spacemonkey
Post Number: 257
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 2:35 pm: | |
1978. I was 11 years old. Had a Detroit Free Press paper route in Warren. Got up at 4:30 am to deliver the papers on my bike before school. Every day. 365 days a year. Worked that route until I was 17.
It was one of the better jobs I've had. |
Jan
Member
Username: Jan
Post Number: 29
Registered: 07-2006
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 2:47 pm: | |
I worked at a little party store on Schoenherr, a block or so south of State Fair, in the summer of '72. I made $1/hour, and put away enough change to buy books my first quarter at WSU in Fall '73. I did the cash register, helped with stocking shelves, putting prices on the merchandise, etc.
Probably the most memorable aspect of the job had to do with selling beer and wine (Bud and Thunderbird, mostly). The drinking age was 18 at that time. I couldn't legally sell alcohol, but I would add up the sale on the register, and the boss would hit the "total" key, completing the sale.
I actually liked working there. |
Carolcb
Member
Username: Carolcb
Post Number: 2482
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 3:11 pm: | |
My first job was at a nursing home, which I have to tell you, scarred me for life...there were ODs my age in there, not to mention the men who, at the time, we called "hardening of the arteries", who hated us. Can you imagine a 16-year old girl bathing you, shaving you. There were some real characters, however. My speciality was finding the people from one ward who did not speak English and matching them up with someone from another ward that they could speak with. We also had many scenes of women and bananas, women on top of men who were restrained.... you get the idea. Anyways, the ODs left a lasting impression, three girls, all in a vegatative state. Afer that, Candy Striper, I worked at two Denny's, Michigan Bell as a summer employee in Repair (whoopee, tickets for any concert through the mail), Charlie's Country Squire, Washtenaw Country Club, Travis Pointe Country Club, Weber's Inn, Real Seafood, Dennison's, Michigan Savings and Loan, Pioneer High School......that is as far as I am going, which takes us to about 1980.
Oh and I waited on Bobby Knight, Howdy Holmes, Wayne Duke... oh and the years at the country clubs made me never wish for that. But we drank some fine wine at Travis and I learned to eat lots of different kinds of food that I would not have tried before.... |
Iheartthed
Member
Username: Iheartthed
Post Number: 2077
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 3:17 pm: | |
quote:My first place of employment was the Rustler's Steakhouse on Grand River just east of the Southfield Expressway, circa 1976
Is this the place that became Flaming Embers Steakhouse? I remember going there a long time ago. It eventually became a Boston Chicken (and subsequently Boston Market). Now, I think it's a Popeyes? Boy what a road that building has traveled!
quote:Passion, I think my Mom worked at that Stan's Market. If it was still Stan's in the 80's, then turned into Foodland, that's the place.
The place he's referring to is called "Superland". It's been that since the 80s at least, and I don't think it was ever a Foodland.
My first job was working for Mr. Ilitch (specifically the Detroit Tigers) as an usher. |
Clermont
Member
Username: Clermont
Post Number: 13
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 3:31 pm: | |
i was a clerk at the rocky peanut co in the eastern market in the lat 70's. the store was quite a bit smaller then. it had a great aroma mostly from the bulk spices they sold. |
Lmr
Member
Username: Lmr
Post Number: 110
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 3:38 pm: | |
Reshelved books and straightened up at Wyandotte Public Library. Not that exciting but it was nice and cool there during the hot summer. |
Douglasm
Member
Username: Douglasm
Post Number: 960
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 3:53 pm: | |
Someone mentioned having a job through the co-op program at their school. As a senior at Ferndale High, I got my first job at Baker's Shoes at Northland Center through the co-op program in 1965. That job started me on a 30 year retail career. |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 2196
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 4:02 pm: | |
I'm sure I attended the Annex theatre, Packman, but I can't recall a specific instance. Also the Riviera, Beverly, Tower, Royal, Mercury, and I can't remember the little theatre on Grand River between Meyers and Wyoming. It became a retail store for Bear Archery after it closed. Help? |
Gibran
Member
Username: Gibran
Post Number: 1321
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 4:25 pm: | |
Ist real job: Milroy's ...prior, cutting grass and raking leaves... |
Papermoon
Member
Username: Papermoon
Post Number: 16
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 4:46 pm: | |
Waitress at Dunkin' Donuts on Plymouth near Inkster, evening shifts during the week and midnights on weekends. I got to know the staff at the 24-hour eatery next door, like a Clock or something, so for my meal break on the midnight shifts, I would take a couple dozen donuts over as trade for a sandwich or burgers. The after-bar crowd would start pouring in about 2:30 am, and one busy night, the other waitress was no where to be found just as the crush began. I leaned on the buzzer, which rang to the back room to alert anyone there that the front counter person needed help, and nothing. Thinking maybe she was where she couldn't hear the buzzer, I ran to the darkened back storeroom, calling her name, thinking it was wierd that the lights were out. I crossed the doorway and flipped on the lights, and there they were! The waitress and the donut fry cook were making out on top of the sacks of flour.
Also waitressed for a wedding caterer for awhile. |
Ditman
Member
Username: Ditman
Post Number: 27
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 4:46 pm: | |
1st job-bagboy-Dixfield Market-8Mi&Schaeffer. Think I was 14. My dad worked for wholesale food distributor Abner A Wolf Inc-knew a lot of local store mgrs. He came home & told me I now had a job(whether I liked it or not). 50c hr+tips. Had a Northwest Record paper route but cant remember if was bfore or after Dixfield. |
Tkshreve
Member
Username: Tkshreve
Post Number: 227
Registered: 07-2006
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 5:09 pm: | |
Lifeguard
Picture everything hasselhoff and getting paid.
+ I saved lives |
Kenp
Member
Username: Kenp
Post Number: 867
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 5:12 pm: | |
dishwasher -Mamas Mexican Hot Spot |
9936sussex
Member
Username: 9936sussex
Post Number: 37
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 5:21 pm: | |
My first job was at Adrian Cleaners (Greenfield, between West Chicago & Plymouth). It was 1967-68 and I was a senior in high school. I tagged clothes, brushed coats and sweaters. The owners were really nice. |
Philm
Member
Username: Philm
Post Number: 38
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 5:49 pm: | |
Stacked tires and auto parts at Union Tire Co. on Grand River near the Lodge, summer of 1967. I think I lasted 2 weeks. |