  Tigersfan9 Member Username: Tigersfan9 Post Number: 157 Registered: 03-2005 |
Monday, February 18, 2008 Famed Alban's sign in Birmingham taken down today Jennifer Chambers / The Detroit News3 BIRMINGHAM -- The city's famed Alban's sign was taken down today and placed into storage until a new home can be found for the Woodward Avenue landmark. The towering circle of yellow neon has stood outside the eatery for more than five decades. Former Alban's owner Marjorie DeCapite is looking for someone or someplace to take the vintage sign which is about 10 feet across and 2 feet deep. It is all exposed neon with 250 tiny yellow bulbs. DeCapite called The Henry Ford, the Birmingham Historical Society, Cranbrook and the Detroit Historical Society, but none has room to keep such a large object, she said. A sign museum in Cincinnati has offered to take the sign. DeCapite said she wants to keep the sign locally but is considering all offers. DeCapite found help through the Woodward Avenue Action Association, which has arranged to have the sign stored with one of its member businesses -- Grand Central Storage in Ferndale --until a permanent home is found. Find this article at: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20080218/M ETRO/802180416 | ||
Treelock Member Username: Treelock Post Number: 277 Registered: 03-2005 |
So wait – why the hell are they taking the sign down in the first place? Hello, Detroit News? | ||
Johnnny5 Member Username: Johnnny5 Post Number: 699 Registered: 06-2005 |
It appears that they are no longer in business. http://www.theoaklandpress.com /stories/092806/bus_2006092830 .shtml | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 2141 Registered: 11-2003 |
I remember when Mr. Alban came to Birmingham in the late 40's and opened his first market on Maple between Woodward and ( then called ) Hunter. He had an old -style market with brand new white enamel cold storage bins to keep his frozen Birdseye vegetables. I was in Barnum Jr. High at the time. Alban's on Hunter was quite a spot to go to and for several years at that. I don't think the place that closed has been in his name or family for several years. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7124 Registered: 11-2004 |
I do so miss their vegetarian sandwiches. They always slathered more than enough coleslaw on it to ooze & drip but it was oh-so-good! | ||
Sharms Member Username: Sharms Post Number: 50 Registered: 07-2007 |
I used to play hockey at Eton Park which was not far from Albans. After games, Albans was a weekly stop. Didn't they have a sandwich called the Big Wheel?----great mustard | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 2532 Registered: 01-2004 |
Ahh, Ill never forget how the old man would marry the well liquors with the top shelf liquors after hours - much to the bartenders horror. ha! The sign was in the shape of their famous "big wheel" sandwich. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7131 Registered: 11-2004 |
They had a great wine selection as well as one heckuva great smelling humidor. I also remember an incident when the deli had to be closed for awhile too because the big sandwich board came crashing down. I was so bummed because I had a hankering for their food that day too. Silly selfish me when I found out exactly how heavy that board was. EEK! | ||
Whaler Member Username: Whaler Post Number: 52 Registered: 08-2007 |
It has been closed for about a year..It was pretty good after the new building was opened,Then they started to shorten the size of the sandwich...I do not think the liquor store was doing that well... The folks of my dad's generation were dying off no more big charges and deliveries..I loved the Old Albans My dad had a charge there ..Bernie was the best sandwich maker...I was at the Hunter House Friday staring at the sign Pretty Weird | ||
Pgn421 Member Username: Pgn421 Post Number: 426 Registered: 02-2005 |
Whaler- You should buy the sign! | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7134 Registered: 11-2004 |
Pgn421- Whaler just ate at the Hunter House... give him a few hours to digest all that before he makes that purchase. Have some sympathy at least! | ||
Mercman Member Username: Mercman Post Number: 49 Registered: 10-2006 |
Kind of Ironic. I drove by there Sunday afternoon lamenting that it had closed while looking for a place to eat. Guess I got one last look at it for good. | ||
Vic_doucette Member Username: Vic_doucette Post Number: 373 Registered: 10-2003 |
My second job, for a whopping $1.65 an hour to bust suds or work the salad line. Bernie used profanity almost as gracefully as Coleman Alexander Young ... and I mean that in the nicest fuckin' possible way. | ||
Bigb23 Member Username: Bigb23 Post Number: 492 Registered: 11-2007 |
Any relation to Alban's Country Cousin in Lake Orion/Oxford in the 60's-70's ? Had quite a few memories from then. Then I came out of my flashback.: ) |
