 
Rustic
Member
Username: Rustic
Post Number: 3232
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 10:54 am: |    |
Thoswolfe, thanks! I was afraid I had imagined the place ... anyone know the name of the place? |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6412
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 12:55 pm: | |
Lmichigan, jjaba uses flowery sociological terms.
Maybe you'd like it more the way jjaba normally talks.
You build hysteria with block busting real estate practices while at the same time building huge post-war suburbs connected with new expressways. You hype new cars and facotry worker salaries to buy them. You move the new factories out by the newer edge cities. New schools are everywhere. New shoppping centers with massive parking lots are built. Neighborhood entertainments are bigger, brighter, newer out there, too.
The workers move out, sometimes in a hurry.
So many houses are for sale so quickly, the inventory allows for quick sales to lower income owners or the owners simply rent to anybody.
This is called urban disinvestment and in Detroit, White Flight.
Add 50 years and you see the results in Brightmoor.
jjaba. |
Craig
Member
Username: Craig
Post Number: 753
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 2:09 pm: | |
Well put, Jjaba. I'd insert this thought somewhere in the middle, though:
"Neighborhood residents see & hear about new construction, big park-like residential lots, unimagined variety, and less congestion. Neighborhood people ask themselves: 'why in the hell are we living like this when there is such a pleasant alternative?'"
A point that seems to get lost in many discussions of White Flight and the general disinvestment is that the suburban alternative offered apparent solutions to the downside of city/City living. Put race into the mix if you must, but one visit to B. Dalton at the Livonia Mall and you, too, would ask yourself: why in the hell do I settle for what they offer at Checker Drugs for my reading material. Sounds laughable today, but there was a whole 'nother world out there... |
Bdglsmn
Member
Username: Bdglsmn
Post Number: 42
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 2:54 pm: | |
Before I moved to the West coast I had a business at Lahser and Fenkell. This would have been back in the mid 90's. I actually liked the neighborhood. It had it's bad spots but over all it was a pretty cool neighborhood. I was really happy to see firsthand how well people of different races in the area got along. The Motor City Blight Busters organization deserves a lot of credit for trying to keep that neighborhood clean. They boarded up, painted, removed trash etc... for years with very little recognition from the city. On another note... I stopped in at Scotty Simpsons (for the first time in 10 years) just the other day. It was good to see that the place hadn't changed and the food is still great! |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6415
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 3:11 pm: | |
Bdglsmn, welcome to The Forum and for the nice report. Tell us what's on the land today where you did business and what you go for it, if anything.
Tell us more about your first-hand experiences since jjaba never lived out there.
jjaba, Proudly Westside. |
Bdglsmn
Member
Username: Bdglsmn
Post Number: 43
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 5:14 pm: | |
Hi Jjaba. I always enjoy reading your posts. My old building has had a few tenants since I was there. I drove by the other day and I believe it is now a church but I could be wrong. I didn't get anything for it because I didn't own it. I was leasing at the time. There was a used car lot on the Northeast corner. It is now a gas station. There was a tire shop on Southwest corner ran by a guy named Roy. It was torn down and a Coney Island was built in its place. The party store on the Southeast corner is still there and there is a tire shop on the Northwest corner.
My shop was right next door to that tire shop on the Northwest corner.Before I moved in it was a dog food factory. The previous tenant ended his life in that building after the business failed and the owner basically just locked the doors without cleaning it out. He gave me a deal on the rent if I would clean it out for him which I agreed to do. Bad mistake... The place was filled with bags of dog food and rats had basically taken over. It was a bad scene. My neighbors to the west of me ran a Renault repair shop. I tried for years to convince them that they should branch out into other types of cars but they didn't see the need because at that time they had more business then they could handle.
A lot of the buildings around there are vacant now although a few of the mainstays are still there. Atlas Collision, Scotty Simpsons, Paulies Hardware is still up the street as well.
There is also a really good cabinet shop there as well. The owner doesn't have a sign on the building but he has been there for years. He is just East of Scotty Simpsons.
This was one of the bad memories. My last day there, before I moved, I was packing up the last of my tools and equipment. I noticed a crowd outside at the corner of Rockdale and Fenkell right in front of Atlas Collision. I locked the back door and went out the front to see what was going on. On the ground was an older guy that I had seen walking to the store everyday for like five years. Just like clockwork at about 3:30 he would go to the store on the corner buy whatever and head back in the direction from which he came. When times where slow I would sometimes be out front sweeping up or whatever and this guy would always wave and I would wave back. Dude always had a smile on his face. Well this day he is laying on the ground and his face is swollen and he was not moving. I checked to make sure that someone had called 911 and I leaned over to see if he was breathing which he wasn't. At that point some A-Hole who was driving a taxi pulled over, got out and walked up. He asked what was going on and after making small talk with someone he walks over to the guy on the ground and kicks him hard. I hollered "what the fuck are you doing?" This lowlife piece of crap looks at me and says "fuck it he's already dead" I am not a violent person by nature but the fact that I didn't deck that guy right then and there has stuck with me every since.
To make a long story short the EMS came and took the guy away. Later that evening, as I was locking up for the last time, I noticed the police outside doing their investigation. I asked how the guy was doing and they told me that the gentleman had indeed passed at the hospital. They also told me that the bruises on his face were because of a gunshot. Someone had shot this guy... Sorry to relate this downer of a story but this has been bothering me for years. That was my last day in Brightmoor. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6417
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 1:05 am: | |
Even as far out of town as you were, Detroit is a rough town, eh. That's a very sad tale.
jjaba. |
Reddog289
Member
Username: Reddog289
Post Number: 263
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, May 03, 2008 - 4:13 am: | |
Checker Drugs is another place that ended up in the burbs. Heard about how busy that place was in Brightmoor. As a kid i went to Heyden Drugs on 7mi, allways good for candy from grandpa. Detroit is a rough place could be why it,s hard to get things done. |
Craig
Member
Username: Craig
Post Number: 771
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, May 03, 2008 - 6:28 am: | |
Checkers landed in the suburbs? Where? I'd make the trip to see it.
Checkers was, IMO, the canary in the coal mine for Brightmoor & my Detroit: seeing a young busted shop-lifter hurl broken glass at a clerk and then the ghetto glass go up telegraphed that we were no longer in Kansas. |
Parkguy
Member
Username: Parkguy
Post Number: 271
Registered: 04-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, May 03, 2008 - 11:22 am: | |
Checker Drugs is still there, but they have or had a location on Telegraph near Joy. The Detroit News incorrectly labeled the Brighmoor location as an abandoned drug store on Fenkell when they profiled the city programs to fix the neighborhood, but it was and is an operating drug store. It only LOOKED like it was abandoned. Two weeks ago workers were removing the decrepit signage on the west end of the building, and were re-doing the cinder blocks in the old entry door. I don't know where that is going, but I suppose it is an improvement. |
Gazhekwe
Member
Username: Gazhekwe
Post Number: 2007
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, May 03, 2008 - 4:31 pm: | |
Otis Jones Rx Drugs used to be on the southwest corner of Fenkell and Lahser. It was a two story building with doctor's offices upstairs. The first floor was big square maroon tiles, and the top floor was tan brick. Dr. Charleston, our family doctor, had an office upstairs. Green tile floors, venetian blinds. No AC of course and seems like it was always summer when we went in there, hot as blazes. |
Reddog289
Member
Username: Reddog289
Post Number: 264
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 4:31 am: | |
Checkers in Westland is a SavOn drugs now. Forgot about Joy & Telegraph. I worked in a print shop for 13 yrs , used to read what we printed.did a newsletter for a store in Grand Blanc, the lady who wrote grew up in Rosedale but she talked about Checker Drugs, said to my self {hey where was that at?} That Checkers did look abandoned, i have few memories of Brightmoor, Next time i go to the Redford Theater i,ll check things out. |
Ggores
Member
Username: Ggores
Post Number: 73
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Monday, May 05, 2008 - 9:45 pm: | |
ah yes, Checkers... I bought albums "The Kids Are Alright" and "The Wall" there. Every day an errand was to return six packs of Coca Cola 16 oz. bottles and get a fresh, new one. Remember the "cola wars?" Ha ha. Pepsi and Coke was pretty much tied neck and neck.
Yesterday I dropped by the party store on the corner of Evergreen and Schoolcraft. Sunday. It was crowded in that store and quite nice actually. Well, a man took a few paces back from the bullet-proof counter, pulled a gun and pointed it at the clerk. (I am not making this up). I gaffawed and said something like "what the hell you doin'?" And began to laugh. As other's seen what I was laughing at, everybody began to laugh. At him. Well, he put away his gun and said "sorry". I basically did not hang around too much longer.
It's just now sinking in, how stupid and lucky I was. But I do not feel as such.
Revitalization. Heh. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6457
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, May 05, 2008 - 10:02 pm: | |
WTF, you pull a gun and put it away, and say "sorry?"
Ggores, were Police called? Amazing story. Glad you are ok.
jjaba. |
Ggores
Member
Username: Ggores
Post Number: 74
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 12:00 pm: | |
no police NEEDED to be called. it was very surreal. he was just talking to the clerk and did this move. it was stupid because everyone was like "wtf you gonna steal?" i dunno. strange. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6464
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 12:09 pm: | |
Ggores, hope you've recovered. Exactly, WTF!••••
jjaba. |
56packman
Member
Username: 56packman
Post Number: 2246
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 12:32 pm: | |
There was a junk shop on the north side of Fenkell, east of Lahser called JA Wagner, they sold used store and office equipment. I bought some good tools there. Place was crammed to the gills with "stuff".
Atlas collision was Bower Packard/studebaker, the vertical sign is one of two original Packard signs still standing in the city that I am aware of. The bottom of it was cut off when the mansard roof was added, probably in the 70s. |
Jgavrile
Member
Username: Jgavrile
Post Number: 107
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 4:05 pm: | |
Sort of Brightmoor but maybe Redford? I have this remembrance of a riding stable on Outer Drive opposite the Diesel Plant.?? Am I right?? Maybe Cole's riding stables?? Right at the railroad tracks South of Schoolcraft. This before Telegraph became a double strip highway. |
Craig
Member
Username: Craig
Post Number: 813
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 4:20 pm: | |
Jg - that's way before my time, but are you thinking of the Detroit Mounted stables over in the park?
I went "home" over the holiday weekend. Broke my heart all over again. |
Jgavrile
Member
Username: Jgavrile
Post Number: 108
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 4:34 pm: | |
No, this was a private horse riding stable.
My Mother's Brother owned Paul's SteakHouse, at Plymouth and Telegraph and when we would go there, we would take Outer Drive and ride by this stable. across the way was the Catholic seminary. They built a subdivision there when they got rid of the stables.
Also I remember that they moved a couple of houses from somewhere in Detroit over near the South corner of Outer Drive and Schoolcraft. Those houses are probably still there. Sort of Arts and Crafts style homes with rather large porches. |
Craig
Member
Username: Craig
Post Number: 819
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 10:04 am: | |
"Seminary"? Cannot picture it. Do you mean St. Paul of the Cross on Schoolcraft, to the east of Telegraph? |
Jgavrile
Member
Username: Jgavrile
Post Number: 109
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 11:06 am: | |
Yea, That is the one. It faces Schoolcraft |
Jsavic1108
Member
Username: Jsavic1108
Post Number: 2
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Friday, May 30, 2008 - 6:27 pm: | |
Anyone remember Thrifty's store on Patton and Schoolcraft or "the Hole" as we used to call it before the freeway was operational. What about D & C Market or Bowlcraft and Sonny's Hamburgers (Evergreen and Schoolcraft) and Tom's Hamburgers on Fielding and Schoolcraft. |
Dianeinaustin
Member
Username: Dianeinaustin
Post Number: 36
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 1:26 pm: | |
I lived on Vaughn in mid 70's. Wasn't the market on Schoolcraft? I vaguely recall it. My brother worked at Sonny's Hamburgers briefly during that time. |
Craig
Member
Username: Craig
Post Number: 831
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 1:51 pm: | |
This is going back, but what about the holdup man who got into it with the counter woman at Sony's, delaying him long enough to get shot dead by DPD?
Then there was the bizarre case of boyfriend/girlfriend trouble that devolved into a car chase that resulted in a wreck that sent a woman flying through the air and then crashing down through the roof of one of those little brick duplexes on Evergreen, just north of Schoolcraft.
Brightmoor stories: there's a million of 'em. |
Ggores
Member
Username: Ggores
Post Number: 101
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 2:41 pm: | |
jsavic, haha, man I aint seen you in a day, you were a crossing guard weren't ya? guiding all the littel chitlens across "the hole". kazy. d&c is now dollar store, bowlcraft went religious. |
Jsavic1108
Member
Username: Jsavic1108
Post Number: 3
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - 3:19 pm: | |
Ggores, My dad still lives on Braile near Schoolcraft. Who are you? You seem to know alot about me. I was a safety boy on the Schoolcraft Service Drive with Keith Cole. Many years ago. |
Ggores
Member
Username: Ggores
Post Number: 129
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - 3:51 pm: | |
yeah, I know. I caught a couple Wings playoff games over at Jedus'. I hung out with Tom. whoamI? Funny, I can snuff you hoods out anywhere! I been trying to tell these people Detroit is a vacuum. |
Jsavic1108
Member
Username: Jsavic1108
Post Number: 4
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - 3:58 pm: | |
I just spoke to Tom 2 minutes ago. Then you must know Mark from Burt Road. |
Ggores
Member
Username: Ggores
Post Number: 130
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - 7:51 pm: | |
Yeah, I must know 'im 'cause it's yers truly right here, broadcasting live via the superinformation highway. I actually just spent a couple years living back over there, in that old apartment building on schoolcraft and blackstone. Still in like Flynn ya know. Tom should have my email.
To not stray from the topic of the thread, and at the same time, celebrate a small world moment, I'll have to come up with something... hmmmmm...
Here's a pretty funny example of the Next Detroit program, which I think is now going to be mostly funded by private organizations, and the individual neighborhood "revitalization initiative's". I don't know much about the other five neighborhoods, but when it comes to Brightmoor, I just wonder how can you "re" vitalize something that was never really vitalized anyways, except for maybe the tail end of the sixtie's and early seventie's, prior to bussing (which I think that, combined with the filling of that hole with I-96, is a root cause of white flight).
Down by Harding Elementary they put up these signs, the kind that display your speed as you drive down the road. The speed limit on Burt is 35 miles an hour. As soon as you go over 35 in this section, that fucker lights up like a Christmas tree and you can see it for half a mile away. It blinks like a Vegas slot machine. Funny thing is, it's ALways going off like that! Now, I understand it being in a school zone and all, but after 3:00, forget it. And it's like, "WTF? I'm gonna get pulled over for doing 40? A Detroit cop gonna be sitting down at the corner of Burt and Acacia, in Brightmoor, waiting to pull over speeders?" It's just kinda funny. The whole thing is kinda humorous. I have time set aside soon to go back and do some visitin' around, and I'll check things out and see if there's any signs of revitalization. Perhaps a reduction in tire fungus and a few less hookers walking Fenkell, but I doubt the fungus reduction. Where the Big Four at when ya need them? |
Jsavic1108
Member
Username: Jsavic1108
Post Number: 5
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 9:27 pm: | |
I only go back to Brightmoor when I see my dad. Otherwise, I may never step foot in that hell hole of a neighborhood. You can build all the new homes you want,but you can't change the mentality of several generations of people. I used to walk all over the area without regard to safety, now I wouldn't walk to the corner. Remember old man Johnson who used to sit on that porch of the house on Schoolcraft and Braile. One night several guys from the street took him for a ride and hammered his head in. All for fun. That is the Brightmoor I remember growing up. The owner of the bar on the corner of Braile and Schoolcraft, the Bon Ton was gunned down at Christmas time as he walked in with presents for the patrons. Walked in on a robbery. What was he thinking? Where is the Big Four when you need them? |
Ggores
Member
Username: Ggores
Post Number: 132
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Friday, June 20, 2008 - 9:01 am: | |
Ladies and gentlemen, my old friend speaks the truth. No wonder I (we) laugh so much. Big Four! |
Reddog289
Member
Username: Reddog289
Post Number: 372
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Friday, June 20, 2008 - 5:54 pm: | |
Now i know why my Uncle only walked his dog in Elza Howell in the morning. |
Jsavic1108
Member
Username: Jsavic1108
Post Number: 6
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Friday, June 20, 2008 - 6:02 pm: | |
Wouldn't got to Eliza Howell today |
Ggores
Member
Username: Ggores
Post Number: 171
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, July 05, 2008 - 10:13 pm: | |
Here is my report concerning the revitalization of Brightmoor. Being the holiday weekend and all, yeah, went over and visited - and checked things out. And due to circumstances, I stand to spend a lot of time over there in the ensuing days before escaping to the vinefields of Traverse City. Whew!
1) went to Gulio's to grab a 24-ouncer. "Hey Mike! How you all been!?" "Hey! Gg! Where you been? We ok!" "Heh, hey Mike, I like the "no smoking sign". We all got a nice giggle. "Eh, I moved across town, but I get back as often as possible".
2) A few more houses fire-bombed, a few more vacated, squatters and such. Enough to draw a tear. :-(
3) On each of the four corners of Acacia and Bentler are posted signs. The signs say this:
"WANTED:
BULLDOGS"
And below these words, a picture of a running man getting his ass bit by a dog. Below the picture, says this:
"100% THIEF MEAT"
Oy, I guess one of the homesteaders has had enough.
In other words, "WANTED, 100% THIEF MEAT"
3) Went to my friends. Across the street was a U-Haul mover. The guy was FINALLY MOVING OUT. "Good!", say my friends, "Maybe that will take the riff-raff also." Well, no sooner had that U-haul moving van left, we heard several large 'pops'. The vandals was already tearing off the aluminum siding and taking anything could possibly be found inside that house.
4)
And I think, I jus don't know. I seen the nice, new homes built by the Blight Busters. I went by Engine Company #57 and they was there. I almost stopped by, but just had to get OUT.
And Jsavic, if anybody, knows what I am talking about.
I said that I would give report. And I did.
Horrible.
Absolutely horrible.
And what I say is just the tip of the iceberg.
Thank God for J. Geils! Detroit Breakdown!
:-)
'Straight outta that hood, Gg. \m/ |
Westsiiiide
Member
Username: Westsiiiide
Post Number: 84
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Monday, July 07, 2008 - 11:41 am: | |
I'm late reading this thread, but just to let you know Sonny's Hamburger's on Evergreen is still in the same location, and I understand it is the same owners. Good greasy burgers & fries. |
Jsavic1108
Member
Username: Jsavic1108
Post Number: 10
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Monday, July 07, 2008 - 5:55 pm: | |
I'll be back in two weeks. Can't wait to duck the bullets. My brother just moved back there. Staying with my dad as he is getting old. Ggores is right on the money. What a shame. I still have good memories of Brightmoor. I used to get a kielbasa and a pop at Guilio's and my friends worked at Jim's Beer Store. Collins market was at Bentler and remember Michael and Richards. See you in Detroit. |
New threads cannot be started on this page. The threads above are previous posts made to this thread.