 
Hooligan
Member
Username: Hooligan
Post Number: 5
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 2:45 pm: |    |
Can anyone help identify the drug store in this photo? It was shot in Detroit in the 1950's by Robert Frank for his book, "The Americans." ANy help would be greatly appreciated.
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Westsiiiide
Member
Username: Westsiiiide
Post Number: 165
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 2:54 pm: | |
I remember Cunningham drug stores all had lunch counter's in the late 60's. This looks like the one that was in downtown Detroit.
But then again when I was working for the City of Detroit, I worked with old blueprints from Detroit in the 1930's and there were hundreds of sandwich shops and restaurants all around and near downtown Detroit then.
(Message edited by Westsiiiide on August 06, 2008) |
Jcole
Member
Username: Jcole
Post Number: 3104
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 3:01 pm: | |
Could also have been a Kresge lunch counter. I guess you could try to find out who served Orange Whip |
Jcole
Member
Username: Jcole
Post Number: 3105
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 3:04 pm: | |
It looks like it's not one of the drugstore counters, because when I look closely, those are mirrors on the wall, and usually the drugstore counters were open to the rest of the store. It also has Juke Boxes on the counter, and I never remember those in Kresge or Cunningham. |
Carolcb
Member
Username: Carolcb
Post Number: 4589
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 3:07 pm: | |
Plus they never had a wall behind them like that. |
Jcole
Member
Username: Jcole
Post Number: 3106
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 3:17 pm: | |
That's what I meant about the mirrors being on the wall.
Also, the walls look like they are metal. It could almost be an old diner, the kind that look like railroad cars on the outside,although we didn't have a lot of those here. They were a real big thing on the east coast. |
Westsiiiide
Member
Username: Westsiiiide
Post Number: 166
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 3:24 pm: | |
They had jukeboxes in Cunninghams.
I worked the counter at the store on Grand River & Oakman after school in the late 60's and remember somebody playing "Pretty Woman" 6 times in a row.
I can make egg salad, a tuna plate, a hot turkey sandwich too.
Everytime I hear that song, I think of that counter. |
Jcole
Member
Username: Jcole
Post Number: 3108
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 3:27 pm: | |
I only remember those little individual jukes in Big Boy, The Clock and some bars. I never went to Cunninghams often,though, we were Kresge people. |
Westsiiiide
Member
Username: Westsiiiide
Post Number: 167
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 3:36 pm: | |
That photo being 1950's, we need some older, old timers to tell us where this drugstore is.
But it really looks Cunningham's downtown. Because the downtown store had two doors, you go in on the State Street side, walk through and turn a corner,come out on Griswold, or vice versa. And there was a wall around the corner, but I'm am not really sure if thats Cunninghams or not.
The Cunningham personnel office was at the downtown store.
(Message edited by Westsiiiide on August 06, 2008) |
Ggores
Member
Username: Ggores
Post Number: 249
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 6:54 pm: | |
I recognize this place. The desserts, the juke, and the 10 cent sign. I will say Kresge's, because to my recollection, Kresge's had a separate diner. But then again, so did K-Mart, Cunningham, Topps (woops, no they didn't!). Heh, Topps... that place always smelled like old sneakers. |
Rhymeswithrawk
Member
Username: Rhymeswithrawk
Post Number: 1397
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 6:59 pm: | |
I agree with some of the others. I believe that is a Kresge's. I have seen that photo before, and I think it was going through old photos of Kresge's. |
Ggores
Member
Username: Ggores
Post Number: 250
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 7:03 pm: | |
Kresge's DownTown Detroit, yeah? |
Pffft
Member
Username: Pffft
Post Number: 1634
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 7:05 pm: | |
They definitely were having a special on orange whips!
I vote Kresge's. |
Westsiiiide
Member
Username: Westsiiiide
Post Number: 170
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 8:25 pm: | |
I vote Kresge downtown also, the more I look at the photo. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 7129
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 9:26 pm: | |
Westside, jjaba rode the Northlawn bus in front of your Cunninghams. He lived on Northlawn and Schoolcraft back then. Noble School, Tappan Intermediate. Cass Tech. on The Northlawn to Grand River electrics.
Your corner was ice cold out there waiting on the bus. jjaba also sold Sat. night bulldogs for Detroit Times in the back of Sears-Oakman by the parking lot. Serve jjaba something to warm him up.
jjaba, Proudly Westside on The Northlawn.
ps. jjaba worked at Wrigleys-Davison and Greenlawn in the 1950s. |
Westsiiiide
Member
Username: Westsiiiide
Post Number: 172
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 10:49 pm: | |
You are right, it was cold as hell.
I rode the Grand River Bus, which ran about every 5 minutes back then. So I never got too cold.
You remember that Sears too?
There was also a Meyers Jewlerers, and a women's clothing store, but I forget the name of it.
I took the Grand River Bus to work from Commerce High School which used to be across the street from Cass Tech. I went to Jefferson Junior High.
(Message edited by Westsiiiide on August 06, 2008) |