 
Fareastsider
Member
Username: Fareastsider
Post Number: 968
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 12:29 pm: |    |
George Jerome is the oldest business in Michigan founded 1828. . . I used to work for them until this Michigan economy got most of us laid off! They have records stating the supplies needed for a survey crew and a trip that would last days to the wilderness of Royal Oak Twp!••• They even had survey crews killed by indians. They have all kinds of old surveys and maps of the area but most are stored away in lockers and files. |
Mortalman
Member
Username: Mortalman
Post Number: 196
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 1:37 pm: | |
John F. Koenig, President, Koenig Coal Co., 1931
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Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 7260
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 1:38 pm: | |
Other old businesses... SmithGroup (formerly Smith Hinchman & Grylls) Architects, oldest architectural firm in Michigan, 1850.
The oldest restaurant in Detroit used to be Schweizers next to the Renaissance Center (1862), but that closed in the late 1980's or thereabouts.
Oldest church parish, St. Anne's, founded July 26, 1701 (currently in their 8th churtch).
And then there's those 1952 newbies... those Lucky people up in Pontiac... |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 7261
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 1:41 pm: | |
... and lest we forget, the University of Michigan was founded in Detroit in 1817, Wayne State in 1868, and University of Detroit 1877. |
Mikeg
Member
Username: Mikeg
Post Number: 1778
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 1:55 pm: | |
Koenig Coal ads and photo:
Circa 1891-1897. Translation: Peter Koenig, dealer in coal, wood, coke and charcoal. Wholesale and retail. 364 Atwater Street. 368 Gratiot Ave. Corner of Scott and Dequindre.
1903. Translation: Corner of Scott Street and railroad crossing, Telephone Main 5320. Branch office: 1332 Gratiot Ave. Corner of Michigan Central Belt Line railroad, Telephone Gratiot 77.
1920 photo of the yard on the east side of the railroad, just south of Scott Street. The silos are still standing today.
(Message edited by Mikeg on September 07, 2008)
(Message edited by Mikeg on September 07, 2008) |
Iheartthed
Member
Username: Iheartthed
Post Number: 3449
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 1:56 pm: | |
Campbell-Ewald was founded in 1911... |
Mortalman
Member
Username: Mortalman
Post Number: 197
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 2:05 pm: | |
Great images Mikeg!
R.L. Polk, Jr., President, R.L.Polk & Co.
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Mortalman
Member
Username: Mortalman
Post Number: 198
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 5:26 pm: | |
Roma Cafe, Eastern Market Area, 3401 Riopelle, Photo 12/30/1980:
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East_detroit
Member
Username: East_detroit
Post Number: 2063
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 5:27 pm: | |
Faygo was founded in Detroit on November 4, 1907
Kowalski has over 85 years in business in Hamtramck
Cross and Peters company was founded on August 1st, 1930.
I'm hungry. |
Sumas
Member
Username: Sumas
Post Number: 265
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 6:59 pm: | |
Sanders doesn't count they went out of business. Morleys bought the recipes and name.
Absopure, founded in 1907 as an ice house and delivery service. They still use their original logo. |
Dan
Member
Username: Dan
Post Number: 1571
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 7:03 pm: | |
Isn't Mac's Bar (on third) the oldest continually operating bar in the city? |
Johnnny5
Member
Username: Johnnny5
Post Number: 810
Registered: 06-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 7:11 pm: | |
The oldest business in my hometown of Milford is closing the doors after over 170 years this week (It opened in 1836) . The owner passed away unexpectedly a few weeks ago.
http://www.retailers.com/news/ retailers/02mar/mr0302memberpr ofile.html
http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008809040652
(Message edited by Johnnny5 on September 07, 2008) |
Mikeg
Member
Username: Mikeg
Post Number: 1781
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 7:21 pm: | |
Detroit's Stonehouse Bar at 19803 Ralston Ave. claims to be Michigan's oldest continuously operating bar. Their building is located one block south of the State Fair Ave. entrance to the Michigan State Fairgrounds. It is the original farmhouse from when the surrounding area (including the State Fairgrounds) was still farmland. During the Prohibition Era, the old farmhouse became a hangout for "rumrunners".
Anthony B. Grobbel (nephew of the founder of E.W. Grobbel & Sons, Inc, mentioned above) purchased the farmhouse shortly after the repeal of Prohibition on May 11, 1933. He moved his growing family into the upstairs living quarters and began selling legal beer and wine at the bar, which he called the "Sportsmen's Rendezvous Bar".
Whenever he was in town, one of Anthony's regular patrons was Emmett Kelly (1898-1979), who is famously remembered for his sad-faced character "Willie" the clown. After Anthony's death in 1940, his widow sold the place to his former partner, John Faust, who then renamed it "The Stonehouse Bar". Here is a 1987 photo of the Stonehouse Bar. The bar is still in operation today under that name, although with different owners.
(Message edited by Mikeg on September 07, 2008)
(Message edited by Mikeg on September 07, 2008) |
Chitaku
Member
Username: Chitaku
Post Number: 2133
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 10:20 pm: | |
st. Anne's catholic church would be the oldest business in the city. |
Mortalman
Member
Username: Mortalman
Post Number: 199
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 10:23 pm: | |
Kowalski with 85+ years in business located on Holbrook just west of Jos. Campau in Hamtramck.
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Hudkina
Member
Username: Hudkina
Post Number: 295
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 2:58 am: | |
A better question would be which business has been operating in the same building for the longest time.
For example, Martin's Shoe House has been operating in the same building by the same family in downtown Monroe since 1846. That's over 160 years in the same place! |
Novine
Member
Username: Novine
Post Number: 739
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 4:14 am: | |
Article on George Jerome as the Detroit area's oldest continuing business (originally in Crain's):
http://www.georgejerome.com/de troit-at-300-2.htm |
Goat
Member
Username: Goat
Post Number: 10350
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 8:33 am: | |
Prostitution by any number of hoes is number one in Detroit. The second oldest business in Detroit is begging. |
Gnome
Member
Username: Gnome
Post Number: 1829
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 9:40 am: | |
Not in Detroit, but the New Hudson Inn, in New Hudson I believe is the oldest restaurant in Oakland County.
It's about 170 years old and recently was sold to the same folks that own Gusoline Alley in ROyal Oak. The place is a friendly dive, a biker bar, it's haunted and my greatgrandfather's photograph hangs on the back bar.
Here's their myspace page, it features a catchy little tune:
http://profile.myspace.com/ind ex.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewpro file&friendid=204371330 |
Raptor56
Member
Username: Raptor56
Post Number: 466
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 10:14 am: | |
Jacoby's German Biergarten since 1904.
http://www.jacobysdetroit.com/ history1.html |
Rhymeswithrawk
Member
Username: Rhymeswithrawk
Post Number: 1462
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 11:36 am: | |
Wow, Johnny, that's so sad. I remember as a kid cutting through Arms Brothers (never shopped there) because there was parking behind it and we'd go to the Shutter Shop or the bakery or whatever. But that guy and this other older man would always just smile and wave. He was a great guy. Sad to see that such a tradition will change in Milford - just like everything else has in that town as urban sprawl has turned it from quaint to Novi in the last 10 years. |
Novine
Member
Username: Novine
Post Number: 740
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 12:10 pm: | |
"just like everything else has in that town as urban sprawl has turned it from quaint to Novi in the last 10 years."
Are you kidding? Milford is nothing like Novi. There's definitely areas of sprawl outside of downtown but the downtown area looks a lot better and more active now than it did when I visited as a kid. |
D_mcc
Member
Username: D_mcc
Post Number: 1220
Registered: 12-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 12:29 pm: | |
My Dad's business was forced to close down Last year on Jan. 4th 2007 after almost 90 years in business, my grandfather bought it from the original owners in 1952, and my father purchased the company in 1985.
Not quite detroit, but it was across the street on W. Warren.
Chances are...some of you have our products on your property. If you have a little Dachsund on your fence post caps, chances are you did business with my family.
(Message edited by D_mcc on September 08, 2008) |
Mortalman
Member
Username: Mortalman
Post Number: 200
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 12:31 pm: | |
WOW, Raptor56, I checked out that link to Jacoby's German Biergarten and I was shocked to see that blacks were immigrating from Germany back in the day! :-) He is black isn't he? |
Raptor56
Member
Username: Raptor56
Post Number: 467
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 1:20 pm: | |
Mortal: Not completely sure. Never really paid that close attention to the picture, but now that you mention it, old Albert does look rather tan... |
Walkerpub
Member
Username: Walkerpub
Post Number: 213
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 10:04 pm: | |
Hiram Walker & Sons- 1858- still at the same location on the Detroit River in the self-named town of Walkerville.
http://www.walkervilletimes.com/hiramwho.htm
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Raptor56
Member
Username: Raptor56
Post Number: 471
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 09, 2008 - 3:57 pm: | |
^^Same Location on the Detroit River. . . in CANADA! I don't think that one counts |
Walkerpub
Member
Username: Walkerpub
Post Number: 214
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 09, 2008 - 9:57 pm: | |
If you know your history you would surmise that Walker was American, lived in Detroit and owned mucho property on both sides of the strait- so what's the big deal, mofo? |
Mikeg
Member
Username: Mikeg
Post Number: 1825
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - 11:31 pm: | |
I just came across a Koenig Coal & Supply Co. ad from 1950 that states they were founded in 1870. In 1950, they were located at 1486 Gratiot Ave., Detroit 7, Michigan. Telephone WA. 1-1584 |
Mortalman
Member
Username: Mortalman
Post Number: 271
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Friday, September 19, 2008 - 1:20 pm: | |
The Michigan State Fair since 1849 in Detroit at the site of the State Fair off of State Fair, Woodward and 8 Mile Rd!
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Mikeg
Member
Username: Mikeg
Post Number: 1913
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Monday, October 06, 2008 - 7:35 pm: | |
Here is an early (1878) bill of sale from the Peter Koenig Coal and Wood Company. It is written in German and it has Peter Koenig's signature on it.
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Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 3360
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 06, 2008 - 7:41 pm: | |
I believe the oldest operating business is a surveying company, isn't it? Elmwood Cemetery is another golden oldie. |
Zitro
Member
Username: Zitro
Post Number: 2157
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Monday, October 06, 2008 - 7:57 pm: | |
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Lefty2
Member
Username: Lefty2
Post Number: 2448
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Monday, October 06, 2008 - 8:16 pm: | |
prostitution? |
Alan55
Member
Username: Alan55
Post Number: 2406
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 10:06 pm: | |
Westview Orchards in Washington Township at 30 Mile and Van Dyke is the oldest farm in continuous family ownership in Michigan. Here is an interesting quote from their website:
"Dating back to 1813, Westview Orchards began as a small garden and orchard, established by Michael Bowerman shortly after his service in the war of 1812. Though Michael was awarded a bounty of land in an area of Detroit known as Joseph Campau Street, he found the land unsuitable for farming due to its swampy conditions and insect infestation."
http://www.westvieworchards.co m/ |
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