  Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 72 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.3.251.208 |
The pie-shaped foot of Michigan [right] where it meets at Campus Martius. To the left the Olde Building, facing possible demolition, at center the American and Lafayette Coney Islands backed by the fabulous ruins of the Lafayette Building and to the right an old Native American trail, Michigan Avenue stretches west toward Chicago.  | |||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 73 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.3.251.208 |
Slate facing tiles on the Lafayette Building, from some forgotten attempt to 'modernize' the structure, fall away to reveal a carved limestone facade.  | |||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 74 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.3.251.208 |
Restoration proceeds on the formerly deserted Mercury Bar which frames the ruins of the long abandoned Michigan Central Station.  | |||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 75 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.3.251.208 |
Izzy's Raw Art Gallery enlivens a longtime arty section of Michigan Avenue.  | |||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 76 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.3.251.208 |
Across Michigan lies the famous Zeitgeist Gallery [formerly known as the Michigan Gallery}.  | |||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 77 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.3.251.208 |
At 29th we encounter the former El Moshe Synagogue, now the Greater Mt. Huron Missionary Baptist Church.  | |||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 78 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.3.251.208 |
The ancient Galston apartment building, its magnificent massiveness even more pronounced by it gaunt vacancy, dominates the Cicotte intersection.  | |||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 79 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.3.251.208 |
Last stop, a humble Chinese Carry Out in an elegant commercial building at Florida.  Do you have any memories of Michigan Avenue? Tell them here. | |||
Chefdave Member Username: Chefdave Post Number: 17 Registered: 04-2004 Posted From: 149.174.164.69 |
I dont have any memeories but just want to say those where some great pictures | |||
Leoqueen Member Username: Leoqueen Post Number: 41 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 64.12.116.196 |
I spent many fun evenings at openings at the Michigan Gallery....Thanks Lowell! | |||
Travashamockery Member Username: Travashamockery Post Number: 413 Registered: 05-2004 Posted From: 68.77.160.22 |
What's up with the Mercury Bar? What's going in there? Another bar? | |||
ILoveLowell (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 68.42.223.147 |
Did I read a couple months ago that they are renovating the Lafayette Building or am I entirely wrong? ...I needed four more words. (Message approved by admin) | |||
Hamtramck_steve Member Username: Hamtramck_steve Post Number: 1219 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 136.181.195.17 |
The city has clear title to the building, and the DEGC is allegedly shopping the site around for redevelopment. | |||
Track75 Member Username: Track75 Post Number: 878 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 12.75.19.41 |
There were some restaurants that did a good lunch business before the Clark St. plant/Cadillac HQ shut down. There was the Golden Cadillac and another one very near Clark St. One was east and one was west of Clark. I don't remember the name of the other one. The Hygrade Deli was a busy and tasty lunch spot further east down Michigan Ave. Also down that way was a ham place on the north side, name forgotten. Going west, there is/was a coney on I think the corner of Michigan and Junction called Zorba's. down Junction a bit was a restaurant in the basement of a house, called Steve's Lunch. They had a calendar with the Pope on it, and it was frequently half-filled with DPD officers. Further west, past Livernois on the north side was Senate Coney Island, and past that on the south side was a polish family place, name might have been Blue Star/Five Star/Starlite, something like that. There was another place caled Peoples but I don't recall the location. On Fridays the local Catholic church (a bit NW of Michigan/Clark) would have a fish fry. Very nice folks there. Finally, just southwest of Michigan/Livernois, at the corner of Otis and Gilbert was a neighborhood bar called the "Cozy Cove". The only reason I know the name was because the owner would pass out pens with the bar's name and Christmas symbols on them. The only sign was a small neon sign in the window that said "Beer". If a number of us were heading over after work we'd call ahead so he could put a couple cases of Labatts/Molson in the cooler. His neighborhood clientele was more inclined to order "Boombas" with Olympia for 50 cents. The good stuff, Canadian bottled beer, went for $1.25 (early 90's pricing). You could buy a round for the whole bar for $20. They had a nice shuffleboard table, pool table and jukebox. I think they're still in business. I hope so. | |||
Goat Member Username: Goat Post Number: 3636 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 64.228.146.83 |
Great pics Lowell. Thanks for sharing. | |||
Kbkav Member Username: Kbkav Post Number: 117 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.73.202.29 |
nice pics - a couple notes on michigan avenue - it was just designated a state heritage route last month. as the mercury bar & zeitgeist pics reveal, new lighting is going in between the lodge & 96. track75, hygrade is still on michigan between 96 & west grand - & it's still awesome! also, people's & starlight are both alive & kickin. ate my first coney as a child at senate coney island. travashamockery: the mercury will not be a bar, will be rented our for retail/commercial. the two floors above are apartments. my favorite things on michigan avenue are the dairy queen, the telway ox, the senate theater, the conely branch library (ok, it's just north of michigan), lj's lounge, the drive-thru liquor store, dr. murray feldman's office, the old casa d'espana, & the alaska bar. | |||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 3640 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 64.118.137.226 |
Drive thru liqua stoe? Somebitch, how have I missed this?!?!?! Where is it? | |||
Track75 Member Username: Track75 Post Number: 879 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 12.75.19.41 |
The drive-thru liquor store is/was on the south side of Michigan east of Livernois, near the self-serve car wash and the Casa d'Espana on the other side of the street. I would occasionally pick up a six after work. Kbkav, where is People's? I can't remember. Do you remember the name of the other restaurant near Clark St.? I also remember a cleaners on the south side between Clark and Livernois, Royal Cleaners. They did a nice job but has since closed. I think they reconstituted in the 'burbs somewhere. | |||
Track75 Member Username: Track75 Post Number: 880 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 12.75.19.41 |
If you're ever in Ann Arbor, there's a drive-thru on Williams just east of Main St. They've been there forever and have a great selection of tasty beers. | |||
Kbkav Member Username: Kbkav Post Number: 118 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.73.202.29 |
track75, people's is on the south side of michigan, but i cannot remember the cross street, it's pretty close to the city limits. as for the other restaurant, are you talking about the one 1 block west of hygrade, same side of michigan ave? if so, i'm blanking on the name, but i'll have both answers for you shortly. i forgot another favorite thing about michigan ave: competing names. for instance, there's hygrade deli & across the street, hygrade restaurant. then there's leroy's u.s. allstar bar and across the street, the star bar. priceless. | |||
Track75 Member Username: Track75 Post Number: 881 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 12.75.19.41 |
Kbkav, I'm blanking on the exact location. I just remember the Golden Cadillac being one very close bar/restaurant, and then one other that was very close. Back in the day, one of them ran a shuttle bus to/from their place to Cadillac HQ at lunchtime. I remember eating at the Telway with the ox, and making blizzard runs to the DQ on hot afternoons at work. There was a pet store on the North side between Clark and Michigan where I used to buy fish for my office aquarium. A very nice guy ran it, but with short hours, little merchandise and not a lot of customers, it was probably a hobby more than a profitable business. The last time I drove by I didn't notice it, not a good sign, though it may still be there and I missed it. There was a NBD branch on the north side as well. I got a used boat loan through that branch, and the lady told me she'd never done one before. I think that branch closed. | |||
A_franklins_son Member Username: A_franklins_son Post Number: 19 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 198.173.192.89 |
The drive-thru liquor store mentioned in Ann Arbor is no longer a drive-thru. It was bought by the same family who owns the Main St party store, which is a few blocks north of the old drive-thru store. They got into a little trouble when renovating the building, changing the garage doors to windows to go with the remodeling inside. The building has historical significance in which the exterior could not be altered. So back went the garage doors, minus the drive-thru. | |||
Track75 Member Username: Track75 Post Number: 882 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 12.75.19.41 |
Bummer. Thanks for the update. Wouldn't want SS to head out to A^2 for nothing. | |||
Kbkav Member Username: Kbkav Post Number: 119 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.73.202.29 |
track75, the restaurant i was thinking of is mike's famous ham place - does that ring a bell? and for people's i sit corrected - i was thinking of another diner, justin's. but people's sounds familiar to me...maybe i remember it from when i was a kid. | |||
Rustic Member Username: Rustic Post Number: 682 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 130.132.177.245 |
There was a really good video game arcade on Michigan near Clark in the glory years of Defender, Tempest, etc ...
| |||
Track75 Member Username: Track75 Post Number: 883 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 12.75.19.41 |
Actually Mike's Famous is the ham place I mentioned earlier that I couldn't remember the name of, but there was another place closer to the Clark/Scotten/W.Grand area I believe. Or maybe not, these memories are aged a number of years, like good scotch. | |||
Track75 Member Username: Track75 Post Number: 884 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 12.75.19.41 |
Mike's was another big hangout for the boys in blue. It got robbed once as four cops came in to have lunch. Bad timing and bad choice of venues to rob by the robber. | |||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 84 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.3.251.208 |
Sometimes one can tell when it is lunchtime on this forum. Suddenly there is great salavation over favorite eateries and fond memories. I'm off to lunch. | |||
Eap Member Username: Eap Post Number: 571 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 63.68.196.38 |
Supersport isn't going to mention great institutions like Solid Gold? I got my first goldfish as a kid at D&D pets near Wyoming. They always had creepy species of spiders and scorpions in there. Frightening for a youngster. Senate was always a family favorite but sometimes had unexpected closures. When that happened we would always hit George's Famous Coney Island but as a kid that was a drag because they didn't serve fries. Kbkav makes no mention of the PLAV hall. Surely she has attended many weddings/funerals at that hall and the many churches along the strip. As a kid spending the night at grandmas we would always go to Sunday mass. Typicaly at St Andrews but she would mix it up often as there were so many churches to support in that area. St Stephens was always our pick as kids. It was in english and like the pizza delivery was 30 minutes or less. The best was taking the bus from Central to the Tigers game with my dad and getting a ride back with my grandfather on his way home from his afternoon shift at Dodge Main. Yep….Dear I spun a bearing in my mullet mobile Diary... | |||
Jelk Member Username: Jelk Post Number: 1698 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 141.217.119.205 |
Ah yes the softer side of Eap. Great pics! | |||
Kbkav Member Username: Kbkav Post Number: 120 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.73.202.29 |
st. hedwig's usually for us (step-dad's parish), i always remember being awed by the grand stairs to the entrance. but also have ties with our lady queen of angels (best festival for me as a kid) & st. andrew's; remember watching ball at st. cecilia's; st. stephen's was (i THINK -must confirm) where my grandma & grandpa got married (i have pictures, but was unable to make it...). i sorely miss fish fries at romanowski's. softball at patton park....loved the boys & girls club on livernois. my grandpa's store on trenton is still standing, as is the small apartment building named after my great aunt, across the street from great-grandma's house. my grandma has lots of juicy stories about irene of the kress lounge (example: she wore silk stockings during the war!) i think me & eap are having a polack moment. | |||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 3643 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 64.118.137.226 |
Wow, I don't think I've ever heard eap open up so much. | |||
Leoqueen Member Username: Leoqueen Post Number: 42 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 68.42.158.161 |
The Telway has the best coffee and hot chocolate in the city | |||
Toolbox Member Username: Toolbox Post Number: 155 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 63.115.63.131 |
Just wait till that carpenter freak shows up to this thread. | |||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 734 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.169.214.204 |
jjaba's father, OBM, ran an envelope factory on the SE corner, Michigan Ave. and Roosevelt, one blk. E. of W. Grand Blvd. Built as a Ford Garage with inventory on 2nd and third floors, by Albert Kahn. When dad worked there, it was owned by the Canvasser Family, famous for Detroit real estate holdings. This was in the 1950s. jjaba learned to set type and run a platen printing press there. Billions of envelopes came out the loading dock ready for shipment to businesses large and small. At the time, it was an all-white neighborhood loaded up with European immigrants, Southerners, and others in mostly very modest homes. jjaba | |||
Patrick Member Username: Patrick Post Number: 1435 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.212.36.135 |
nice pics Lowell! | |||
Bdh Member Username: Bdh Post Number: 291 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.40.176.130 |
great pix - Lowell - what camera do you use for the wide shots? | |||
Jelk Member Username: Jelk Post Number: 1706 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 141.217.119.205 |
"Just wait till that carpenter freak shows up to this thread." Jesus is posting now? I don't think he is Polish. | |||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 85 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.3.251.208 |
Thanks all. Bdh, I paste the wide shots together in Photoshop. That one is not one of my best; you can see the seam by looking at the foreground pavement color difference at the foot of Lafayette... | |||
Emily LL (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 64.12.116.196 |
I made a film last fall depicting the night life of Michigan ave in Detriot and it's counterpart in Lansing. The similarites were quite amazing. (Message approved by admin) | |||
Sailor_rick Member Username: Sailor_rick Post Number: 27 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 12.2.192.223 |
All I remember is leaving Michigan Gallery in the cold dawn as the bartender Donald B, cackles "Thank you and good night". Many a wild time at the "Bank" too, a few blocks away. During the 90's, it was the joint for hardcore/underground music and art. She cought fire a few years back under mysterious circumstances. | |||
Mark from Casper (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 64.12.116.195 |
The Senate Coney Island of the eighties, I knew of, beats Lafayette hands down. Their coneys tasted the best. "The Senate", located on Michigan (just west of Livernois)was an after hours staple. I don't know the date it burned down but I wish it hadn't. I'd love to take my kid there after a Tiger game. Then, I'd go to Telway for the best coffee in the world! (Message approved by admin) | |||
The_aram Member Username: The_aram Post Number: 3052 Registered: 10-2003 |
The Senate has since moved down Livernois a little less than a block from its former location adjacent to the Senate Theater. | |||
Ed_golick Member Username: Ed_golick Post Number: 128 Registered: 10-2003 |
In the 70s I used to live at Michigan and Cicotte. When Robbie Timmons first hit town she used to eat lunch at People's Restaurant. That girl had some BIG thighs. I used to eat at George's Coney Island until I saw a roach walk across the grill. Telway still has the best sliders. | |||
carl nelson sr. (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 205.188.116.201 |
Remember Green Lanes bowling ally,upstairs next to the furniture store.There was Olson tux.rental next to EDs soda shop.And across the street was Melody bar next to Circle restaurant.Senate sweet shop next to Senate restaurant and Senate show .That was nex to Better Made chip company.There also was Kramer show, there was 5 shows from 29th street and Michigan to Lonyo and Michigan.Also a lot of bars ,restaurants,and supper markets. (Message approved by admin) | |||
Island Member Username: Island Post Number: 1 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.91.212.254 |
My favorite Detroit building on Michigan has always been Sgt. Russ' Barber Shop on the south side, bold red/white/blue barberpole paint. This place is only about 12 feet wide. Got a "G.I." cut there once. Seem to remember being forced to go to the 52nd Show Bar a few times... | |||
Jeffrey_thomas Member Username: Jeffrey_thomas Post Number: 3 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 64.12.116.195 |
my oldest memory - M&P restaurant 31st and michigan (hot roast beef sandwich), in between the crystal theater and serwers restaurant supply (5 alarm fire in the 70's) also being served a hotdog at ss kresges soda fountain (near michigan and junction) by a lady named blanche when the news came over the radio that JFK had been shot. WOW and a slew of other names - Kramer meat market, Kramer theater, The Main bar, Old warsaw bakery, Federals, Cunninghams, Jets coney island, green door bar, red door bar, dom polaski hall, detroit barber college, kowalskis', stiegmans jewelry, Max's jewelry - so many stores gone with the ages. there used to be a sign on the kramer building that read "the michigan ave. business district over 100 stores to serve you" Also Peoples restaurant was on the south side of michigan just west of livernois near the detroit Edison building where you could exchange your burned out lightbulbs and get free fuses. | |||
Observant2art Member Username: Observant2art Post Number: 32 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 209.104.139.161 |
Lowell, How beautiful was Michigan Ave., do you have any images? | |||
Karen_S (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 68.254.20.91 |
I grew up in that Detroit area, and remember fondly the fantastic smoked Polish sausage from Kramer Market. Does ANYONE know their receipe or where he relocated his meat market?? (Message approved by admin) | |||
Rtmkcm Member Username: Rtmkcm Post Number: 2 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 24.21.92.176 |
A few shopping stores in the area of Michigan Junction like The Federal Dept Store, Winklemens, Kinsel Drugs. Most of all a little hamburger/coffee shop called the HUDDLE on the corner of Michigan and 29th. This place had patrons with the names of Spider, Coconut, Mugs, Little Joe, Big Joe, Germs, Stretch and others i don't recall at this time | |||
Trainman Member Username: Trainman Post Number: 41 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 152.163.100.8 |
I work on Michigan Ave and SMART and DDOT share this route with different bus schedules. There is a need for a common set of schedules and to coordinate the buses to best use limited transportation tax dollars. Please comment on my plan to improve public bus service. Our transit advocate friends are taking serious actions to get more transit funding by changing the state constitution. Unfortunately, there is too little money coming from our industries and those who use the bus systems at this time. So, let's all help out by using the buses more and work together by treating others the way we want others to treat us http://savethefueltax.org | |||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 211 Registered: 08-2007 |
as always i,m late to the party but,before senate coney burned i used to go there and the"mom" would be in there, it was like day and night between the original senate and the livonia shop. my mom lived on roosevelt just north of the ave, in that area is were her parents grew up. during the summer of 2007 i traveled this stretch most every weekend, i hate to say it but some of the side streets could be in the present thread 'worst parts of detroit'. but thats my mich ave. | |||
Marine_s7 Member Username: Marine_s7 Post Number: 1 Registered: 03-2009 |
Golden Cadillac on Michigan Ave. near Clark street, my uncle use to work their in the late 70's, Scott Duncan was his name, both have been gone along time. | |||
Mike32 Member Username: Mike32 Post Number: 1 Registered: 03-2009 |
I have been lurking here too long. My mom grew up near Michigan and Wyoming, actually at Cabot and John Kronk. I remember many trips to my Grandmas as a kid in the 70's. It was surreal to me growing up in Walled Lake, her house on the busy railroad tracks with the smelly air seemed like another world to me. I remember people stealing wheels and tires off the new autos on railcars and rolling them past my grandmother's window on Christmas day. I also remember wondering what XXX meant on the 5th Wheel bookstore on Michigan Avenue (I think it is still there) along with the various topless joints. Now for the Michigan Avenue question, for some reason I remember seeing a "Tonky Honk" bar on Michigan Ave. near Cabot (I think), can anyone confirm this. Thanks! | |||
Gazhekwe Member Username: Gazhekwe Post Number: 2996 Registered: 08-2007 |
Love the pix, and thanks for the memories. There was a People's restaurant on the south side of Michigan west of Livernois. It was one of the better ones at the time. I think it closed in the 70s. Also gone but not forgotten, Clare's OK Diner, People's bakery and the Dar-Pol shop near Cecil, and George's Coney Island, the original one, that ran unchanged for over fifty years until John sold it in the 70s. It was on the north side of Michigan a block west of Livernois. We really really miss Steve Lunch, but the brothers have a place on the north side of Warren east of Southfield called 3 Brothers. They still make the potato pancakes one day a week, and the cabbage soup, and the great bread... | |||
Ancestor_hunter Member Username: Ancestor_hunter Post Number: 4 Registered: 03-2009 |
My parents lived at the Galston apartment building in the '40s. I have many family photos taken in the doorway on Cicotte. My aunt lived there still in the late '50s. I recall going to visit her when my mother and I went to notify her of my father's death, 51 years ago today. The hallways were like a labyrinth to an 8 year old child. It's a shame to see it standing vacant. |
Lost Electrifying Mojo mix? nope just an arcade game!