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Hudsonut1
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Username: Hudsonut1

Post Number: 1
Registered: 09-2006
Posted on Monday, September 25, 2006 - 11:07 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

HI, new guy here.
I was born and raised in Wayne,Michigan having left there in 1956 to "join the Navy to see the world".
My hobby is building model trains and layouts for them to run on. I am in the process of building a model of a drug store and would like to name it Cunninghams and use a proper sign.
So far I have been unable to find a clear shot of a sign. Anyone know of a source for same?
Thank you.
Ron Morse
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Hornwrecker
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Username: Hornwrecker

Post Number: 1640
Registered: 04-2005
Posted on Monday, September 25, 2006 - 11:21 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's the one that was on the NW cormer of Van Dyke and 7 Mile Rd, my old neighborhood.

Cun ningham's Van Dyke & 7 Mile

I'm also a MRer, and know what it's like to look for a decent sign. I hope you're building it with the two tone green tiles.

There are a few other photos I have, where there might be a better sign, I'll have to look. I think there may be a photo of one in this thread.

https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/messages/5/76498.html?1158965150

If you do search on the forums for Cunninghams it turns up a bunch of mentions of it, no way to search for photos.

(Message edited by Hornwrecker on September 25, 2006)
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Hornwrecker
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Username: Hornwrecker

Post Number: 1641
Registered: 04-2005
Posted on Monday, September 25, 2006 - 12:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Found another one, this time at Mack and Chalmers.

Cun ningham's Mack & Chalmers

Looks like they used a variety of fonts for their signage. If you used raised lettering made out of plastic, you should be able to come pretty close to how they looked.

Someone posted or has a color photo of a Cunningham's, maybe it is Mauser. ???
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The_rock
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Username: The_rock

Post Number: 1387
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Monday, September 25, 2006 - 12:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Welcome to the Forum, Ron. So bring your Cunningham's model and mark your calendar for the NMRA convention which meets in Detroit at Cobo Hall next July 22 for a week.
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Bobj
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Username: Bobj

Post Number: 1144
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Monday, September 25, 2006 - 1:20 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I drive by Mack and Chalmers all the time, it is hard to picture it ever looking like that!
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Hudsonut1
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Username: Hudsonut1

Post Number: 2
Registered: 09-2006
Posted on Monday, September 25, 2006 - 2:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There is a beautiful sign on Detroit Pix but it is half good and half very weathered, that is the sign I would like to have a decal of.I want to use it as a billboard and back of the store.
I have noticed that almost every store has a different front sign.
NMRA and I don't mix well...I was a member for a number of years until they screwed me in a contest!
Thanks for your input.
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Hornwrecker
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Username: Hornwrecker

Post Number: 1642
Registered: 04-2005
Posted on Monday, September 25, 2006 - 4:09 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If you post a link to the image, I'll have a look and see if I can fix it up in Photoshop, so it will be suitable to print out on white decal paper. Maybe I'll add a Cunningham's to my N scale layout of NE Pennsylvania.

Your login sounds like you're a NYC guy.

I hope that you've looked over the D2T2 thread in the HOF section.

https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/6790/54651.html?11557775 62
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Hudsonut1
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Username: Hudsonut1

Post Number: 3
Registered: 09-2006
Posted on Monday, September 25, 2006 - 5:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yes, I am indeed an NYC guy,along with C&O. I model in O scale. My cut off date is 1950. Cunninghams sign
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Bvos
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Username: Bvos

Post Number: 2008
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, September 25, 2006 - 9:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's another link to the Cunningham's on Grand River & Fenkell. Note that it's in all dark-green porcelain enamel tile. Slightly different from the other stores. There is an old Cunninghams still standing on Grand River and Greenfield. It's a shoe store with no original Cunninghams signage so I don't know if that helps at all.

https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/6790/24296.html?11573765 90

As a former/on-hiatus model railroader (since college, and now two kids, I haven't had the time or money to build a layout) I remember an article in Model Railroader several years ago about creating neon signs. You colored polystyrene letters with a special marker or paint. The letters looked normal under regular light, but when you turned a black light on the letters glowed from the marker/paint just like a neon sign. In order to be worth your effort I remember they recommended creating an entire street or downtown with these sorts of letters. So it sounds like with a little extra effort you could create a genuine pre-1950s night scene for your layout, complete with neon.

Cool to hear about the NMRA show at Cobo next year. I'll definately have to put that on the calendar. That will be the train show of all train shows!
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Pdtpuck
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Username: Pdtpuck

Post Number: 213
Registered: 01-2006
Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 2:45 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

.

(Message edited by pdtpuck on September 26, 2006)
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56packman
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Username: 56packman

Post Number: 633
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 7:27 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hudsonut1-Welcome to the forum. Post some pictures of your Cunningham's when you are finished.
I built o-scale layouts for my former employer (it was my job, not my hobby--I have other hobbies that need my time/money!).
You can see them on video at:
http://www.tmbooks-video.com/k ughn.htm

that is a link to the company selling a commercial DVD--it's not a video you can download and watch online.
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Hudsonut1
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Username: Hudsonut1

Post Number: 4
Registered: 09-2006
Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 8:57 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I visited CarRail when TTOS had their convention in Dearborn a number of years ago. I almost got left behind on the tour, I was so busy taking videos!
Great stuff.
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Harsensis
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Username: Harsensis

Post Number: 82
Registered: 07-2005
Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 10:45 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I remember the Cunninghams at 7 & Mack, I think it turned into a Perrys eventually. Now its a parking lot.
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Vato7959
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Username: Vato7959

Post Number: 3
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 5:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I worked at Cunninghams on 7 Mile and Ryan during the earlys 70's. We were robbed 3 times in 2 months the third time the pharmacist was pistol whipped and left for dead. He survived

What great memories.
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D2dyeah
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Username: D2dyeah

Post Number: 25
Registered: 09-2005
Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 7:46 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Is there any information on who designed the Cunninghams stores? The streamlined styling is fantastic! Looking at photos from other threads on shopping and retail in Detroit, other stores such as Federals and Sears, seem to be grouped together to make a major statement.
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Hornwrecker
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Username: Hornwrecker

Post Number: 1651
Registered: 04-2005
Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 8:05 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I found these photos of a Cunningham's in the old Greyhound bus station on Larned and Bates. Must have been from some anniversary promotion.

Cunninghams bus station

Cunninghams bus station
WSU/VMC

I tried making a graphic from that back wall sign, posted above. The resolution is too low to make something suitable, wtihout redoing the whole thing, or starting from scratch. If I had an uncompressed photo of it, it would be a lot easier to do for a larger scale decal.
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D2dyeah
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Username: D2dyeah

Post Number: 26
Registered: 09-2005
Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 8:23 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Great photos!! Thank you!
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Quozl
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Username: Quozl

Post Number: 74
Registered: 07-2005
Posted on Saturday, September 30, 2006 - 5:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hey Bvos, thanks for the pic of the Cunningham's at Grand River and Fenkell. Been in that one and the one on Greenfield a zillion times as a kid.
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Hudsonut1
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Username: Hudsonut1

Post Number: 5
Registered: 09-2006
Posted on Saturday, September 30, 2006 - 6:28 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Great photos hornwrecker. Looks to be late 1940's early 50's,older street car in the left background.

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