  Pythonmaster Member Username: Pythonmaster Post Number: 97 Registered: 12-2006 |
http://i195.photobucket.com/al bums/z214/justbeamensch/Hirtco py1.jpg | ||
Kid_dynamite Member Username: Kid_dynamite Post Number: 225 Registered: 06-2007 |
freakin' great cheese in that place. | ||
Kathinozarks Member Username: Kathinozarks Post Number: 867 Registered: 11-2006 |
What a beautiful storefront! That pic made me very happy, so thanks for the post. Where is it? I am in love with the people who run it. What a great looking place. | ||
Jt1 Member Username: Jt1 Post Number: 10181 Registered: 10-2003 |
It is in Eastern market | ||
Detroitduo Member Username: Detroitduo Post Number: 865 Registered: 06-2005 |
R. Hirt JR Co. is the BEST gourmet everything store around. I spend plenty of my extra cash there..... | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 10260 Registered: 12-2003 |
Funny, I just walked home from buying some coffee there...after a late breakfast at Zeff's. They sell this Fair Trade Organic called Higher Grounds...I like their Water Carrier's Blend for espresso. It is a Michigan company, too...way up in Leelanau...and it is less expensive than Starbucks at $9.75 a pound! Hirts is a Detroit treasure...if only they would recognize the shifting demographic and start to stay open later than 4 o'clock at least ONE day of the week! | ||
Detroitbill Member Username: Detroitbill Post Number: 327 Registered: 09-2006 |
Hirts is a great place to shop, many many different products (over 300 cheeses, crackers, delicacies, pate, etc..) to choose from and no other place like it. This is an example of the stores we have in our area,, you know the place (Lafayette Park) where some people keep telling us on here we have no place to buy anything decent.<g> | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 2620 Registered: 10-2003 |
"<g>" You BBSer! Thank you for using T.A.G.! Goodbye... NO CARRIER | ||
Django Member Username: Django Post Number: 129 Registered: 10-2003 |
Cheap Charlies, I can buy my Dickies, some used work cloths with the nametag "Sanchez" on it, all the classy dinnerware I could ever need, and a piggy bank in the shape of a woman on her knees and her head on the pillow with the coinslot being her coochie pop. I love that place. Theyve got the original piggy banks too with no hole in the bottom, you have to break the thing open to get the $$. | ||
Lmr Member Username: Lmr Post Number: 101 Registered: 03-2007 |
Hirt's, WOW! I am SO glad to see that they are still there! I used to stop in there on the weekends back in the 1970's and up to 1983. That will be a must stop on my next trip back to Detroit! | ||
Dave Member Username: Dave Post Number: 169 Registered: 10-2003 |
I have to go with Hirt's as my favorite too. But I do have a special place in my heart for Henry the Hatter. I think they have been in the Broadway location for 113 years. I make an annual pilgrimage to buy a fedora like my grandpa wore and imagine he was buying them in the same store eighty years ago. dave | ||
Oldestuff Member Username: Oldestuff Post Number: 46 Registered: 01-2007 |
my absolute favorite store. Food, baskets, imports great staff, helpful, informed and friendly | ||
Pythonmaster Member Username: Pythonmaster Post Number: 98 Registered: 12-2006 |
Hirt's is a candy store for adults. | ||
Bob Member Username: Bob Post Number: 1566 Registered: 11-2003 |
That Higher Grounds coffee that Gannon talks about is awesome. There was an article on them in the Free Press about a year ago. Tried their coffee after that and have been buying via their website every since. | ||
Jazzstage Member Username: Jazzstage Post Number: 114 Registered: 08-2007 |
My father fought the fire that took down the other half of that store. I will have to ask him when that was but I am sure many of you know already. | ||
Oldestuff Member Username: Oldestuff Post Number: 47 Registered: 01-2007 |
it was a bar/restaurant | ||
Jt1 Member Username: Jt1 Post Number: 10215 Registered: 10-2003 |
I know I'll take some flak but I prefer Rocky Peanut Company over Hirt. | ||
Rrl Member Username: Rrl Post Number: 898 Registered: 12-2003 |
I'm a little bummed at Hirt's 'cuz they don't carry Bruderbasel cheese anymore. | ||
Norwalk Member Username: Norwalk Post Number: 124 Registered: 11-2006 |
My favorite store in Detroit is Showtime | ||
Downtownguy Member Username: Downtownguy Post Number: 61 Registered: 07-2004 |
^Rocky's isn't the same since Rocky retired. The daughter seems to want to run it into the ground. I pointed out to her a while back that one of the items she carries was significantly more expensive than it was at Harbortown. She got all indignant and huffed that she didn't know what Harbortown was. "I live in Rochester Hills," she sniffed. Good to know your competition! (Message edited by downtownguy on September 23, 2007) | ||
Ghetto_butterfly Member Username: Ghetto_butterfly Post Number: 743 Registered: 09-2004 |
I also like it how they still hand write the receipts listing everything you bought and add it up old-fashioned way on a calculator. But then, instead of paying with old-fashioned cash, you can still pay with your card. This store has been on my favorite list for years. I agree with Jt1 though, Rocky Peanut is right up there too. Once I was in that store, looking for something specific, and a clerk offered to challenge her, saying "if it exists, I will find it, buy it and offer it here for sale". | ||
Dialh4hipster Member Username: Dialh4hipster Post Number: 2194 Registered: 11-2004 |
My favorite store in Detroit is Mezzanine! They still write up your receipt by hand too! | ||
Toybreaker Member Username: Toybreaker Post Number: 56 Registered: 01-2005 |
Hirt's is absolutely amazing though I prefer Rafal Spice for coffee - Rafal has been a little low on their bulk coffees and teas lately, I can't wait for them to stock back up. http://www.cranbrookart.edu/si te/images/life/detroit09.jpg http://www.cranbrookart.edu/si te/images/life/shop1.jpg | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 5411 Registered: 08-2004 |
There used to be a building to the left of Hirt's was known as Fronterra Bros. It also had nice Victorian brickwork, but not quite as fancy as Hirt's. Sadly Fornterra Bros. burned down about 15 or so years ago. I wish they would have saved the arched brick facade and rebuilt, but alas they never did. Hirt's has the best cheeses and breads around! | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 10391 Registered: 12-2003 |
Toybreaker, I only discovered that Hirts HAD coffee after Rafal had their difficulties with that Scrapper-stolen powerline, and their supplier-interruptions in the coffee/tea department. Seems their tea distributor went out of business...the coffee mess started happening after that one gent who worked there passed away. I don't know if he was responsible for it, or if the person who WAS simply dropped the ball wrestling with grief...or if it was purely co-incidental. I still buy from them first, but if they are out...it is Higher Grounds at Hirts. Lately, I've been stocking a few flavors...Free Trade Espresso and Jamaican Blue Mountain from Rafal, and that Higher Grounds WaterBearer Blend from Hirts. That Jamaican bean is like coffee crack! Espresso time is always a special event in my loft...it is almost time NOW! A little sweetener from the blue-collar working bees of Metro Detroit, courtesy the Green Toe Gardens...and we've got our synapses firing again! | ||
Oliverdouglas Member Username: Oliverdouglas Post Number: 130 Registered: 02-2006 |
Dailh: is your expansion finished? | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 2552 Registered: 02-2007 |
I just am not impressed with the freshness of coffee at either hirts, rafal or rocky. I would like to find a place in the D as good as empire coffee in nyc. that is why i started roasting my own | ||
Revolutionary Member Username: Revolutionary Post Number: 136 Registered: 09-2004 |
FYI: Rafal carries Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company's coffee: http://www.greatlakescoffee.co m/ They were again closed this past Saturday. The week before the coffee choices were slim, especially the Fair Trade varieties. I understand Hirt also carries the same brand of coffee, but perhaps that's changed. | ||
Swingline Member Username: Swingline Post Number: 906 Registered: 11-2003 |
Why is Rafal's not open on some Saturdays? (This may have been mentioned elsewhere but I missed it.) | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 582 Registered: 06-2005 |
The Rafal family observes the Jewish holydays. | ||
Tarkus Member Username: Tarkus Post Number: 384 Registered: 04-2006 |
Went to Hirts, a long time favorite, for some cheese and other things. I had purchased a case of canned vegetable their a while back. They didn't have any on the shelf and I asked will they be getting some more in. The clerk on the floor replied "oh your the one who took that off of our hands. We won't be getting that again." I asked could I special order a case and prepay for it so they wouldn't get stuck with it and was told "no way no how." I went over to Rafaels and asked the same thing and was told" yes sir should be a few weeks, no need to prepay we will give you a call when it comes in if we can get it." Bye Bye Hirts | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 10399 Registered: 12-2003 |
Rb, Could you tag me at jjgannon (at) earthlink (dot) net? I've got a few questions about roasting coffee beans and sourcing raw ones. I've only had fresh-roasted coffee ONCE...in Los Angeles at an Oriental fellow's home...I was too overwhelmed by his wall-full of bean buckets labelled with choices from around the world to fully enjoy the cup he made! I think I was in shock. They say each hour from the roaster to your tongue is another huge drop in tastebud acrobatics...but I've never tried to prove it, since it would mean a huge change in my morning behavior...and I have trouble enough keeping to THIS current two-hour escape-from-dreamland protocol! | ||
Toybreaker Member Username: Toybreaker Post Number: 57 Registered: 01-2005 |
Gannon - Thanks for the scoop on the coffee (no pun intended) heh....my interns are so sad about me not serving up my usual "crack coffee" and their productivity is going down as a result. Damnit. ;) I still mourn cafe Detroit. That was the real deal too. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 10405 Registered: 12-2003 |
Toybreaker, We're still working on Cafe de Troit's (a pun on Cafe of the Straights, something Itsjeff used to joke about) replacement...a few years late, but we'll have to blame the FDA for the delay. (long story) | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 5412 Registered: 08-2004 |
Rb336, for some reason European coffee roasting seems to be superior to that of the USA. That's why I buy JACOB'S Coffee, the most popular variety in Germany. You can find it at places such as Nino Salvaggio's and Whole Foods. Hirt's may even have it, but I'm not sure. It comes in a green and white foil lined vacuum packed package. Ever since I've tried it, I don't bother with coffee beans again (although a great Kona or Jamaican Blue Mountain is always worth a try). | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 10422 Registered: 12-2003 |
M-m-m-mm--n-n-n, Kona. Forgot Kona. Rafal would usually have that, too. Good stuff. | ||
Downtownguy Member Username: Downtownguy Post Number: 67 Registered: 07-2004 |
Gannon and other coffee freaks: Do yourself a favor and buy a home roaster for $150 or so. You'll never look back. Google "home coffee roasters" for suppliers of beans and roasters. | ||
Pgn421 Member Username: Pgn421 Post Number: 144 Registered: 02-2005 |
gannon- have you ever had coffee brewed from a french press? | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 10425 Registered: 12-2003 |
Oh yeah, that was one of my regular alternates, especially when travelling and camping...but I recently broke mine. UGH. | ||
Pgn421 Member Username: Pgn421 Post Number: 146 Registered: 02-2005 |
i like mine, just dont use it enough | ||
Bearinabox Member Username: Bearinabox Post Number: 276 Registered: 04-2006 |
I don't understand the appeal of french presses. I've used them, and ended up with no perceptible improvement in flavor and a nasty layer of sediment on the bottom of the cup. My porcelain Melitta cone caffeinates me quite nicely, and I don't feel like I'm drinking out of a swamp. Maybe you just have to be an ultra-connoisseur to appreciate these things. (What were we talking about again?) | ||
Pythonmaster Member Username: Pythonmaster Post Number: 102 Registered: 12-2006 |
God knows there are many great places in our town to get great beans, but I had some of this on a trip to Chicago and it made my socks go up and down. http://www.intelligentsiacoffe e.com/roasting |
