Every closed-up fast food place in Detroit

[Cincinnati_Kid]

There were several Daly Drive-Ins in Detroit. Greenfield north of Joy. Plymouth at Burt. Warren at Outer Drive.

There is one Daly's still open on Plymouth and Merriman in Livonia. And there use to be a Red Barn hamburger restaurant on 8 Mile and Meyers. There is a Ice House sitting on the location now.

[Gary]

On James Couzens near outer drive there was a Top Hat. I would say it closed in the 80's. The building is still there.

I don't recall a Top Hat at James Couzens/Outer Drive, but there was definitely one at James Couzens and Puritan. That building is still there too.

A couple people mentioned the Red Barn. They used to be all over town. My brother and I used to stop at the one on Woodward across the street from the Highland Park Y after long sessions of swimming and basketball. We'd spend our bus fare and whatever loose change we had on us at the RB and walk home instead.

[black gold man]

I didn't read all but you can add a Hardees it was on 13 mile east of hoover. There is a restraint there, same building.

[mtburb]

Well, thanks to that site [[which I have contributed to a couple of times this year), I now know that a Baskin-Robbins was another casualty of "Kwame Kilpatrick Presents the Livernois Avenue Median". Can't believe that spot is still vacant.

And, what happened to the page on that site that talked about the abandoned-since-1997 Hardee's? It somewhat has been deleted and the Wayback Machine was the only way I could see that page.

And speaking of Hardee's, will any DYers with enough money ever be able to open another one here in Metro Detroit? The region is down to two, while the entire state of Michigan has exactly ten Hardee's locations!

And I also have a couple more suggestions:

• There was a Tubby's on Sycamore Street in downtown Wyandotte in a strip mall between Biddle Avenue and the Yack Arena that existed for at least a couple years in the mid 2000's.
• The Sunrise Diner in Southgate inside the former Pizza Hut/Moe's Southwest Grill is still listed in my 2013-14 Downriver Yellow Pages, but Google Maps still thinks it's shuttered.
• When it first opened, the Kmart Supercenter in Southgate had a Little Caesar's Pizza Station. It closed about seven years ago and display refrigerators now occupy the area in front of the counter. Oddly enough, behind the counter, an ICEE machine and an oven are still there.
• The Aldi that was built on the former site of the Fort Street Big Boy restaurant in Wyandotte opened around early 2009 and not 2011. The restaurant itself had already been torn down for a few years at the time it opened.
• There is now a Metro PCS Authorized Dealer in the former Southgate Jack in the Box/Tubby's.

[DetroitPlanner]

This really seems like an odd thing to create a database for. There is a lot there, but there seems to be a lot missing [[for example, I can remember other Big Boys [[Hamtramck, not sure if I saw the one that was just off of Woodward Downtown). I guess I am wondering what is the point?

[TenPoundHammer]

^ I found the Hamtramck one and added it.

This seems to be a point of interest for many people, given the responses. It's a facet of history to any town, especially if it's a chain that no longer operates in that region. I'm only 26, so I was surprised to find that Jack in the Box was once in Detroit before my time. Or that there's an ex-KFC on Grand River that's been sitting vacant since before I was born.

[iheartthed]

There was a Seafood Bay on Fenkell east of the Southfield Fwy that sat empty for over 20 years, I think. It was empty for so long that I completely stopped noticing it whenever I drove through that area. I just happened to notice it again while looking around on Google Maps a few weeks ago...

[agirlintheD]

There was a fast food place called WUVS Burgers on Telegraph a while back....perhaps the 80's? 90's? I don't know if it counts or if there were others of that name.

[TKshreve]

As far as Chesterfried Chickens...... one opened at/near 12 + Mound roughly 1-2 years ago. It folded rather quickly and its sign is still on the Street Sign Board.

Sad little company.

[jaytheory]

Anyone ever heard of Chic-fil-a being in tel 12 20 or so years ago?

I've been working for years now on a list of every closed-up fast food place and chain restaurant in Michigan. You can view the list here: http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/forgott...er/former.html

I'd like to know if I've missed anything so far, especially with the more prominent chains like Burger King, McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, etc., and the chains that had a lot of early closures like Rax, A&W, Arthur Treacher's, Hardee's, Jack in the Box, etc. Also sit-down chains like Big Boy.

I'm also looking for confirmation that the St. Clair Shores Tim Hortons was once Hardee's. I know it was a Burger Chef at one point, so I'd assume it was also a Hardee's if it became a Tim Hortons.

Also, some of the mall-based locations would be good to know. For instance, I know that Fairlane Town Center once had an Arby's, and it seems it once had a Ponderosa for a short time, but I don't know where exactly either one was.

Just anything else that needs to be added would be good.

[milt721]

Also:

*Sign of the Beefcarver on 8 Mile and Kelly in Eastpointe was shuttered and demolished in the late 90s [[now a Walgreens).


One small correction, this Sign of the Beefcarver was a little further east on 8 Mile and is currently operating as Rex's Deli.
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=42.45...,37.64,,0,2.38

BTW - the old Rex's Deli is now operating as the Bread Basket Deli.
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=42.45...350.85,,0,0.09

[Dave70]

Also:


One small correction, this Sign of the Beefcarver was a little further east on 8 Mile and is currently operating as Rex's Deli.
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=42.45...,37.64,,0,2.38

Not so! The building that Rex's deli is at now, used to be IHoP.

[msamslex]

Taco Bell on Schaefer south of W. Warren, next to the Mobil gas station in Dearborn. Closed earlier this spring/summer? Recently reopened as Location Cafe, a Middle Eastern restuarant.

Rams Horn on Greenfield, Dearborn, between W. Warren and Ford Rd. closed a 1-2 years ago, but has been remodeled and reopened.

[Honky Tonk]

White Castle, Gratiot near Mt. Elliott. Closed 2012.

[downtownguy]

Good list:
There was a Red Barn on Michigan Ave. near Central turned into auto sales
Anybody remember seafood place called Hungry Penguin?

Hungry Penguin rings a bell, but I can't remember anything about them. Was it the forerunner of Arthur Treacher's?

[Marlon_JB2]

313WX, that was Krispy Kreme on 12 Mile and Gratiot, not Dunkin Donuts.

[313WX]

313WX, that was Krispy Kreme on 12 Mile and Gratiot, not Dunkin Donuts.

No, there was a Dunkin Donuts out there too, between the Sunoco/Marathon on the NW Corner and the old Arnold Hyundai/Suzuki/Honda dealership.

The exact address is 29035 Gratiot Avenue, now a Metro PCS.

[313WX]

Not so! The building that Rex's deli is at now, used to be IHoP.

Correct. I distinctively remember The Sign of the Beefcarver being east of this IHOP. The Midas [[now an independent auto repair shop), the Standard Oil/Amoco Gas Station [[now an Exxon Gas Station) and Burger King [[now a used car dealership) were already there, so The Beefcarver had to be where the Walgreens is.

[DetroitPlanner]

^ I found the Hamtramck one and added it.

Is this your database? If so, have you considered using google maps to show locations? I went to the root page on Saturday and was stuck on it for quite a while checking out. You from Sag Valley?

[Danny]

On James Couzens near outer drive there was a Top Hat. I would say it closed in the 80's. The building is still there.

Actually the old Top Hat slider place. Was at James Couzens FWY and Puritan.

[softailrider]

I don't recall a Top Hat at James Couzens/Outer Drive, but there was definitely one at James Couzens and Puritan. That building is still there too.

A couple people mentioned the Red Barn. They used to be all over town. My brother and I used to stop at the one on Woodward across the street from the Highland Park Y after long sessions of swimming and basketball. We'd spend our bus fare and whatever loose change we had on us at the RB and walk home instead.

You are absolutely right, I went by there today. That former Top Hat is on Puritian, right near James Couzens and Mendota. The building is painted a pale grey and looks empty.

[softailrider]

Did anyone mention Howard Johnson that was on Woodward south of 6 Mile near Davison? Food was pretty damm good!

[mtburb]

And here's another contribution to your site:

There used to be a Chicken Shack at the corner of Northline Road and Drake Street in Southgate, halfway between I-75 and Dix-Toledo Highway, that was open as late as 2007. The building is now occupied by Wild Coney & Grill. The address is 15099 Northline Road.

[Marlon_JB2]

No, there was a Dunkin Donuts out there too, between the Sunoco/Marathon on the NW Corner and the old Arnold Hyundai/Suzuki/Honda dealership.

The exact address is 29035 Gratiot Avenue, now a Metro PCS.

Ahh, yes you are right. I forgot about that one!

Well I guess you can add the Krispy Kreme to the list then.

[msamslex]

Back in the 80's I believe, there was a Church's Chicken on the corner of Joy Rd. and Meyers. Not sure when it closed, building stayed vacant off and on with various coney islands opening up for awhile, then closing. Now its a Boost Mobile.