Just got back from Detroit - LOVED IT!

Hey folks. I'm from Ottawa Canada and I just came back from 3 days in Detroit. I've been a member of this forum for a few years now and I've cruised Detroit from Google earth many times but I just had to see it for myself. My friends thought I was crazy for wanting to go there. Went with my daughter who graduated from University in Toronto and we continued on to Detroit. I've seen a number of European capitals, Mexico City and Havana but I must say Detroit has a special charm. The architecture is really something special, the expanse of neighbourhoods returned to prairie, the wide streets - so much to see in the downtown and so easily walkable. I was surprised at all the cultural attactions as well - not expected - Science and Tech, Art and historical museums on Woodward which we did not have the time to see - perhaps next time. I recognized the Book Cadillac from the pics on this site. Did not know it had been renovated. That was a nice surprise.

We stayed at the Inn on Ferry - so a historical mansion. Great deal - $200 a night for two adjoining rooms including great breakfast.

You folks really have to market this place as a tourist attraction. People go to Greece and Rome to see ruins but Detroit is the history of the end of industrialization. It is history in the remaking. Art, architecture, history, ghost neighbourhoods, Belle Ile - beautiful beach. You've got it all. I had looked at getting a tour from Ottawa or Toronto at one time but there is not such thing. There are tours going to New York, Atlantic City and Chicago but not Detroit. Someone with a bit of tourism and business know how should get something like that going.

I left a bit of my heart in Detroit. I would seriously go back.

Thanks for the glowing review and a belated welcome to the D!

Y'alls don't be strangers now and come on back.

You stayed at the Inn on Ferry and didn't go the DIA? You need to come back.

Welcome to the Detroit fan club, Relayer76. I too became hooked on the city after a chance view with Google Earth last summer. A month later I was there myself, exploring and learning, and seeing in person all the things I had been viewing on Google Earth and reading about. Like you, people thought I was crazy, but it was an unforgettable experience.

If you wondered what the insides of some of the buildings look like, have a view at http://detroiturbex.com. The owner of that site is also an excellent tour guide who will take you any place you want to go. I hired him for a day and it was worth every penny.

I really must make it back someday. I'll be in Toronto next summer for a week, maybe I can zip out for another visit to the D.

Király in Vancouver BC

Congrats on your good decision Relayer - tell your friends.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/...article571628/

Thank you, and spread the news!

Detroit really needs to get on the ball in regards to selling itself. I think tv ads locally and in cities like toledo, cleveland, toronto etc..would do wonders to boost tourism.

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Originally Posted by ismoakrack

Detroit really needs to get on the ball in regards to selling itself. I think tv ads locally and in cities like toledo, cleveland, toronto etc..would do wonders to boost tourism.

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I've thought this for years. Part of this needs to come from the Civic Leaders. Decades of combative tone from some [[not all) of our elected leadership toward outsiders makes for an un-welcoming statement.

And I don't necessarily mean that politicians need to change their viewpoints. Reasonable people can come to opposite conclusions on tricky policies. But there is an art to disagreeing without being disagreeable. The BAMN crew does not exactly scream, "Welcome to Detroit, we're so glad you're here."

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Originally Posted by ismoakrack

Detroit really needs to get on the ball in regards to selling itself. I think tv ads locally and in cities like toledo, cleveland, toronto etc..would do wonders to boost tourism.

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Absolutely, it does. The city is missing out on a huge industry [[urban tourism) that it is well positioned to benefit from.

Great to see you had a good experience in Detroit. Too many outsiders are afraid to venture in the city and discover everything it has to offer.

You are always most welcome and thank you for visiting and so glad you enjoyed yourself.

Despite being a lifer, what continues to strike me about Detroit is the grandeur. I've been to Europe, and, in terms of museums, churches, clubs, theatres, city center, market, and other old venerable places they are on par. This is STILL a great old city, albeit quite worn, but we can make it greater. This is why I never moved to a cheesy postwar landscape like Warren or Livonia or whathaveyou...simply too much beauty and majesty here.

Here is a question that completely baffles me. We drove quite a bit around Detroit over 3 days time- up Woodward to about 7 mile rd, to Fairlane Mall, east to Belle Isle and we might have come across one grocery store, and very few small convenience type stores. We wanted to do some shopping and we were told the closest mall was Fairlane - near the Ford Estate. It was an OK mall and we enjoyed the stores that we don't have here in Canada but nothing spectacular. Where do Detroiters shop??? Especially for groceries? What if they don't have a car? I understand public transit is pretty crappy. Where do you get milk if you run out in the evening and need to have some for the kids for breakfast? The closest Walmart to a large part of Detroit is in Windsor!! We wanted to check out US prices on electronics but never came across a Best Buy. Just asking.

The City has very little retail. That is one of the issues being worked on at this time. There is a grocery store in Lafayette park. There is also one in MexicanTown. There is a CVS downtown and also in the Ren Cen. Beyond that, I honestly don't know.

There are several independently owned grocery stores. I live in Woodbridge - University Foods grocery is like half a mile away. For little things, I just go to the convenience store one block from my house.

Im still in the process of moving to Detroit but I've noticed there are way more grocery stores than I'd have thought after reading all of the "food desert" articles.

As far as retail, no there isn't much. I drive out to Allen Park for the big box stores. It's about a ten minute drive. That's about 10 minutes less than it takes me in my current Chicago hood though. Those stores are technically closer but it's such a bitch to drive there.

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Originally Posted by Relayer76

Where do Detroiters shop???

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No simple answer. Depends on where you live and what transportation you have access to. People with cars will drive anywhere. Where they shop depends on what you are looking for as each mall or shopping center or shopping district offers different things.

Thanks, too, Relayer76, for posting about your experiences and sharing the word about the D!!

Come to think of it, in terms of grocery stores, downtown Ottawa is not much different. Lots of other shopping though. I guess it just seems weird to me because I live in a suburb of Ottawa about 10 miles from downtown with a population of about 85,000 - there are 6 large grocerie stores and 3 drug stores within a 5 minute drive. Also Walmart, Staples, Home Depot, variety of clothing, sporting, electronics stores also within minutes.

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Originally Posted by Relayer76

Here is a question that completely baffles me. We drove quite a bit around Detroit over 3 days time- up Woodward to about 7 mile rd, to Fairlane Mall, east to Belle Isle and we might have come across one grocery store, and very few small convenience type stores. We wanted to do some shopping and we were told the closest mall was Fairlane - near the Ford Estate. It was an OK mall and we enjoyed the stores that we don't have here in Canada but nothing spectacular. Where do Detroiters shop??? Especially for groceries? What if they don't have a car? I understand public transit is pretty crappy. Where do you get milk if you run out in the evening and need to have some for the kids for breakfast? The closest Walmart to a large part of Detroit is in Windsor!! We wanted to check out US prices on electronics but never came across a Best Buy. Just asking.

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I think the "no easy answer" is probably the best. For one, Detroit is so vast, if you live on the far east side, like me, you probably go to the far west side as often as you leave the country.

The independent grocers are good for basics, depending on which store, and there are actually a ton of CVS/Rite Aid/Walgreens in the city. I give them credit and they must be making a killing since they've essentially got the monopoly on corporate retail in the city.

Most Detroiters drive to the nearest suburbs when they need to buy electronics and other big-box related junk. If Detroit and the big corporations could poise themselves to open stores in the city, again, I think they'd corner the market. There is a Home Depot at 7 Mile and Meyers that was/is the most profitable store in the country.
Detroit may be astoundingly blighted but there's still well over 100k middle class folks here, and some very wealthy folks too.

However retailers appear to still be afraid of Detroit and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation doesn't really do much other than tear down historic buildings downtown. We may be getting a Meijer, finally, at 8 Mile and Woodward, so maybe things are changing. As much as I like small businesses, you can't go to Ghettoass Chaldean Liquor Mart or CVS or CityBird for everything.

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Where do Detroiters shop??? Especially for groceries

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http://www.detroiteasternmarket.com/

That is true. All my friends in Detroit shop at Eastern Market.

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Originally Posted by Pam

http://www.detroiteasternmarket.com/

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Wow, Eastern Market looks really cool and nice to see a place where people can sell their goods without going through a corporate grocery store.

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Originally Posted by Relayer76

Here is a question that completely baffles me. We drove quite a bit around Detroit over 3 days time- up Woodward to about 7 mile rd, to Fairlane Mall, east to Belle Isle and we might have come across one grocery store, and very few small convenience type stores. We wanted to do some shopping and we were told the closest mall was Fairlane - near the Ford Estate. It was an OK mall and we enjoyed the stores that we don't have here in Canada but nothing spectacular. Where do Detroiters shop??? Especially for groceries? What if they don't have a car? I understand public transit is pretty crappy. Where do you get milk if you run out in the evening and need to have some for the kids for breakfast? The closest Walmart to a large part of Detroit is in Windsor!! We wanted to check out US prices on electronics but never came across a Best Buy. Just asking.

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Ohhhhh you were so close ! while you were at Fairlane you have to travel just about 2 mile south on the Southfield freeway in Allen Park just west of the freeway is ALL the things you were looking for , Target, Walmart, Best buy, Ect and it's only 8 miles for Downtown Detroit !
It is true however that in the city limits there is not much for mainstream shopping .
Also if you were looking for HIGH end shopping , take 75 north exit at big Beaver road[[16 mile road) west .
One of THE best high end shopping malls in the entire nation is there [[ Somerset Collection). Of your aren't impressed by that you probably won't find it ANYWHERE in the rest of the Country :-)
They've pretty much put ALMOST every expensive store in the country in one place, some are missing , Bloomingdale's ,ect.
Happy shopping ! and let me know what you think !