Michigan & Junction

**9606 Prest** · May-31-11, 07:03 PM

The area near Michigan Avenue & Junction used to be a busy section of Detroit which included many Polish businesses, shops and restaurants. Does anyone remember what specific places were located in that area in the 1950s, 1960, 1970s, etc.?

**preserve** · May-31-11, 08:01 PM

Michaels Tuxedo Rental Cunningham's Victor Paint Store Kramer Theater, all the
5 & 10 Stores National Bank of Detroit

**Detroit_uke** · May-31-11, 08:19 PM

Kramer Theater, Federals, Cunningham Drugs, SS Kresge, LaBelle beauty Shop, Household Appliance, Bank of the Commonwealth, lots of doctor and dentist offices

**detroitbob** · June-01-11, 01:45 AM

Witkowski Mens wear was one of the larger stores. Also remember a big paint store, I believe it was Fisher Wallpaper and Paint. A Cunningham's.

**Rocko** · June-01-11, 07:14 AM

How about this?:

Larger wide-angle image: http://detroittransithistory.info/DS..._1955bls-2.jpg
From www.detroittransithistory.info

"In this 1955 photo, PCC car #112 is westbound along Michigan Avenue, just east of Junction.
The Federal Department Store in this photo was located on Michigan Avenue at 33rd street.
[photo courtesy of the Krambles-Peterson archive collection: BL Stone photo]"

**SWMAP** · June-01-11, 08:47 AM

Wonderful! And bittersweet. Nothing left of that fine era. Only Hazels Place [[a private club of the nightclub style), Zorba's coney island, a classic bank building now housing a church, an empty corner on s. side of Michigan and some businesses with tiny dirty windows.

**Neilr** · June-01-11, 09:31 AM

El Barzon, with fine a Mexican and Italian menu, opened on Junction just around the corner from Michigan Avenue several years ago. The owner and chef, Norberto Garita, made his restaurant into a popular destination for diners from the broad metro area, especially those from the northern suburbs who knew of his cooking at Il Posto in Southfield. Reservations seem to be required on the weekends.

http://events.detnews.com/reviews/sh...view-el-barzon

**Detroit_uke** · June-01-11, 09:46 AM

I know it's not a business - but does anyone else remember ice skating at St. Hedwig???

**DetroitPlanner** · June-01-11, 01:31 PM

Steve's lunch used to be in the basement of a House on Junction on the South Side of Michigan.

**Orthophonic** · June-01-11, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Steve's lunch used to be in the basement of a House on Junction on the South Side of Michigan.

Great lunch place! A bowl of soup and the complimentary bread basket were astoundingly cheap and filling. And at no extra charge you got Pope JP II beaming down on you from the wall. I think this house may be gone?

**Detroitnerd** · June-01-11, 02:28 PM

Used to be a bar and a barbershop on every block.

**beanietek** · June-01-11, 03:17 PM

there used to be a few bakeries on mich avenue that did wedding cakes for all the polish weddings in the neighborhood. Also a meat shop on michigan just north west of junction - was there for quite a few years - think building was red but can't remember the name of it - had men and women working behind the counter... polish women with big white poofey hair. Was a great place to buy fresh meat.

**SWMAP** · June-01-11, 03:46 PM

I remember one of those bakeries. well west of Livernois, it had white tiled walls and an old-fashioned pedestal drinking fountain just inside the door. wooden display cases and a pastries in the window case. Gone about 20 years.

**Ed Golick** · June-01-11, 04:20 PM

Kramer Meat Market. Tondryk's Record Shop, National Groceries. I took accordian lessons in a building next to the Kramer Meat Market, and used to get my hair cut at the barber college next to the Kramer show.

**beanietek** · June-01-11, 04:29 PM

swmap: yes i remember that bakery - and there was another one a block down the street - will remember the names of em once the caffeine kicks in

EdG: Kramer - that was it - was on the tip of my tongue

Also there used to be an A&P on michigan and campbell [[?) that later was sold off and run by a middle eastern family but later burned down.. they said they would rebuild but never did.

**reddog289** · June-03-11, 02:16 AM

Everytime I drive down Michigan Ave with my Mom, I hear how great the "Kramer Block" was.

**Whitehouse** · June-03-11, 06:05 AM

The very same corner.

Compare.

Anoter rare sight seen in google streetview on that corner. A cool cat on a beemer!!

**Ronjm23** · June-03-11, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Ed Golick

Kramer Meat Market. Tondryk's Record Shop, National Groceries. I took accordian lessons in a building next to the Kramer Meat Market, and used to get my hair cut at the barber college next to the Kramer show.

I too took accordian lessons there. I recall the Kinsels Drug store across from the Cunninghams at the intersection. Also there was a Jaworski's Suasage shop nearby. Golanars Hardware was nearby and a Mac-o-lac paint store. I lived on Goldner as a child.

**downtownguy** · June-04-11, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by Detroit_uke

I know it's not a business - but does anyone else remember ice skating at St. Hedwig???

I do. When I was a teenager, I used to play hockey with guys in their 20s and 30s. We'd occasionally rent ice at St. Hedwig's and Wigle Rec Center. One time, after playing at St. Hedwig's, they took me to a corner bar smack dab in the middle of the neighborhood. I grew up in NW Detroit, and had only seen something like that on TV before. How cool it was!

**Big Dog** · June-04-11, 02:51 PM

What was the name of the polish restaruant on the north side of michigan, around or inbetween lonyo and junction? Ate there many times but age in working on me.

**Detroit_uke** · June-04-11, 03:01 PM

Are you thinking of Starlte [[sp?)...it's near 51st Street. I don't know why the name "People's" comes to the brain...maybe there was a restaurant there by that name, too.

**SWMAP** · June-04-11, 03:12 PM

Starlight closed at Critmas. It was sold to the people who owned the gold store just east. I guess they intend to have a jewelry store. For who, you have to ask yourself. The gold people are the ones responsible for the yellow plastic signs on hundreds of telephone poles around SW Detroit that will never change or deteriorate. They are too high for most removal efforts.
But the best new mercantile effort is the marijuana store with a sidewalk sign stating that there is always a medical doctor on duty there. That seems right for a little investigation!

**grandpamike** · June-04-11, 06:02 PM

Starlite closed a few months ago. I think that People's was closer to Livernois. I had my only win as a C.Y.O. elementary school pitcher as our Blessed Sacrament Panthers defeated St. Hedwig [[on their field), 6-5. El Barzone is a great restaurant. The West Side Detroit Polish American Historical Society has its headquarters at St. Hedwig.

**gazhekwe** · June-04-11, 07:04 PM

There was Claire's OK Kitchen on the north side of Michigan near Cecil, the site of many family event dinners.

**downtownguy** · June-04-11, 07:39 PM

I know this is more recent history, but gosh I loved Casa de Espana in the old firehouse on Michigan near Livernois. BYOB, the food was the best and they never scrimped on the garlic! Seems like Eva was always pregnant or just had one. Juan was a great host and pretty good on the flamenco guitar when he picked it up. May he rest in peace. The closest I'll ever come to feeling like I was part of a large Spanish family.