Donna Lee's Sweet Shop and Al's Coplin and Freud

[Scarlett]

Does anyone out there remember Donna Lee's and Al's? Great family. My mom worked at Al's for years. They made their own ice cream. Great memories.

[al48038]

I lived right around the corner on Piper just North of Freud. Next to Al's was a Detroit News substation where the carriers would fold the afternoon papers and prepare them for delivery. I was one of them. My route was Piper, from Jefferson to Essex. I had 80 daily and around 120 Sunday customers. After folding my papers and prior to setting out to deliver them, I would buy a bottle of Double Cola from Al's for $ 0.12, drink it on the sidewalk in front of the substation, then return the empty to Al's to get my $ .02 bottle deposit back. A lot of my paper delivery profits ended up in Donna Lee's register, if I recall correctly. Great memories.

[Detroit Signal]

[DezHolley]

Fantastic pictures

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

Donna Lee's was a few blocks beyond my normal boundaries of travel on foot or bike from my lower Jeff/Chalmers neighborhood but we had similar stores up on both corner of Manistique and Essex. One was in the basement of an apartment bldg and the other was a grocery store/meat market which I think may still open but there isn't much left as defined as a viable neighborhood, the last time I was there Manistique from Essex to Jeff was wide open Buffalo grazing prairie land.

[ct_alum]

Donna Lee's was a few blocks beyond my normal boundaries of travel on foot or bike from my lower Jeff/Chalmers neighborhood but we had similar stores up on both corner of Manistique and Essex. One was in the basement of an apartment bldg and the other was a grocery store/meat market which I think may still open but there isn't much left as defined as a viable neighborhood, the last time I was there Manistique from Essex to Jeff was wide open Buffalo grazing prairie land.

The basment store was called Subway and the market was called Jones Market. There also was a candy/magazine store next to Jones but I can't remember the name. My Grandmother lived at 442 Phillip between Essex and Avondale until the late 70's. You are correct, the entire area is now a prairie [[heavy sigh).

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

That whole area south of Jefferson down to the river and from the Edison plant canal east to Alter rd was an incredibly vibrant area filled with huge working class families, tree lined streets, half a dozen schools filled to capacity, water front parks.... etc was a truly magical place to grow up. Detroit Signal thanks for the awesome photo of Donna Lee's.

[canuck]

Did Detroit have bicycle delivery guys for corner stores?

[DetroitBoy]

That whole area south of Jefferson down to the river and from the Edison plant canal east to Alter rd was an incredibly vibrant area filled with huge working class families, tree lined streets, half a dozen schools filled to capacity, water front parks.... etc was a truly magical place to grow up. Detroit Signal thanks for the awesome photo of Donna Lee's.

Looking at what is left of the houses on Phillip, it must have had some beautify single and two family homes.

Is the corner of Coplin and Freud where this picture was taken gone now? Looks like Coplin was razed and there is a shopping center there. Do you know what the HS and Catholic schools were in that area?

[DetroitBoy]

Did Detroit have bicycle delivery guys for corner stores?

That looks like. Schwinn Stingray bike with a paper carrier's sack hanging between the handlebars. The kids would fold the papers in thirds and tuck one side under the other and put them in the sack so they could ride and toss them on the porch without getting off the bike.

[IrishSpartan]

Looking at what is left of the houses on Phillip, it must have had some beautify single and two family homes.

Is the corner of Coplin and Freud where this picture was taken gone now? Looks like Coplin was razed and there is a shopping center there. Do you know what the HS and Catholic schools were in that area?

Southeastern would have been the closest DPS high school. St. Martin's was the closest Catholic high school and St. Ambrose was nearby. I had some relatives that lived on Marlborough abd were parishioners at St. Ambrose rather than St. Martin even though it was closer.

[christenegoodger]

What a wonderful picture you have posted!!!' My name is Christene and I am Donna Lee Durie's daughter. Al and Thelma's granddaughter. I just happened across this picture and my heart stopped. Both my mother [[Donna) and my grandmother [[Thelma) passed away this year...in 2014. I think about the stories my mother told me almost every day...and she had many. I would love to hear any stories that you might have

[christenegoodger]

Does anyone out there remember Donna Lee's and Al's? Great family. My mom worked at Al's for years. They made their own ice cream. Great memories.

Hello! My name is Christene and I am Donna Lee Durie's daughter. Granddaughter of Thelma and Al. I stumbled across your post and my heart stopped. I lost my mother, Donna, and my grandmother, Thelma, this year [[2014). My mother told me wonderful stories about the sweet shop and the old neighborhood. I must have heard the words Coplin and Freud a million times I would love to chat with you sometime or hear any stories that you might have. I just hope that you are able to see this message.