Hudson's Photo Gallery

[jackie5275]

Hudson't photogallery from the Detroit News. Cool photos, most, but not all are of the downtown store.




http://multimedia.detnews.com/pix/ph...011/index.html

[dtowncitylover]

I never got to see it inside, only on the outside when I was young, in its decrepit state.

Vis-a-vis photo number #30, when I was in Paris this summer, there were men like that everywhere and no one seemed to mind.

[DetroitPlanner]

"A mother and child view the huge flag at the J. L. Hudson Store in January 1949. The flag visited the U.S. Capitol Building in 1929 and the World's Fair in 1939 before it was retired in 1949."

Uhh I think they are about 30 years off in the flag's retirement. I remember mom taking us on the bus to see it on Flag Day as a kid in the mid-70's.

Ahh next slide is as follows:

"The second large flag weighed 1,600 pounds, used 2,038 yards of wool and covered seven stories of the Hudson building. The flag was 104 by 235 feet, and on its debut in 1950 required 55 men to hang it. In 1976, the nation's bicentennial, it was retired and was donated to the Smithsonian Institution, which gave it to the American Flag Foundation in Houston. It is seen here in 1951."

[Sandhouse]

When I had a summer job at Hudson's downtown in 1970, I remember seeing the flag in its special crate, about 8 feet on a side and painted red, white, and blue. I wasn't asked to help lower it: that job went to the beefiest appliance deliverymen. The davits from which the flag was lowered were still on the building when it was demolished.

[DetroitPlanner]

When I had a summer job at Hudson's downtown in 1970, I remember seeing the flag in its special crate, about 8 feet on a side and painted red, white, and blue. I wasn't asked to help lower it: that job went to the beefiest appliance deliverymen. The davits from which the flag was lowered were still on the building when it was demolished.

I have a pic that mom took of her kids in front of the flag. It was taken from the street and about a a half block north on the west side of Woodward. The street was closed and full of people. It was a windy day and you can see dozens of men stationed on the overhang dressed in Farrell's type outfits trying to keep the flag from blowing away! In addition Sanders/Vernors had introduced thier Ice Cream and were handing out samples. Its amazing what you remember from 35 years ago.

[stromberg2]

So sad in a way. I guess you could say that Hudson destroyed themselves, downtown wise, by building in the suburbs.

Stromberg2

[Danny]

My cousins took me to Hudson's in 1982. The was reduced to 5 floors when I and me cousins shop there. The inside was a very classic department store atmosphere. We brought some clothes and goodies. By 1983 Hudson's Flagship Store is closed for good. After Hudson's close the retail along the Woodward Corridor suddenly dissapeared by 1985 Parts of Downtown Detroit was a instant ghostown. I was very shocked!!

[DetroitPlanner]

So sad in a way. I guess you could say that Hudson destroyed themselves, downtown wise, by building in the suburbs.

Stromberg2

If Hudson's didn't open suburban stores they would have been dead sooner. Profits from the suburban stores kept the old store open. A million plus square feet of retail space. Could you imagine how much it cost just to operate a store of that size, even on a skeleton crew?? THis is why Hudson's was pushing for the mall on the Kern Block. It would have allowed them to shrink the size of the downtown store.

Without the suburban stores some other chain would have come to dominance in the market.

[XDetroitr]

My earliest memory of Hudsons was from our annual bus-ride trips downtown in the mid-60s. As a 6 year old, I would stand in front of the long bank of elevators, fascinated by their clear glass doors and watching the people inside them ride up and down.