Building on Van Dyke & 7 Mile

**ronaldj** · December-05-12, 11:53 PM

While driving on Van Dyke during the past few weeks I noticed a building on the NW side of the street one storefront north of 7 Mile. Do not know if it is new or refurbished. Square building with grey facade. No windows. It has a parking lot.

No construction signs or identifiers regarding its owners or intended use.

Any information available?

**Detroitej72** · December-06-12, 03:28 PM

The old strip club?

**pgn421** · December-06-12, 03:40 PM

That would be where The Duchess Lounge used to be.

**Big Dog** · December-07-12, 02:21 PM

I agree, Duchess.

**EastsideAl** · December-07-12, 04:07 PM

Ahhh, The Duchess. Fleeting memory of youth. How wonderful, alluring, and oh-so-gaudy you once were.

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Wish I had a picture from when they had the sweet pink neon...

**DetroitPlanner** · December-07-12, 08:32 PM

Thats where my mom and dad met!

**Jimaz** · December-07-12, 10:40 PM

Google Street View

I thought it had a small inverted V roof over the front door in the 70s. Can't find a similar view in Google although I think they had something like it at one time.

My memory was of a heated argument near the entrance between the owner/manager and someone trying to sell him "insurance"/protection?!

A dancer snatched my glasses and wore them as a bra. The joke was on me. I couldn't see a thing. She returned them all greasy.

**marshamusic** · December-08-12, 01:18 AM

I just last week heard of new retail spaces being built there.

**pgn421** · December-08-12, 03:35 AM

Jimaz-that sounds like a dancer called "Monkey" I saw her do that to a gentleman once. She would swing on the monkey bar in the club.

**CLAUDE G** · December-08-12, 04:06 AM

I drive by there everyday, and watched it being built.

Its the same old building, they just added some fake walls on the roof to make the building seem taller than it actually is.

By the looks of the building, its either going to be another liquor store, or a strip club again.

**ronaldj** · December-09-12, 01:16 AM

Could be the Duchess but the Google map shows the Duchess a little farther north of 7 Mile than the building in question.

It does look like the building has a new facade rather than being new construction. Seems a little small for a proposed strip joint although being windowless could give that impression.