Saltmine Restaurant? Anyone Remember It?

[gnome]

The bride was telling me about a place called the Saltmine. She remembers it as being in a basement somewhere between Congress and Larned.

Could it have been under Emily's Place?

I don't have any recollection of it at all.

thx

[Gary]

I remember a basement bar/restaurant on Shelby between Larned and Congress. IIRC it was downstairs from the old L'Esprit nightclub or maybe in the building next door. I don't recall the name but I do remember bopping over there for lunch a few times. This would have been late 70s/early 80s.

[Kathleen]

The Salt Mine. I'm pretty sure you entered off Washington Blvd. as though it were underneath the Fire Station, or the Marquette Building. I'll see if my brother remembers since he bussed tables there. My dad was a cook there in the late 1970s. I worked the coat check room once or twice.

[DetroitPlanner]

THere was an old bar underneath the McDonald's at Congress and Shelby that operated as Wheeler's for a while [[late 80's/early 90's). It had a connection to the Post. Could it have been there? It had a nautical theme and looked like it was from the 1960's.

[Kathleen]

The Salt Mine was definitely not below the McDonald's on Shelby at Congress. Family member confirms Washington Blvd entrance. But I will still try to find out more specifics.

[bassab]

Salt Mine was on east side of Shelby, just south of Congress, in the basement, under what I think is now Woo Hoo.

[Kathleen]

Salt Mine was on east side of Shelby, just south of Congress, in the basement, under what I think is now Woo Hoo.

You mean Wah-hoo, right? And your location might be right. I'm putting feelers out within the family. Besides my dad, 4 of us kids worked there at one time or another. But it was before my days of working downtown and learning the history and architecture and such of our city.

[Gary]

Salt Mine was on east side of Shelby, just south of Congress, in the basement, under what I think is now Woo Hoo.

Yep, that's the place I remember; east side of Shelby, north of Larned, south of Congress. Detroit Planner's nautical themed restaurant was across the street. Can't remember the name of that place either but the seafood was excellent.

[Hypestyles]

neat-- but I wonder, could "The Salt Mine" work as a restaurant name today? heh..

[bassab]

Yep, that's the place I remember; east side of Shelby, north of Larned, south of Congress. Detroit Planner's nautical themed restaurant was across the street. Can't remember the name of that place either but the seafood was excellent.

Skippers if I recall correctly.

[EastsideAl]

Nautical themed restaurant was The Pilot House for many years. Sort of a steak and martini lunch place, back when such things were still acceptable. A friend of my parents owned the joint [[not the guy who was murdered - his partner).

[gnome]

Thank yo, one and all. Another episode of Our History Deee tectives !

That pun would have worked if the D was an old English D.

But the point is, thank you. Oh, and Kathleen, I bet you were the cutest hat check girl of all time. I would have tipped you just to see you categorize the hats by size, shape and color.

[downtownguy]

Skippers if I recall correctly.

Skippers was on Bagley, north of Grand River in the Michigan Building, ground floor, outside entrance.

[pgn421]

Skippers is now in Hamtramck on Conant

[jackie5275]

Skippers is now in Hamtramck on Conant

Is it still open? I thought I saw for lease signs on it recently.