Location of Vernors first store?

**reddog289** · July-16-09, 11:40 PM

The last time I ever went downtown to watch the parade is when I went to watch it at Vernors. If I had only brought my camera.I belive that was in 1984.
Back when Pepsi bought out Vernors, I heard the reson they stopped selling Vernors ice cream was that Sanders sold Coke products in their stores

**Maxine1958** · July-17-09, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by Cushkid

And once again downriver gets forgot about, there's a Sander's in downtown Wyandotte.

Sorry Cushkid, perhaps that's the newest store the Morley's manager told me about. Living in the northern 'burbs I must have put it out of mind.

Originally Posted by detroitbred

Maxine.........I also worked at SANDERS and you are absolutely right ......that was the 1ST thing they taught us in orientation!!! Sanders...not Saunders! Funny you remember those little things.

Detroitbred when did you work at Sanders? I worked at various stores from'74 until '78.

**faygoredpop** · July-17-09, 11:20 PM

Here is another picture I found of the Vernor's Pharmacy.

**Vernor's Club** · March-27-10, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by Ed Golick

Vernor's original pharmacy was located at 235 Woodward.

235 Woodward was up by Clifford. Woodward was renumbered in the 1920s. Vernor's had moved from 235 to 33 Woodward. After the renumbering, 33 became 239 Woodward. So, it would seem as though Vernor's didn't move much. But, it moved from Clifford all the way down to the river.

The Dude · March-27-10, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by reddog289

This is creepy cause lately I have been craving Vernors Ice Cream. I really do miss Sanders and their shops, But a Boston Cooler to me isn't the same without sitting at the counter and having it made in front of you, and then getting a 1/2 gallon or even a cone of Vernors Ice Cream from the freezer at Sanders to take home. At least I have that memory still in my head.

Unless you are no longer living in Michigan, there are still a few Sanders stores. There's one on Biddle [[Jefferson) in Wyandotte.

**Fury13** · March-27-10, 01:09 PM

Isn't there a Sanders in downtown Rochester too?

I don't see why Vernors can't go back to using stevia for sweetener. They should up the ginger and carbonation to old-time levels too.

Today's Vernors is a watered-down, wimpy version of the great soft drink that James Vernor invented.

**Downriver Gal** · March-27-10, 01:13 PM

Said by a famous Detroiter when the Woodward Avenue plant was demolished:

"They done it to the gnome."

**Gistok** · March-27-10, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

yep, that's me, beard... funny hat, leather short pants ....It's a habit. Tough to kick. yep, ...oh yeah, I spend my free time mellowing in oak barrels.

The sight of Gnome in Lederhosen....

.... unthinkable.....

**Downriviera** · March-28-10, 10:31 AM

I really miss the Vernors ice cream. Savino made a Vernors sorbet for awhile that was good too. But now there is Vernors cake.

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/morn...cake-takes-off

The Dude · March-28-10, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by Fury13

Isn't there a Sanders in downtown Rochester too?

I don't see why Vernors can't go back to using stevia for sweetener. They should up the ginger and carbonation to old-time levels too.

Today's Vernors is a watered-down, wimpy version of the great soft drink that James Vernor invented.

I agree. It's OK , but I think ever since it's been out of the Vernor family's hands, there have been some corner- cutting to the recipe. Have noticed on the Vernors cans of today, it says aged 3 years instead of 4? I remember going to the drug store and getting a glass of Vernors when I was about 5 or 6 and how the carbonation would go up my nose.

**txlady** · March-28-10, 02:26 PM

I'm guessing it was somewhere on Woodward, becuase I used to drive by it as a kid, then it was demo'ed. Same with the Stroh''s bdlg, it was on 75. but it was torn down when I was a kid, I just remember coming around a curve and there it would be.

I could look this up and find the locations, but this sort of thread brings out you older-timers with memories of how things were, and I love those. So everyone pitch in and reminice.

**Vernor's Club** · March-28-10, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by txlady

I'm guessing it was somewhere on Woodward, becuase I used to drive by it as a kid, then it was demo'ed. Same with the Stroh''s bdlg, it was on 75. but it was torn down when I was a kid, I just remember coming around a curve and there it would be.

I could look this up and find the locations, but this sort of thread brings out you older-timers with memories of how things were, and I love those. So everyone pitch in and reminice.

The Vernor's plant you probably remember driving by was at 4501 Woodward, the property just north of the Whitney Restaurant. It was closed in 1985 and razed in 1987.

**Hermod** · March-29-10, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by The Dude

I agree. It's OK , but I think ever since it's been out of the Vernor family's hands, there have been some corner- cutting to the recipe. Have noticed on the Vernors cans of today, it says aged 3 years instead of 4? I remember going to the drug store and getting a glass of Vernors when I was about 5 or 6 and how the carbonation would go up my nose.

Vernor's was differentiated from the other local ginger ales [[Canada Dry and Faygo) by its very rich taste and massive amounts of carbonation. If Pepsi messed with that [[and it has been a few years since I had a Vernor's, they really messed up.

When I was a little kid, I couldn't stand Vernor's because the bubbles went up my nose. I didn't really appreciate Vernor's until I was about 12 or 13.

i

**txlady** · March-30-10, 12:19 AM

Never really appreciated Vernor's, but I had a couple of great-aunts in Ottawa and we'd take a couple of 6-packs to them every year. They loved the stuff. Personally, I liked Faygo Frosh.

I checked the address, it was just south of the DIA? I can't imagine why we'd have drivin past there so often when I was a kid, I'll have to ask my dad.

**stromberg2** · March-30-10, 01:07 PM

A little off track here, but has anybody tried the Faygo version of Dr. Pepper?

Stromberg2

**Vernor's Club** · March-31-10, 08:51 PM

For any Vernor's history fans out there....
The Vernor's Club just published the Spring 2010 edition of their newsletter which is 26 pages long. Most of the edition is about the Boston Cooler. There's even a section about Frozen Boston Cooler Ice Cream Bars, and a photo of a Sander's Vernor's Flavored Ice Cream carton. No Detroit photos in this edition, except for interiors of Risdon Creamery. Below is Chuck Risdon holding a box of Frozen Boston Cooler bars.

**surenowinlife** · April-01-10, 08:18 PM

I had a catering customer next to the old plant on Woodward. Back in 1987 when it was being torn down I had the chance to get a tour from him. He took me upstairs to the presidents office on the south corner. Great room with a domed ceiling and beautiful wood paneling. On the floor was a pile of old ledgers. I picked up the original 1st edition of the Acadia Farms operation. Like a dumb ass I sent it on to their headquarters in 1998. Wish I had kept it now!

**Vernor's Club** · April-01-10, 08:51 PM

Did you take any pictures inside the old factory? I'd like to get some photos from anyone who was inside the factory before it was torn down. The next edition of the Vernor's Club newsletter will have a feature on the abandoned 4501 Woodward factory. I have a few photos from inside, but not many. If anyone else has photos from inside please email them to vernorsclub@yahoo.com . Thanks!

**Parkguy** · April-05-10, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by gibran

everytime I see a picture of old Detroit..i saddens me to think we tore down so much of what we seek out in cities now...corner stores, neighborhoods, parks, fruit stands, bakeries...etc.

Everytime I travel to DC I walk the streets of Georgetown..and think what if...people siting on corners on a Sat A.M. having a coffee, walking to stores, art galleries, every ethic restaurant you can imageine...brown stones homes.

why or why didn't we have the sense to preserve these ...no forsight..now we all wish we had that in any city again...

sorry whining

You're not whining, Gibran. You are expressing what millions of people want: a place to live in a friendly, pleasant city where there are plenty of amenities [[in other words, goods and services are available in a convenient and useful neighborhood).

**Vernor's Club** · April-11-10, 09:21 PM

I saw an ad on Craigslist about Vernor's in bottles made with sugar. A guy in Michigan imports it from a bottler in California.

**Vernor's Club** · May-01-10, 02:23 PM

There's a web-based radio show called Pop Culture Road Trip. A recent edition was dedicated to soda pop. Vernor's, being America's oldest continuously produced pop, is part of this national show. The link is provided below. If you don't want to hear about Coke and Dr Pepper, go to the 26 minute mark and begin listening about Detroit's Drink there.
http://webtalkradio.net/2010/04/04/t...-soda-stories/

**Mikeg** · May-01-10, 05:05 PM

"Lost Landscapes of Detroit 2010" includes archival motion picture footage taken inside and outside the original Vernor's plant at the foot of Woodward near the Bob-Lo dock. It starts at the 13:20 mark and runs to about 14:30.