Fretter Sign Revealed during Building Renovation

**mtburb** · November-10-13, 12:17 PM

While I was out today, I passed by the Southgate Wireless Toyz store and noticed something unexpected: the canopy was taken off, revealing signage for the long-gone Fretter Appliance beneath it. I don't know when it closed, perhaps shortly after I was born?

note: the vehicles in the first photo, the overhead street signs, the traffic light configuration and the street light banner in the second photo all did not exist when Fretter still operated
Does that mean I win my free five pounds of coffee?

**Danny** · November-10-13, 02:52 PM

It's always better to shop at Fretter.

**jackie5275** · November-10-13, 04:57 PM

Some more info about it http://www.thenewsherald.com/article...d247631818.txt

**Ed Golick** · November-10-13, 05:17 PM

More about Fretter.
http://www.detroitkidshow.com/fretter_coffee_can.htm

**wolverine** · November-10-13, 05:51 PM

Fretter is better. Always remember their stores. MCM buildings in that green color. Most have now been totally modified. There was one on Bay Road in Saginaw that got the same renovation treatment. Now a phone store....they just clad a new facade over the old sign

**maverick1** · November-10-13, 06:19 PM

I miss Fretter and Highland Appliance. I believe ABC Warehouse is the last of these non big box stores left. Best Buy and Circuit City wiped out these stores and the smaller mom and pop retailers.

**WaCoTS** · November-10-13, 06:20 PM

midnite madnesssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Rochelle St.** · November-10-13, 07:20 PM

There was another Fetter sign on the store at Gratiot and Seven Mile.
It was covered when a pharmacy opened in the store.

**EastsideAl** · November-11-13, 03:54 AM

The competition knows him, now we can too.

**motz** · November-11-13, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by maverick1

I miss Fretter and Highland Appliance. I believe ABC Warehouse is the last of these non big box stores left. Best Buy and Circuit City wiped out these stores and the smaller mom and pop retailers.

Now Best Buy is slowly poisoning itself with rampant stupidity. Good riddance, if you ask me, their business model is "cornhole the consumer" with a side of "give no f**ks".

**jbd441** · November-11-13, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by maverick1

I miss Fretter and Highland Appliance. I believe ABC Warehouse is the last of these non big box stores left. Best Buy and Circuit City wiped out these stores and the smaller mom and pop retailers.

Wasn't the guys first name OLLIE? As in "Ollie over Bought". Meh it was a long time ago.

**jbd441** · November-11-13, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by motz

Now Best Buy is slowly poisoning itself with rampant stupidity. Good riddance, if you ask me, their business model is "cornhole the consumer" with a side of "give no f**ks".

Gee, someone is bitter. Never had a problem with buying anything from Best Buy including tvs, cds, appliances, speakers, and two cell phones. They even replaced a defective TV. Maybe it's the particular store?

**Gannon** · November-12-13, 01:29 PM

Too funny. I almost didn't bother opening this thread, but was drawn to it.

Next door to this building on Eureka used to be the Southgate Tech Hifi. I was assistant manager in late 1981 or so. The manager was the first person I ever met who could NOT encounter the public without smoking a joint.

You could always find us out back sharing some sustenance with the Fretter employees. To the public, we were competitors.

I helped the crew install the parking curbs at the back of that lot one Friday...painting 'em in the hot sun...to stop those who cut through to avoid the No Turn On Red at Fort during rush hour.

That Sunday I was a 'little' late to open the store...hit the patch where they filled the pothole with gravel...and launched my VW Rabbit over said parking curbs. My first totalled car. Almost snapped my neck, while my workmate nearly died laughing.

That was a pretty dangerous corner back in the day...about the only thing that looks the same is the A&W across the street. That sparks a memory of a Spring Break in Daytona where we crossed paths with a few of the A&W gals...<sigh>

Cheers, thanks for the trip...

**Honky Tonk** · November-12-13, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Next door to this building on Eureka used to be the Southgate Tech Hifi. I was assistant manager in late 1981 or so.

Uh-oh.....

**Gannon** · November-12-13, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Uh-oh.....

Wha?!

The national chain had a policy to not hire anyone under 18. I became assistant manager before my 18th birthday. My first job in the hifi industry...

**Danny** · November-12-13, 06:18 PM

We miss Ollie Fretter! If only he keep up with the competition. Then Fretter " Big Box" Stores would be all over every last city the Metro-Detroit Area. More than Best Buy, ABC Warehouse, Cuicuit City combined.

**jiminnm** · November-12-13, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Too funny. I almost didn't bother opening this thread, but was drawn to it.

Next door to this building on Eureka used to be the Southgate Tech Hifi. I was assistant manager in late 1981 or so. The manager was the first person I ever met who could NOT encounter the public without smoking a joint.

i bought a fair amount of stereo equipment in that store c1978 - Kenwood amp [[still have), Kenwood receiver, Thorens turntable and Nakamichi cassette deck.

**Scottathew** · November-12-13, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by maverick1

I miss Fretter and Highland Appliance. I believe ABC Warehouse is the last of these non big box stores left. Best Buy and Circuit City wiped out these stores and the smaller mom and pop retailers.

I hate Best Buy with a passion. I love ABC, I've bought all my major appliances from them and I always get rock-bottom 110% cost pricing.

I don't remember anything about Fretter, but I'm only 30, and they closed in the mid-90's.

Here's some info for others like me: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fretter

**Gannon** · November-12-13, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by jiminnm

i bought a fair amount of stereo equipment in that store c1978 - Kenwood amp [[still have), Kenwood receiver, Thorens turntable and Nakamichi cassette deck.

Too funny.

You probably dealt with the previous manager who kept his dog in the store...or my old friend Joe who took it over after he was broomed. The joint was a mess, I worked 80 hour weeks for a while cleaning it up. Caught hell for turning in honest time sheets until the area manager and assistant came by to see the progress.

Had too much fun working there...those were the days. Hifi was FUN then. I've spent the last three years or so remembering why I got into the business in the first place. That means I'm spinning vinyl again on MY old Thorens...

Back then, everybody had their slot in the marketplace...both Fretter and Highland Appliance were happy with the bulky bottom of bell curve, Tech Hifi and Schaack Electronics took the juicy middle, and the maniacs on Woodward Avenue scrambled to own the high-end. Closest Tech Hifi got to video was the Kloss Novabeam video projector...

I just think it is funny that this thread bumped me thirty-two years back down memory lane.

The current hifi marketplace sucks. At least for new gear...I keep finding pockets of coolness in the used and vintage markets, though.

Cheers!

**jerrytimes** · November-13-13, 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by motz

Now Best Buy is slowly poisoning itself with rampant stupidity. Good riddance, if you ask me, their business model is "cornhole the consumer" with a side of "give no f**ks".

Give a reason then. I never had an issue there. I like Best Buy because the lack of sales people breathing down your neck.

**CLAUDE G** · November-13-13, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by motz

Now Best Buy is slowly poisoning itself with rampant stupidity. Good riddance, if you ask me, their business model is "cornhole the consumer" with a side of "give no f**ks".

I hate best buy also. Last time I bought anything significant from them it was a digital camera.

The sales kid talked me into getting the extended warranty, and the only reason why I bought it because it covered everything including accidential damage. [[Or so I was lied to)

Paid $125 for that warranty, and sure enough a month later I dropped the camera and cracked the LCD screen.

I take the camera and warranty paperwork back to Best Buy and argue with them because they refused to honor the warranty saying it was abuse.

So finally after an hour of bickering, the manager comes to see me and says he will just refund the warranty, and offers to put the money towards the cost to replace the screen.....

$60 To fix the screen

So im like, OK fix the screen for $60 and give me $65 back on your stupid warranty.

Needless to say, it was the last extended warranty I ever bought and the last major purchase at Best Buy. They Suck

Im only 35 years old, and I still remember and miss Fretter. I do all my shopping at ABC warehouse.

Good Riddence to Circus City also, they where worst than worst buy.

**Gannon** · November-13-13, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by CLAUDE G

I hate best buy also. Last time I bought anything significant from them it was a digital camera.

The sales kid talked me into getting the extended warranty, and the only reason why I bought it because it covered everything including accidential damage. [[Or so I was lied to)

Paid $125 for that warranty, and sure enough a month later I dropped the camera and cracked the LCD screen.

I take the camera and warranty paperwork back to Best Buy and argue with them because they refused to honor the warranty saying it was abuse.

So finally after an hour of bickering, the manager comes to see me and says he will just refund the warranty, and offers to put the money towards the cost to replace the screen.....

$60 To fix the screen

So im like, OK fix the screen for $60 and give me $65 back on your stupid warranty.

Needless to say, it was the last extended warranty I ever bought and the last major purchase at Best Buy. They Suck

Im only 35 years old, and I still remember and miss Fretter. I do all my shopping at ABC warehouse.

Good Riddence to Circus City also, they where worst than worst buy.

I've an open welcome to return to hifi journalism from an old friend who owns an on-line magazine, but after five or six years of casual observation along with collecting experiences from family and friends and acquaintances...it is going to be really tough for me to not simply be bitter to see what has happened to the industry that has kept me clothed and entertained since 1981.

Just learned that the old 'sister' magazine to the main one I worked with merged with the absolutely horrible Sound and Vision...the lowest dregs of consumer audio journalism available [[maybe only Consumer Reports has done more milquetoast analyses, imho). Although, I haven't been that happy with what Home Theater magazine had been doing in the past few years either...nobody wants to take the lead to actually help potential customers find what might fulfill their needs and expectations...AND help them keep their current products working, let alone getting the most out of the gear they own.

They only continue to add to the confusion. More data without context or solid opinion. I recently found an e-mail exchange with one new on-line startup who was falsely reporting 'reviews' that were merely re-worded press releases, with NO hands-on experience with the product! I am SO glad I told that blowhard to jump in the river, only one person I know is still with him after three years. Everybody was saying at the time that he was the next savior of the industry...but when I go to his site, there is no clarity...only more bullshit to confuse newbies, onlookers, and any others daring enough to be drawn to the cool stuff. And they wonder why the industry cannot find 'new' customers, and the early adopters are showing signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after the HDTV debacle, HDMI generational troubles, the 3d idiocy...and now 4k-vapor. Let alone the surround sound mode of the month, in the perennial pissing match between Dolby Labs and DTS [[which we were able to curtail for a short while at the beginning of the last decade).

That is what I witness when I wander through Best Buy, CostCo, and the other mainstream retailers that I survey regularly. SO much misinformation, simply because the floor salespeople simply do not understand what they're selling. In most cases, it is because they are mere placeholders on the floor...not salespeople in any form, just clerks.

And there are precious few real hifi stores left...too many have allowed price to be the only factor, and once that happens...when your customers have no allegiance and use the store for demos and hands-on experience, but go off and buy from where-ever they can get the best deal...it is only a matter of time before the store can no longer pay the bills.

That's been happening for the entire time I've been in the industry, before the web it was the Camera district in NYC selling whatever they could get at pennies over cost [[since they were only gambling on the time value of money, staying ahead of any other monetary vehicle they could profit from) and a few rogue dealers who dared to buck their agreements with the manufacturers and offer gear through the mail. It is much worse now with nameless and faceless entities linked through the internet.

So yeah, not sure where I fit in today's marketplace. Still flirting with the idea of launching a used 'vintage' hifi shop...that is where all the true fun seems to be. I am only interested in finding and spinning vinyl albums, and making live recordings of my friends around the city. Maybe someday we can get them etched into a groove, too!

Cheers,
John

**TheUsualSuspect** · November-15-13, 04:11 PM

I was standing in line at the Troy Secretary of State office a couple of years ago...and Mr. Belvedere came walking in with the assistance of a cane.

Yeah...THAT Mr. Belvedere. WE DO GOOD WORK !!!

Old dude was still moving around...

**MrJones** · November-19-13, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by CLAUDE G

I hate best buy also. Last time I bought anything significant from them it was a digital camera.

The sales kid talked me into getting the extended warranty, and the only reason why I bought it because it covered everything including accidential damage. [[Or so I was lied to)

Paid $125 for that warranty, and sure enough a month later I dropped the camera and cracked the LCD screen.

I take the camera and warranty paperwork back to Best Buy and argue with them because they refused to honor the warranty saying it was abuse.

Claude, I can't believe you think they owe you a new screen because you had an accident with it. A WARRANTY is different from an INSURANCE policy.
The new car warranty or extended warranty you purchase on your car doesn't cover accidents or door dings you get in a parking lot.
I understand being PO'd about it, but accept some responsibility man.

**Gannon** · November-19-13, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by MrJones

Claude, I can't believe you think they owe you a new screen because you had an accident with it. A WARRANTY is different from an INSURANCE policy.
The new car warranty or extended warranty you purchase on your car doesn't cover accidents or door dings you get in a parking lot.
I understand being PO'd about it, but accept some responsibility man.

For what, the salesperson's inability to represent the truth while making a sale?!