Allen Park restaurants of long ago

[lpg]

Jordangirl, I remember Peppina's as a drive-in. I also remember the original McDonald's on Dix and the original White Castle. There was another burger joint on Dix right next to the radio towers [[now Meijer's) that was called - Burger Chef? Does that ring a bell? That's where the Rouge guys met up with the Lincoln Park girls. Did anyone hang at the Daly Burger on Dix at Outer Drive?

Do you remember the older black security guard at the MickeyD's on Dix? He carried at .45 in a old government issued full flap holster with U.S. stamped on it. He worked the night shift. This was 1966-67. I used to frequent the Daly's on Dix/Outer Drive in my 68 Plymouth Road Runner. My old girlfriend hated the place [[She was from Allen Park and preferred the Blazo's on Michigan Ave. in Dearborn. That's where she met her future husband while dating me.) My next girlfriend loved the place and we ended up getting married in 1972. While still in Lincoln Park, does anyone remember the Shack on Fort Street near Goddard [[Wendy's is there now) ? Or Little Skipper's further down Fort on the Wyandotte side?

[lpg]

I don't quite remember the restaurants in the area but my father used to own the Allen Park Motor Lodge back in the early 70's. I spent my kindergarten at Arno Elementary [[which to just recently I found out the name was Arno and not Arnold which I always thought it was.) My father ended up trading that motel for a house in Southfield. [[I got used to moving alot...)

My breakfast, lunch, dinner was usually eaten in the restaurant of the motor lodge.

OMG, that's where my wife and I spent our wedding night in 1972 before heading north to the UP.

[Downriviera]

I don't quite remember the restaurants in the area but my father used to own the Allen Park Motor Lodge back in the early 70's. I spent my kindergarten at Arno Elementary [[which to just recently I found out the name was Arno and not Arnold which I always thought it was.) My father ended up trading that motel for a house in Southfield. [[I got used to moving alot...)

My breakfast, lunch, dinner was usually eaten in the restaurant of the motor lodge.

As kids we used to sneak into the swimming pool there. Back then it had the only cement pond around.

[MizMotown]

lol.. i was probably living there then. A lot of kids snuck into the swimming pool. My brother used to pick up truck drivers and bring them there to stay. The drivers would entertain me by throwing quarters into the pool and watch me dive for them. In fact, that is where I learned to swim... lol... my brother got sick of me swimming from corner to corner and decided to throw me right in the middle and see if I could make my way back! I remember playing with the switchboard, and going to other folks banquet parties [[lol) Also, playing "Statue" with the neighbor kids who lived on the street behind the motel.

[MizMotown]

My dad also did own a few of those "family" restaurants back in the 60's/70's. I'm not sure if they were the Allen Park ones. But yes we had a Nugget, Big Apple, and Palace [[Fine Foods). Remember the wall jukeboxes? lol

[1KielsonDrive]

MizMotown, tell us more about your experiences at the lodge and your dad's restaurants. I lived on Rosedale for about 20 years, two blocks from the lodge. The lodge was still hopping and occasionally brawling. I went in the pool quite a few times myself, in various states of inebriation and sobriety, then built my own.

[1KielsonDrive]

Pia's made excellent pizza. But the best dish from Pia's was their baked lasagna. It was thick and rich and garlicky and served with a nice chilled salad, tasty, made on-premise, italian vinagrette dressing, and chewy garlic bread. They always had nice, cute waitstaff and bartenders too. Never hurts.

[1KielsonDrive]

I worked at the Wendy's on Southfield, across from the Motor Lodge, when it first opened. It was one of the first Wendy's in the Detroit market.

[MizMotown]

I don't have alot of memories of my Allen Park days but bits and pieces. I remember hearing it was a rowdy motel back than. I do remember an incident of a suicide by overdose I believe. I also remember walking to school and a man in a station wagon telling me he was told to come pick me up and take me home. Thank God I smart enough at age 5 and wasn't into "getting rides with strangers who offered candy." I don't remember the teacher's name at Arno but she was the kindergarten teacher and she seemed awfully old back than. I can still remember the smell of the fingerpaints. I do remember the rowdy banquet/wedding receptions. I also remember one of those birds that dunked it's beak into the colored water sitting behind the reception desk. I do remember going to Southland Mall and Saunder's Ice Cream. Mom and I would get egg salad sandwiches with sweet pickles and a hot fudge cream puff for dessert.

I don't think the motel sold when we moved. Before moving to Southfield we moved to a condominium in Westland. I would really like to find ANYONE who lived there at that time. A small twin engine plane from Mettatal [[sp?) airport crashed into the parking lot right next to our condo. The pilot knew that he was about to go through a house and nose-dived into the lot. The wing almost went thru the window and the plane skidded up against the outside wall. I was standing at the window at the time of the crash. One more foot and it would have crashed right through our upstairs and living room. I remember being interview by Bill Bonds and Diana Lewis. They asked me what I thinking while watching the plane come towards me and I said, "I thought it was a garbage truck falling from the sky." ???? lol

I'll have to look and see if I have an AP motor lodge pics!

[littlebuddy]

I wonder if that was my wife's sister that died at that motel. I know she died in one years back.

[48217]

Hello, I cannot remember the name of the restarant in the parking lot of the Thunderbowl, but the owner, I think was Frank Forgione.

[1KielsonDrive]

48217, you got it! Thank you. Now we just have to come up with the restaurant's name. International Plaza? International Buffet? International World? International ?????? I've been so close a couple of times I could scream.

[1KielsonDrive]

I remember The Shack and Little Skipper's. I'd planned to mention each in a previous post but, hey, if i get going you'll never stop me. My mouth is so big, I could write all night. Little Skipper's can't have been gone too terribly long. Maybe 8 - 10 years at most?

[1KielsonDrive]

PlymouthRes, I knew Simon's and their establishment quite well. One of the family worked with me at Wendy's - late 70's or early 80's. Can't remember her name. Another worked for my father. I think she was Kim. Anyway, I used to see Billy Kamelay[[spelling?) play at Captain Ahab's [[I worked at Ahab's for Bob Greco for a minute) in Wyandotte as well as other places. Billy K and his wife lived around the corner from me. A very good long time friend of mine worked at Simon's as well. I wasn't a regular there because I was working and hanging downtown. I was at Simon's [[new owner) a couple months ago to see a friend's band.

[1KielsonDrive]

I think PlymouthRes has it : International Tavern.

[1KielsonDrive]

Frank Forgionne. Did he own The Forge restaurant in Riverview?

[1KielsonDrive]

I remember The Bona Fiesta when it was more like a bar, prior to it's remodeling. If I'm correct, it was the original giant ham sandwich place before the Allen Park Bar. I'm pretty sure that was why my friends took me there - for the ham sandwich. I also remember having lunch at the Bona Fiesta during their remodeling [[maybe the mid 80's?), when the glass dining room was added. The workers were all Italians. They came in and sat down for lunch, family style. The women were all running around serving the men platters of food. We finished our lunch and the women began giving us some of the extra food from the workers. Platters of pasta, salad, sausage. I was in heaven. I ate 'til I could barely walk. Wonderful!

[48217]

If I remember right, the bar at the back, was Timberland Tavern.

[1KielsonDrive]

I remember Mama Mia's. The lady whose family owned it was the hostess. Excellent pizza. It's now a medical facility. I have photos of the Triangle when it was smashed up by a [[non)tornado in the early 80's. Alice, the legendary waitress who worked there forever, is standing outside amidst shattered glass and an upturned cigarette machine. If I can find the picture, I'll post it. PlymRes, tell me about the Parkland Inn.

[1KielsonDrive]

How about the Skylite? It was torn down for the Boston Chicken/Market. It sat vacant for a few years prior to demolition. I only seem to remember it as a nightclub. A good one, though. Saw lot's of good bands there.

[1KielsonDrive]

48217, keep 'em coming, keep 'em coming. Little by little you'll give us all of the pieces of the puzzle. I grew up in 48218.

[48217]

Where is 48218? 17 is OAKWOOD, Kitty Cat, Blue Jackets, Lupone's, Major's, Giovanni's. I had a friend that worked at the Ineternational ?? Also hung at the Green Dot Stables, alot.

[1KielsonDrive]

I remember the Camelot when Jim Cunningham owned it and later Mickey Chaido. I worked at a place Mickey had owned just previous to my employment there. I got used to seeing him almost everyday. He was concerned the buyer's were going to default, so he was keeping an eye on the joint. The owners I worked for also owned the Parkland Inn, [[you don't have to answer my question PlymouthRes, I just remembered it). It was a trio of Greek guys. One was running the joint I worked at, while the others tended to the Parkland. It should've been the other way around. My employer was having difficulty managing the girls and the drugs [[there were plenty of both and he was weak - we all were.) They were falling behind. No wonder - this was a very faaaaaasst joint. Lot's of drugs, hot women and cops. Can't beat that combination for trouble. Later on, when Mickey repossessed the club, the whole crew I worked with moved over to the Camelot. I also knew Mickey from his club, the Pier 500. I hung out at the Pier and docked my boats at the Pier 500 Marina.

[1KielsonDrive]

Actually, I should've said 48218 and 48217. Southwest Detroit and River Rouge. Downriver to Clark Park. I know all the joints you're talking about. Lupones was my freshman year 'initiation' pizza dinner. I loved the place. I worked for the Rivieras at Major's. Last fall on Devil's/Angel's Night patrol, I went to the Carbon Club. Unfortunately, I didn't have a sponsor to get in. Gotta go now. I'll be back on later.

[reddog289]

This thread has made me start another places to eat at list, lost the first one. Pia's was on the first so was Manuals. The times that I have been to Slyvia's I enjoyed their food. I have yet to eat at the AP Wheat&Rye. But one day I will. Slowly but surely I am getting to know downriver.
Good to hear MizMotown and her stories about the Allen Park Motor Lodge. I used to drive by that place in the mid 90's and the Cruzado's Bar? was attached to it. Thought Hell bars in Hotels are great , check in ,drink at the bar , crash in your room, pay the bill , go home.