Washington Blvd Business - 1980's Design Center?

[MiCharlie124]

Does anyone know the name of a large design center that was in a building on the east side of Washington Boulevard in the 1970's-1980's? I seem to recall it had a hyphenated name and I think it was Jewish owned. It was the kind of place a decorator would go to find wallpapers, carpets, and fabrics to order for customers. It was across the street from Airline Row, where airlines all had downtown offices to purchase tickets, and a large AAA building. My partner and I did business in there a couple of times, and the owner's daughter or granddaughter went to law school with me, graduating in 1986, so I know it was open at least through the mid 80's. Doing some research, I think it may have been called Adler-Schnee. This may have been the buiding. Anyone confirm?

http://www.detroityes.com/news/07060...onyStudios.jpg



Thanks!

[EastsideAl]

OK, let me try to untangle a few things here. Both that building and the Adler/Schnee store were on Harmonie Park, not Washington Blvd. The building you've pictured there is the Harmonie Studios building. It's on Randolph on the opposite side of the park from where Adler/Schnee was.

The Adler/Schnee store was on the first floor of this building, which is on the southwest corner of Grand River and Centre:



I don't think it made it into the '80s though. I remember my mother buying some beautiful knickknacks at their closing sale sometime in the late '70s. The store, and an associated design studio, were founded and run by Ruth Adler Schnee, who had fled the Nazis in her native Germany



Someone has recently made a movie about her and her work:
http://bwaf.org/film-the-radiant-sun...-adler-schnee/

[Wesley Mouch]

The building pictured is on Harmonie Park. Sometime late 80s early 90s Chuck Forbes had some involvement -- and I believe it was design-related business. Could be different than A/S?

[DetroitPlanner]

There were several furniture stores and textile stores in the area in the 1970's. I seem to remember one of the bigger chains had a flagship on Washington [[no not Art Van or Gorman's). Zemco fabrics was where the D.I.M.E. will be and another fabric store was in Wright-Kay.

[ptero]

The fabric store in the Wright-Kay bldg was a branch of Haberman's Fabrics. I worked on the rehab there to get the store open. We did a little bit on upper floors but were mainly working on the first two floors for the public space of the store.