where are the sports stores

**stasu1213** · August-01-09, 11:57 PM

Has any noticed that downtown detroit has no sports apparel store on woodward that sells sneakers and etc. What had happened to them?

DetroitDad · August-02-09, 02:57 AM

There is a Payless Shoes store in the Financial District, and a shoe store on Monroe. That kind of retail will not survive on Woodward without either an anchor store or ample parking.

In other news, Woodhouse Day Spa has proved to be a small anchor, three newer stores are open on that block now, thanks to Woodhouse's foot traffic. All the stores on that block complement each other very nicely. What else do you think would be a good fit in that area?

**stasu1213** · August-02-09, 01:58 PM

I think a footlocker or something like that will be good. Downtown need more women's apparel stores that are affordable especially for women of all sizes. A movie theatre will fit nicely around grand circus park. A blue jeans store like a levis, guess, or dickies could go in that area. Have the police to walk the beat or ride the beat on their' bicycles up and down woodward in that area.

DetroitDad · August-02-09, 06:42 PM

There was a Niki Outlet called Athlete's Foot that closed about a month or two ago. The problem with that area is that there isn't enough street parking and there aren't enough residents and pedestrians in the area to sustain many more businesses than are there. You are reliant on transit and parking garages, and people ill only go through that hassle for destination shopping and unique stores. I'm not sure anyone would go Downtown just to buy jeans or tennis shoes.

I like some of your ideas though. I could see people going for dinner and a movie, or shopping after a ball game, but not until we have some truely unique boutiques, whether it be atmosphere, products, or something else.

**stasu1213** · August-03-09, 08:52 PM

Detroit has been the only big city that didn't have much of a downtown for the past 20 years. You are right. A mall is more convenient to park and shop at than downtown. Upon visiting New York I had visited the New Jersey Outlet Mall. Many people catch a bus or a cab over from Manhattan. It is a tax free mall that doesn't charge taxes on the products being sold there. It still doesn't take away business from New York. New York has transit; subway, buses, train, cabs. They are very reliable and keep downtown Manhattan thriving. If Detroit will get a reliable transporation system. The downtown area could come back. If not, Detroit can bounce off the suburbs by having express busses that will take you from Downtown to the five malls. Fairlane, Oakland Mall, Northland, Eastland, and Somerset. The bus could pickup downtown and go straight to each mall without stopping. The busses could travel the freeway with a GPS system that will let the drivers know if there is a backup on the freeways so they could take an alternative route. Visitors and residents could shop out in the suburbs and when it is time to play could catch an express bus to downtown within minutes. That way the malls could benifit downtown and visa versa. That is too much like right for the city leaders will sabatage that idea.

**Ray1936** · August-03-09, 09:23 PM

Used to buy all my sporting goods at T.B.Rayl's, downtown. Think it was on Lafayette, if memory serves me correctly. Great place; they had everything.

Let's see, I think I have a photo of it here somewhere........ah, there it is......

**GPCharles** · August-04-09, 08:40 AM

Nothing has ever replaced Griswold Sporting Goods, on Griswold just north of Michigan Avenue. That was a great sporting goods store.

**Trumpeteer** · August-04-09, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by GPCharles

Nothing has ever replaced Griswold Sporting Goods, on Griswold just north of Michigan Avenue. That was a great sporting goods store.

Playing HS baseball in the 60's, we'd get "treated" by having coach take us to Griswold and let us each pick out our own WOODEN bats for the season!

**Gary** · August-04-09, 09:29 AM

Good call on Griswold Sporting Goods, I was wondering if anyone was going to mention that place. Epp's was another great place for all kinds of sporting related stuff as well as all that cool army surplus stuff they used to carry.

Toolbox · August-04-09, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

Has any noticed that downtown detroit has no sports apparel store on woodward that sells sneakers and etc. What had happened to them?

Like the ones that closed recently on Woodward south of John R? Guess the huge influx of loft dwellers in the area was not enough to support them. Same with Border's, The Woodward, Cafe deTroit, Bagley Optical.....

**GPCharles** · August-04-09, 09:47 AM

Folks, one of the major problems with retailers in the CBD and surrounds is shrink. They can't stay open if their inventory goes out the door without being paid for.

**ddmj6** · May-11-14, 02:05 PM

I just found a Badminton tube that was sold by Rayl's. I also had some old photo frames sold by them. There is a great photo and history of the building in you google it. Dick

**Downriviera** · May-11-14, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Gary

Good call on Griswold Sporting Goods, I was wondering if anyone was going to mention that place. Epp's was another great place for all kinds of sporting related stuff as well as all that cool army surplus stuff they used to carry.

Its getting hard to find army surplus. I went to Harry's Army Surplus in Dearborn recently and they don't even carry any army surplus anymore.

**mtburb** · May-11-14, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

If not, Detroit can bounce off the suburbs by having express busses that will take you from Downtown to the five malls. Fairlane, Oakland Mall, Northland, Eastland, and Somerset.

Actually, right now, there are already numerous bus routes connecting downtown to many area malls: the Dexter and Hamilton buses go to Northland, DDOT's Gratiot and Mack buses connect downtown with Eastland, the DDOT and SMART Michigan routes connect with Fairlane, SMART's Fort Street bus serves Southland, SMART route #460 [[which operates on Woodward) stops at Somerset, some trips on the SMART Van Dyke bus serve Lakeside and SMART's Gratiot bus stops at Macomb Mall.

**EastsideAl** · May-11-14, 03:43 PM

Shoe stores are slowly being choked out of business by Zappo's and other online shoe retailers. My cousin who is involved in the management of a large east coast sporting good store chain tells me that nearly 70% of their shoe sales are now done online. Companies like Foot Locker have been closing stores left and right for the past few years.

**Danny** · May-11-14, 04:17 PM

Downtown Detroit used to have a sports shoe store. It's JB's and Athlete's Foot on Woodword Ave between E. Grand River Ave and Clifford St. It closed some 8 years ago.

**DetroitPlanner** · May-11-14, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Downtown Detroit used to have a sports shoe store. It's JB's and Athlete's Foot on Woodword Ave between E. Grand River Ave and Clifford St. It closed some 8 years ago.

There used to be a footlocker across from it, but it closed when the area was lofted about 12 years ago.

**Hermod** · May-11-14, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

Its getting hard to find army surplus. I went to Harry's Army Surplus in Dearborn recently and they don't even carry any army surplus anymore.

Detroit once boasted one of the all-time greatest military surplus superstores in the US--Silversteins [[or was it Silverstines?) on the east side. Man, was that place great.

GUSHI · May-11-14, 07:40 PM

isn"t there a army surplus store on Royal oak,

**DetroitPlanner** · May-11-14, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

Its getting hard to find army surplus. I went to Harry's Army Surplus in Dearborn recently and they don't even carry any army surplus anymore.

They need to brink back Honest Hank from Colonial Merchandise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTKQ-NA1HZU

Army Surplus is in short supply as forces get smaller and more tactile. Gone are the needs for canteens, jackets, knives and MREs in abundance. I doubt the armed forces will be willing to sell drones or stealth bombers on the secondary surplus market!

**stasu1213** · May-12-14, 08:59 AM

[QUOTE=DetroitPlanner;434974]They need to brink back Honest Hank from Colonial Merchandise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTKQ-NA1HZU

Army Surplus is in short supply as forces get smaller and more tactile. Gone are the needs for canteens, jackets, knives and MREs in abundance. I doubt the armed forces will be willing to sell drones or stealth bombers on the secondary surplus market![/]
There is Joe's Army Surplus in Royal Oak on Woodward. Detroit has too many Detroit based spoets store but doesnt have a sports store the sell national brand name items. I always wondered why.

**EastsideAl** · May-12-14, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

They need to brink back Honest Hank from Colonial Merchandise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTKQ-NA1HZU

What a classic old Channel 62 ad that is! Brings back some great memories of The Scene, All Night at the Movies, and R.J. Watkins.

**Hermod** · May-12-14, 01:35 PM

No memories of Silversteins/Silverstines? He had a bomber fuselage you could crawl through and several navy lifeboats outside.

**Downriviera** · May-12-14, 05:08 PM

There is Joe's Army Surplus in Royal Oak on Woodward.

Does Joe's Army Surplus in RO still have actual army surplus? Harry's Army Surplus in Dearborn no longer has army surplus, everything is new and from the manufacturers.

**313WX** · May-18-14, 07:16 PM

For those who don't know, Mr. Alan's just opened a store on 8 Mile and Woodward in Detroit [[in the same shopping center as the Meijer?).

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/24...ing-in-detroit