What was the name of the Metro-Detroit Banquet Hall around 14 Mile and Van Dyke?

**proof** · June-23-15, 08:43 PM

I know I am reaching here and only Detroiters may know this but there was a club or banquet hall in Warren or Sterling Heights on Van Dyke at 14 or 15 mile that hosted some big names back in the 70's and 80's. I just can't remember the name for the life of me. Can anyone dig this up? The club is no longer open.

**proof** · June-23-15, 09:11 PM

The Premier Center. That was the name.

http://theconcertdatabase.com/venues/premier-center

**BankruptcyGuy** · June-23-15, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by proof

The Premier Center. That was the name.

http://theconcertdatabase.com/venues/premier-center

Before that, it was the Gateway Theater, which had five or so screens. Why do you ask?

**One Shot** · June-23-15, 10:19 PM

Not thinking of Mr F's are ya? The place that had the big bull out front. 14 mile.

**Blueidone** · June-23-15, 11:28 PM

The Gateway Theatre opened in 1965 or 1966 as a one-screen theatre. I was one of the original employees! At the time, it was the largest single screen theatre in Michigan. After I went away to college, I know that it was split into two theatres. I never heard that it went beyond that, but it may have. Then it became the Premier Center.

**BankruptcyGuy** · June-24-15, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by Blueidone

The Gateway Theatre opened in 1965 or 1966 as a one-screen theatre. I was one of the original employees! At the time, it was the largest single screen theatre in Michigan. After I went away to college, I know that it was split into two theatres. I never heard that it went beyond that, but it may have. Then it became the Premier Center.

I stand corrected; I guess it could have been just two. That was within walking distance of my house, and I actually went to a movie as a 5-year old with my 7-year old brother. I can't imagine what would happen to a parent today if two little kids tried to go to a movie alone.

**proof** · June-24-15, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by BankruptcyGuy

Before that, it was the Gateway Theater, which had five or so screens. Why do you ask?

Just one of those things that pops into your head at random times. I was thinking about Chaplins on Groesbeck and then this one kept nagging me.

**Honky Tonk** · June-24-15, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by proof

Just one of those things that pops into your head at random times. I was thinking about Chaplins on Groesbeck and then this one kept nagging me.

Used to frequent Chaplins on Telegraph near 7 for a while. Comedians and material took a nose dive and it turned into a humorless profanity session. I lost interest.

**Patrick** · June-24-15, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by BankruptcyGuy

I stand corrected; I guess it could have been just two. That was within walking distance of my house, and I actually went to a movie as a 5-year old with my 7-year old brother. I can't imagine what would happen to a parent today if two little kids tried to go to a movie alone.

It was within very close walking distance ofmy house as well. It was turned into some sort of office building around 1994 or so. The Gateway Racquet Club was across the parking lot. Old TRW plant was across Van Dyke...I think my parents saw Bill Cosby there way back in the 80s sometime. Looking at that link, a LOT of big name artists performed there.

**BankruptcyGuy** · June-24-15, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by Patrick

It was within very close walking distance ofmy house as well. It was turned into some sort of office building around 1994 or so. The Gateway Racquet Club was across the parking lot. Old TRW plant was across Van Dyke...I think my parents saw Bill Cosby there way back in the 80s sometime. Looking at that link, a LOT of big name artists performed there.

We probably crossed paths at some point. I remember riding bikes on the mounds of dirt behind Gateway that eventually became the dentist and doctor's office. I was sorry to learn that Fillmore Elementary closed down.

**black gold man** · June-24-15, 05:00 PM

Uncle Harry's deli did the catering for the shows at the premiere center.
There are pics on the walls of the performers from back in the day.
I went to movies and concerts there living in warren till 1982.

**Patrick** · June-24-15, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by BankruptcyGuy

We probably crossed paths at some point. I remember riding bikes on the mounds of dirt behind Gateway that eventually became the dentist and doctor's office. I was sorry to learn that Fillmore Elementary closed down.

I was around in the late 80s/90s....I was under the impression that Fillmore was still open, but as a year-round school. I know that Maple Lane Elementary was re-opened as a Macomb Intermediate School. The area changed a bit and has aged. Carleton is still there and the area is now within Cousino HS territory, rather than SHHS.

I do recall a very interesting house right on Irving Road, right around the block from the Premier. It is sort of on a rise and looks like it could have been in Indian Village. It was obviously built many years before the surrounding subdivision.

**Dan Wesson** · June-24-15, 06:59 PM

My sister and her husband have lived in those apt/condos across Crestveiw from that bldg. since the early eighties. I seem to remember some boxing venues being there too. I could be wrong never thought about the place till this thread.

**BankruptcyGuy** · June-25-15, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by Patrick

I was around in the late 80s/90s....I was under the impression that Fillmore was still open, but as a year-round school. I know that Maple Lane Elementary was re-opened as a Macomb Intermediate School. The area changed a bit and has aged. Carleton is still there and the area is now within Cousino HS territory, rather than SHHS.

I do recall a very interesting house right on Irving Road, right around the block from the Premier. It is sort of on a rise and looks like it could have been in Indian Village. It was obviously built many years before the surrounding subdivision.

No, Fillmore just closed.

http://www.macombdaily.com/social-af...nts-into-black

**sirrealone** · June-25-15, 10:15 AM

I grew up in Sterling Heights, off Ryan between 14 & 15 Mile. Thus, we drove up and down Van Dyke quite often, and the bull in front of Mr. F's was always a big attraction for me as I was a little kid at the time. If memory serves, the building later turned into a nightclub and then later was turned into its current use, an EZ Storage Facility.

**MrNittany** · June-26-15, 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by BankruptcyGuy

No, Fillmore just closed.

http://www.macombdaily.com/social-af...nts-into-black

Hmmm ... interesting. I grew up in that neighborhood [[Somerset Drive), there are already relatively large chunks of open land between the schools --- not really utilized that much, even for school athletics.

That's a good area for running laps when I get back to visit my parents, hopefully the school closing doesn't bring things down in that neighborhood [[it's still decent right now).

**Patrick** · June-27-15, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by MrNittany

Hmmm ... interesting. I grew up in that neighborhood [[Somerset Drive), there are already relatively large chunks of open land between the schools --- not really utilized that much, even for school athletics.

That's a good area for running laps when I get back to visit my parents, hopefully the school closing doesn't bring things down in that neighborhood [[it's still decent right now).

Yes, that's my old neighborhood as well. Still seems to be in good shape, but with an older demographic. I don't see the land between Fillmore and Carleton being developed any time soon, though. Hell, they'd develop Maple Lane Golf Course before they developed the school fields. Actually, they almost did developed Maple Lane maybe 15 years or or so.