Elwood Bar

[izzyindetroit]

So I sat down to watch this week's Modern Family episode and after the opening credits, there is a placement shot of:



"WTF?" I thought to myself, "The Elwood Bar is a chain?" [[MF is set in California) After a quick google search, nothing came up. Comparing the street view, it is obvious this diner was in a different location but had the exact same building exterior details.

Then again after the last commercial break, a day time shot of the building:



There is a Michigan and Canadian flag in the background and an older, but new looking, buick parked on the street. The buick has no front plate, so certainly this couldn't be California where Modern Family is shot.

That is when I realize those shots of the Elwood are from when the bar sat on Woodward!! The show producers used a piece of, I am guessing stock film, from nearly 20 years ago. Aside from finding this discovery as an interesting detail to share on the forum, I am curious if anyone knows if this is a common practice in Hollywood?