Former Tomboy Market on 2nd [becoming Detroit Sauce] Mystery

[Lowell]

After taking pictures of the former Tomboy Supermarket on 2nd, and zooming in on details, I discovered this limestone inscription. So who is Ben Lemberg & Son DetroitYES sleuths?


The Tomboy Market sign remains, painted over on the upper right.



This site was revived by the failed Will Leather Goods shop and is now being renovated as Detroit Sauce, which bills itself as "...inspiration from the stylish, relaxed air of coastal California and the deep, warmth of Italian tradition, Sauce brings a modern, seasonally-driven menu and sophisticated, service-focused ambiance to Detroit’s Midtown neighborhood." Umm okay...


If this architectural rendering bears out, it look like the Tomboy sign may disappear from view.

[softailrider]

Not sure how many dead hookers they found in the dumpster behind that place, but I’m pretty sure the number exceeded one.

[EstateSale]

The 1940 Census shows a Benjamin Lemburg residing with his wife Esther and son Leonard at 2955 Oakman Court. His occupation is given as "real estate salesman." Maybe this was one of his buildings? EDIT: There's another Benjamin Lemburg in the same census, at 3280 Pasadena, listed as a "Proprietor/Manager" of a "Retail Hardware Store." Was the Tomboy a hardware store in a previous life?

[Uncledave54]

This location was always a market. Apparently Tomboy was a small chain dating back to the 1950's.
https://detroit.curbed.com/2012/12/12/10296508/tomboy

[jcole]

Apparently Ben Lemberg was a real estate developer and philanthropist who lived on Oakman Ct and later moved to Florida. He created a camp for "retarded children" in Lapeer County.
clipping_40135471 [[1).pdf

[jcole]

This tells of his entry into real estate after having lost his shirt in the movie theater business in the 20's. I clipped it from a Freep article from 1955. He also apparently wrote a book called "How not to lose a million"
clipping_40135908.pdf

[Metro25]

A leather store there made no sense, so weird and random.

A supermarket/restaurant will serve the community much better.

[Zacha341]

At the lowest point [[mid nineties or so) some of the neon lights of Tomboy had burnt out rendering the name Tomb ala 'the Tomb' by some regulars!

Not sure how many dead hookers they found in the dumpster behind that place, but I’m pretty sure the number exceeded one.

[masterblaster]

A leather store there made no sense, so weird and random.

A supermarket/restaurant will serve the community much better.

We need places to buy clothes in the city limits. I bought a belt and a wallet there, but their offerings were to expensive. The space and coffee shop were pretty awesome.

[Hypestyles]

well, good luck with the new business. when does it open?

[EastsideAl]

Many decades ago, in a world far far away, when I 'stayed' on Willis, the Tomboy and the Rayis Boys were 2 poles of my life.