Cass Tech Dedication Plaque

[MarvelousMarvins]

OK as many of you already know I own Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum [[my father was Marvin). My Grandfather came to Detroit from Russia right before the war, put himself through school and became a pharmacist, eventually opening Sam's Drugs on Fenkell. My father was a pharmacist as well and started Marvin's as a hobby. Detroit is very special to me and Im always trying to find unique pieces of Detroit to add to our museum. Anyway I was able to add the Cass Tech plaque to our collection and just wanted to share it all with you! I hope to have it up within the next couple weeks!

[Henry Whalley]

It was legendary school. How stupid is the city for not preserving the plaque in a museum?

[CassTechGrad]

Where did you find it? I'm from the class of 1966.

[MarvelousMarvins]

I got lucky and someone contacted me.

[Lowell]

Congrats MarvelousMarvins. And for those not familiar Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum run, don't walk, and visit this spectacular collection vintage arcade games, machines, memorabilia and much more in Farmington Hills. [Where else can you see a 1/4 size felon electrocuted in an ancient electric chair? ] This place is fun, educational, and packed with history, much of it Detroit.

[SFDS]

I was MMMM last week. Met your cousin Andy. I knew your dad when I was little kid. Your dad took your Grandpa Sam's core business and greatly expanded it with hard work and creativity, adding one store front after another. My dad had passed and mom and I didn't have much. We needed a special medicine and Marvin found a way "to make it work". In later years Marvin employed a couple of my friends too.

[Zacha341]

Can't wait to go -- will do so over the holidays!

Congrats MarvelousMarvins. And for those not familiar Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum run, don't walk, and visit this spectacular collection vintage arcade games, machines, memorabilia and much more in Farmington Hills....

[Zacha341]

Wow! This in when DPSCD had huge senior graduation classes. I attended Murray-Wright HS a decade+ later and recall those similar photos of mega grads posted in the lunchroom!

Where did you find it? I'm from the class of 1966.

[sirrealone]

Part of our family's New Years Eve celebration always involves a stop to Marvin's. My kids are 13 and 11, and have outgrown many things, but they're already looking forward to this year's visit.

[donpablo]

MM, I lived near the original Sam's Drugs 10+ years ago and used to go in there every now and then. I remember an old school pharmacy counter in the back with old pictures/memorabilia with an older gentleman who was the Pharmacist. I always wondered if he was part of the original family who ran the drug store, not sure if you could shed some light on this?

[MarvelousMarvins]

That was quite likely my father. We sold the majority of the business in 1986 when my dads younger brother and his partner had quadruple bypass [[at 39) and wanted to retire. My father owned and operated the pharmacy till a few years before his passing. Odds are it was him but he did have a couple older pharmacist that did fill in work for him as well. When I was a kid they were so busy they had 2 or 3 pharmacist working each shift [[that area sure has changed)
The facade was designed by my dads close friend and a past Detroit City Planner Alex Pollock [[he brought the street cars back in the 70s or 80s and did a lot to revive Eastern Market). Sam's Drugs was also painted on the roof as my dad had a single prop plane and his pilots license, he loved to show people the store when flying.
We owned the whole building [[block long). When I was a kid there was an Onasis Coney Island at the W end of the building and a Michigan Sec of State then the full service drug store. On the second floor there were a few apartments and an optometrist. There was a basement that was under 2/3 of the block and was only accessible through the drug store.
There used to be a pharmacy every other block as late as the mid 80's in that area and they all made a good living! Now it is a ghost town. It's sad!
My dad could have retired from there years before he did but he always told me "The people there helped our family build a good life, if I am not there to help them who would" [[all the other pharmacies were gone at this point)

SFDS that was just how my father was, Ive heard similar stories from people and it really makes me smile and feel good knowing my father helped others and is still remembered. Thank you for sharing!

Lowell, thank you for the kind words and all you do here!

[Henry Whalley]

There used to be a pharmacy every other block as late as the mid 80's in that area and they all made a good living!

Same goes for little family-owned pizza joints. Before the franchises gobbled up everything.

[Henry Whalley]

Sam's Drugs was on Fenkell and what cross-street?

[MarvelousMarvins]

Fenkell and Ardmore 14200 Fenkell Ave.

The store started out much smaller than it finished.
My grandfather owned the whole block but rented out about 2/3 of it.
The storefront that had a common wall with the drug store was vacant at one point and my dad tried to convince his father to expand the store and my grandfather said no. Well my dad was unable to change my grandfathers mind so he went into the store one night with some friends and broke through the wall so my grandfather didn't really have a choice. Luckily for my father it worked out well, I never heard how my grandfather dealt with my dad right after [[my grandfather passed long before I was born) all my dad would ever say was that my grandfather was not happy with him for a while LOL