Former Detroit Playboy Club?

**davewindsor** · October-12-09, 05:44 AM

I was looking around e-bay and came across match covers for the former Detroit Playboy Club that started in the 1960s. http://cgi.ebay.ca/1961-Detroit-Play...3286.m20.l1116 I googled it and found an address for 1014 E. Jefferson and the only picture I could find for that address was a postcard of the Stockholm. http://www.cardcow.com/209459/the-st...higan-detroit/ I can't find pictures of what the building looked like inside and out when it was the Playboy Club. Anyone have links? I'm just amazed at a city that once had everything was curious what the building looked like inside and out.

**Meddle** · October-12-09, 06:05 AM

I don't remember that one, but I was in the one at the John Lodge service drive [[James Couzens) e/o Greenfield many times. That one opened in the late 70's or so.

No pictures of the inside though. Decent bar and restaraunt with live bands, mostly quartets and jazz.

You might be able to find out more here: http://www.explayboybunnies.com/foru...forum.php?f=14

**gnome** · October-12-09, 06:09 AM

Maybe The Rock will chime in ... he knows. The Playboy Club was across Jefferson from The Palms and I think today it is some faceless AT&T office or service building. Don't know if they tore down the Club and build new or if they re-skinned it with cement panels... either way it is straight out of the East Berlin School of Fugly.

**Meddle** · October-12-09, 06:18 AM

Some memories from a former Detroit Bunny:

http://www.explayboybunnies.com/biog...nny/penny.html

**catch22** · October-12-09, 07:06 AM

The site is now AT&T's Riverfront central office. It was built to handle the RenCen's phone service [[DTRTMIRV for those familiar with CLLI codes). Some of the original building survived but it's hard to tell under that Bell System 1970s Monolith architecture.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...96.34,,0,-1.21

**the rock** · October-12-09, 07:13 AM

I agree with gnome's assessment. I think they just bricked the place up to make it an AT and T building.
We had one of our secretaries leave the law firm and she got a job as a hostess at the old Playboy Club. Seems to me the Playboy Club ended up out on the Lodge near 8 Mile.
The Stockholm was a fine restaurant in its day.

**Eastburn** · October-12-09, 09:52 AM

I took my wife there for her 21st birthday [[to the original on Jefferson). Saw Prof. Irwin Corey - very funny guy. We thought it was the height of class and sophistication, but what did we know? We were kids.

**vetalalumni** · October-12-09, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

I don't remember that one, but I was in the one at the John Lodge service drive [[James Couzens) e/o Greenfield many times. That one opened in the late 70's or so.

No pictures of the inside though. Decent bar and restaraunt with live bands, mostly quartets and jazz.

You might be able to find out more here: http://www.explayboybunnies.com/foru...forum.php?f=14

Was more likely early or mid 70s, but I could be wrong. While I was still a teenager some of my "hip" adult relatives went to that location just south of 8 Mile. It must not have lasted very long.

**EastsideAl** · October-12-09, 10:58 PM

The Stockholm, which was on that site pre-Playboy Club was one of my parent's favorite restaurants. Back in the heyday of the classy smorgasbord joints.

**Jimg** · October-13-09, 07:55 AM

I believe the two main groups that played at the John Lodge location were led by pianist Matt Michaels, and later by J.C. Heard. J had many fond memories of working there...

**Single Malt** · October-13-09, 10:18 AM

Very interesting...The Playboy Club is next to Christ Church Detroit. Anyway, I've got glasses, ashtrays and boxes of matches from there. Found them when when clearing out the grandparents basement. Nice to know the history behind it.

**gazhekwe** · October-13-09, 10:50 AM

The one on the Lodge service drive opened after Boesky's closed. I miss Boesky's. It was very early 70s.

**Mikeg** · October-13-09, 11:50 AM

Yesterday I happened across a business card type advertisement for The Stockholm Restaurant in a 1947 yearbook and also found another in a 1950 yearbook.

The simple ads included the 1014 E. Jefferson Address plus their phone number, which changed during that period from "RA 1042" to "WO 2-1042".

**RickBeall** · October-13-09, 05:55 PM

Single Malt wrote:
>> I've got glasses, ashtrays and boxes of matches from there. Found them when when clearing out the grandparents basement.

My grandparents used to go there too. ... until my Grandmother got too tipsy once and fell over walking out ... she was too mortified to ever return. Probably broke my Grandfathers heart that day. ;-)

**dtowncitylover** · October-14-09, 12:01 AM

Earlier this evening I asked my aunt and uncle about it and they remembered it quite well. My uncle remarked that one of the Bunnies' costume was so tight that one of his friends asked if she talked the way she did, high pitched, because of the costume.

littlebuddy · October-14-09, 07:22 AM

Bunch of us went there, we were all just young, dumb kids. I think it cost $25 to join, you got Playboys for free. We used the men's room and after going pee this older black guy handed us towels after we washed our hands. Thought that was cool, but didn't have a clue why he did it. thanked him, but didn't tip him, at the time didn't know who he was or why he was there, felt stupid afterward. James Bond would have understood and tipped

**vetalalumni** · October-14-09, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by littlebuddy

Bunch of us went there, we were all just young, dumb kids. I think it cost $25 to join, you got Playboys for free. We used the men's room and after going pee this older black guy handed us towels after we washed our hands. Thought that was cool, but didn't have a clue why he did it. thanked him, but didn't tip him, at the time didn't know who he was or why he was there, felt stupid afterward. James Bond would have understood and tipped

James Bond did come to mind as you described your Playboy Club experience. I was too young to participate, but the adults I knew who went were part of the early 70s hip set, or at least wannabes. As I vaguely recall, it was not your typical gritty scene, and I'll have to assume it was not a place known for keeping it real. In other words, a bit of a stretch, and maybe even a little pretentious for a rough-and-tough city like Detroit.

**Jazzer** · November-30-09, 09:59 AM

I saw all the interest in the Detroit Playboy Club on E. Jefferson but now I can't find it. For those of you curious about the inside, I saw it all every night for 7 years from 1962 till' 69 because I played String Bass with the Matt Michaels Trio backing up all the shows. We had the great Art Mardigan on drums, my name is Dan Pliskow and of course Matt played piano.I'm trying to load a photo of our Trio taken in the club but so far no luck. I will check it out.
There are photos of Playboy on my Website at:
http://web.mac.com/danpliskow/iWeb/S...20HISTORY.html

Any questions you have for me?
Dan

**detourdetroit** · November-30-09, 06:55 PM

wow...thanks jazzer! great tracks!!!

**Jazzer** · November-30-09, 11:11 PM

Thanks, I've had a great time playing music in Detroit

**Jazzer** · November-30-09, 11:18 PM

I finally figured out how to load this sucker. This photo of Dan Pliskow - Bass, Matt Michaels - Pno and art Mardigan - drums was taken on the Playboy Club stage in 1963 or so.