Gratiot and Van Dyke.

**stasu1213** · October-18-09, 04:56 PM

Does anyone here remember shopping at the Sears and Roebuck on Gratiot and VanDyke? There were also Floresheims shoes, and I think a Kentucky Fried Chicken over there also. Are there any photos taken of that intersection dating from the 40s to the 70s?

**jcole** · October-18-09, 05:40 PM

I remember going to the Sears as a little kid in the '60s and my brother in law worked in 'Men's Furnishings' when he and my sister were first married. Wasn't that one set up like the Sears out on Grand River, where they had a bridge over the street to a Federals on the other side?

**stasu1213** · October-18-09, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

I remember going to the Sears as a little kid in the '60s and my brother in law worked in 'Men's Furnishings' when he and my sister were first married. Wasn't that one set up like the Sears out on Grand River, where they had a bridge over the street to a Federals on the other side?

No it wasn't set up like the Sears and Federals on Grand River and Greenfield. The Federals in that area was on VanDyke and Harper. Sears was the only major chain in that area. Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Pizza Hut didn't come until the seventies.

**DetroitPlanner** · April-08-13, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

Wasn't that one set up like the Sears out on Grand River, where they had a bridge over the street to a Federals on the other side?

The Sears on Grand River did not have a bridge. It had a tunnel under a railroad. The bridge was between the Montgomery Ward and the Federals. That was several more miles West of the Sears. The Sears was at Oakman and the Wards was at Greenfield.

Wow what an old thread!!!

**IrishSpartan** · April-09-13, 12:50 AM

I guess that makes me the guilty party.

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

The Sears on Grand River did not have a bridge. It had a tunnel under a railroad. The bridge was between the Montgomery Ward and the Federals. That was several more miles West of the Sears. The Sears was at Oakman and the Wards was at Greenfield.

Wow what an old thread!!!

**old guy** · April-09-13, 12:59 AM

Originally Posted by IrishSpartan

I guess that makes me the guilty party.

Refreshing to say the least.

**IrishSpartan** · April-09-13, 01:12 AM

Thanks.....I knew a Detroit cop that lived on Field & Kirby during the years 1952-68. St.Anthony's Catholic Church was about a 2-minute walk. Let's just say he never had a dull moment over there.

Originally Posted by old guy

Refreshing to say the least.

**Detroit Stylin** · October-18-09, 05:42 PM

If so where would it have been at then? I am having a hard time trying topicture anything else that was there other than what is now.....

**jcole** · October-18-09, 05:45 PM

I think it was on Gratiot north of Van Dyke where that fenced in apartment building is now.

**jiminnm** · October-18-09, 05:47 PM

I worked at the Sears store at 7 Mile and Mack, oh so long ago. The Gratiot and Van Dyke store was where we sent folks who wanted something we didn't carry. It was on the northeast corner, or thereabouts.

**jcole** · October-18-09, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by jiminnm

I worked at the Sears store at 7 Mile and Mack, oh so long ago. The Gratiot and Van Dyke store was where we sent folks who wanted something we didn't carry. It was on the northeast corner, or thereabouts.

We used to go to the Mack/7 Sears for tools and hardware items. I don't remember them carrying a line of clothing and stuff like the big one on Gratiot. Did they?

**eriedearie** · October-18-09, 06:07 PM

The Gratiot-Van Dyke Sears was where my family shopped. According to mom and dad, aunts and uncles, Sears sold the best brand of wall and ceiling paint anywhere. And they sold the best in shoes, especially my dad's work boots. Oh, and his work clothes came from there also.

The store was located on the northwest corner, which if you were going toward downtown, it was on the right hand side of Gratiot, just before crossing Van Dyke.

I don't remember a KFC being around there in the 50s and 60s. But I seem to remember a Top Hat or White Castle; one of the burger places, maybe kitty corner to Sears?

**HistoryNotHisStory** · April-28-11, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by eriedearie

The Gratiot-Van Dyke Sears was where my family shopped. According to mom and dad, aunts and uncles, Sears sold the best brand of wall and ceiling paint anywhere. And they sold the best in shoes, especially my dad's work boots. Oh, and his work clothes came from there also.

The store was located on the northwest corner, which if you were going toward downtown, it was on the right hand side of Gratiot, just before crossing Van Dyke.

I don't remember a KFC being around there in the 50s and 60s. But I seem to remember a Top Hat or White Castle; one of the burger places, maybe kitty corner to Sears?

The KFC was there in the late seventies early eighties.

**jiminnm** · January-10-11, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

We used to go to the Mack/7 Sears for tools and hardware items. I don't remember them carrying a line of clothing and stuff like the big one on Gratiot. Did they?

Sorry for the tardy response.

The Mack & 7 store sold mostly hard goods - paint, hardware and tools, limited selections of appliances, TVs and housewares, seasonal items [[toys and decorations at Christmas, outdoor and garden items in spring and summer, etc.), auto supplies, and so on. They did not sell clothes, although there was a Hughes and Hatcher next door, through a breezeway, that gave us Sears employees some deals.

**EastsideQT** · January-10-11, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by jiminnm

Sorry for the tardy response.

The Mack & 7 store sold mostly hard goods - paint, hardware and tools, limited selections of appliances, TVs and housewares, seasonal items [[toys and decorations at Christmas, outdoor and garden items in spring and summer, etc.), auto supplies, and so on. They did not sell clothes, although there was a Hughes and Hatcher next door, through a breezeway, that gave us Sears employees some deals.

I remember that Sears store there was a small J.C. Penney across the street from there. It was where all those new stores adjacent to St. John's Hospital.

**mikefmich** · January-10-11, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideQT

I remember that Sears store there was a small J.C. Penney across the street from there. It was where all those new stores adjacent to St. John's Hospital.

Actually kitty corner across the street. Right across the street from 7-Mack Sears was my barber until I was out of HS.

**kellyroad** · January-11-11, 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by jcole

We used to go to the Mack/7 Sears for tools and hardware items. I don't remember them carrying a line of clothing and stuff like the big one on Gratiot. Did they?

You're right. The 7 Mack store was limited to hardware, a garden center [[remember the side door from the garden center led to the side entrance of Hughes, Hatcher, and Suffrin?), automotive [[Sears premium oil on sale for 49 cents/quart), hunting&fishing/camping [[remember the hugh array of rifles on 7and Mack corner of the store?), Kenmore appliances, and of course, a seemingly endless selection of Craftsman tools [[insert a Tim Allen grunt a this point). The only clothes, if I recall correctly, were related to hunting or a mechanics outfit. The Gratiot/VanDyke store [[yes on the northeast corner) was indeed a full department store.

I know this is in response to an older post but does anyone remember when the Sears on Gratiot/VanDyke closed AND when the one on 7/Mack closed?

**CLAUDE G** · January-11-11, 12:19 AM

Yea, I remember the old Plaza at 7 and Mack. I remember the Sanders ice Cream Shop especially.

I always liked going to Sears at 7 and Mack, but for some stupid reason the Hospital or City of GP Farms was hell bent on tearing the place down.

**EastsideAl** · January-11-11, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by kellyroad

I know this is in response to an older post but does anyone remember when the Sears on Gratiot/VanDyke closed AND when the one on 7/Mack closed?

The Gratiot/Van Dyke Sears closed at the beginning of 1976. I remember practicing my driving and learning to use a stick shift in their empty parking lot during the following spring.

crawford · October-18-09, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by jiminnm

I worked at the Sears store at 7 Mile and Mack, oh so long ago. The Gratiot and Van Dyke store was where we sent folks who wanted something we didn't carry. It was on the northeast corner, or thereabouts.

Where is 7 Mile/Mack? I thought 7 Mile ends a little east of Hayes?

Have the streets been renamed?

**Hornwrecker** · October-18-09, 06:04 PM

It was on the SE corner of Gratiot and VD

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...art=1;resnum=1

**Zacha341** · April-08-13, 11:40 PM

Great site. The more I dug into it, the more I want to. Wonderful photos---

---!

Originally Posted by Hornwrecker

It was on the SE corner of Gratiot and VD

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...art=1;resnum=1

**jcole** · October-18-09, 06:05 PM

Thanks, Hornwrecker. It's been a long time.

**kellyroad** · October-18-09, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

Thanks, Hornwrecker. It's been a long time.

Technically, Sears could be both the south east corner or the nort east. Most Detroiters think of Gratiot as running north, north, east but VD runs NWW until after Gratiot where it runs directly north/south.

detroitjim · October-18-09, 07:22 PM

I got my first real bike there a red Sears Spider.Learned to ride on two wheels with it.
As I recall its' layout was similar to the Highland Park store and wouldn't be surprised if they were both built around the same time. The VD-G store was closed sometime in the mid 70's,I'd say about 75 and razed soon there after. The projects that occupy that area now ,certainly have been there since 1980.