Avenue of Fashion

**stasu1213** · January-18-10, 09:01 AM

Doesn anyone have vintage photos of the Avenue of Fashion whichi is located on Livernois from Curtis to 8 mile. I had remembered what it looked like in the late 1980s. I had heard that it was an almost exclusive area to shop.

**One Shot** · January-18-10, 01:30 PM

My Dad told me about this too. I've been down there and it looks like it coulda been ALMOST a Rodeo Drive at one time. He did say that it was the place to shop too.

**Rosa** · January-18-10, 01:40 PM

When I went to U of D in the 80s, there was still one formerly posh store holding on. I believe it was on 7 Mile just west of Livernois. Might have been a B. Siegel, but I'm not sure. The one time I went inside, it looked like it hadn't been updated since the 60s. It closed a few years later.

Aside from Baker's, a nice bakery and a florist which were still open then, I don't remember anything but the usual beauty schools and wig stores on that strip.

**Zacha341** · January-22-10, 01:30 AM

It was quite nice in it's hey day, there were two art galleries [[one still holding on) on several clothing boutiques, a Good Housekeeping store [[I think it is still there), a wonderful florist called Terry's Enchanted Gardens, Motown Photography [[recently succumb to a fire) at least two dry cleaners, about 3 small store front specialty carry out food spots, a small coffee house [[name escapes me now) and a designer shoe store... and a two beauty supply stores and a about four hair salons... etc.

That silly median going down the street has made if difficult to maneuver, it was installed in 2007 or so... Bad idea.

Originally Posted by Rosa

When I went to U of D in the 80s, there was still one formerly posh store holding on. I believe it was on 7 Mile just west of Livernois. Might have been a B. Siegel, but I'm not sure. The one time I went inside, it looked like it hadn't been updated since the 60s. It closed a few years later.

Aside from Baker's, a nice bakery and a florist which were still open then, I don't remember anything but the usual beauty schools and wig stores on that strip.

**softailrider** · January-18-10, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by One Shot

My Dad told me about this too. I've been down there and it looks like it coulda been ALMOST a Rodeo Drive at one time. He did say that it was the place to shop too.

Ummmmmmmm, I remember Livernois and 7 Mile back in the 60's. I recall lots of womens dress shops and stores selling ladies shoes and furnishings. I've been to Rodeo Drive, They weren't very much alike.

**Gsgeorge** · January-18-10, 01:31 PM

Whatever it was ALMOST, it most certainly isn't today. Few businesses remain and the streetscape is a mess. Unfortunately another loss for our neighborhoods, but this one stands more of a chance of being redeveloped than most.

**Hermod** · January-18-10, 01:38 PM

Livernois used to be the street of used car lots.

**jcole** · January-18-10, 01:47 PM

I think the Avenue of Fashion was more in its heydey in the 50's, 60's and into the 70's. I remember going down there in about 1972 and it was still pretty nice.

**texorama** · January-18-10, 01:51 PM

When I moved to the area in the late 1980s it certainly wasn't posh, but it was a viable retail strip, with lots of small shops. It has declined since then, but I've always thought it would be a promising area for redevelopment with restaurants and independent stores.

**Detroitnerd** · January-18-10, 02:01 PM

I heard it had been in decline for some time, but that a Kilpatrick-Ferguson plan to install a median was the death blow.

**313WX** · January-18-10, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

I heard it had been in decline for some time, but that a Kilpatrick-Ferguson plan to install a median was the death blow.

God I hate that median...

ferntruth · September-09-10, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

God I hate that median...

It's only a median - get over it. some on here act like it is the worst thing ever to happen to the city

**Meddle** · January-18-10, 02:49 PM

I remember that at one time it was pretty nice. I won't say exclusive or like Rodeo Drive, but nice. Boutiques and such. You might find something in the newspaper archives from the 60s and 70s or the magazines that came in the Sunday papers, what was it ... Parade? I seem to remember some articles on the area.

I don't remember a median, but I don't think I was ever there after the mid 80s.

**Hermod** · January-18-10, 03:08 PM

In the 40s and 50s, if you were looking for a used car, you took the 7-mile bus to Livernois and just started walking south. Livernois was cheek-to-jowl used car lots all the way south.

**softailrider** · January-18-10, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

In the 40s and 50s, if you were looking for a used car, you took the 7-mile bus to Livernois and just started walking south. Livernois was cheek-to-jowl used car lots all the way south.

There sure are a lot of used cars in the world.

**Hermod** · January-18-10, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by softailrider

There sure are a lot of used cars in the world.

Yes, and in 1956, a 1951 Kaiser would set you back about $79 at some of the lots on Livernois. It would be a mass of rust, but that little engine would just keep ticking forever.

**xphillipjrx** · September-13-10, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

In the 40s and 50s, if you were looking for a used car, you took the 7-mile bus to Livernois and just started walking south. Livernois was cheek-to-jowl used car lots all the way south.

I always think of Livernois when I see shops in Chicago on Halsted and Armitage. There is a Benneton, a Lucky Brand Jeans, American Apparel and Ralph Lauren Rugby stores essentially in the middle of a neighborhood. My brother and I used to get our shoes on Livernois at Hack's Shoes in the late 70s. On the east side of the street N of 7 Mile.

There was a used car lot between the shoe store and 8 mile and I remember they always had close to a dozen 70s Eldorados in various stages of disrepair.

**Zacha341** · January-22-10, 01:50 AM

I'm in the area alot, having friends in the Green Acres and Sherwood Forest area, and have fam off Curtis. That median thing came about 2006 or so... it makes it hard to park and make turns... somewhat.

Originally Posted by Meddle

I remember that at one time it was pretty nice. I won't say exclusive or like Rodeo Drive, but nice. Boutiques and such. You might find something in the newspaper archives from the 60s and 70s or the magazines that came in the Sunday papers, what was it ... Parade? I seem to remember some articles on the area.

I don't remember a median, but I don't think I was ever there after the mid 80s.

**Gary** · January-18-10, 04:27 PM

The Avenue of Fashion was a very upscale place to shop in the 50s and 60s. Nowadays, it's not what it used to be, but it is not desolate by any means. I remember my mom dragging my brother and me up there while she browsed through a women's store called Belle Jacob's. Piano lessons at Grinnell's on Livernois at the foot of Outer Drive were another thrill. There was a Hack Shoe Store up that way, too [[anybody remember them?) They sold these sturdy, boxy-looking, "sensible" shoes that would last at least 2 years before they could be worn out no matter how hard you tried. The shoes I wanted were at Thom McAnn's, but mom wasn't having none of that.

The median is a very recent development. I don't find it to be that much of a nuicance, but I drive that stretch every day. It does take some getting used to if you don't that part of Livernois very often.

The used car lots were all up and down Livernois, most of them were south of McNichols.

**Blueidone** · January-18-10, 04:31 PM

My father had his business office on Livernois right down from Baker's Keyboard Lounge. I remember going there as a child in the late 50's. My mother used to shop there. There were very nice women's dress shops, hair salons, hat shops, shoe stores, and jewelry stores, as I recall. We lived in the area of 7 Mile and Littlefield. But I was very young then, so my memory may be cloudy. Unfortunately, my mother has passed and I can't ask her. But I will ask my father next time we talk. He lives in Grand Rapids now.

**pkbroch** · January-18-10, 04:33 PM

The heyday of the Avenue of fashion was in the 1940' to right after 1967 and the opening of Somerset mall. Some stores were upscale with some having exclusive label designer clothes. it basically started at Curtis with Detroit Bank and Trust and ended at Robin Hood Grill and LaSalle jewelers north of Outer Drive close to Eight Mile.

Some original stores were;

B. Siegal
Cardinal's
Rose Alkon
Greenstone Jewelers
Belle Jacob
Cunningham's drugs
Marty Fuerst shoes
Hansel and Gretel shoes
Ranier Pastry
Sherwood Studios
American saving & loan
Sidney Crandell jeweler's
Little pancake house
Robin Hood Grill
Lasalle wholesale and jewelry

And many others that perhaps some DYesers can remember.

The used car lots started in earnest South of U of D.

**Zacha341** · January-22-10, 01:53 AM

Wow-wee thanks for the list. I'd forgotten the Cunninghams and the jewelers that use to be there......

Originally Posted by pkbroch

The heyday of the Avenue of fashion was in the 1940' to right after 1967 and the opening of Somerset mall. Some stores were upscale with some having exclusive label designer clothes. it basically started at Curtis with Detroit Bank and Trust and ended at Robin Hood Grill and LaSalle jewelers north of Outer Drive close to Eight Mile.

Some original stores were;

B. Siegal
Cardinal's
Rose Alkon
Greenstone Jewelers
Belle Jacob
Cunningham's drugs
Marty Fuerst shoes
Hansel and Gretel shoes
Ranier Pastry
Sherwood Studios
American saving & loan
Sidney Crandell jeweler's
Little pancake house
Robin Hood Grill
Lasalle wholesale and jewelry

And many others that perhaps some DYesers can remember.

The used car lots started in earnest South of U of D.

**EastsideAl** · January-22-10, 02:50 AM

I had good friends who lived in Sherwood Forest almost within sight of the "Avenue of Fashion, which was declining pretty badly by then [[the mid to late '70s). Whenever we would come to the area my mother always talked about going there with a friend who went to U of D back in the late '40s and how glamorous and suburban it felt to a girl like her from down on the westside near Trumbull. She couldn't afford anything in the stores there then, but it was exciting to look.

One thing that amused us '70s teenagers no end back then was the big sign that stood on 7 Mile just west of Livernois, apparently erected for some disappeared pharmacy, that read "PHONE DON FOR DRUGS."

**softailrider** · January-22-10, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

I had good friends who lived in Sherwood Forest almost within sight of the "Avenue of Fashion, which was declining pretty badly by then [[the mid to late '70s). Whenever we would come to the area my mother always talked about going there with a friend who went to U of D back in the late '40s and how glamorous and suburban it felt to a girl like her from down on the westside near Trumbull. She couldn't afford anything in the stores there then, but it was exciting to look.

One thing that amused us '70s teenagers no end back then was the big sign that stood on 7 Mile just west of Livernois, apparently erected for some disappeared pharmacy, that read "PHONE DON FOR DRUGS."

That was Don's Drug Store, the store and that sign were there for decades. The store was a fixture in the community.

**Rosa** · January-22-10, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

One thing that amused us '70s teenagers no end back then was the big sign that stood on 7 Mile just west of Livernois, apparently erected for some disappeared pharmacy, that read "PHONE DON FOR DRUGS."

That sign was still there well into the 80s; we used to get a laugh out of it as well. I take it the sign is gone now?

Oh, and for the record, Houston has been the fattest city for 3 years running, according to Men's Fitness. We are third, after Chicago.