Jolly Jim's - NOT Jumbo's

**karl jr.** · January-25-10, 03:12 PM

On Woodward across from the Fox, does anyone have any pictures or recollections of this place?

**Detroitnerd** · January-25-10, 03:13 PM

I remember it being a different type of establishment that is at least a mile away from that location.

**DetroitPlanner** · January-25-10, 04:34 PM

What I can remember of driving by Jumbos: there is no way in heck I'd want to eat there!

In actuality its probably a quarter mile off M-1.

**Gsgeorge** · January-25-10, 09:07 PM

I think Karl is talking about a different Jumbo's from the one on Third. That one can be quite a fun place to hang out on a Thursday or Friday.

**karl jr.** · January-25-10, 09:23 PM

No not Jumbos on third street,. The Jumbos I am asking about was a 1930/40's greasy spoon that was across from the fox. After the fox was renovated, jumbos was also renovated and never opened, some type of legal problem. It was torn down for the stadium. They had some weird fries and about the same clientele as the white hut.

**buildingsofdetroit** · January-25-10, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by karl jr.

No not Jumbos on third street,. The Jumbos I am asking about was a 1930/40's greasy spoon that was across from the fox. After the fox was renovated, jumbos was also renovated and never opened, some type of legal problem. It was torn down for the stadium. They had some weird fries and about the same clientele as the white hut.

Was it near the Elmwood [[which used to be across from the Fox but was moved)?

**karl jr.** · January-25-10, 10:20 PM

If I remember right I think it was on the same block, the northwest side. Or I should say north of the elmwood.

**Jman** · January-26-10, 07:02 AM

In the early 60's, there was an Italian restaurant just north of the Elmwood. As you walked by on Woodward, there was a large picture window where you could watch them make pizza.

**DetroitPlanner** · January-26-10, 10:03 AM

That was Jim's Coney Island!

**Jman** · January-26-10, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

That was Jim's Coney Island!

If that was a response to my post, it wasn't Jim's Coney Island in the early 60's.

**DetroitPlanner** · January-26-10, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by Jman

If that was a response to my post, it wasn't Jim's Coney Island in the early 60's.

When the Fox first became Illitchized thats what it was called. Chuck Forbes owned it. For a very short period of time Raymond Wong ran a Mexican Chinese fusion place out of it. This was one of the buildings that 'had to go' to build the new stadium. Along with the moved Gem and Elwood, and the removed Wolverine Hotel. All were replaced with a parking lot.

**lafayette** · January-26-10, 11:16 AM

Jman, are you thinking of Lelli's? I think it was on the east side of Woodward sort of across the street, and a tad north, from where Youthville is now. They tore the building down several years ago.

**UnsteadyYeti** · January-26-10, 11:28 AM

No way you could confuse the best minestrone on the face of the earth with a place called "Jumbo's."

**karl jr.** · January-26-10, 11:30 AM

Jims, That's it! Jolly Jim's, they had a neon elephant in the window. Not jumbo the elephant I guess I was thinking about, my mind is going, thanks.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/autoartist/3917219652/

**Detroitej72** · January-26-10, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by lafayette

Jman, are you thinking of Lelli's? I think it was on the east side of Woodward sort of across the street, and a tad north, from where Youthville is now. They tore the building down several years ago.

Lelli's was north of East Grand Blvd, in the New Center Area. They supposedly had a fire around 1998/ 1999 while they were "closed" for renovations. This, of coarse was shortly after they opened Lelli's North, out in Auburn Hills and they never reopened in their original location and chose to tear the old building down. It is now a wonderful vacant lot, complete with a for sale sign stating that its a "prime location".

**Jman** · January-26-10, 01:02 PM

I ate at Lelli's many times. A favorite before going to the Fisher Theatre. Detroitej72 is correct about the location and fire.

In August or September of 1961 I took my wife on our first date to the Fox Theatre to see The Guns of Navarone. We walked directly across Woodward to a pizzeria that I had been to a few times and enjoyed a pizza. I was wearing a suit and knocked my bottle of beer in my lap. Why she ever said yes to a second date is beyond me.

There must be someone here that remembers that pizzeria. It has to be some one as old or older than me. How about you, Ray1936.

**56packman** · January-27-10, 11:08 PM

I well remember Jolly Jims, we used to go there to get coffee before work sessions at the Fox in 1975-1980, we also would bring coffee over for the night cleaning staff. It was a funky downtown kind of place. I remember the Wolmouth tailors in the row of shops across the street from the Fox, there were others in that row, 35 years later I'm not remembering them.