Be in a book! Your memories wanted

**buildingsofdetroit** · February-10-10, 10:48 PM

Hello,

So I'm working on a book, and I'm looking for people who have strong memories of the following buildings to be included. I'll need your real name and city of residence, and of course, you'd have to OK being in the book. I'm looking for vivid memories of what it was like at these places. Not just, "I saw Steppenwolf there. It was cool." Sights, sounds, smells, the good stuff. Did you buy a ring for your wife at the Metropolitan Building? Did you kiss your mom goodbye at MCS on a trip to visit Grandma? What were services like at Woodward Ave. Presbyerian [[aka St. Curvy)?
I appreciate your help in advance; I think it will really make the book special. Please E-MAIL me your response to bldgsofdetroit AT gmail.com.

Grande Ballroom
Eastown Theatre [[specifically PRE-rock shows, when it was showing movies)
MCS Farwell Building

Metropolitan Building

Vanity Ballroom

United Artists Theatre

Michigan Theatre [[again, PRE-rock shows)

Broderick Tower

Lee Plaza

Woodward Avenue Presbyterian Church/Abyssinia Church

**sumas** · February-14-10, 05:15 AM

Don't really want to be in a book but am curious as to your selected buildings. I will forward your request to my aunt who was/is very beautiful and went to the Vanity often.

Our wedding rings were purchased at the Metropolitan Building. My ring is white and yellow gold. My husbands matching ring is just yellow gold. I was selfish and wanted the more interesting ring. It was way too big but they sized it down for me. I have never taken it off, even for surgery, they just put tape over it. Price tag for both, $100 dollars. The marriage priceless.

**buildingsofdetroit** · February-15-10, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by sumas

Don't really want to be in a book but am curious as to your selected buildings. I will forward your request to my aunt who was/is very beautiful and went to the Vanity often.

Our wedding rings were purchased at the Metropolitan Building. My ring is white and yellow gold. My husbands matching ring is just yellow gold. I was selfish and wanted the more interesting ring. It was way too big but they sized it down for me. I have never taken it off, even for surgery, they just put tape over it. Price tag for both, $100 dollars. The marriage priceless.

That's a great story. I hope your aunt will want to talk about the Vanity with your aunt. It's one of the ones I need memories from the most. Thanks so much.

**Ed Golick** · February-15-10, 06:03 PM

In the early 1970s I worked at a local print shop. Every Saturday morning it was my duty to print the World Adventure Series programs for Detroit TV icon George Pierrot's lecture series at the Detroit Institute of Arts. I would deliver about 300 or so programs to the lecture hall, then hand deliver a manilla envelope with three sample programs to Mr. Pierrot's office in the Farwell Building. More times than not, I would see Pierrot holding court in his ornately panelled office, behind a huge intricately carved circular desk, maybe fifteen feet in diameter. At first Pierrot didn't say much, but he eventually warmed up to me.

Not many people know that Pierrot collected limericks, the filthier the better, which he would recite at the drop of a hat. Legend has it that he had memorized hundreds, maybe thousands of bawdy poems in his lifetime. I got to hear a good cross section of them first hand, before I finally left my position at the print shop

**sumas** · February-15-10, 06:05 PM

My Mom was always a bit of a plain Jane. My Aunt, the younger of the sisters was pretty hot in her day. I will send her an email and see if she wants to share.

Just so you know, I respect my Mom immensely. Just wish I was half the woman/wife/mother my Mom was and is!

**Patrick** · February-15-10, 08:25 PM

All the people I know...or knew, who would be very helpful are dead and gone. Grandma told me all about Vanity Ballroom and had an uncle that worked in Broderick. You should just go to a retirement home and shoot the shit with people. They would be more than happpy and I bet every retirement community has a ton of former Detroiters.

**lalynch** · February-15-10, 10:22 PM

ok, the person you need to talk to about the Michigan Theatre is Benny Spears, aka Benny and the Jets, because his dad Dr. Louis Spears ran the Michigan Theatre back then. I am not certain what years or if it was pre-rock though.