Jefferson-Chalmers

**guyton** · March-22-09, 08:11 AM

Anyone out there grow up in the Jeff-Chalmers era-60' and 70's????

**1128Newport** · April-01-09, 04:30 PM

I grew up on Newport between Jefferson and Kercheval, and lived there from 1951-1971. I graduated from St. Ambrose, Class of 1969.

**RJ_Spangler** · April-02-09, 03:55 PM

I lived on Marlbourgh in 1976 and then subsequently lived at times on Ashland [[2 homes), Alter, Eastlawn and Manisitque. I also spent time on Lakewood, but up by Harper. All is all, 11 years in Jefferson/Chalmers. I only moved to purchace a house over by Balduck as I loved living there. Concerts at Lakewood Park, walking to so many friends houses to hang and jam, Lenox Fields [[as we called it), Krishna Mansion. We had a ball. That is where the Sun Messengers started.

**RJ_Spangler** · April-02-09, 03:58 PM

I should also mention that I am involved with Jazzin on Jefferson put on by JEBA every year [[June 17) and also events put on by the Creekside Organization to this day as my old neighborhood still means a lot to me.

**kathinozarks** · April-02-09, 07:51 PM

My grandfather and dad owned the Grosse Pointe Beer Store between Alter and Wayburn. Spent lots of time there as a kid.

Lorax · April-02-09, 08:30 PM

I grew up in Grosse Pointe Park in the 60's, 70's and early 80's, and often patronized the shops on Jefferson in that area. My dad's church was Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian, which became the Powerhouse Temple and was eventually shown the plunger box. We went to the Cinderella Theatre as kids, and our mom patronized the Sander's store, Winkelman's, and my folks often danced at the Vanity back in the 40's. They remember seeing Benny Goodman there as well as many other notables. My folks bought from the Peter Pan Florist up until it closed. My grandmother rented a home at 2202 Eastlawn from 1940-1950, and part time bartended at Millie's Bar, which I remember was on a corner somewhere in the area. She also was a day-laborer at Wilson's Dairy, lifting milk churns onto trucks. The house on Eastlawn was leveled sometime in the early 90's as that block of Eastlawn, between Kercheval and Vernor is completely vancant today. We have family photos taken on the front porch showing the address, including the after party photos of my dad's and my aunt's graduations from Southeastern High.

**audioswhite** · April-22-09, 01:14 PM

Grew up on Marlborough tween Essex and Freud '65 - 84. Before that family lived on Marlborough across from Guyton '53 [[or so as it was before my time) to 65. Stayed with St Martin's through to its final Mass. I loved growing up in that neighborhood, even in the more challenging late 70's and early 80's.

Saw the tail end of Harry's hobby shop, Saunders, the Kresge's etc along Jefferson. [[In fact, last time to Detroit My 6 year old grabbed a number of Matchbox cars still at my Mom's - purchased at Harry's)

Went to Guyton, then Guardian Angels [[we car pooled up) and then St Ambrose Elem. Went to De Le Salle for HS.

I miss the sound of the freighters on the river - the swimming hole off Lenox fields etc.

Pretty sure I was at one of the inaugural performances of the Sun Messengers in a basement on Lakewood...

**kellyroad** · April-22-09, 07:15 PM

My Uncle had a barber shop on the south side of Jefferson right next to Fox Creek back in the 40s-60s. Edsel Ford's chauffeur would bring Edsel's boys for hair cuts. Our family were east siders, from the 7 and Kelly area, however, that area around Jefferson and Chalmers always seemed really intriguing during the 60s. Maybe it was the shops, being close to the river or Fox Creek or the neat homes south of Jefferson that made the visit to that area special.

**detroit313** · April-22-09, 10:40 PM

233 Chalmers!

1969-1982

<313>

**Donovan** · October-14-11, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by kellyroad

My Uncle had a barber shop on the south side of Jefferson right next to Fox Creek back in the 40s-60s. Edsel Ford's chauffeur would bring Edsel's boys for hair cuts. Our family were east siders, from the 7 and Kelly area, however, that area around Jefferson and Chalmers always seemed really intriguing during the 60s. Maybe it was the shops, being close to the river or Fox Creek or the neat homes south of Jefferson that made the visit to that area special.

I got my hair cut there a few times. I lived across Jeff, on Manistique. Nearly drowned in Fox creek once right next to the barber shop at about 7 years old.
Anyone remember the Chinese restaurant across the street on Jefferson and Manistique. A friend from Ives Elementary, Billy Yee's family owned it. How about Firestones on the other side. My brother worked there for many years.

**EastsideAl** · October-14-11, 06:10 PM

The White Sun! My grandparents ate there one Saturday night every month.

**stasu1213** · October-14-11, 06:51 PM

I had purchased a Panasonic 10 spd from the Schwinn Bike Shop on Jefferson and Chalmers. I think that there is a cleaners in it's place now. My friends had gotten their Schwinn Stingrays from that same bike shop in the 1970s

**MidTownMs** · October-15-11, 12:39 AM

I grew up on Conner & Jefferson. I moved in 1968 when I got married. I went to Keating Elementary on Emerson & Jefferson in the 50's. My grandparents [[both my mother's and father's parents) moved to Jeff-Chalmers in 1920. They lived next door to each other on Clairpointe & Jefferson. Both of my grandfathers worked at Hudson Motor Car Co. on E. Jefferson. My parents also went to Keating Elementary school. When my father returned from World War II in 1946 he was a bus driver on Jefferson until he retired in 1975. I have so many wonderful memories riding up and down Jefferson with him in the summer when school was out. Jeff-Chalmers was a great place to live. It was so close to the River and there was so much shopping on Jefferson that going downtown was a huge thing. When my parents died last year they still lived in Jeff-Chalmers. I have so many fond memories of the area it saddens me to see what has become of it. There have been some improvements over the last couple years hopefully they will continue.

**stasu1213** · October-15-11, 05:06 AM

I wishe that Detroit could get back to having self sufficient neighborhoods that it once had years ago. I was a Gratiot VanDyke kid. I use to shop a Sears on the corner of Gratiot and VanDyke. Purchased my first pair of Chuck Taylors at Florsheim Shoes which sat across the street from Sears.. I know that the stripmalls in each neighborhood is a modern version of the old style but the strip malls need better retail in them. Jefferson Village is a prime example. What had caused that catastrophe?

**313WX** · October-15-11, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I wishe that Detroit could get back to having self sufficient neighborhoods that it once had years ago. I was a Gratiot VanDyke kid. I use to shop a Sears on the corner of Gratiot and VanDyke. Purchased my first pair of Chuck Taylors at Florsheim Shoes which sat across the street from Sears.. I know that the stripmalls in each neighborhood is a modern version of the old style but the strip malls need better retail in them. Jefferson Village is a prime example. What had caused that catastrophe?

Well for one, it's cheaper to build strip malls than the urban-friendly buildings that originally populated the main streets of Detroit.

Two, the buildings were also built in a time that Detroit wasn't as car cultured, and had a functioning mass transit system which aleviated the immediate need of convenient parking versus walkability. The businesses must have a low cost option for their customers to access their business so they can spend money there.

Bottom line, Detroit will never be what it was [[not even downtown).

**ct_alum** · October-15-11, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I had purchased a Panasonic 10 spd from the Schwinn Bike Shop on Jefferson and Chalmers. I think that there is a cleaners in it's place now. My friends had gotten their Schwinn Stingrays from that same bike shop in the 1970s

Thaa was probably Bill's Bike Shop on the corner of Jefferson and Lakewood. Grew up on Ashland between Jefferson & Kercheval in the early 60's, went to Ives Elementary. It is now a vacant lot as is most of Ashland.

Side note to audioswhite: Saunders? Try Sanders.

**Donovan** · October-15-11, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

The White Sun! My grandparents ate there one Saturday night every month.

Thanks...I see there is a White Sun cafe listed at the same place. I wonder if it is the same owners after 50+ years.

**kraig** · October-15-11, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I wishe that Detroit could get back to having self sufficient neighborhoods that it once had years ago. I was a Gratiot VanDyke kid. I use to shop a Sears on the corner of Gratiot and VanDyke. Purchased my first pair of Chuck Taylors at Florsheim Shoes which sat across the street from Sears.. I know that the stripmalls in each neighborhood is a modern version of the old style but the strip malls need better retail in them. Jefferson Village is a prime example. What had caused that catastrophe?

If you're talking about the strip at Jefferson Village itself. The problem is that it was developed for a neighborhood that never materialized. After kicking out all of the residents that would have loved having clean stores conviently close by. The housing portion of the Graimark/Jefferson Village development depended more on all of the stars aligning themselves just right than anything else. Obviously, the stars didn't align for them, not too many houses were built and now that area, along with the Welcome Center by the AB and the strip on Lafayette and Orleans, make up a sad trend of brand new looking, soon to be, ruins of Detroit listings. Unless something turns around for them.

**English** · October-15-11, 03:44 PM

The closest neighborhood strip mall to me is the Harbortown Shopping Center. It seems to be thriving. Why?

**Donovan** · October-15-11, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by Donovan

Thanks...I see there is a White Sun cafe listed at the same place. I wonder if it is the same owners after 50+ years.

Opps it is not the same place. The White Sun is between Phillip and Marlborough. The Place I was talking about was between Manistique and Phillip

**stasu1213** · October-15-11, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by English

The closest neighborhood strip mall to me is the Harbortown Shopping Center. It seems to be thriving. Why?

Could it be that the mall sits in front of an upper to middle class highrise condominiums. It also depend on who own the Harbortown strip mall. The person or persons may have it act together compared to the owner of the Lafayette Town Center Mall or the Mall at Lafayette and Chene.

**Hans64** · October-15-11, 10:07 PM

I live out of state now [[Portland) but I was visiting Detroit a month ago and drove through this area. It shocked me I must admit. When I was in college in the late 80s a lot of my college crowd was from Grosse Pointe and I drove from downtown along Jefferson [[to GP) often. Jefferson-Chalmers was definitely not "The Village" [[GP) even then but it looked like an active business district. It has really fallen apart. After a 20 year absence so much of the Metro Area has changed. I grew up in Royal Oak and I never thought I'd see the day when a house in RO would be selling for more than a similar house in GP.

**English** · October-16-11, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

Could it be that the mall sits in front of an upper to middle class highrise condominiums. It also depend on who own the Harbortown strip mall. The person or persons may have it act together compared to the owner of the Lafayette Town Center Mall or the Mall at Lafayette and Chene.

Everybody I know who lives in Lafayette Park is just as middle to upper class as the Harbortown/Stroh's River Place/Iron Street Lofts/Gold Coast folks. To be honest, this area seems to be loaded with African American retirees from middle class jobs. My neighbors are nice people, but judging from who I see walking around, it isn't quite as diverse/yuppie/young as LP. Also, the folks who shop in the strip are a cross section of Detroiters. Many don't live right in the immediate area.

So I'm surprised that the Lafayette strip mall isn't doing better. The one thing I'd love to see over there is a viable cafe in the Paris space, but who knows if that will happen.

Jefferson Chalmers I get, but it's still so sad. I seem to remember that there was even an Anna's Linens there before the chain pulled out of Michigan.

**stasu1213** · October-16-11, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by English

Everybody I know who lives in Lafayette Park is just as middle to upper class as the Harbortown/Stroh's River Place/Iron Street Lofts/Gold Coast folks. To be honest, this area seems to be loaded with African American retirees from middle class jobs. My neighbors are nice people, but judging from who I see walking around, it isn't quite as diverse/yuppie/young as LP. Also, the folks who shop in the strip are a cross section of Detroiters. Many don't live right in the immediate area.

So I'm surprised that the Lafayette strip mall isn't doing better. The one thing I'd love to see over there is a viable cafe in the Paris space, but who knows if that will happen.

Jefferson Chalmers I get, but it's still so sad. I seem to remember that there was even an Anna's Linens there before the chain pulled out of Michigan.

The Paris Cafe space was taken over by Metro PC. I wish I know who the owner of the strip mall is. I would write the owner a letter asking him/her/them why is it hard to get good retai or services to fill up a strip mall that is in the downtown area. Dollar Genera is opening in the strip mall instead of a Family Dollar. There is something wrong with this picture. Maybe it is political. Stores like Panera Bread, Linens and Things, Tim Hortons or Bigby coffee shop, Family Dollar, a bakey etc would draw out the different classes of residents who live in the Lafayette Park area. I had been told by management of Cottage Pizza, Sala Thai, and others who were once in the mall that the rent was too high. I thought then as I do now that the owner is probably shortsighted when it comes to attracting business to the mall

**michigansheik** · October-16-11, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

The Paris Cafe space was taken over by Metro PC. I wish I know who the owner of the strip mall is. I would write the owner a letter asking him/her/them why is it hard to get good retai or services to fill up a strip mall that is in the downtown area. Dollar Genera is opening in the strip mall instead of a Family Dollar. There is something wrong with this picture. Maybe it is political. Stores like Panera Bread, Linens and Things, Tim Hortons or Bigby coffee shop, Family Dollar, a bakey etc would draw out the different classes of residents who live in the Lafayette Park area. I had been told by management of Cottage Pizza, Sala Thai, and others who were once in the mall that the rent was too high. I thought then as I do now that the owner is probably shortsighted when it comes to attracting business to the mall

The mall changed ownership about a year ago...the new owner's number is on the signs posted in the empty spaces.

in the past people have mentioned that the national chains turn down dntn detroit for two main reasons: pop density per area [[they include the river when doing their 1 mile circle) and income targets [[king homes does not help). please let us know what they say.