Carl's Chop House

[detroitbob]

Nearly twenty years ago, we toured Carl's for 3rd party who was interested in buying the place from Jeff and Carl's daughter...to be kind, I'm surprised it hadn't burned down in subsequent years...the wiring and mechanicals were, to be kind, ancient and the kitchen equipment was just about as bad. Everything in the back of the house needed to be replaced. Our conclusion was that if you wanted to buy it to say you owned Carl's, fine...if you wanted to make any money in the place, after the debt incurred from purchase and upgrading it was hopeless. And the basements...OMG...scary. It is still sad to see it stripped.

[detroiturbex]

The big kitchen stuff etc. was taken by professional scrappers appearing to be movers who moved quick. Using heavy moving equipment and passing their presence there for some legitimate "activity", poised to tell a lie that they were taking old equipment out to replace it, blah-de-blah... It was probably done during the day to look less suspicious, ironically.

They probably staked out the goods, unhooked everything one day, then pulled up the truck the next. Gone in a flash... working as a tight group. Everything prepared for a fast snatch-and-go.

The smaller load or amateur or crack-head types get the remaining, smaller under-the-arm goodies you can toss in a trunk. And ugly business indeed!

First time in there they were knocking down the rear wall because they'd gotten a water heater stuck trying to go around a bend. Seriously, a week later and that kitchen was gone. What you're describing sounds very accurate.

[R8RBOB]

Funny that someone would do a thread on Carl's Chop House. I went pass there today and noticed the graffiti on the side of the building. I never got the chance to dine in Carl's though I did know someone who worked there and tried to get me in there. I knew that Carl's future wasn't going to be good when the Motor City opened in 2000 and it got worse when the city couldn't get the riverfront land needed to build the casinos/hotels on the riverfront which allowed the Motor City Casino to stay on Grand River. This decision put the finally nail in the coffin for Carl's.

[Bobl]

It was a great place to score Red Wing tickets. Just a word to the waitstaff would result in a choice of good tickets...

[CLAUDE G]

I have seen this happen to so many places, it just makes me sick.

One day the place is all secured and is in good shape, the next day a door or window is busted open, and a few weeks later everything looks like the pictures above. In the next year or so, we will probably looking at pictures of the burned out building.

[Zacha341]

Exactly. And you got in fairly easily... did you see many police around? No. That corner can be a bit desolate, though the police are not far as you're near downtown. And the casino. Your photo compositions are very nice.

First time in there they were knocking down the rear wall because they'd gotten a water heater stuck trying to go around a bend. Seriously, a week later and that kitchen was gone. What you're describing sounds very accurate.

[Zacha341]

Yep, that casino was the death nail! It [[Motor City Casino), has or had a couple of good restaurants, and the free fair [[buffets and deli) they 'give' as their comps the losers would rather eat to temporarily sooth their mind from their loses. Plus Carls was in high decline by the time MCC got to rolling big.....

Funny that someone would do a thread on Carl's Chop House. I went pass there today and noticed the graffiti on the side of the building. I never got the chance to dine in Carl's though I did know someone who worked there and tried to get me in there. I knew that Carl's future wasn't going to be good when the Motor City opened in 2000 and it got worse when the city couldn't get the riverfront land needed to build the casinos/hotels on the riverfront which allowed the Motor City Casino to stay on Grand River. This decision put the finally nail in the coffin for Carl's.

[gnome]

Once ran into Dennis Archer as he was waiting on the pay phone to get on a wjr radio show. Stuffing quarters into the slot.

he wasn't surronded by EPU, nor draped in purple robes, just a guy using a pay phone.

Had to be around '99 or '00.

[gdogslim]

Scrappers ?, No.
They aren't scrappers, they are worthless scum who should be killed when ruining communities.

[sumas]

Carl's was my Dad's favorite restaurant. Dad's been gone 15 years now and he would turn in his grave to see those pictures.

[Hornwrecker]

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[Patrick]

When Carl owned and ran the place it was excellent. Best short ribs in the world. Even when Carl's daughter Pat took over it was still holding it's own. When she came down with cancer her son Jeffrey tried to run it from New York and failed miserably. Frank bought it when the restaurant was on it's last leg and couldn't make a recovery.

How can one manage a restaurant from 500 miles away?

[Zacha341]

Apparently it did not work out. I know a guy who tried to rent a home in Detroit from Kalamazoo. The next thing he knew they were not paying rent, the place was trashed, with severe water damage. Being a landlord is no fun and you have to be around for rent collecting, repairs and inspection as needed. No doubt.

How can one manage a restaurant from 500 miles away?

[polaar]

In better days, here's a shot of the Carl's bar that I took in Jan 2005:

[REL]

Did it used to be called Carl's Bar?

[menckensghost]

OK, so maybe I'm naiive but WTF is the building owner doing to let it go to this extent? If I have an asset that is supposedly worth $700k I'm hiring security to do some sort of walk around... maybe install an alarm??!!

Yes, you are naive. Suppose you have an asset that is supposedly worth $700k. It makes your net worth look nice on paper, but it generates no revenue. In fact, the only thing it generates is a fat tax bill. Now your a guy that has just recently gone out of business. Your broke and heartbroken. Do you really want to throw good money after bad? After all, you had to shut down because you couldn't pay your employees, let alone your suppliers. Sure install an alarm. I'm sure the overly-burdened DPD will respond promptly to an alarm call on a vacant structure. No, you're right, security is the only way to go. Hire someone to guard all of your broken dreams 24/7.

Maybe even buying a shotgun...

Yes, yes, you looked to the shotgun all those whiskey soaked night when everything started to slip away. Yes, the shotgun is the answer . . . it will all be over in a second . . .

[marcwigle]

Yes, you are naive. Suppose you have an asset that is supposedly worth $700k. It makes your net worth look nice on paper, but it generates no revenue. In fact, the only thing it generates is a fat tax bill. Now your a guy that has just recently gone out of business. Your broke and heartbroken. Do you really want to throw good money after bad? After all, you had to shut down because you couldn't pay your employees, let alone your suppliers. Sure install an alarm. I'm sure the overly-burdened DPD will respond promptly to an alarm call on a vacant structure. No, you're right, security is the only way to go. Hire someone to guard all of your broken dreams 24/7.



Yes, yes, you looked to the shotgun all those whiskey soaked night when everything started to slip away. Yes, the shotgun is the answer . . . it will all be over in a second . . .

For the most part I enjoy these forums... I'm not going to bother with anything further on this drivel.

[Magnatomicflux]

Yes, you are naive. Suppose you have an asset that is supposedly worth $700k. It makes your net worth look nice on paper, but it generates no revenue. In fact, the only thing it generates is a fat tax bill. Now your a guy that has just recently gone out of business. Your broke and heartbroken. Do you really want to throw good money after bad? After all, you had to shut down because you couldn't pay your employees, let alone your suppliers. Sure install an alarm. I'm sure the overly-burdened DPD will respond promptly to an alarm call on a vacant structure. No, you're right, security is the only way to go. Hire someone to guard all of your broken dreams 24/7.



Yes, yes, you looked to the shotgun all those whiskey soaked night when everything started to slip away. Yes, the shotgun is the answer . . . it will all be over in a second . . .

hmm......see, I would assume that if I had a property of any real value that I was trying to sell because I couldn't make it run and was in downtown Detroit...yes, Security would be the answer. If I want it to end up exactly the way it did, I take your fucked up advice and let nature take its course. Do you have an alarm on your house? Your car? Why bother, neither are likely to make you any money. DPD isn't rushing out to those alarms either. Someone will buy that burnt out , stripped down shell that was your auto. No worries.
What's with the shot shotgun thing? I guess I just don't see where he attacked you in this thread. Am I missing something or is there some hidden script that only 45 year old anti social losers living in their moms basement by choice can see?

Seriously, I'm new here. Maybe I didn't set up my CP properly


anyways, yes these were great photos. Well done!

[Detroit500]

when did it close? it was such a wonderful place.

[East Detroit]

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Wow, what font is that? Looks like something from Mad Men. Kinda like Breite Italianne.

[jerrytimes]

People need to be shot that do this.

[detroitbred]

Ray, my dad's DPD retirement party was at Carl's too!!! I didn't realize it was "the" spot for coppers to have their parties! And, Mike Cox wasn't there either.

[detroitbred]

Ray, I just realized that you retired the year after my dad. I was 8 mos pregnant with my daughter when he retired, she was born in 1983. Wow, I feel old and sad :-[[

[mikefmich]

Holy shit.

The first New Years Eve my folks and their friends brought us kids, we ate at Carls....maybe 1961. I still remember having calves liver....not long after that I had prime rib after strip steak there for years & years.

Carl put in one of the first commercial gas air conditioners in the city, my dad headed that project for Mich Con...early 50's, maybe late 40's. What I do know we got a box of 6 strip steaks for Xmas every year for at least 25 years.

God, I just thought of the little whores d'ovaries plate that stayed the same forever......creamed herring, spiced apples, what the heck else was on there? Pickled watermelon rind?

Seeing those images just tore me apart.

I worked at MichCon too for awhile...used to park next door and hit Carls for Lions games, and we used it for many work related celebrations....Xmas, retirements, etc.

[jackie5275]

God, I just thought of the little whores d'ovaries plate that stayed the same forever......creamed herring, spiced apples, what the heck else was on there? Pickled watermelon rind?

My husband & I went there for one of our wedding anniversaries in the late 90s. While I prefer to call it a 'relish tray', I was surprised to get one before our meal. Ours had dill pickles, green & black olives, beets, gherkin pickles, maybe some hot peppers. I can't remember what else, but I've never had that served to me anywhere else. I just figured it was a throwback to the 60s.