Himmelochs

[stromberg2]

I was just wondering if anybody on this forum has ever been inside Himmelochs as a shopper or recently? How is the condition of it today?

Stromberg2

[cosine]

Himmelhoch Brothers & Company closed in 1977. Check here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...tates#Michigan

[StubbyStone]

i read that they still do an occasional tea party or outing there every now and then... not sure when the last time that was though...

[detroitbob]

The building is senior/disabled. I had a friend who lived there for several years and it was interesting. They build apartments within the shell of the store, rather cheap job...armstrong suspended ceilings dropped from the original much higher ceilings. They did not do a gut...the original decor above the apartments is still intact, i.e. painted walls, wall signs, etc. You could strip out the apartments, and restore the selling floors.

[DetroitDad]

Himemeloch Apartments today [[2011) might as well be considered the high end of senior apartments. Inside is immaculate. Out on the Woodward side, a beauty salon overlooks the avenue. On the Washington Boulevard side [[the only entrance I have ever used, as this is the visitor entrance) there is a very nicely decorated tea parlor setup.

Once through the Washington Boulevard entrance vestibule, you will enter a series of long and winding corridors. The hallway corridors wind you in and around old decorated store fronts, areas enclosed in glass, similar to the pictures of the interior of the Metropolitan Building. One display stands out in particular. It is a a plain park bench and antique streetlight, sitting on a bed of decorative rocks [[like flower bed lava rocks), and surrounded by walls of glass. This storefront sticks out, making you walkcompletely around it [[glass on multiple sides). I'm not sure what these areas were. I can only guess they had something to do with the display of furniture at some point. Today, the building acts as an extension of the nice new street scape, providing a place for residents to stroll and mingle. It appears that this building could easily accommodate retail someday.

A corridor in the Metropolitan Building on Farmer Street and John R Street [[Click here for more great pictures of the Metropolitan Building)

I can't recall the exact decor of the elevators, but remember thinking they were very nice, up there with the ones in any other luxury apartment building. The upper corridors and apartments seemed less impressive, mostly due to renovations. The building as a whole, seems to be the nicest senior apartment buildings in Downtown Detroit, and possibly Michigan.

[Gistok]

DetroitDad... is that Tea Parlor Setup on the Washinton Blvd. side.... the one that has the candles [[in candle holders) all bent over from being melted by heat?? I remember seeing how odd it looked to see a nice display window, but with all the candles drooping over.

[detroitbob]

The apartments are not bad...center "courtyard" units are dark due to the proximity of the neighboring buildings blocking sunlight, but the building has been well maintained and as of three years ago I was impressed how clean the public areas/corridors/elevators are. The elevators by the looks were remodeled in the 1950's "parklane" car style and controls updated but intact.

[stromberg2]

Thanks all, keep em coming!!

Stromberg2

[Whitehouse]

It's Himmelhoch. It's a German name and translated it means Skyhigh.

[dtowncitylover]

I thought this store has been discussed before...

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...37-Himelhoch-s

[Lferg]

It's Himmelhoch. It's a German name and translated it means Skyhigh.

That may be true, but the name came from the brothers that started the department store and they were from Sassmacken, Russia, which is Valdemarpils, Latvia today.