Old Detroit Grocery Buildings [[Still Standing)

**kathy2trips** · March-16-11, 02:09 AM

I was amazed to discover that an impressively appointed brick building I happened upon at 3547 Michigan was once a Kroger's. The bricklaying technique requires expert design skill and precise execution [[i.e. old school master). Yeah, it needs a good scrub and a new corbel table, but the care and thought that went into this building is inspiring; the date stone on the pediment reads "1921"...a 90 year old building!

This seems to be an unusually huge grocery store for the early 20s...even for Kroger. Don't you think? And, uh, no parking LOL! Couldn't buy much and lug it home on the street car!

If you know of or discover interesting old grocery stores that are still around, let's record them here and look them up on Google , while we still can. I think this would be an interesting thread.

**Russix** · March-16-11, 05:01 AM

No need for parking when your frequent customers live within one or two blocks.

**Zacha341** · March-16-11, 05:58 AM

Here's the google map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=3547+M...=fr-3808752256

**detroitbob** · March-16-11, 06:49 AM

The red brick building at Grand River and W. Warren, [[east side of GR, north corner) was a Wrigley Market years ago. Building still looks in great shape. Was a wholesale grocery supply for years and I think now vacant. 2 blocks east, on the south side of GR was one of the small A&P stores that was there until the late 60's. Sadly that block is demolished.

**Fury13** · March-16-11, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by kathy2trips

I was amazed to discover that an impressively appointed brick building I happened upon at 3547 Michigan was once a Kroger's. The bricklaying technique requires expert design skill and precise execution [[i.e. old school master). Yeah, it needs a good scrub and a new corbel table, but the care and thought that went into this building is inspiring; the date stone on the pediment reads "1921"...a 90 year old building!

This seems to be an unusually huge grocery store for the early 20s...even for Kroger. Don't you think? And, uh, no parking LOL! Couldn't buy much and lug it home on the street car!

If you know of or discover interesting old grocery stores that are still around, let's record them here and look them up on Google , while we still can. I think this would be an interesting thread.

People used to buy less groceries per visit and make more frequent visits. That way, there was a better chance of your goods staying fresh. As mentioned, most didn't drive to the market. They'd walk or take public transit to the store and bring a small portable cart so they could wheel their groceries home.

And that's still the way it's done in parts of NYC and Chicago...

**One Shot** · March-16-11, 09:07 AM

That was a Kroger??? WOW!

**Zackdog** · March-16-11, 10:14 AM

Can't forget about the old abandoned A&P across the street from the Packard Plant.

**Crew** · March-16-11, 10:41 AM

I liked these two pictires from Shorpy. 9 Mile in Ferndale in 1928 and now. Notice that the buuilding houses both a Woolworth and a Kroger. Building still looks good and is in use.

**Ray1936** · March-16-11, 11:25 AM

One old family line of mine owned a grocery store on Pallister, somewhere east of Woodward. I think I-75 is now at that location, so the buildings are long gone. I donated the original of this photo to the Detroit Historical Museum last year.

**kathy2trips** · April-11-11, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by Crew

I...Building still looks good and is in use.

Thanks for those photos. Adaptive reuse rocks!

**reddog289** · April-12-11, 01:53 AM

While not in Detroit a couple of places I used to shoot pool at were Old Kroger stores. Nowhere as big as the one pictured on Mich Ave.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · April-12-11, 02:12 AM

Originally Posted by Crew

I liked these two pictires from Shorpy. 9 Mile in Ferndale in 1928 and now. Notice that the buuilding houses both a Woolworth and a Kroger. Building still looks good and is in use.

Nice find !!

**Steve** · April-12-11, 02:55 AM

Thanks to everybody participating in this excellent thread.

**Rochelle St.** · April-12-11, 07:06 PM

We shopped at the Chatham supermarket at Hayes and Mayfield, across from Guardian Angels school.
The building is still there, but Chatham is long gone.

**Brian1979** · April-13-11, 11:13 AM

Wow I can't believe that was a Kroger. Before I read all the replies I was going to ask if it was the half gone building between 24th and 25th. That doesn't look like any Kroger prototype that I've seen ever. I remember the old superstore prototype, there is still a few of those around like the one in Woodhaven on Allen and West Road.

**kathy2trips** · April-26-11, 12:31 AM

Another fine ex-Kroger Grocery & Baking Co. [[their old name) is at 2621 Grand River. Look at those sweet medallions under the roofline! Good adapitve reuse to later divide it up into small individual, but cohesive storefronts. I sure hope this simple, but charming building is a part of future Grand River revitalization plans.

**Swimmaven** · April-26-11, 01:29 PM

I remember a "Cha's-Cha's market No. 2" on a street one over from Jefferson in the 70's. Just the name was great, never would consider going in there, though.

**Detroitnerd** · April-26-11, 01:43 PM

The Marcus Market on Second Avenue near Prentis used to be a Kroger back in the old days.

**BillyBBrew** · April-26-11, 08:42 PM

The Parkstone Market on the corner of Van Dyke and Agnes in West Village was also a Kroger Store.

**Danny** · April-27-11, 08:30 AM

Most old grocery markets in Detroit stores are still standing because the people [[ who are the Chaldeans) have a strong interaction in the black ghettoes. [[This is not just poor drug mutant black folks who loiter at those businesses.)

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET!

Next we need a black owned supermarket or a party store for Neda's sake.

**lalynch** · April-27-11, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by Crew

I liked these two pictires from Shorpy. 9 Mile in Ferndale in 1928 and now. Notice that the buuilding houses both a Woolworth and a Kroger. Building still looks good and is in use.

There is quite a resemblance between the former Lincoln Park Woolworth building at 1770 Fort Street and the Ferndale Woolworth / Kroger building. Both Woolworth store buildings have the clay roof tiles. The Lincoln Park store has colored tiles that have since been painted over. Do you have any historical information on fhe Ferndale building? I only have bits of information on the Lincoln Park Woolworth building.

**lalynch** · April-27-11, 07:06 PM

Lincoln Park's Grocery stores once dotted Fort Street. Kroger was located at two different Fort Street locations. A & P was where the Lincoln Park Moose is located now. Auto Zone was Packer's grocery store. And one of the earliest small grocery stores was Chiarelli's Market at the corner of Fort Park and Garfield.

**kathy2trips** · May-07-11, 04:24 AM

I was cruising [[virtually) down RPB aka 12th St. and saw 11340 12th Street, which was a Great A&P Tea Co. Grocery Store built some time before 1929. You can see the metal posts along the side entrance, indicative of a grocery. In the front windows, there'd be large sale ad posters.

There's a separate listing for 13438 12th as their Meat Dept. The little parking lot next to 11340 looks like a later addition due to the increasing use of cars. 11342 is listed as Cathedral Flower Shop.

This is a great example of a very early national grocery chain neighborhood store built for that specific purpose, a "supermarket". [[As opposed to a mom & pop store).

BTW: 11529 Rosa Parks has with a wicked good brick & block facade. Whoo-hoo, Mommy likes!

- Happy Mother's day all you moms!