N7hn Member Username: N7hn
Post Number: 149 Registered: 02-2008
| Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2009 - 12:54 pm: | |
Any old timers remember "Plum Street"? I barely do. I remember going w my mom and aunt. It was an area that was full of hippy shops selling jewelry, candles , incense, tye dye and Im sure bongs and pipes. I know it was torn down but being so young at the time I dont know what area it was in or why it was torn down. Anyone have any memories or info? I still have the ring my aunt bought me from there in the 60's |
N7hn Member Username: N7hn
Post Number: 150 Registered: 02-2008
| Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2009 - 12:59 pm: | |
oh, I found this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P lum_Street no pics anywhere tho, dang. Id love to see this kind of community venture return to detroit. Not only for the music, but the art of it. |
Blueidone Member Username: Blueidone
Post Number: 460 Registered: 03-2007
| Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2009 - 1:18 pm: | |
I was a Plum Street a couple of times back in the late 60's. I don't remember a lot...but it was a cool place to go. I have not been to the Russell Bazaar yet, but I'm thinking it sounds like a unpdated version of Plum Street..am I right? |
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise
Post Number: 3751 Registered: 09-2007
| Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2009 - 1:31 pm: | |
^It's more like an upscale flea market (or mini-mall). |
Eastsideal Member Username: Eastsideal
Post Number: 214 Registered: 10-2007
| Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2009 - 1:33 pm: | |
The area is now under the MGM Grand's parking garage. My older cousins used to hang out there back in those days, before they, and a lot of Detroit hippie-era kids, up and left for California. My grandfather used to drive us through to "look at the hippies." In fact, a fair amount of the activity and traffic there seemed to be touristing. Here is a News story from a couple of years ago about it, and that entire era in Detroit. http://apps.detnews.com/apps/h istory/index.php?id=136 |
Grumpyoldlady Member Username: Grumpyoldlady
Post Number: 326 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2009 - 1:45 pm: | |
Back in the days of the real hippie Plum Street days, I remember going to Prometheus' Candle Shop...I loved all the candles and stuff they sold in there. Don't remember the names of the other shops. |
Bobl Member Username: Bobl
Post Number: 421 Registered: 07-2008
| Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2009 - 1:56 pm: | |
Had some great conversations and met some interesting people there, especially at the Red Roach, which was a coffee shop. Bought my first Charles Bukowski book and was introduced to the ramblings of Ed Sanders at one of the shops! It became more of a meeting place to cop and panhandle than an art and specialty business district, though. |
Douglasm Member Username: Douglasm
Post Number: 767 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2009 - 3:19 pm: | |
Used to spend weekend evenings at The Wisdom Tooth, an entertainment "coffee house" on the second floor over the resturant pictured in the News article. Nice little place while it lasted. Folk music, then jazz after hours. Lasted about 8 months. Memory is an iffy thing, but imagine shops in The Trading Post (the Hedges "hippie" mall) stretched out over a block of old buidlings along Plum and you might have a better idea of what it was like. The idea might have been valid, but I don't know if one can "create" an arts and entertainment district like was envisioned by Robert Cobb. City support would help, but I've always had the feeling that something like what he was after would have to grow organicaly, kind of in the same way the Cass Corridor did. I felt sorry when it died, but it seemed inevitable. I remember driving down Plum some years later. The little grocery was still there, but the other buildings were abandoned, the railroad crossbuck standing alone in front of one of the shops...... |
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies
Post Number: 1641 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2009 - 7:37 pm: | |
Do a Search of the HOF threads. THe first two that appear are: https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/6790/123704.html https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/6790/103029.html |
Dustin89 Member Username: Dustin89
Post Number: 258 Registered: 07-2006
| Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2009 - 7:53 pm: | |
That Detroit News article, which I remember reading a few years ago, says that there were 43 shops in the area at Plum Street's peak. Wow! For someone my age (19), I guess the only place that really has that boutique/arts community vibe is downtown Royal Oak. I spend a lot of time there now, but, being the "vinyl junkie" that I am, it doesn't feel the same now that Neptune Records and Wendell's are gone. |
Cch Member Username: Cch
Post Number: 4 Registered: 05-2008
| Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 7:53 pm: | |
the closest thing to plum street in detroit now is commonwealth in woodbridge. walk down the street at 11pm or midnight and you'll hear bands practicing in at least 4 of the houses. there's a lot of (modern day) hippies in that neighborhood. |
Margie Member Username: Margie
Post Number: 336 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Friday, January 30, 2009 - 10:40 am: | |
The last house was office of The Fifth Estate.
|
Pam Member Username: Pam
Post Number: 4925 Registered: 11-2005
| Posted on Friday, January 30, 2009 - 11:08 am: | |
Some nice Victorian buildings in those pics. It's a shame to lose all the history that predates hippies. |
Douglasm Member Username: Douglasm
Post Number: 774 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Friday, January 30, 2009 - 1:42 pm: | |
In the first picture, look at the door to the second floor. There's a "Wisdom Tooth" over it. That's where the coffee house was. Did Trans-Love Energies ever work out of Plum Street, or were they always by Wayne State before relocating to Ann Arbor? |
Margie Member Username: Margie
Post Number: 338 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Friday, January 30, 2009 - 3:05 pm: | |
Robert Cobb had an apt. upstais in the first pic...Cobbs Corner Yes to Trans-Love Energies |
N7hn Member Username: N7hn
Post Number: 157 Registered: 02-2008
| Posted on Friday, January 30, 2009 - 8:05 pm: | |
great add of pics margie...... thanks |
Rsmack Member Username: Rsmack
Post Number: 4 Registered: 02-2009
| Posted on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 7:41 pm: | |
Crashed there a few time when I couldn't find my way home. WOW that was another life. |
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner
Post Number: 2245 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 7:53 pm: | |
Nyhn your memories are the same as mine. At the time the ethnic festivals were also in that area. |
Terryh Member Username: Terryh
Post Number: 1133 Registered: 11-2006
| Posted on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 9:32 pm: | |
Wish it was still there-had lots of character.. |
Blueidone Member Username: Blueidone
Post Number: 484 Registered: 03-2007
| Posted on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 10:10 pm: | |
It's funny to see those pictures. I was only there twice and it was late at night. I only remember going in and out of little shops and it being very dark outside and I didn't know where I was, being a complete suburbanite at the time. Nice to know what they looked like in the light! |
Grumpyoldlady Member Username: Grumpyoldlady
Post Number: 355 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - 12:43 am: | |
Whatever happened to the Fifth Estate newspaper? I used to pick it up at the news stand at Michigan and Woodward. Was it taken over and renamed, or did it just die? |
Billk Member Username: Billk
Post Number: 208 Registered: 09-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 12:03 am: | |
http://www.peterwerbe.com/esta te.htm |
Grumpyoldlady Member Username: Grumpyoldlady
Post Number: 357 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 2:12 am: | |
Billk....thanks very much for the link. I had no idea the Fifth Estate was still publishing. |