I ran into this brick work while walking the neighborhoods in the Detroit Shoreway area as
we discuss if the community has the civic chops for an Observer Project. I actually found
the residents with many of the same of the same frustrations with local groups and the
city as we witness all over.
The building on West 65th and Lorain, was branded Geiger, so I called the Geiger Family
historian, Chas Geiger. While it was after 7, Chas was still at the Lakewood store working
and taking care of the customers as Geiger's have done for over 85 years.
Though he was busy he did seem eager to talk about the building. "Yes Jim, that belonged
to my grandfather." At one time he had over 18 locations of Geiger Haberdashery Stores.
The stores were based on high traffic trolley locations, so they were at W117, Madison,
Detroit, W65th, etcetera. He believed this location might have been pared up with an A&P
Grocery Store as many of the stores were opened next to or near A&P which was a power
house name up until the 70s. Most of the stores were closed in the early 30s when things
got rough, and the economy tightened up.
The Lakewood store which was originally on the corner of Detroit and Warren, 4 store
fronts west of their current location.
And that is a little bit of lore and history.
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