2037 Buchanan Street
Acme Boats, Empire TV, Hullett Electronics Center Company
Because of Detroit’s unique street layout, several structures that wouldn’t necessarily draw your attention are thrown into the limelight. Mix that with decades of demolitions and vacant lots to spice up the view, and you’re left with structures like 2037 Buchanan Street.
Since I moved to the Motor City, Grand River Avenue has been one of my major modes of transportation. Whether on a bike in a bus or riding in a car, it’s one of the quickest ways to get downtown or to the near-Southwest. For ages, this structure has stood out to me on my journeys.
Today, 2037 Buchanan is missing its roof and will almost certainly be demolished. The first record I’ve found of the property as a business is from 1933. Some sort of Cleaners and Dryers Employees’ Union or job center was located here. Unemployed spotters, pressers, cleaners, sorters, and other experienced cleaning plant workers could register at the office and get a job when there was an opening. It could have been for a specific cleaner, but the adverts had no brand name.
By 1939, the shop had transitioned to selling boats. It may have been called Acme Boats, but I can’t be certain. They sold handmade rowboats, sailboats, runabouts, duck boats, and sneak and marsh boats, both used and new. There were a few advertisements for outboard motors as well.
By 1956, Empire TV was located inside the building, and by 1958, an electronics shop was being operated by Fred J. Hullett at the location.
On May 26, 1958, Fred and his wife and son awoke at their home on Holmur to the sound of a small bomb going off in their milk chute. Police believe it may have been a cherry bomb, a firecracker.
At the time, Hullett was offering meager prices for electronics. He had been asked by his competitors to stop lowering his prices and had even received threatening phone calls demanding that he raise his prices. Hullett wasn’t deterred by the bombing and insisted that it was local kids playing a prank.
This era of Detroit was no stranger to bombings. Many other businesses saw store owners attack one another’s places of business to get them to close or raise their prices. Famous Cleaners on McDougall was bombed multiple times in the early 60s after they cut prices. However, as Hullett said, it may have just been local kids having fun in this case.
In 1962, the City of Detroit held a public auction to sell the property of the former Hullett Electronics Center Company. Record players, antennas, radios, and television parts were up for grabs; bulk offers were also accepted.
After that, I’m not certain what happened to the structure. I’m pretty sure that there was an apartment upstairs at some time, so that likely was rented out over the passing years.
Until around 2013, the structure at 2037 Buchanan was in reasonably good shape. There was yellow siding on the upper and masonry on the lower.
By 2014, the structure had been painted white—perhaps to cover graffiti that was becoming everpresent in the Grand River Creative Corridor at the time.
A mural was painted on the Grand River side of the building, and a few tags were added to the Buchanan side. I think Hour Magazine may have sponsored the mural, as it had ‘Fall Arts Preview’ on it, and an Hour ad was above it for ages.
When the morning light hit the building, it had an eerie glow that felt extraordinarily powerful. Until a year or two ago, there was still a sign on the corner for the liquor store next door, Consumers Market, which was torn down around 2010.
Today, the structure has been painted white again. It has fresh boards over a few windows, and the roof and floors have been entirely removed. An LLC started by Matthew Beuckelaere owns the structure.
Considering its current state, I can’t imagine this structure will see renovation. However, stranger things have happened, especially in Detroit!
