5000 McDougall Street
Martin’s Pharmacy, TJ’s Market
I’m not certain when 5000 McDougall was built, but it was initially a general store selling men’s and women’s furnishings, dry goods, and other items. In 1923, the estate of Hugo Gersabeck was liquidated, including the inventory at his store located within the structure.
Andy Brogowicz and Sean Doerr informed me that the Hy-Vets Club utilized the space at one time. This club, formed after WWII, was comprised of veterans who attended St. Hyacinth Church a mile down the street. They hosted events and used the space as a clubhouse. I’m not sure when they left the structure.
By the 1960s, the retail portion of the building had become a pharmacy called Martin’s Pharmacy, run by the Adamaszek family. In 1963, the pharmacy was robbed by three men with a gun—who ended up with $370, or roughly $3.5K today, and some whisky.
At some point, Martin Adamaszek, who had taken over the business from his father, was shot in the abdomen during a robbery. After that, he closed the pharmacy at McDougall and Warren and went to work in a pharmacy at St. John’s Hospital.
I believe it was used as a party store after that. In 1973, Clarence Stafford petitioned to rezone a portion of the structure that had been vacant for more than two years to be used as a part of an active party store.
I’m unsure if the store was extended; however, by 1977, it was owned and operated by Frank Taylor. His stepson, James Jackson, worked at the McDougall location, TJ’s Market, and their second location, Taylor’s Market, at 4401 Chene.
On January 4, 1977, James Jackson killed John Gaither after a group of men tried to break in and rob their Chene location. He and another man present, Silas Green, were charged with manslaughter. However, Recorder’s Court Judge Dalton A. Robertson acquitted them, ruling that they didn’t use excessive force to protect the store they worked at, so they couldn’t be guilty of manslaughter.
Given the events that transpired in 1977, Detroit homicide inspector Robert Hislop didn’t rule out revenge as a motivator when James Jackson was murdered in March 1980 at TJ’s Market, pictured here. However, after investigating the situation, the two events were unrelated.
A 16-year-old (unidentified due to being a minor) planned to hold up the liquor store for cash—but didn’t have a gun. He stopped at Anthony Lewis’ house across the street from TJ’s Market, told him his plans, and received the weapon he would murder Jackson with.
According to Lt. Julius Higdon, “He went in to pull a stickup and, when Mr. Jackson bent over the counter, he believed the man was reaching for a gun and fired at him.” Jackson was shot in the chest—but the 16-year-old bent over the counter, saw him slumped over on the ground, and fired at his head.
Afterward, he ran across the street and returned the gun to Lewis. If that had been that, the police may have never determined what happened. However, a while later, Lewis walked over to the store. Unbeknownst to him, he was the first to enter after the murder.
A moment after he walked in, a customer entered the store, and the two phoned the police. After questioning the other customer, police determined that Lewis was the first in the store, and the case was cracked from there.
James Jackson attended Kettering High School and was just 20 years old when he was murdered. At the time of his death, he lived on Townsend Street. No money was taken from his person or the register.
The early 1980s saw unprecedented unemployment levels across Michigan, especially in Detroit. For the years between 1980 and 1985, the rate of joblessness in Michigan was 12.3%, 12.4%, 15.5%, 14.5%, and 11.2%. For reference, the average in 2020, the pandemic year, was 10%, peaking at 22.7% in April.
Generally speaking, when the economy is doing poorly, crime rises. Jackson’s murder resulted from poor economic conditions, disinvestment in Detroit’s children, and the foolishness of youth. That’s putting the situation in a small box, but the entire situation is disconsolately sad, even 40+ years later.
I’m not sure how long TJ’s was open, but it was closed by the early 2000s. It’s sat vacant since then, and online records show it’s still owned by Frank Taylor, James Jackson’s stepdad. In its heyday, TJ’s had beer, wine, groceries, ice cream, deli sandwiches, and general merchandise.
The rear portion of the eastern half of the structure has collapsed into the vacant lot to the north. This part of the building may have been built before the building at the corner, given its mostly wood construction.
Given the current shape of the structure, I’d imagine 5000 McDougall will be torn down.
