5033 Mt. Elliott Street
Bertram Kubinski Beer Garden, Deluxe Cafe, Deluxe Bar, The Word of Truth Missionary Baptist Church #2
This structure contains 5033 & 5031 Mt Elliott
By 1933, this structure was home to a beer garden. However, this was a controversial thing to do at the time. Within the past year, Judge John J. Maher ruled that beer garden proprietors didn’t also need a dance hall license; all they needed was one for a beer garden. This saved business owners $25, which is nearly $600 in 2024. Police weren’t happy with this decision, as many beer halls were taking advantage of this and offering live orchestra music for dancing. The Detroit Police wanted to rescind this privilege for many establishments, including the bar pictured here, which Bertram Kubinski ran.
In 1936, a man named Fred Steger, 39, was sentenced to five days in jail and six months probation for drunk driving. He lived in the apartment above the beer garden at the time. Funny enough, Judge Maher, the one in charge of the beer garden decision, handed down his sentence.
In 1940, the cafe was run by Elmer Bolenbaugh and Carl V. Karas. Unfortunately, they lost their right to sell liquor temporarily because they were caught selling on Sundays. This was common in the era. Eventually, the law was changed. In Michigan, there are still laws about when and where you can buy alcohol on Sundays.
By 1943, the bar had become the Deluxe Cafe.
In 1945, 16-year-old Irvin Frost robbed the Deluxe. He was caught and surprised by the bartender, so he jumped through a window in the back of the structure. The police were called, and a crowd gathered outside the bar. Probably thinking nobody saw his face, Frost joined the crowd to see what was happening. Eyewitnesses spotted him, alerting police. The youth ran, eventually getting shot in the back by Detroit Police Officers. He was taken to Receiving Hospital, where he was in serious condition.
In 1950, Stanley Zabkiewicz, 45, and Robert Shore, 55, got into a fight outside the bar. Apparently, the two had a history of not liking one another and were neighbors. Zabkiewicz won, and Shore died from severe head injuries sustained in the fight. His wife said, ‘There had been a bad feeling between the two men.’
In 1952, the Deluxe Bar was charged with selling on Sundays again. They got a 30-day suspension and a $250 fine. After that, I’m unsure what happened to the bar, as it wasn’t mentioned again.
Like many commercial structures with upstairs apartments, this building later became a church. In 1989, The Word of Truth Missionary Baptist Church #2 was incorporated on the state level by Reverend Terry Banks, Mr. Thomas Tate, and Mr James Hopkins. The organization still exists, but I’m not certain if the congregation still meets here. The property is relatively well-maintained
This section of Mt. Elliott is somewhat naked; however, towards 94, there are more active properties as the street becomes residential, with homes overlooking the cemetery and Packard Plant ruins.
