9591 Grand River Avenue
DeLuxe Drapery Shoppe, Re-New Sweeper Co., A. A. Furnace & Boiler, Shelving, Inc., Sholom Barber & Beauty
The address for this structure includes 9591 and 9593 Grand River Avenue.
No, I didn’t document this structure because it has some insane history. I photographed it because of the ghost sign revealed after the structure up Grand River was demolished, but I found some unique history that I thought was worth sharing.
Constructed in the early 1920s, this building was home to the DeLuxe Drapery Shoppe by 1924. DeLuxe sold draperies, window covers, and window shades made to order. The company had done the draperies at the new Buckingham Apartments, an apartment hotel at Grand Boulevard and Third, and the drapery business would be at this location until at least 1932.
As mentioned, I documented this structure due to the ghost sign on the uptown side of the building. It features an advert for the Henderson Tire Company, which had operations on Bagley and Second Streets in 1923 and, by 1928, opened one at Gratiot and Seminole. The sign was revealed after the adjacent structure was demolished in November 2023. I believe that structure was built around 1924, so this sign was likely less than a year or two old when it was covered, making it around a century old in 2024. The paint is still in fine shape because it wasn’t exposed to the elements (and sun) nearly as much as it would have been with no structure next to it.
The Henderson Tire Company went bankrupt in 1932, and their stock was liquidated on Wednesday, April 13, 1932, at 10 AM. The auction started at its location at 1040 West Grand Boulevard, moved on to 11742 Grand River, then to 5918 Second Avenue, and finished at 8300 Gratiot. Though Henderson Tire Company had no ties to this structure directly, this is likely one of the few remnants of the company left in Detroit.
Ghost signs are popular among photographers; however, this one catches the eye for different reasons. It depicts two men in blackface, a practice of reinforcing untrue stereotypes to promote racial division that became commonplace starting in the mid-1800s in theatrical performances across the United States. As America grew and times changed, white actors began to hit the silver screen in blackface and adverts like this one were routinely seen by both national and local brands.
The figure on the left is holding a razor blade and standing on ‘SLASHED PRICES,’ their counterpart on the right has a wrench, is waving, and is standing on “SNAPPY SERVICE.”
This ghost sign is so striking because some people like to think that we’re incredibly far removed from this era of America’s history; however, upon further inspection, it’s right below the surface if you peel back the bricks...er, draperies.
After the DeLuxe Drapery Shoppe closed, it may have become a restaurant, as there was an advert in the Detroit Free Press listing a restaurant for sale with a beer license here in 1935. By 1936, the store was home to the Re-New Sweeper Co., a vacuum store that sold new and used products and completed service. A 1943 advert said that their cleaners were $12 and up, which equates to roughly $220 in 2024. Their vacuums were guaranteed for at least a year.
By 1944, the Re-New Sweeper Co. had run into a mess it couldn’t clean up. In December, Harry R. Helman, the owner, and Joseph Katzman, a salesman, faced federal charges of violating ceiling prices on vacuum cleaners. According to the article in the Detroit Free Press, Assistant U.S. Attorney “Norris said the men would sell a sweeper that was beyond repair to a customer, then repossess the wreck, allowing a credit less than the customer paid on the purchase of a new machine at actual ceiling prices.” The duo would plead nolo contendre, or no contest, landing Hellman with a $5,000 fine and a 6-month suspended sentence and Katzman a $300 fine and a 3-month suspended sentence. Essentially, they got a fine and probation.
Even considering the owner’s criminal record, Re-New Sweeper Co. continued to operate business here until at least 1950.
By 1956, the structure was home to A. A. Furnace & Boiler, who would move out in 1958. By 1967, it was utilized by Shelving, Inc. That year, the Detroit Free Press did a piece on the company, which was six years old. Essentially, they sold, installed, and engineered shelving materials. The last mention I’ve found of this business here came in August 1968. After that, I’m unsure what happened here for a few decades.
At some point, I’d guess in the last 30 years, a new facade was added to the structure. In 2009, Sholom Barber & Beauty was incorporated by John Langston. I don’t think the business is open anymore, but I remember cycling past during the pandemic and seeing cars here, so it was open within the past few years.
Someone might be planning to erect a fence around the vacant lot created after the structure next door was demolished, as there are posts on either side. It’s currently listed under the ownership of the structure up Grand River, so they may have plans for the lot.
Regardless, I’m curious whether this ghost sign will be preserved. On one hand, it’s an incredibly well-preserved piece of Detroit and American history; on the other, it’s a window into our not-so-distant Jim Crow Era past, one that many white Americans would prefer to pretend occurred a lot longer ago than it actually did. I’m not nearly versed enough in this history to say whether or not it should be saved; however, I’m glad to have been able to photograph it.
