Hudson's
Not to be confused with Hudson's Bay Company (Canada)
Hudson's (or The J.L. Hudson Company) was a chain of Department store|department stores based in Detroit, Michigan. Their flagship store at 1206 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, was the tallest department store in the world in 1961, and was, at one time, claimed to be the second-largest department store in the US by square footage. The flagship was demolished on October 24, 1998.
History[edit | edit source]
Beginnings[edit | edit source]
The company was founded in 1881, by Joseph Lowthian Hudson, who operated the store until his death in 1912, when his nephews James, Joseph, Richard, and Oscar Webber took control. In 1923, it unveiled the "world's largest flag", which covered 3,700 sq ft of the facade of the Woodward Avenue flagship store, and in 1924, J.L Hudson sponsored a Thanksgiving parade in downtown. The world's largest flag, previously displayed annually, was replaced with an even larger flag in 1949. In 1959, the company began sponsoring a fireworks display as part of the International Freedom Festival. Detroit Joseph L. Hudson Jr. became president of the company in 1961.
Locations[edit | edit source]
Address | City | State | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Briarwood Mall | Ann Arbor | Michigan | Opened July 25, 1974 |
Lakeview Square Mall | Battle Creek | Michigan | Closed 2017 as Macy's |
15255 Michigan Avenue | Dearborn | Michigan | Budget Store; closed 1976; sold to Kmart, then to Farmer Jack, then to Kroger |
14225 West Warren Avenue | Dearborn | Michigan | Warehouse Store; bought from People's Outfitting Company |
Fairlane Town Center | Dearborn | Michigan | Opened 1976 |
1206 Woodward Avenue | Detroit | Michigan | Flagship; closed 1983; sold 1989; demolished 1998 |
Genesee Valley Center | Flint | Michigan | Opened November 1970 |
Birchwood Mall | Fort Gratiot | Michigan | Opened 1997; closed 2018 as Macy's |
Glenbrook Square | Fort Wayne | Indiana | Closed 2005 as Marshall Field's; sold to Carson's, then to Round 1 |
Woodland Mall | Grand Rapids | Michigan | Opened July 1975 |
Rivertown Crossings | Grandville | Michigan | Opened 1999 |
Eastland Center | Harper Woods | Michigan | Opened August 29, 1957; closed 2017 as Macy's |
Lansing Mall | Lansing | Michigan | Closed 2017 as Macy's |
3660 Fort Street | Lincoln Park | Michigan | Budget Store; bought from People's Outfitting Company; closed 1970; sold to Farmer Jack, now vacant |
29101 John R. Road | Madison Heights | Michigan | Budget Store; closed 1968; sold to E.J. Korvette, then to Kmart, then to BJ's Wholesale Club |
University Park Mall | Mishawaka | Indiana | Closed 2006 as Marshall Field's; demolished 2007 |
Twelve Oaks Mall | Novi | Michigan | Opened 1977 |
Meridian Mall | Okemos | Michigan | |
The Crossroads | Portage | Michigan | |
Fashion Square Mall | Saginaw | Michigan | Opened 1976 |
Northland Center | Southfield | Michigan | Opened March 22, 1954; became flagship 1983; closed 2015 as Macy's |
Lakeside Mall | Sterling Heights | Michigan | Opened as full-line store 1978; converted into women's store 1999 |
Lakeside Mall | Sterling Heights | Michigan | Men's and home store; opened 1999 in former Crowley's |
Southland Center | Taylor | Michigan | Opened July 20, 1970 |
Franklin Park Mall | Toledo | Ohio | Opened May 1971 |
Grand Traverse Mall | Traverse City | Michigan | |
Oakland Mall | Troy | Michigan | Opened 1968 |
Somerset Collection | Troy | Michigan | Opened 1996 |
Summit Place Mall | Waterford | Michigan | Opened as Budget Store 1962; expanded into full-line store July 25, 1967; closed 2010 as Macy's; demolished 2019 |
Westland Center | Westland | Michigan | Opened 1965; closed 2017 as Macy's |