LOPO'S CAMERAS AND TRAINS: DO YOU REMEMBER THIS LIONEL DEALER AND ITS LOCATION IN DETROIT?

Super O Bob posted:

I loved bursley and stayed all years of college there...

Burley was wonderful!  I was there for two years.

North Campus was quite different than now.  The only buildings were Bates Housing, Married Housing, Bursley, the Music School, and, North Campus Commons.

Was Engineering, or the Computer School, or both, on North Campus by the time that you attended?  We had to use machine language and punch cards with the Mainframe Computer on Central Campus, and the wait was often incredible to get on the computer.

As I think back its hard to believe that there were no model railroad displays on campus that I recall in any of the dorm common areas or elsewhere, even during the holiday season.  This was true even though virtually every student had been born during the Postwar era.  My "train stuff" had been put away long before, so, maybe we were just "too cool" for that!  I know my last trip to Lopo's or to any model train store would have been many years before.  As is true with many of us, we didn't really return to the hobby until later.  For me, it was when my oldest son turned about 6, although, I knew he really wanted a Super "O" layout when he was 2, so I set up a large loop with some Plasticville buildings for a while, just for him...

Yea i did have some of the last classes in west and east engineering down on central campus.  The Aero Department and almost everything else moved up to north campus by 1984.

My research activities building was dozed to make room for the new Aero Eng building...

Lots of changes there over the years...  i was an Aerospace Engineering major, then moved to St. Louis to design Fighter Jets...  did that until the family arrived then moved home to be near my parents...

As noted above, a trip to Lopo's with a stop at Sander's for a hot fudge sundae made for a fun Saturday jaunt with my dad.  Just like Lopo's had some of those old fashioned all- glass counters for display, Sander's had an old fashioned confectionery counter with the swiveling stools, where we could order a Cherry Coke, a malt, float, or, a hand dipped sundae, with our favorite flavor of Sanders ice cream and topping.  Once in a while we would drop my mom and sister off at Kresge's ( a 5 and 10 cent store that evolved into K-Mart) next door.  After our jaunt to Lopo's, we would rescue the other two, and the four of us would go to Sanders.

Within the past few weeks, the local news has reported that Sanders, a Detroit based company, is being acquired by Kar's Nut Products Co., also a Detroit based company.

A fun evening train party with a local flavor might involve running a few Lionel trains made by our Mt. Clemens neighbors, making a little smoke in the train room, and then having some Sander's Ice Cream with Kar's nuts as a topping.  Maybe even add a little Vernors Ginger Ale to really top it off.

I just remember seeing tall buildings on my way to lopos.  I had never seen buildings like that before.

I dont remember anything inside the store though.

Super O Bob posted:

I just remember seeing tall buildings on my way to lopos.  I had never seen buildings like that before.

I dont remember anything inside the store though.

You might be thinking of Downtown Train & Camera,  That was by downtown Detroit.   I don't recall any tall buildings near Lopo's on Chalmers.

John23 posted:

Super O Bob posted:

I just remember seeing tall buildings on my way to lopos.  I had never seen buildings like that before.

I dont remember anything inside the store though.

You might be thinking of Downtown Train & Camera,  That was by downtown Detroit.   I don't recall any tall buildings near Lopo's on Chalmers.

Bob,

When I lived on the east side, the tallest structure from my home, east of Kelly Rd., and north of Whittier Rd., was 3 stories, if that.  When the Eastland Professional Building was built, circa 1960, [about 2 miles north of my home on Kelly Rd. and roughly, The M & M Rd. Mile (8 Mile Rd.)], it dwarfed anything in the vicinity.

Unfortunately, unless you were traveling, say, from Dearborn, from Downriver, or, from Mt. Clemens, as John 23 says, there weren't any tall buildings near Lopo's.

Would have been travelling from downriver or dearborn...  off southfield...

Maybe it was downtown camera and train.  Anyway, i have a 69 catalog with lupos stamp on it.

  I was thinking about the lowered counter extentions that Saunder's had so smaller kids could sit on the stools and reach a straw. 

  My Dad worked for Karr's making soda when they needed some help on& off since he was a kid. I knew a granddaughter or niece from school too.

  I like Cold Duck better than Vernors .... Canada Dry, aye? Even Faygo's ... but why when there's Redpop .

   I mostly just went to a shop somewhere on Jefferson Downriver for the window display at Christmas. I recall going to Downtown Hudson's only once and a store with wood escalator steps that day...?  The kids and wives didn't go into the city much and after 67 not at all. I think Tiger games with Mark Fidritch marks a turning point in time in my memory, with activity there ebing and flowing, but ultimately growing long term,.

   I didn't really need to shop for trains, they just appeared. Sears at Dix & Southfield hwy near it's beginning & I-75, had hobby grade old stock too. I once found a 520 hiding in the back of a cloth storage drawer next to a trains drawer in 73-74. ( That Sears has earned a profit more consistantly per day open than any other Sears in the counrty. The original architecture of the mall styling and overall enclosed walkway concept; was award winning with many articles world wide in 56-58 but I don't know when it was finished.   And if not then, by the 70s, that intersection busier in a 24hr period than any in the state for decades (Dunkin Donuts research, DOT info). To sit there for a light and not see another car is rare even at 4:00 am on a Holiday.  ( I made the donuts )

Adriatic posted:

  I was thinking about the lowered counter extentions that Saunder's had so smaller kids could sit on the stools and reach a straw. 

  My Dad worked for Karr's making soda when they needed some help on& off since he was a kid. I knew a granddaughter or niece from school too.

  I like Cold Duck better than Vernors .... Canada Dry, aye? Even Faygo's ... but why when there's Redpop .

   I mostly just went to a shop somewhere on Jefferson Downriver for the window display at Christmas. I recall going to Downtown Hudson's only once and a store with wood escalator steps that day...?  The kids and wives didn't go into the city much and after 67 not at all. I think Tiger games with Mark Fidritch marks a turning point in time in my memory, with activity there ebing and flowing, but ultimately growing long term,.

   I didn't really need to shop for trains, they just appeared. Sears at Dix & Southfield hwy near it's beginning & I-75, had hobby grade old stock too. I once found a 520 hiding in the back of a cloth storage drawer next to a trains drawer in 73-74. ( That Sears has earned a profit more consistantly per day open than any other Sears in the counrty. The original architecture of the mall styling and overall enclosed walkway concept; was award winning with many articles world wide in 56-58 but I don't know when it was finished.   And if not then, by the 70s, that intersection busier in a 24hr period than any in the state for decades (Dunkin Donuts research, DOT info). To sit there for a light and not see another car is rare even at 4:00 am on a Holiday.  ( I made the donuts )

My Grandpa lived in Allen Park and we know that Sears...  the farmer jack next door was bulldozed.  Gramp would walk there across 4 lanes of southfield even at 98 years old!

Anyway, shocking on that 520...  i didnt know they had trains!  Would have been there alot!

After 68, never went downtown again after that trip to canera and trains.  I recall one Tiger game in about '68.  We never went back... watched 'the bird' on TV!

I worked at Joes Hobby Shop in the '80s during college summers, but it was on the Detroit/dearborn property line on Wyoming.

Looks like I stumbled into this site 2 1/2 years late.  I was doing a little research and stumbled across Martin Derouins name and he is a great guy.  I had just bought a used Lionel switcher 8977, 0-6-0 and the pickup in the tender went bad so I posted on this forum looking for one. Well I get a reply back from Martin telling me he has spares and he will mail me one.  As it would be I live about 4 miles from Martin so he has me come over the house with the engine and tender and right there on the spot he digs the old one out of the epoxy and puts me in the new one.  We run the engine on his layout and it works great.  Martin is a good man because he charged me only $10. to do the job.  I need to hook up with Martin again to see how he is doing and see what his latest projects are,   I'm a true Eastsider born and raised in the Hoover 7 mile area.  I remember all those shops except Lopo's.  Love Alinosi's ice cream.  Now I'm up in the Mount Clemens area and I was a very good friend of Wild Bill's.  Our wives all belonged to the Macomb County Mothers of Twins Clubs.  My buddy Ken and I got Bill into trains when he saw the layout I was building back in the late 70's.  I miss the guy a lot.  I still visit Whistle Stop on Harper in St. Clair Shores and do a lot of business to this day with Pat at P&D Hobby shop.  He has a great selection of everything I want or need.  If your looking for the best old friendly train shop in Michigan go to Brassuers Trains up in Saginaw.  Bob is a great guy and the repair guys have repaired a few engines for me and the parts department is loaded with old parts.  It's a very friendly place and when you walk up them old steps to the repair shop you will know you are in an old train shop.  I see Bob at least once a year or more.  I am so glad I visited this site.  Thanks for bringing back fond memories guys to this 75 year old fart.  Adding a few pic;s of my layout I've been working on for 40+ years and still hoping I can get something going for a feature article in the O gauge magazine.  Now all I need is the guy who makes and sell those Michigan custom trains so he can change the number on my 1201 Pere marquette to the 1225 I just bought.  Anybody know the guy he was always selling at the train shows around the East side.    And Martin if your still around I'd love to see your latest work with those LED's in the engines and cars.  That might be my  next project.

@Lary posted:

Looks like I stumbled into this site 2 1/2 years late.  I was doing a little research and stumbled across Martin Derouins name and he is a great guy.  I had just bought a used Lionel switcher 8977, 0-6-0 and the pickup in the tender went bad so I posted on this forum looking for one. Well I get a reply back from Martin telling me he has spares and he will mail me one.  As it would be I live about 4 miles from Martin so he has me come over the house with the engine and tender and right there on the spot he digs the old one out of the epoxy and puts me in the new one.  We run the engine on his layout and it works great.  Martin is a good man because he charged me only $10. to do the job.  I need to hook up with Martin again to see how he is doing and see what his latest projects are,   I'm a true Eastsider born and raised in the Hoover 7 mile area.  I remember all those shops except Lopo's.  Love Alinosi's ice cream.  Now I'm up in the Mount Clemens area and I was a very good friend of Wild Bill's.  Our wives all belonged to the Macomb County Mothers of Twins Clubs.  My buddy Ken and I got Bill into trains when he saw the layout I was building back in the late 70's.  I miss the guy a lot.  I still visit Whistle Stop on Harper in St. Clair Shores and do a lot of business to this day with Pat at P&D Hobby shop.  He has a great selection of everything I want or need.  If your looking for the best old friendly train shop in Michigan go to Brassuers Trains up in Saginaw.  Bob is a great guy and the repair guys have repaired a few engines for me and the parts department is loaded with old parts.  It's a very friendly place and when you walk up them old steps to the repair shop you will know you are in an old train shop.  I see Bob at least once a year or more.  I am so glad I visited this site.  Thanks for bringing back fond memories guys to this 75 year old fart.  Adding a few pic;s of my layout I've been working on for 40+ years and still hoping I can get something going for a feature article in the O gauge magazine.  Now all I need is the guy who makes and sell those Michigan custom trains so he can change the number on my 1201 Pere marquette to the 1225 I just bought.  Anybody know the guy he was always selling at the train shows around the East side.    And Martin if your still around I'd love to see your latest work with those LED's in the engines and cars.  That might be my  next project.

I think you are thinking of Mike Packard.  He did several custom locos and cabooses for me.  He is taking a break for a while and isn't doing much right now.

@Lary posted:

I need to hook up with Martin again to see how he is doing and see what his latest projects are...

...and do a lot of business to this day with Pat at P&D Hobby shop.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Marty died in early 2019.

And Pat died earlier this month.

It's a lot more fun when guys like these are around.

TRW

@PaperTRW posted:

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Marty died in early 2019.

And Pat died earlier this month.

It's a lot more fun when guys like these are around.

TRW

Oh no!  Bad news indeed! 

What a thing to wake up to this morning while checking mail.  Marty gone and Pat from P&D Hobby.  I will stop there this morning and get more info.  I was just in there Friday the 11th and never asked about Pat when I did  not see him there.  This is devastating.  This was the best hobby shop close to my house and Pat got a lot of my business.  Gonna miss the guy.

Thanks for the info I really appreciate it.

So now I guess I still need a painter to change the numbers on my Pere Marquette from 1201 to the real 1225, ANY IDEAS LOCALLY.  I don't want to send the engine out by postal afraid it might get lost.

While searching for another topic I came across this thread. I grew up in Wyandotte in the Downriver area.  I remember a lot of the places mentioned earlier in the thread.  However, I recall a store that sold Lionel trains in Detroit on W. Jefferson somewhere near Zug Island. It was right at a bend in the road and was a triangle shaped building. I recall going there with my father and brother and I’m pretty sure that’s where dad purchased my first train set. My memory is going back at least 60 years so I could be totally off track. (Pun intended)  Anyone else recall this store?

John

Hi John,

Sorry that no one, so far, has been able to help you identify the hobby shop near Zug Island.  That obviously would have been very close to Great Lakes Steel corporation which operated on Zug Island for many years.  I wonder if anyone from Glancy Trains might have a lead.  The Detroit Historical Society might also have some information.  

It's so nice that you have some memories of the location of the store!

CA John,

Your hobby shop sounds like it was in the Delray area. I personally don't recall a hobby shop in the area but there was "Fox hardware and appliance". Also there was a Kresge five and dime and Zolkower's department store. Plus many small family owned specialty stores.

Steve

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies.  It's very possible that it was a hardware or other type of store that also sold trains.  I'm going to ask my brother who still live in the Downriver area if he has any memories of buying trains there.

My parents lived in Delray and I recall going to St. John's for special occasions like weddings and funerals.  The church is gone now.  My mom used to tell stories about the "bootleggers" who lived next door and even a drive by shooting while she sat on the porch with her mother.  That was a rough neighborhood!

John

John and Steve,

Having been born on the far northeast side of Detroit, I never really made it "Downriver" to visit any train stores or hardware stores in that area.  The closest that I ever came as a child would have been the famous downtown Hudson's Department Store.  Hudson's had a spectacular model train department in the late 50's and 60's, and it was a major treat to be taken there. The likely original elevators -- with elevator operators at all times --was a treat itself.  But, watch your fingers and hands!

I'm sure there were a number of model railroad enthusiasts  in the Downriver area because of the numerous rail lines nearby.  Also, many very lengthy freight trains would likely not be far away.  I did have occasion to go to Great Lakes Steel Corporation, on Zug Island in the late 1990's.  Great Lakes Steel had it's own internal railroad connecting to outside mainlines.  Interestingly, even at that time GLS was operating what I believe was a GM EMD SW1 switcher locomotive by remote control -- often ferrying hot metal cars that were so hot you could feel the heat from what felt like a football field away!

I'll bet many hobbyists in your area found many of the Lionel Postwar offerings, including the EMD switcher to be quite appealing and realistic for a young hobbyist at that time.

For me, I would estimate Lopo's Cameras and trains was about a 15 minute drive from our home with my dad.  Also for us, there were no railroad tracks in that entire distance, or in the surrounding area -- although there were plenty of streetcar tracks on many main roads!  Still, almost all of my grade school friends had a model railroad of varying sizes -- often one or two simple loops.  Lopo's and Hudson's Department Store were the likely sources for the trains and accessories.

So, I talked to my brother yesterday to see if he could recall any information about the store that sold Lionel trains in South Detroit.  Our memories lined up pretty well.  He said the store was on Fort St. not W. Jefferson but it was just south of the bridge over the Rouge River.  And not too far from Zug Island.  He found a Google Map image of the area and though the building is not triangle shaped the lot it sits on is shaped that way.  He believes that the business was called Merchandise Mart.  I didn't remember that but I vaguely recall that name being mentioned as a kid growing up. 

He and I had a fun trip down memory lane!

John