BUSINESS

Looking Back In Time

A Pi ctoral View
of Old Detroit

JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER

I

n the olden days," the Jewish businesses were re-
membered as small neighborhood stores where
shop owners and customers knew each other by
name and going to the corner store was consid-
ered a social outing.
The history of Jews and Jewish businesses in De-
troit dates back to the mid-1800s. At that time, im-
migrants came to Detroit and did what they could to
earn a living. Many around the turn of the century
obtained $5 from Hebrew Free Loan to start a busi-
ness. Some began as peddlers and later opened small
stores.
As their businesses prospered, they could afford to
send their children to college and they watched them
become more educated professionals.
`This first generation of immigrants demonstrat-
ed incredible initiative and hard work to really build
a business from the ground up. Some of their stores
eventually became major businesses," said Judy Can-
tor, editor of Michigan Jewish History.
Decades later, beginning in the 1920s, Jews opened
small shops in clusters, especially on Hastings Street,
a center of the Jewish community.
Jewish-owned businesses included: grocery stores,
drug stores, soda shops, shoe stores and other small
endeavors.

Above: Margolis Kosher Meats at 12th and Pingree,
with Isaac, Archie and Morris Margolis.

Left: General Linen Supply Co.
In Detroit

Below: At the Detroit Service
Group outing in 1961.