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(248) 352-8243 Southfield he closing of Buddy's Bar- B-Q by Arlyn Meyerson, on Orchard Lake Road in the West Bloomfield Plaza, seemingly brings to an end a fine chapter originally written by Buddy and Mary Meyerson. A dining saga began when the late Buddy Meyerson arrived in Detroit with little money and a lot of ambi- tion. What he lacked in funds, Buddy made up for in determination to establish himself as a successful part of the community. His first venture, in 1921, was a confectionery and soda shop at the corner of Oakland and Holbrook on Detroit's near east side ... Photos of the establishment captured a simpler era when people enjoyed such plea- sures as a stroll to the corner for a dish of ice cream and penny rock candy and licorice sticks for the kids. There were hundreds of these little stores in Detroit, dotting street cor- ners everywhere, serving as neighbor- hood social centers. The success of the candy store enabled Buddy to open a delicatessen at 12th and Taylor in 1927 ... This operation, also successful, gave him the opportunity to realize a dream and open a full-fledged restaurant ... Buddy's Log Cabin Barbecue. Launched in 1933 at the corner of 12th and Clairmount, Buddy's stood for 30 years and became famous for outstanding ribs. During its three decades, Buddy's became known as the House of Blue Lights, and was immortalized when a song by that name became a big hit on the rhythm-and-blues charts dur- ing the 1950s ... The House of Blue Lights was the place where you could get "fryers, broilers, and Detroit bar- becue ribs." Even today, Detroit is noted throughout the country as the city that really knows how to barbecue food ... This reputation was earned largely by secret barbecuing processes and special sauces developed by Buddy and wife, Mary. Their sons, Arlyn, Jerry and A comprehensive government land Aubrey, were born into the restaurant use study showed that a region cen- business ... Each served boyhood tered near the borders of Southfield, apprenticeships delivering orders, Franklin Village, Farmington Hills sweeping floors, washing dishes, wait- and Bloomfield would become the ing tables, and ringing cash registers. center of metropolitan As the Meyerson brothers Detroit in terms of geogra- became young men, they phy and population. decided to open their own The Meyersons decided restaurant ... At the time, they wanted to be a part of Detroit was enjoying the post- this growth ... In 1968, the war boom and expanding into search was again underway the suburbs. for the right location ... Six When a location on the far acres of prime property were northwest border of the city purchased in 1972 at the became available, they were corner of Northwestern ready. D ANNY Highway and Franklin The result was the Scotch cri RA SKIN Sirloin, which marked another Local Columnist Road. Each of the brothers had milestone in the Meyerson his own ideas about what family's long history of food form the new restaurant should take service in Detroit. ... They agreed, however, that they The Scotch opened the day after wanted to create something which Labor Day, 1960, on James Couzens would become a landmark ... a dining facility unique to Michigan, which out-of-towners would be sure to visit when in the area. The brothers wanted their new restaurant to become as closely identi- fied with Detroit as the French Quar- ter was to New Orleans or Anthony's Pier to Boston. Trio at Franklin was designed from the ground up with this basic premise ... to create a dining institution which would build a national reputation for excellence and a character unique to Detroit and Michigan. From there the decision was made to offer three distinct dining facilities ... each with its own personality and cuisine ... and combine them under one roof. And so came the Brown Bear ... offering complete dinners in a warm, intimate and comfortable dining Buddy Meyerson began a food dynasty. room. Buddy's Barbecue ... with all the secret recipes and favorite barbecue (the Lodge Freeway service drive) at delights that the Meyersons had been the corner of Greenfield Road. It was a success from the start, serv- serving for almost four decades ... and ing hundreds of lunch and dinner cus- the Great Oyster ... an upbeat bar and lounge with entertainment and light tomers daily. seafood entrees. From their vantage point at the The Brown Bear was so cozy and Scotch, the .Meyerson brothers were warm that its atmosphere enfolded careful observers of the metropolitan folks like a big, cuddly teddy bear ... area's growth, giving special attention Thick, brown carpeting, bronze mir- to the developments planned for the rors, and felt-covered walls done in a northwest suburbs.