Hudson's: Detroit's Legendary Department Store

For over a century, the J.L. Hudson's Department Store was more than just a store - it was a Detroit icon and a world-class cultural treasure.

At 25 stories, Hudson's was the world's tallest department store, and was at one time home to the most exceptional offerings in shopping, dining, services, and entertainment. The store prided itself on stocking everything from grand pianos to spools of thread. In addition to regular department store fare, the original Hudson's store featured an auditorium, a circulating library, dining rooms, barber shops, a photo studio, holiday exhibits, a magnificent place called Toytown, and the world's largest American flag. As a legendary symbol of urban and entrepreneurial American history, the J.L. Hudson's Department Store earned a permanent place in Detroit's collective memory. Although "the big store" no longer graces Woodward Avenue, its legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of generations, and in the remarkable photographs that preserve its reign.

Utilizing many of Davis Hillmer's exquisite images, as well as those from other collections, authors Michael Hauser and Marianne Weldon have captured the glory years of Detroit's famous retail entity. Michael Hauser is marketing manager for the Detroit Opera House and was guest curator for the "Remembering Downtown Hudson's" exhibit at the Detroit Historical Museum. Marianne Weldon is an objects conservator working for the Detroit Historical Museums as their collections coordinator.