For over a century, the J.L. Hudson's Department Store on Woodward Avenue was more than just a store--it was a Detroit icon and a world-class cultural treasure. At 25 stories, it 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 departments offering fashionable clothing and home furnishings, 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 Hillmeras exquisite images, as well as those from other collections, authors Michael Hauser and Marianne Weldon have captured the glory years of Detroitas famous retail entity. Michael Hauser is marketing manager for the Detroit Opera House and was guest curator for the aRemembering Downtown Hudsonasa exhibit at the Detroit Historical Museum. Marianne Weldon is an objects conservator working for the Detroit Historical Museums as their collections coordinator.
Michael A. Hauser, PhD, LPC, NCC, is currently working for the federal government in central Texas as a clinical coordinator and marriage and family therapist. His primary work is with veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As the clinical coordinator, he ensures quality clinical services and provides training to various community agencies in order to educate and advocate for veterans with PTSD. Prior to this position, he was a lecturer at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) in the leadership doctoral program and the counseling master's program. Dr. Hauser is retired from a career in the U.S. Army after serving in training and leadership positions for 23 years. After 6 years in the corporate world in Michigan he moved to Georgia and began his counseling education. He has worked in an inpatient hospital environment and a partial hospitalization program supporting seniors and the physically impaired. Prior to his current position he worked in a private practice in northeastern Georgia, serving adolescents and adults suffering from a variety of mental health issues, as well as conducting marriage and family counseling. He has published various works, and served as an editor for "Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation".
Dr. Hauser's research interests include PTSD and its effects on the individual, couples, and families, as well as therapeutic outcome efficacy. His dissertation was entitled "The Role of Optimism and Working Alliance and Its Utility in Predicting Therapeutic Outcomes in Counseling Relationships."
