THE FOUNDRY · HISTORY LOVES COMPANY
Hudson’s: A Detroit Tradition
Sometimes a department store survives in a family’s smallest keepsakes.
DETROIT & PONTIAC
A trip downtown
The Detroit Historical Society preserves a Hudson’s hatbox with a receipt dated October 23, 1977, and an earlier green shopping bag bearing the J.L. Hudson name. Those ordinary objects open a larger story about shopping, work, celebrations, and a trip downtown.
The historic department store
This section focuses on the historic Hudson’s department store in Detroit and the people who passed through its doors. Think about the box that held a special gift, the department where someone worked, or the purchase saved for an important occasion.
Every keepsake needs context
Vintage objects and contemporary gifts can sit beside this history, provided their descriptions make clear what is original and what was made later. Bring the approximate year and store location to any Hudson’s memory.
Continue the story
Historical sources
Every home has a story. Let’s discover yours.