The Macomb Twp Dopp Bros Building

Linda’ Monday Morning Mornings for July 1, 2024

Today I have to write about something that is close to my heart, another building, farm, school, church, your name it, that is being demolished for progress? The Macomb Twp Dopp Bros Building is to be demolished because it doesn’t meet the “qualifications of a historic building”.

The Macomb County Road Commission determines which buildings have to be demolished in order to expand the road (Romeo Plank and 22 Mile Road). From the Macomb Township Historical Commission; “we were asked to give our “input” (key word) about the buildings in the area”. “We did indeed try to save the Dopp Brothers building. Everything we suggested was turned down by the Road Commission. Their answer was that even though the area is a historical district, each building has to have “significant” historical reasons to be preserved. We were told that none of the buildings in the area qualified”.

After the general store, that was owned by Peters and Kruth, burned down, Robert Dopp bought the land and in 1908 began construction on a new store. By 1909 the store was taking shape and could envision what it would be like when finished. The cap stone today still reads 1909. The Dopp store when finished included groceries, clothing on the main floor and also an area to sell furniture. Ford automobile sales would take up the second floor. Later the furniture store was out and a dance floor came in. The “Heidelberg Eight” band came from Germany, and played “good” German dance music, much to the satisfaction of all who would attended. Robert Dopp would sell his interest in the property and move on to Canada. Charles Stade bought out his interest and soon time came for the dance hall to depart, as it became more lucrative for Mr. Stade to remodel the second floor into apartments and found plenty of tenants from Selfridge Air base needing places to live. Charles Stade’s son Leon bought the grocery store business from Charles Colparet which included a soda fountain. The clothing department and tavern had now vacated the building so another remodeling would begin. To add apartments where the Stade sons would live for a time. In later times, the basement was partly remodeled into a meeting place, and as years moved on, several businesses would function from this building. This is but a very small taste of what has been apart of the building since 1909, much more will be remembered in the hearts of many. Last view circa 1980’s. (Courtesy of the Shelley Stier Henshaw Collection) (Courtesy of the Macomb Twp Historical Commission).

Yes, this building is most likely in the way, and heaven forbid, the powers that be, find away to put a round-a-bout in with out destruction of this building, but an “insignificant history”, have any of these great minds ever picked up a book and read what history is all about? I dare them! What will you do, when you have wiped it all away?

On that ‘upset wee note’ till next month, Monday August 5, 2024.

---

Thank you for visiting and reading today. Please if you haven’t already, enter your email address in the subscription form below to receive my blog by email on the first Monday of each month. Thank you.