Sunday, December 12, 2010

Retro: Kimmer

Retro: Kimmer

Link to Retro: Kimmer

J L HUDSON'S 12TH FLOOR: CHRISTMAS IN DETROIT

Posted: 12 Dec 2010 07:53 PM PST


Light Display on Hudson's building

If you were a kid in Michigan during the 1960s you knew the coolest place to go Christmas shopping with your Mom was Downtown Hudson's. It was the most magnificent store to see with all the fabulous decorations and lights. I only got to travel to Detroit one time at Christmas. It was around 1962 I think. Though I am not sure of the year, I remember the elevator door opening and then walking into all the wonderland around me. It is a memory that I share with countless others...



Hudson's Department Store was the centerpiece of the downtown shopping district. As such, it's Christmas displays are the most remembered.


Timeless Images Santa at Hudson's

In fact, Hudson's Department Store served as the temporary, holiday-season residence of Santa after he made the trip to the 12th floor Toyland of the store from the sleigh in the J.L. Hudson's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Many Detroiters also remember a nine-story-high, Christmas-Tree-of-Lights Display on the outside of the building.


Santa Line 1968

Detroit News Story
In 1961, the 25 story JL Hudson's building was the world's tallest department store. It had five basements, 51 passenger elevators, 17 freight elevators, 51 display windows, 706 fitting rooms, 2 million square feet, and 5,000 drafty windows. And the customers loved it. YEAH!!



In 1960 the nine-story Christmas tree of lights went up the side ot the building. It was 125 feet tall with 72,000 starburst lights that invited shoppers to join the Christmas spirit inside.



For most Detroiters who grew up in that era, the 'real' Santa was at Hudson's. The store's Christmas decorations sparkled and delighted everyone. The outside windows featured animated displays from fairy tales to outer space.


12th Floor Reindeer

In honor of the dawn of the space age in the 1960s, Santa's helpers put on space suits. The 12th floor fantasy area entertained the long lines of excited children and their parents, who received photo keepsakes of their tots on Santa's lap. Little did they know that there were several Santas working together to keep the lines moving.



Perfection was never good enough at Hudson's. The Christmas decorations were new each year. Out of sight from the customers, the old decorations were smashed at the end of each season. It was cheaper to destroy them than to store them. CRAZY!!!


Timeless Images

While the Thanksgiving parade still exists, it is now known as America's Thanksgiving Parade and operated by a non-profit organization, the Parade Company, made up of Detroit businesses. From 1924 to 1983, however, Detroit's beloved J.L. Hudson's was directly responsible for the Thanksgiving celebration and the beginning of the holiday season. Thank you JL and family!


JL Hudson's Implosion 1983

Now unfortunately the implosion of the mammoth JL Hudson's building is what is most remembered. I guess the reason is because it was so dramatic that more people want to watch the destruction. This video really shows the implosion from every angle.



Just a couple of fun things I found online that I really want to buy...


Cool Hudson's 2011 Calender


Buy this cool Detrit Snow Globe!

Read More On RK
Christmas and The Ford Rotunda
Charlie Brown Christmas Premiere

Resources:
The Detroit News
Timeless Images Michigan
Michigan Pics
Department Store Museum
Viewliner Ltd
Automotive Mile Posts

[New post] Here come the Cosmic Avengers

Here come the Cosmic Avengers

The success of Dan Abnet and Andy Lanning's various collaborations for Marvel over the past few years have led many to loudly request a 'Cosmic Avengers' series. With both Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova currently in limbo, readers have been forced to settle for the Thanos Imperative mini-series for their DNA fix. After the 6th and final issue hits the stands, what next?

Here come the Annihilators:

Marvel Unleashes The ANNIHILATORS!

The Silver Surfer! Beta-Ray Bill! Gladiator! Quasar! Ronan the Accuser! The greatest heroes of the cosmos join forces this March in the oversized Annihilators #1 (of 4)! Marvel's space action masters Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, along with Eisner Award winning artist Tan Eng Huat unveil the only team mighty enough to face the Dire Wraiths! With galactic civilization in disarray after The Thanos Imperative, the Annihilators must band together to prevent the sinister shape-shifting horde from destroying the universe itself. Innocent worlds teeter on the precipice of destruction…so it's time for the best of the best to unite and unleash righteous justice!

"The Annihilators is the cosmic dream team…the biggest hitters forming the most powerful super-team in the known Universe!" said DnA. "Prepare to feel the Cosmos shake!"

Every issue of Annihilators features two full-length stories—that's over 40 pages of all new content from your favorite Cosmic creators! In the second story, join DnA and artist Timothy Green II as they launch Rocket Raccoon and Groot on an adventure that'll change their lives forever. In commemoration of this can't-miss story, this issue also features a variant cover from legendary creator Mike Mignola!

Editor Bill Rosemann added "Take the assembled majesty of Marvel's most powerful heroes, add on the cult-fave duo of Rocket Raccoon and Groot, pile on a ridiculous amount of writing and artistic talent, and top it all off with cool covers by Alex Garner and the one and only Mike Mignola. That, True Believers, is a recipe for face-melting, brain-frying, pedal-to-the-metal, that's-why-I-read-comics awesomeness."

This March you can't miss Annihilators #1 (of 4)!

ANNIHILATORS #1 (of 4)
Written by DAN ABNETT & ANDY LANNING
Pencils by TANG ENG HUAT & TIMOTHY GREEN II
Cover by ALEX GARNER
Variant Cover by MIKE MIGNOLA
Rated T+…$4.99
ON SALE IN MARCH!

The series may seem high priced but considering that it will consist of two comics (The Annihilators and Rocket Raccoon and Groot), it's a more than fair price. DNA have been delivering the goods with characters like Nova, the Silver Surfer, Ronan, Super Skrull, the Inhumans, Star Lord and many more for so long it's hard to imagine anyone else doing it better.

Tang Eng Huat- Punisher artArtist Tang Eng Huat may sound familiar from his work on Silver Surfer: In Thy Name and the Punisher with Rick Remender (image below). After looking at his previous works, its obvious that he is the ideal man for this gig.

Timothy Green - Star Lord artI have been enjoying the artwork of Timothy Green II since his work on Fraction for DC Comics and of course his stellar delineations on Star Lord with DNA. His style is perfect for the Groot and Rocket Raccoon story as it combines humor and science fiction in much the same way that Moebius does.

Make sure to reserve a copy today of this series. Drop another book, go into default with student loans, eat beans and rice, but the higher price point is worth it in this case.

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