For generations, Hudson’s (also known as the “Big Store” and “J.L. Hudson’s”) was the premier retailer in downtown Detroit, and one of the most important department stores in the country. The massive flagship store anchored the bustling Woodward Avenue shopping corridor, and at 25 stories was the tallest department store in the world.

Hudson’s broke ground in 1891, ultimately undergoing 12 expansions, with final additions in 1946 extending the store over an entire city block. Detroit and Hudson’s reached their zenith in the 1950’s and 1960’s – in fact, in 1954, Hudson’s had sales of more than $163 million which is equal to more than $1.4 billion today. However, Hudson’s began to see a decline in business by the middle 1970’s. Hudson’s closed its doors in 1983, and the building was imploded in 1998, leaving a large vacant space in the heart of this great American city.