#Parking detroit opera house full

By 1978, they agreed to construct a smaller store of 320,000 sq ft (30,000 m 2) as part of a proposed downtown shopping center. Store officials even considered closing the store as early as 1971, citing $9,000,000 in pilferage, but decided to remain for fear of the potential backlash of city officials and customers. Though customers flocked to the suburban locations, the downtown store still accounted for half of Hudson's business in 1961, but demographic changes continued to erode sales. Dayton–Hudson eventually acquired and sold several other department store chains. Hudson Co.' continued to operate as a semiautonomous entity. in 1969 to form the Dayton–Hudson Corporation, the predecessor to Target Corporation, but 'The J.L. Similar suburban malls followed (Eastland Center in 1957 and Westland Center in 1965) as well as other locations throughout the tri-state region. Hudson's expanded into suburban Detroit, starting with the anchor store at Northland Center in nearby Southfield, Michigan, the largest shopping center in the United States when it opened, in 1954. It had an independent staff of buyers, carried its own line of merchandise, and was considered the greatest competition to the big store.

#Parking detroit opera house full

Hudson's Budget Store occupied two full basement levels of the downtown store as well as several branches. In 1959, the store began sponsorship of the annual fireworks display that was part of the International Freedom Festival. The flag was displayed annually until it was replaced, in 1949, by a larger flag. In 1923, it unveiled the world's largest flag, which covered 3,700 sq ft (340 m 2) of the Woodward facade of the building. In 1924, two years prior to rival Macy's, it staged its first Thanksgiving Parade, which continues today. In addition to cultivating loyalty through sales policies, Hudson's was involved in the community. Store executives felt that to be a small price to pay for customer loyalty. In 1952, Hudson's total sales were $175 million but issued refunds totaling $25 million. Hudson's was known for customer satisfaction and its liberal return policy that would include even merchandise that customers had purchased years earlier but never used. Over time, the store grew from its beginnings in the Detroit Opera House to a 25-story building with 2,124,316 sq ft (197,355.4 m 2) and occupying an entire city block.

Hudson, Jr., became president of the company. The third generation of the family assumed control in 1961, when Joseph L. Hudson operated the store until his death in 1912, when his four nephews (James, Joseph, Oscar, and Richard Webber) assumed control. The Hudson Motor Car Company eventually became part of the American Motors Corporation and later Chrysler. Hudson invested in a start-up automobile manufacturer which was named the Hudson Motor Car Company in his honor.

Founded in 1881 by Joseph Lowthian Hudson, the store thrived during the record growth of Detroit and the auto industry in the first half of the 20th century.