Kresge Korner

Woodward Avenue Cultural Heritage Tour

Kresge Korner

 

Sebastian S. Kresge established the S.S. Kresge Company on Woodward Avenue in 1899.  Ten years later he moved his store to the corner of Woodward and State and named the spot Kresge Korner.  At that time, this was considered the northern edge of downtown. 

 

S.S.Kresge Store No. 1 was a five and dime store that sold everything from greeting cards to sewing supplies, to parakeets. The lunch counter became a popular destination for downtown workers. 

 

By the 1920s, the S.S. Kresge Company had become so successful that there were three Kresge Stores operating on Woodward Avenue within three blocks of each other. By 1965 there were more than 900 stores nationally. 

 

In 1977, the S.S. Kresge Company changed its name to the Kmart Corporation. 

 

Submitted by

Bryan Arnold

@nanowhiskers