April 2, 1881

 J. L. Hudson opened a store in downtown Detroit.

Hudson’s first store was housed in the Detroit Opera House. By the 1930s, Hudson’s was the third largest department store in the country, carrying more than a half-million items displayed over forty-nine acres of sales space in its mammoth 25-story building.

Thank you Michigan Start Pages for this glimpse into our past.  See more here.