I remember Cregar's Pickwick House at 19335 Grand River Avenue. It was my favorite restaurant in Rosedale Park. It was also the the closest restaurant to me. My uncle's law office (Law Office of Victor Hanson) was located across the street and I essentially grew up in the office when I was younger. My uncle would always walk across the street and bring me a Swankie Frankie (think Bacon) or Club Sandwich and a Malted. The food was always great and Mr. Cregar (Harold Cregar) was a very nice man to me. It has been very hard to find photos of the restaurant, but I have some photos and hope to find more as I have more time to research or when people send them to me. If anyone has photos of Cregars, I would love to post them, so please send or post them.
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| Cregar's Pickwick House - 1950s |
Cregars was owned by Harold T. Cregar, a man from Newark, New Jersey. He began as a buyer of coffee, candy and other goods for the Al Bamberger and Co. in Newark and for soft drinks for the J.L. Hudson company in Detroit. Mr. Cregar saved his money and moved to Detroit in 1948, buying the S & C Cafeteria on Grand River and Outer Drive, naming it Cregar's Pickwick House. Cregar's Pickwick House, over the years, would be host to numerous meetings, conferences and weddings. Mr. Cregar eventually would eventually expand the restaurant to house 600 people by building additional rooms.
The following are photos in the interior of Cregars.
FBI Investigation
I was in the restaurant the day that the FBI bugged the restaurant. I was 10 at the time, but I remember a lot of craziness about tape recorders being under the tables, on September 3, 1981. The FBI bugged Cregars, for some reason. Cregars often had Detroit politicians at the restaurant and it is believed that the FBI was attempting to bug not the politicians, but rather other individuals. At one of the tables that day were former Congressman Bill Brodhead and Councilman Jack Kelley, who were not involved in the investigation but spoke a lot about it in the press.
Auction
Often, you will see items from Cregar's Pickwick House for sale on the Internet. It is like due to the auction that took place on August 19, 1986.
Closing of Cregars
I remember hearing that Mr. Cregar had a stroke from my uncle. Then I heard from my uncle in 1984 that Cregars was going to close in the mid-1980s. One day it was gone. In its place a medical clinic was built and I believe still is there today. If you have any photos of the restaurant, please post them.
Good stuff. Good memories! Thanks for posting this information!
ReplyDeleteHi - I am the author of the novel Death and Mr Pickwick, published by Random House in 2015, which tells the story behind the creation of Charles Dickens's first novel, The Pickwick Papers. I feature all kinds of Pickwickiana on the novel's facebook page, and chance googling led me to this post of yours, which I enjoyed reading. Anyway, I have posted the link to this page today. Here it is: https://www.facebook.com/deathandmrpickwick/posts/1332189356914913 Best wishes Stephen Jarvis
ReplyDeleteNice summary!
ReplyDeleteI have an original photo of the Pickwick house as this is the restaurant that my family owned back then. It was great reading some of this information as I wasn’t born yet and never got to see the Pickwick house in person but rather have only heard stories about it from my family. Thank you for this brief article. I enjoyed reading this!
ReplyDeleteHow interesting that your family owned the restaurant! Do you have any stories you could share? Or photos? Memorabilia? As I said in my comment above, I am the author of Death and Mr Pickwick, and I am very interested in recording all manifestations of the Pickwick phenomenon on my novel's facebook page.
ReplyDeleteNice story. One of my first jobs as a kid was dishwasher and then busboy at Cregars in the early-mid 1970's. It was always pretty busy and had a cool downstairs buffet with a carving station. It was one of the only fancy restaraunts as I recall around Rosedale Park. And it was kitty corner on outer drive from the dairy queen - a not so fancy place, but great memories of slushies and ice cream after St Scholastica Little League baseball games.
ReplyDeleteI used to work there as a waitress when I was 18.
ReplyDeleteThat was my grandfathers brothers restaurant. I remember going to visit them at the restaurant as a child. Was able to find an old ash tray on eBay that I had to buy. Would love to see more pictures.
ReplyDeleteMy wedding reception was in the upstairs banquet room, February 22, 1969. I still have a part of a gray brick from when it was torn down. My Uncle Jim gave it to me years ago and he can't remember the year. I wish I had a picture of it but I don't. I do have some photos of the winding stairway going down.
ReplyDeleteI worked there for two years as bus boy, dishwasher, stock room manager, caterer, etc. I did it all and saw it all. Mr. Roberts was my boss and John Vitta, old man Cregar's son-in-law ran daily opps. I would photos and memorabilia.
ReplyDeleteWe may have worked there at the same time.
DeleteThat was also my grandfathers (Charles) brothers restaurant. We visited uncle Harold in the mid 60's.
ReplyDeleteI worked there on and off from 1967 through 1979. Leaving as the Assistant Catering Manager. I reported to Bill Roberts. Many great memories.
ReplyDeleteWe ate at every Easter when I was a child. My grandmother would rent a private room for us. Great memories!
ReplyDeleteI remember their "swanky frankies" and their chocolate malts which were delish!
ReplyDeleteI just googled this...My older sister got her first job 1963 as a waitress...I was 14 years old ..was the first time..I ever ate in a Restaurant...had mashed potatoes.. beef and gravy...I am 72 ..I tell my grandkids this.and can't believe
ReplyDeletethat the first time I ate in a public restaurant I was in my teens...Great memories...