Cunningham Drug Stores at Grandland

By John Berry

One of my first experiences in buying marbles and trading cards (my Star Wars cards were purchased from this store) came at Cunningham's Drug Store at Grandland between Grand River and Fenkell.  I had two uncles that would take me there (along with my mom and an aunt) would treat me regularly to toys, pop and more at the store. We would often pick up a prescription, my trading cards and then go to Sanders for a treat. 

Cunningham's mid-to-late 1970s

Cunningham's seemed to have everything you would want available; especially for a kid.  It was located close to Sanders and Sibley's Shoe Store.  I believe that Cunningham's also had a 24-hour prescription pick up, or maybe something close to 24 hours.  It was ahead of it's times and advertised itself as 21 stores in one shop.

Cunningham Drug Store was a chain in more than one location, but was based in Detroit, Michigan. The chain had been founded in October 1889 by Andrew Cunningham and was once the largest drugstore chain in the state. In 1982, Cunningham Drug Stores were rebranded as Apex Drug and then later sold to Perry Drugs. I don't recall when the Cunningham Drug Store at Grandland closed, but I assume that it was probably also around 1982.

Today, the old Cunningham's location is still (I believe) occupied by a Dollar General.  A more recent photo of this same location is shown below:

Same area in 2016

Next to Dollar General is a shoe store and another store called Dots.