A Towering
Courtesy of the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library
At one time, the J.L. Hudson Department Store was the largest in the United States. Construction began in 1891 and would undergo 12 expansions, ultimately reaching a height of 25 stories and covering an entire city block.
Courtesy of the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library
The massive flagship store anchored the bustling Lower Woodward corridor and was a destination location for both domestic and international shopping enthusiasts. Despite its impressive history and outsized presence in Detroit, the J.L. Hudson Department Store closed its doors in 1983 and was eventually demolished in 1998. In 2017, Bedrock broke ground and has ensured that the history of the site is echoed in the new Hudson’s Detroit.
Today, those echoes are being brought to life through Bedrock’s Reflection Series, a collection of personal stories from Detroiters whose lives were impacted by the original Hudson’s. These intimate video portraits capture cherished memories—holiday traditions, family outings, first jobs and unforgettable moments woven into the fabric of the building itself. Together, they reveal just how profoundly Hudson’s influenced the city’s identity and the people who called it theirs.
Reflections
By preserving these voices and inviting new ones to emerge, Bedrock's Reflection Series bridges past and present, reminding us that Hudson’s was never just a building. It was a place where wonder lived, where community formed and where countless experiences became part of Detroit’s collective memory.
Now that Hudson’s Detroit stands as a reimagined landmark on Woodward Avenue, those stories fuel the momentum that drives its future.
