2000's Timewarp: ABC Warehouse, Southgate, Michigan

This post will look at retail in Southgate, Wayne County, MI.
ABC Warehouse #???
18605 Eureka Road, Southgate, MI
Driving distance and time from downtown Detroit: 16.9 miles, approx. 24 minutes
I mentioned in yesterday's post that I'd write something today to make up for that post, and this is the make-up post. At least you'll have something to read as long as you are forced to stay home.

For readers unfamiliar with ABC Warehouse: it is a regional appliance, furniture and electronic chain founded in Center Line in 1963 that today has nearly 50 locations throughout Michigan and parts of Indiana and Ohio. The western end of Southgate is home to one of these stores. ABC Warehouse is the last of what was, at one time, Detroit's "Big Three" appliance/electronic store chains, with Highland and Fretter each shutting down their chains in 1993 and 1996 respectively.

It is unknown how long ABC Warehouse has operated in Southgate, but they've been operating since the 1980's, originally in a smaller strip mall creatively named ABC Warehouse Plaza, with parts of the building backing up right next to Eureka Road. This strip mall was demolished and rebuilt in the same location in 2001, and still kept the ABC Warehouse Plaza name, and thus this current store began it's business.

As we head inside, you'd be wondering if they have remodeled to keep up with the times. You'll be surprised.
Our few interior photos of this store come from the back of the sales floor. The rearmost corners of the store feature a pair of small alcoves. This one, located in the back right corner of the store, houses auto supplies. The entrance is marked with (unfortunately) non-working "Car Audio" neon.

Audio equipment is in the back left corner alcove, and is similarly marked with non-working "Home Audio" neon. Also visible is a glimpse of some sort of throwback...

And now, the main reason you came to read this post: yes, this is the same decor package that this store has had since it reopened in 2001. This blue band runs across the entire perimeter wall of the store and displays various products that ABC Warehouse sold back in 2001. Noticeable right away on the band are VCRs and tapes, which shows how dated this decor has become.

As we move towards the front, here's some more of the "product train." Pagers are definitely another artifact of the early 2000's world, and arguably, to an extent, CD players.

Matt Burb signing off as we conclude this short post, until next time....
Location: 18605 Eureka Rd, Southgate, MI 48195, USA

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