If you are already following my social media, you know that I am creating a book titled, Historic Signs of Detroit: Over 100 Signs and Stories from Detroit's Commercial Past. I wanted to write this photo story to share the story behind the book, and how the book idea came to be. I do not consider myself a historian by any means, but this book is waking up a love of research as I find signs, and the stories behind the signs, documenting Detroit's past.
For years, I have been thinking about putting together a photo book of Detroit. I went back and forth on what niche area to focus on. I knew several books had already been published on abandoned Detroit, so I didn't want to go that direction. Honestly, I wasn't even recently considering a book until the idea came to me earlier this year. It all began with a ghost sign seen from my drone as I was capturing video of the People Mover from Grand Circus Park.
While capturing the video, I was following the People Mover along it's track to the Grand Circus station at the corner of Woodward Ave and Park Ave. After I completed the clip and getting ready to fly the drone back, something on the control screen caught my eye. What is that? It looked like words at the top of the building, but couldn't make them out. I had to fly closer to read the words. I even used my telephoto zoom to get a good, close look. What did the sign say? The Fisher Arcade.
I couldn't believe it. I have been up and down this stretch of Woodward Ave many times over the years. I never knew this sign was there! How did this sign elude me for so long? My next thought was...if this sign was there all this time without me knowing it, what other signs still exist that I don't know about? As it turns out, dozens, all around the city!
After I took the photo, I noticed another ghost sign a few buildings down. It appeared to read, "Seder", with the word "and" above it. There is another word above the "and", but it is obscured. You can bet there is a story behind the history of both these ghost signs (which will be in the book)! That evening, I start to go through my old Detroit images. I'm talking images I haven't looked at in over a decade.
??? and Seder, Woodward Ave.
The Fisher Arcade, Woodward Ave.
This is one photo I found as I was sifting through old images. The back of what is the Rayl building at 1400 Woodward Ave has a ghost sign -- Meyer Jewelers (this sign will be in my book!). It even has a "sister sign" closer to the ground, at the entrance of what is now Parker's Alley. It was a great find, even though, again, I looked right at this scene in 2009 and didn't see it! Or, maybe I did, but forgot about it over time. That is the way of things, especially when you photograph a city the size of Detroit over a span of many years.
These were two of the most important ways I discovered old signs of Detroit. I also didn't realize how many sign photos I already had from many years ago, ones I forgot about. These discoveries led me down the path of starting a book about historic signs in Detroit.
As I spent more and more time locating signs in Detroit, I chuckled at how many signs just "showed up" during my adventures. Some days, it didn't even feel like I was trying. Which goes to show, as in my case, signs will start to reveal themselves when you are searching. I almost felt like they were calling to me, asking to be seen. To share their stories. And that is exactly what I am doing. I changed the subtitle of my book to include "stories", because many interesting stories are coming to light through this research.
Meyer Jewelers Ghost Sign, Detroit Skyline, 2009 (never before revealed)
Thank you for reading the origin story of my upcoming book! I am so excited to be bringing this to you, to see not only images hiding in my hard drive from many moons ago, but new images taken with my drone, from never-before-seen perspectives.
If you haven't already, please visit www.signsofdetroit.com, or click the button below to read more about my book project, and to sign up for Kickstarter updates once it goes live in Fall 2026. When you sign up for updates, you will receive a free ghost sign ebook titled, "Ten Ghost Signs You Can See Today in Downtown Detroit."
More soon!
