Garden City

Did you know Garden City Michigan boasts the first Kmart? It opened its doors in 1962. Garden City a western suburb of Detroit is more than just a retail history lesson. This city patterned after England’s 19th-century garden city movement initially offered one-acre plots. The idea was to provide enough land for families to grow their own fruits and vegetables. Today those plots are much smaller. Garden City still retains some larger lots though. These are located between older streets where newer roads haven’t been built. Think Bock Street and John Hauk Street for example. Donnelly Avenue doesn’t run through that area. Garden City became a village in 1927 with Arnold Folker as its first president. Six years later it incorporated as a city. Beyond Kmart Garden City also claims the first Little Caesars Pizza. That opened in 1959. It’s still there. The first Michigan dine-in McDonald’s also calls Garden City home. Even Henry Ford and Clara Bryant’s honeymoon cottage found its way here in 1952. It had been in Dearborn before. The Folker Building Garden City’s first city hall is now filled with shops. A new city hall sits on Middlebelt Road. Garden City has a fascinating history woven into its residential fabric. It’s a city where the past and the present coexist peacefully. A unique blend of history retail and community spirit defines Garden City. So next time you think Garden City simply think again.