Read The History Of AllusedFurniture...
You just might Enjoy our background and past memories, Thank You!
Also Visit the
SOLD ITEMS GALLERYS
and see some of the kool things that we collected and sold over the years...
Way back in or about 1978,(Furniture Dave your host and proprietor) relocated to the Southwest Side of Detroit, Michigan to fulfill his new role as Product Design Engineer at Ford Motor Company, Body Engineering, at the Dearborn Research and Engineering Center, just off Old Michigan Ave...
Little did he know that the old house that he had rented to live in, was to become the original location for Allusedfurniture of today...
Built around the turn of the century, around 1910 or so, it was a two family flat, and the upper family was divided into two separate units, front and rear... while the lower family remained as it was originally meant, to house one family. The owner, an old southern woman, Elsie lived in the lower flat and Furniture Dave rented the front upper flat... the rear upper was rented by an old Spanish Lady, Mona who was a Cook at a local resturant... on West Vernor in Mexican Town...
It was located at 4924 Central, Detroit, Mi. just one building off the northeast corner of Michigan Ave and Central, right between the corner store (now a Mattress Outlet) and the General George S. Patton Local Post building (which is still there as of this writing, but has been converted to a Church)... it had a small two car garage set back a bit just next to the house...
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The view from the house, from the top porch was awesome... especially on a hot sunny day... it faced South and West and the view showing the large Bank parking lot across the corner, along with the flow of traffic down Michigan Ave really gave a person a sence of joy and freedom and surrealism... it was like "You were on top of the world" watching it race by... in July the metal floor of the top porch was so HOT you could actually fry an egg on it!
As Dave worked in Engineering everyday he began Collecting odds-n-ends and old furniture that he saw along the street sides, and soon this Hobby developed into a great love of trying to Save things from being thrown into a landfill somewhere on garbage day... things that he thought were worth Saving as well as things he actually could Use himself... and over the next 30+ years he succeeded in this Dream to such an extent and with such determination and discipline that finally today he holds the self-proclaimed reign as "The King Junkman Of Detroit"!
Soon things began to "pile up" and he knew that to continue this past-time which had gotten "into his blood", he would need to "let go" of lots of things and so, justifiably, selling them, as cheaply as possible, considering his time and effort and expenses (gas, vehicle maintenance, labor etc.) became the thing to do... so he CREATED ALLUSEDFURNITURE as it were and the rest is history!
About 1989 after Elsie passed, a new Landlord basically forced Dave out, because he (the Landlord) had no sympathy for Junkers and actually wanted to "control" the whole corner of Michigan Ave and Central... so Dave had to move the Allusedfurniture location elsewhere...and Eastpointe Mich became the new location... 22101 Gratiot the Balmoral Apartments, Apartment 205, on the second floor Blgd A near the front area ... it was a "park-like" setting, with lots of trees, plenty of land space out front and it had a great View of Gratiot Ave and The Imperial Motel from the porch!
Dave had left FoMoCo and continued his basic work as a Painting Contractor specializing in residential homes all around the Detroit Metro and Suburban Area... but he still maintained his Hobby of Junking and soon the New Allusedfurniture location emerged right out of the small apartment that he rented! Things again began to "pile up" and the porch became the new "Showroom" while the Balmoral Manager and Owner, a lady named Helena strongly objected threating to oust him unless he quit the thing that he loved so much! Dave would quietly "subside" while the threats continued until they melted away and then he would ramp up the action to full steam once again... this continued off and on for about 7 years... finally Helena evicted him... so once again he sought out a new location for Allusedfurniture...
Dave really needed a lot more room now, since his talent for finding things was growing steadily as the years passed and as he began to focus more directly on hardwood antique furniture as well as furniture that he sensed was going to "move" more quickly based on the economy at the time... Please Reference His Art Of Junking
AT LAST... finally in 1996 he found his true calling... the REAL Allusedfurniture location... he purchased it and moved in... beginning to "customize" it to suit the demands of visitors coming and going who inquired about his findings... [here are pictures of it shortly after he first got going with it]:
And TODAY... hopefully as many of you loyal "fans" might attest, and after a whole lot of customizing both outside and inside, which includes among many other renovations: A Front Tower (Turret)... 2 newly added Interior Stairways... Air conditioning... French Glass Doors Throughtout... Custom Hand Leaded Glass Windows... Garage Roof Dormer... a Rear Ground Bulkhead Entrance Door... an Expanded Garage with an Air Conditioned Shop and Storage Area... plus a Customized Patio Shed Outdoor Storage Area... Front Enclosed PORCH with Diamond Windows and a French Glass Front Door, Upper Side, and Rear PORCHES... along with a Rear Door, Added Windows and Extra Basement Rooms... Total 2nd Floor Remodeling with a Cathedral Ceiling... a Loft Room and a Private Entrance... just to mention a few things... the Allusedfurniture location is AWESOME! A Junkman's CUSTOM Paradise to say the least, If you haven't Visited yet, please do... Hopefully real soon! It's at 21410 Sherwood Ave, Warren Mi 48091 on the corner at Prospect Street, just 6 blocks North of 8-Mile Rd... right at the Edge of Town...
"If you follow your Dream... it surely will come true..." Very Truly Yours, Furniture Dave
BELOW are recent pics showing the latest endeavor (circa 12/2019)... which was enlarging the Garage and removing part of the adjoining fence... creating a new Workshop Area in the Garage...
