Sanders Candy, Stroh's, Minoru Yamasaki, Asbury Park Film

This Week on One Detroit:

Getting the Scoop On the History of Sanders Chocolate & Ice Cream Shoppe

You might know Sanders Chocolate & Ice Cream Shoppe, now known as Sanders Candy, for its famous bumpy cake, or maybe for bringing the tradition of “Sweetest Day” to Detroit, but did you know the iconic Detroit candy brand started more than a century ago? Confectioner Fred Sanders Schmidt opened up his family candy store in 1875, after moving from Chicago following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and his candy store became a household name in Detroit by the 1960s.

From Detroit Public TV’s “Detroit Remember When: Made in the Motor City” documentary, One Detroit Senior Producer Bill Kubota and host Erik Smith learn about the history of Sanders Chocolate & Ice Cream Shoppe from Brian and Karen Jefferson, of Sanders Candy, as well as several Sanders fans including John Rapson, the late Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, WOMC Radio’s Steve Kostan, Charlie Langton from Fox 2/WWJ Radio and others.

The Rise and Fall of Stroh’s, Detroit’s First Fire-Brewed Beer

For Michigan beer lovers everywhere, the name Stroh’s likely rings a bell, but do you know the true history of how the famous fire-brewed began? How about the story of Stroh’s surviving prohibition by pivoting and making other products than beer?

From Detroit Public TV’s “Detroit Remember When: Made in the Motor City” documentary, One Detroit Senior Producer Bill Kubota and host Erik Smith talk with John Stroh III, from the Stroh Companies, Dave Rockwell of The Ramchargers and several other Stroh’s fans for a look back at the rise and fall of the iconic brewery that John Stroh’s great grandfather Bernhard Stroh started on Gratiot Avenue more than a century ago. Plus, the duo explores some of Stroh’s stiffest competitors during their peak and how the Great Brewery Strike of 1958 hurt Detroit brewers so badly, some could never recover.

Pioneering Global Architect Minoru Yamasaki Brought Beauty to Detroit’s Buildings

As part of Detroit Public Television’s documentary “Detroit Designs the World,” we transport back to 1950’s Detroit when architect Minoru Yamasaki (1912 – 1986) began to make his mark on the Detroit skyline. Yamasaki, most known for designing the World Trade Center, was a leader in mid-century modernism that equally evoked design elements from across the globe. His designs can be seen across Detroit, from his 1927 design of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit Branch, to the McGregor Memorial Conference Center at Wayne State University and the One Woodward skyscraper — his first skyscraper.

Former Detroit Free Press business writer and author John Gallagher, Jeanette Pierce of the City Institute, and Dr. Dale Gyure, professor and department chair of architecture and design at Lawrence Tech University and the author of “Minoru Yamasaki: Humanist Architecture for a Modern World,” explore Yamasaki’s designs across Detroit, examine the beauty and diverse influences of his designs, and reflect on the legacy he left in the Motor City.

Detroit Filmmaker’s ‘Asbury Park’ Tells the Story of Inner City Struggles

Asbury Park is more than just a street on Detroit’s west side. It’s also the title of a new movie created by Detroit-based filmmaker Ken “Legend” Williams, who grew up on the inner-city street himself. Williams drew inspiration for his film “Asbury Park” from the real struggles he faced as a child in Detroit, and wanted to show the struggles today’s inner-city children live with through their perspective.

American Black Journal host and One Detroit contributor Stephen Henderson sat down with Williams to discuss the prevalent issues today’s inner-city children face — police brutality, mental health, etc. — and how Williams believes parents should address these issues with their children. For those living outside of the environments, Williams’ film depicts, he hopes his films make them curious enough to understand and help create change.