by Rebecca BinnoPhotography by Rebecca Binno
Down in the basement of the Fisher Building was once the fabulous Fisher Cafeteria. The Cafeteria was designed when the Fisher Building was constructed in 1928. The moderne interior created an atmosphere of contemporary stylishness, and was a fashionable dining room that equaled the shops and theater in the upper floors of the building. The Fisher Cafeteria closed to the public in the mid 1980's.
The tiles in the cafeteria were produced by the Flint Faience and Tile Company, a local pottery that was in existence from 1921-1933. Flint Faience tiles were all made by hand and glazed to order (See photo of a recessed panel). The company executed tiles for auto showrooms in the General Motors Building, in John D. Rockefeller's swimming pool at his New York estate, in the Custom House in Puerto Rico, and countless apartment building lobbies in the Detroit area. The tiles they produced were intensely colorful and created an almost circus-like drama.
In January 1999 the DAADS was able to take 13 members to see this historic portion of the Fisher Building as it is being demolished. The area had been used for storage for many years, and recently had one wall sledge-hammered, and the tiled counter demolished in order to create rentable storage space for the tenants of the first floor.
The Detroit Area Art Deco Society wrote a letter in opposition to the demolition of the cafeteria space to Trizec Hahn, the property manager of the Fisher Building. The Fisher Building Manager told the Preservation Committee Chair, Rebecca Binno, that the Cafeteria was not marketable space, and the current tenants had a need for additional storage areas. Unfortunately, rather than preserve the space intact for a future tenant, Trizec Hahn decided that portions should be demolished. Future generations will be denied seeing the wonderful tile work in a historic cafeteria space that should have been treated as graciously and appreciated as the rest of "Detroit's largest art object," the Fisher Building.
