Hamady Brothers supermarkets were a mainstay for Flint residents for many years. At its peak, the chain had 37 locations and 1,300 employees. If you’re from Greater Flint, you probably remember the paper grocery bags that became well-known as “Hamady sacks.” The family business is best remembered for sending truckloads of food to participants of the famous 1937 Sit-Down Strike at GM’s Fisher Body plant, that led to the auto industry’s recognition of the United Auto Workers.
Everyone loves a snow day! Well, not everyone. Kids love it because they get a day away from school. But, most of us have to worry about digging the car out of a snowdrift and driving on treacherous roads to get to work. According to the National Weather Service, the biggest snowstorm to hit Flint occurred on January 26-27, 1967, dumping a total of 22.7 inches in a short amount of time. The storm has been referred to as “one of the all-time worst blizzards in the state of Michigan.” Over the years, Flint has experienced many snowstorms.
It truly is the most wonderful time of the year, especially for kids. They spend hours writing their wish list and letters to Santa; keeping their fingers crossed, hoping they made the “good girls and boys” list, rather than finding a lump of coal in their stocking.
A little piece of Flint history is gone forever. Last March, the original St. Michael’s Catholic School in Downtown Flint was demolished, leaving Catholic Charities to operate in the remaining wing. The building housed the K-12 parochial school for 40 years, and when that closed, became the School of Choice until it closed in 1970. The building was deemed too costly to renovate and needed to be razed. Dick Knight, who graduated from St. Mike’s in 1958, was one of many people who watched as the structure was destroyed, mourning the loss of a place that held many fond memories for him and helped shape him into the person he is today.
There are some people out there who think the Clio Amphitheater is closed – and that simply isn’t true. The slogan of the facility is “to provide quality family entertainment at an affordable price” and that is exactly what they’ve delivered with its popular tribute band concerts on Tuesday evenings during the summer months.
Roller skating brings back a lot of memories for many people – carefree days of youth, hanging out with friends and skating at break-neck speeds, with blaring music pulsating in the background. Rollerworld, Rollhaven, Skateland and the school gym, are just a few of the venues that hold special places in the hearts of Genesee County skating fans. Some Rollerworld fans, Flint Expatriates and My City Magazine readers share a few of their favorite memories.
AC Spark Plug has been referred to as “one of the most iconic auto parts names in history,” and is a big part of Flint’s and General Motors’ past. The manufacturing facility underwent many name changes over the years, originally called Champion Ignition after its founder, Albert Champion. GM purchased it in 1909 and in 1922, it became AC Spark Plug Company. The Flint factories extended from Dort Highway, along Robert T. Longway Boulevard to Center Road, and the operations survived many highs and lows. In its heyday, AC employed as many as 14,000 workers. Last known as Flint Delphi East, the factories produced numerous automotive components such as instrument panels, instrument clusters, spark plugs, filters, air meters and fuel pumps. In 2006, AC Spark Plug closed its doors and in 2013, Flint Delphi East (Plant 43) ceased operations and relocated the bulk of its work to Mexico.
Buick was an important part of Flint’s history – from 1904 until the closure of Buick City’s last operating assembly plant in June of 1999. Many My City readers have fond memories of working for Buick, and some of those readers come from generations of Buick workers. Here are some of their thoughts about it …
How was Christmas celebrated in Downtown Flint back in the day? What was it like around town for citizens many decades ago? In this season for nostalgia, MCM takes a look back at Christmases past.
For many years, racing soap box derby cars was a popular pastime for kids in Flint and all over the country. In Flint, kids raced soap box derby cars from 1936 until 2006 and competed at various tracks around the city, including the Cronin Downs Race Track (named after former Mayor Donald R. Cronin) behind Southwestern High School, and the Cadillac Hill track, which was located near Durant-Tuuri-Mott Elementary School. There was no racing from 1942-45 during World War II. Back in the day, gravity-powered soap box derby cars were considered exciting technology. Girls became eligible to race in 1971.
Turkey Day football, secret passageways, smiles in the hallways from students and teachers every day … these are just a few of the memories shared by former students of Flint Central High School. And one thing is for sure – they love their school and have a whole lot of pride! Originally called Flint High School, Central was one of Flint’s oldest schools with its first building constructed in 1875. The school moved to its current location in 1923, and closed in 2009 due to declining enrollment and high maintenance costs.
This year marks the 40th year of the Health Plus Crim Festival of Races – an event that brings thousands of runners and walkers to hit the bricks on Saginaw Street for Flint’s premier event. And in that sea of runners, you will find the race’s founder and namesake, Bobby Crim, at the starting gate for the 10-mile run.
