Gone without a goodbye — Detroit’s culinary history is often humble stuff, maybe not as posh as other cities. It goes with our town’s meat-and-potatoes, working-class identity that, instead of canapés, we have coneys. Well, one of those disappearing pieces of heritage are the last vestiges of the old White Tower chain that dotted Detroit in the 1930s and 1940s. Before fast food, they were the little greasy spoons serving sliders and fries, in tiny buildings clad in white enamel steel. Only a few survive, and we’re sad to say that, last week, we lost one of them, right on the main drag in Hamtramck: Campau Tower. The all-night diner was owned by the Bakic family, which runs the bakery next door. They decided they just didn’t want to run the little hamburger shop anymore. With Revolver down the street and Rock City Eatery up the block, could this historic joint find new life? Taco Tower, perhaps? We hope so, but in the meantime, so long, Campau Tower. We never got to say goodbye.
Taking the Hill — Speaking of eating on Campau, the old Chinese restaurant on the corner of Joseph Campau and Caniff is for sale. The former Golden Hill at 10345 Joseph Campau was last seen listed on Trulia for $79,900, noting that the “full basement needs work.” Any takers?
