Hudson’s was a name at the center of Detroit life for decades. And their flagship store on Woodward loomed over downtown until it was demolished in 1998.

I remember that day because I worked it for a local TV station. Street after street was covered in dust, and it was a quick, final end to the second largest and tallest department store in the country.

According to HistoricDetroit.org, it was a behemoth. We talked about the height. But the three electric transformers inside could supply enough power for a city of 20,000 people. It had a world record 705 fitting rooms. 200 different departments.

And with a name as locally known as Sanders, Faygo, Vernors or any of the Big Three, Hudson's had the most important thing: the hearts of Detroiters.

This week came some interesting news. Somehow, some way, an ornate elevator from this long-gone structure has popped up on the radar.

And it didn’t just show up, dirty and dusty in a corner of a storage unit. But half a million dollars and a quarter century later, it arrived in all of its grandeur.

Today, we’ll share that story by the man who made it happen, Alex Begin.

More on Hudson's on Historic Detroit: https://historicdetroit.org/buildings/hudsons-department-store

Photos of the elevator: http://www.dailydetroit.com

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