Detroit's famed Soup Kitchen Saloon closed in 1999, the victim of a controversial casino riverfront plan. Thought to have been the oldest bar in the city, the Soup Kitchen had been home to a roster of legendary names in music, both local and national, since its rebirth as Detroit's Home of the Blues in 1974.
A bar had been in operation at the corner of Franklin and Orleans at least since the 1850s, and the cozily dark dining room and bar area of the Soup Kitchen dated back to 1883. It was a friendly tavern for sailors debarked from ships that plied the once-busy Detroit River, and was popular with workers from the small industrial workshops in the area. Brian McDonald bought the rundown place in 1974, determined to make it the city's top blues venue. He was also a visionary, for Detroit was in rather dismal shape at the time, and many places were going under. But McDonald's idea clicked, and the Soup Kitchen began to draw an integrated crowd at a time when many suburbanites feared to venture into the city.
The Soup Kitchen hosted nationally renowned acts like John Lee Hooker and Mose Allison, and its Tuesday-night open-jam sessions were legendary among the local music elite. Despite the bar's success, it was not without its share of nearby trouble, including a notorious 1979 slaying of a Grosse Pointe promoter linked to drug-dealing. Still, the Soup Kitchen helped make what became known as the Warehouse District a thriving entertainment hub by the early 1990s, with several bars and restaurants doing excellent and trouble-free business.
That era ended in 1998, when Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer strong-armed local business owners like McDonald into shuttering their flourishing establishments to make way for a riverfront casino scheme that ultimately went nowhere. McDonald supported the idea, believing that any influx would serve the city's ultimate good, and auctioned off the Soup Kitchen's historic bar that served so many for so long.
Abandoned, and after several fires, the Soup Kitchen Saloon was demolished in 2006.
A bar had been in operation at the corner of Franklin and Orleans at least since the 1850s, and the cozily dark dining room and bar area of the Soup Kitchen dated back to 1883. It was a friendly tavern for sailors debarked from ships that plied the once-busy Detroit River, and was popular with workers from the small industrial workshops in the area. Brian McDonald bought the rundown place in 1974, determined to make it the city's top blues venue. He was also a visionary, for Detroit was in rather dismal shape at the time, and many places were going under. But McDonald's idea clicked, and the Soup Kitchen began to draw an integrated crowd at a time when many suburbanites feared to venture into the city.
The Soup Kitchen hosted nationally renowned acts like John Lee Hooker and Mose Allison, and its Tuesday-night open-jam sessions were legendary among the local music elite. Despite the bar's success, it was not without its share of nearby trouble, including a notorious 1979 slaying of a Grosse Pointe promoter linked to drug-dealing. Still, the Soup Kitchen helped make what became known as the Warehouse District a thriving entertainment hub by the early 1990s, with several bars and restaurants doing excellent and trouble-free business.
That era ended in 1998, when Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer strong-armed local business owners like McDonald into shuttering their flourishing establishments to make way for a riverfront casino scheme that ultimately went nowhere. McDonald supported the idea, believing that any influx would serve the city's ultimate good, and auctioned off the Soup Kitchen's historic bar that served so many for so long.
Abandoned, and after several fires, the Soup Kitchen Saloon was demolished in 2006.
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Scents of History™, Detroit Scenic Scents™, D-Lights™, Motor City D-Lights™, Great Lakes Scents™,
Motor City Incense™, Motoromas™, Motoroma Air Bags™, Motor City Oils™ and Motor Votives™
are trademarks of Motor City Candleworks.
All rights reserved.
© 2011 Motor City Candleworks
Motor City Candleworks, based in the historic Russell Industrial Center in Detroit, Michigan, makes candles and incense with local flavor.
Shipping charges are just $5 for orders under $35 that ship within the USA. Orders of $35 or more are shipped free in the USA.
If you want us to ship your order outside the US, please email us first for an estimate of your shipping cost.
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.
Do you work with a non-profit organization?
Our candles make great personlized gifts that you can give to your donors. Need to raise some money first? We also can tailor a fundraising program for your organization. Email us for more information.
Promote Michigan to your customers with our products
Our products work great as promotional tools for your business. We can customize candles with your logo, create incense with your artwork, or make our Motoroma Air Bags with your logo on the package. Email us for more information.
To reach us, you can always send us an email, or call (313) 254-4799.
Shipping charges are just $5 for orders under $35 that ship within the USA. Orders of $35 or more are shipped free in the USA.
If you want us to ship your order outside the US, please email us first for an estimate of your shipping cost.
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.
Do you work with a non-profit organization?
Our candles make great personlized gifts that you can give to your donors. Need to raise some money first? We also can tailor a fundraising program for your organization. Email us for more information.
Promote Michigan to your customers with our products
Our products work great as promotional tools for your business. We can customize candles with your logo, create incense with your artwork, or make our Motoroma Air Bags with your logo on the package. Email us for more information.
To reach us, you can always send us an email, or call (313) 254-4799.
OUR GOOFY FRAGRANCE NAMES
Alpena Verbena
Ann Arbor Berry Bash
Au Sable Bable Gum
Battle Creek Currant
Bay City Bayberry
Belleville
Strawberry Creamville
Buttercream Blissfield
Cheboygan
Cinnamon Rolls
Cliopatra
Dearborn
Dreamzsicle
Detroit Dragon Blood
Downriver Rat Musk
East Lansing
Leather Lush
Ferndale Frangipani
Flat Rock Fizz
Flint Stoned
Frankenmuth
Frankincense
Garden City Gardenia
Grand Rapids
Grandma's Kitchen
Grande Ballroom
Purple Haze
Great Lakes Lavender
Greenville Green Tea
Grosse Pointe
Olde Moneye
Hazel Park
Hazelnut Java
Holly Go Lightly
Honeysuckle Baked
Hamtown
Houghton Hash
Interlochen Rochen'
Irish Hills Irish Cream
Jackson Jasmine
Kalamazoo Cucumber
Lansing Love Spell
Lime Ada
Mackinack Lilac
Marquette Mist
Menominee
Magnolia Tree
MI Factory Worker
Michigan Road
Patch Ooli
Motor City Musk
Newago Nag
Newberry Blueberry
Oh Meo Mio
Paw Paw Pear Pear
Pellston Piner
Peppermint Perry
Petoskey Stoner
Punch Cocktail
Plum Street
Nag Champa
Pontiac Peace Pipe
Rose City Rosie
Rothbury Razzbury
Royal Oak Royale
Saginaw Smoke
Sandusky Sandalwood
Saugatuck Sands
Traverse City
Cheri Baby
Vanilla Paradise
Yooper Dooper
Voodoo
Ypsi Ylang Ylang
Alpena Verbena
Ann Arbor Berry Bash
Au Sable Bable Gum
Battle Creek Currant
Bay City Bayberry
Belleville
Strawberry Creamville
Buttercream Blissfield
Cheboygan
Cinnamon Rolls
Cliopatra
Dearborn
Dreamzsicle
Detroit Dragon Blood
Downriver Rat Musk
East Lansing
Leather Lush
Ferndale Frangipani
Flat Rock Fizz
Flint Stoned
Frankenmuth
Frankincense
Garden City Gardenia
Grand Rapids
Grandma's Kitchen
Grande Ballroom
Purple Haze
Great Lakes Lavender
Greenville Green Tea
Grosse Pointe
Olde Moneye
Hazel Park
Hazelnut Java
Holly Go Lightly
Honeysuckle Baked
Hamtown
Houghton Hash
Interlochen Rochen'
Irish Hills Irish Cream
Jackson Jasmine
Kalamazoo Cucumber
Lansing Love Spell
Lime Ada
Mackinack Lilac
Marquette Mist
Menominee
Magnolia Tree
MI Factory Worker
Michigan Road
Patch Ooli
Motor City Musk
Newago Nag
Newberry Blueberry
Oh Meo Mio
Paw Paw Pear Pear
Pellston Piner
Peppermint Perry
Petoskey Stoner
Punch Cocktail
Plum Street
Nag Champa
Pontiac Peace Pipe
Rose City Rosie
Rothbury Razzbury
Royal Oak Royale
Saginaw Smoke
Sandusky Sandalwood
Saugatuck Sands
Traverse City
Cheri Baby
Vanilla Paradise
Yooper Dooper
Voodoo
Ypsi Ylang Ylang
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Many short stories about some of the best known people, places and things that make the Motor City great.
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Incense
Aromatic Oils
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Air Fresheners
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Personal Air Bags
FAQs
Retail Locations
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All Fragrance
Descriptions
About Us
Contact Us
Detroit History
Many short stories about some of the best known people, places and things that make the Motor City great.
_________
MOTOR CITY CANDLEWORKS MAKES SCENTS BY HAND IN MICHIGAN
All Motor City Candleworks products are made in an old auto factory in Detroit. Everything we make, we make by hand. Our candles are hand-poured, our incense is hand-dipped, our Motoromas are packaged by hand, and our Motor Oils are bottled by hand.
All of our fragrances are named for people and places througout Michigan. Where's your favorite part of our beautiful water winter wonderland? Whether you're partial to the thumb, or you call yourself a yooper, it's likely we've got a fragrance for you!
Scroll down to see our products and click on the links for more information. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for supporting a Michigan-based business!
All Motor City Candleworks products are made in an old auto factory in Detroit. Everything we make, we make by hand. Our candles are hand-poured, our incense is hand-dipped, our Motoromas are packaged by hand, and our Motor Oils are bottled by hand.
All of our fragrances are named for people and places througout Michigan. Where's your favorite part of our beautiful water winter wonderland? Whether you're partial to the thumb, or you call yourself a yooper, it's likely we've got a fragrance for you!
Scroll down to see our products and click on the links for more information. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for supporting a Michigan-based business!
_________
Votive Variety - $11.99
12 premium 2 ounce, 16 hour votive candles randomly selected from our current inventory. You will get at least 10 different fragrances,
and no more than two of any one fragrance.
Buy Votive Variety @ $11.99
Votive Variety is 12 randomly selected votives from our inventory. You won't know which 12 you're getting, but we don't think you'll mind. Because, what you can count on is 12-long-lasting, premium, hand-poured votives made in our studio in Detroit. You may get some of our trademark candles named for people and places around Michigan. Or you may get some candle fragrances you wont find anywhere else on our website. Sometimes, we make these just to experiment with new fragrances, and sometimes we make them for a specific event. In any case, you can be assured that they are all great scents made with the same attention to quality as are all of our candles.
12 premium 2 ounce, 16 hour votive candles randomly selected from our current inventory. You will get at least 10 different fragrances,
and no more than two of any one fragrance.
Buy Votive Variety @ $11.99
Votive Variety is 12 randomly selected votives from our inventory. You won't know which 12 you're getting, but we don't think you'll mind. Because, what you can count on is 12-long-lasting, premium, hand-poured votives made in our studio in Detroit. You may get some of our trademark candles named for people and places around Michigan. Or you may get some candle fragrances you wont find anywhere else on our website. Sometimes, we make these just to experiment with new fragrances, and sometimes we make them for a specific event. In any case, you can be assured that they are all great scents made with the same attention to quality as are all of our candles.
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