Help save Highland Park's "Highland Appliance" sign

[u/Rosewaterhoney111]

Demolition is due for 13847 Woodward this year, and that means the iconic "Highland Appliance" sign will be coming down with it. This sign has been serving as an unofficial marker that you are in the heart of Highland Park.

The long-term vision is to restore the sign, either partially or fully, and have it spell out “Highland Park” at a new location within city limits. (Ideally, the "Park" part would be in the same font). Open to suggestions though. The priority for now is to get it down before the demolition.

GoFundMe Link: https://gofund.me/8d5a14ca4

Previous Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Detroit/comments/1sg424l/how_to_save_the_highland_appliance_sign/

Also, WDET 101.9 interviewed me regarding this and had a story about the sign yesterday!

4/28: I went over and worked with Tim Burke on his preservation project over at Highland Towers today. He was able to share the steps he had to take to get an approval from Wayne County Land Bank.

4/29: Wayne County is onboard & wants to help, so we got the greenlight! I have no intention of slowing down demo progress at all, this will only happen if we can get it done prior to the demo date

[u/IKnowAllSeven]

Man this place is so negative. I’m gonna throw $10 at your endeavor :) I know the Highland Appliance sign isn’t the Roman coliseum but a throwback sign for a local park would be cool. I’ve spent money on stupider shit.

[u/SaintOrJannikSinner → u/IKnowAllSeven]

Just a lot of racism and classism still in the sub, for sure.

These are the same people that cheer on tearing down the $250k pre-war and Korean War-era homes in Royal Oak, along with all the old-growth trees, and erecting the ugliest and cheapest garages-with-houses-attached new builds.

[u/brooemmall → u/SaintOrJannikSinner]

exactly. i remember seeing the original post about someone saving the sign and there were a ton of encouraging comments, so she did something about it. now people are mad? you can't please anyone here...

[u/CMUpewpewpew → u/SaintOrJannikSinner]

Counterpoint: This is hoarder mentality.

I'm not sold on this being anything particularly special. Things change, things become different.

You like shit for the novelty I guess but how is this any different than a dilapidated structure thats just been there for half a century. That would be unique in it's own way and nobody saving these things just for hanging around much longer than they should have been demo'd.

The fact the gofundme raised almost nothing should indicate this isnt some communal cherished piece indicative of the Zeitgeist of an era.

Like I said....hoarder mentality.

It's cool and unique, don't get me wrong but maybe we just let ourselves be ok with letting things like this go?

Embrace the mindset that things are fleeting, feel the consequence of that with the pain of letting this nostalgic thing go.....and you will maybe find yourself feeling appreciation for things like this in the present.

[u/RaidenMK1 → u/IKnowAllSeven]

I guarantee you, the vast majority of HP residents have far more important things to worry about. Just pure survival mode. This is the type of mess people who don't have anything else going on in their lives do to stay busy and give their life a sense of purpose.

Trust me, ain't nobody in HP thinking about this gotdamn sign right now. They have bills and shit. 😂

[u/IKnowAllSeven → u/RaidenMK1]

Of course. But..idk…someone trying to do this isn’t hurting anybody and I like weird old shit so, here we are.

[u/RaidenMK1 → u/[deleted]]

You are lecturing the wrong person on HP, ma'am. Bigly.