Comments on: Dort Mall; Flint, Michigan

By: JR Harrison

JR Harrison — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:04:46 +0000

@TenPoundHammer (Bobby),

Lum’s, better known as Jimmy Lum’s, was on Dort somewhere near Lipponcott I believe – close to Contos.

By: TenPoundHammer (Bobby)

TenPoundHammer (Bobby) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:20:50 +0000

Hmm. Where was the Lum’s? I know where the Bonanza was, it was still open into the late 80s.

By: Dave Rodgers

Dave Rodgers — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:18:16 +0000

@Mike Carr,
I recently acquired a large item reported to be from this collection of Mr. Perani’s in Flint, Mich. I am trying to find out more about the items origin and when it may have been acquired for this collection. If you have any suggestions, or can guide me to a source of information, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanking you in advance.
Dave Rodgers

By: Disco Donna

Disco Donna — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:25:18 +0000

I used to live across the street and remember the Small Mall well. I would love to be able to go down there and revisit “The Light” so Saturday Night Fever with the light up dance floor, wonder if the dance floor is still there? I remember Mr. David’s hair place and knew some people that went to school there. There used to be a ladies nighty place (Raquels) near the south end where there was like a hallway towards the back with stores.I had forgotten about Circus Time. I remember Perry’s there for a long time, I kind of worked across the street at Drugs and Things down from Big Johns and old Hamady’s warehouse, across the street Franks Beauty and barber. What about Lum’s restaurant and Bonaza down form Slenderform, Frank’s Nursery and the Cinema. Rock a rolla records, think the 11th Frame? is still there.

By: E. Willson

E. Willson — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 03:55:12 +0000

I saw the Superman 3 in this theater. So it was still showing films in 1983. Sears Surplus store was open and so was Perry Drugs. At the north end, where Big Lots is now, there was a “Chuck E. Cheese type” kids pizza place called, I think “Circus Time”. Mr. Perani had the sign with clown on it re-installed a few years ago. There was also a cosmetology school in the basement known as Mr. David’s. I like to stop in to Star Brothers Coney when I’m nearby, it’s like a timecapsule. It’s very retro and the diner food is great! My friend worked for Perani and told me that the theater is now filled with shelves of hockey equipment waiting to be sold. Perani’s (the mall owners) is one of the country’s largest catalog hockey supply stores, so they must be doing some upkeep. And one last thing, the stairs that led to “The Light” are now covered by a large aquarium by the front door. I was told that the bar was intact when they stuffed it with hockey equipment.

By: Rubber Stamps

Rubber Stamps — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:28:08 +0000

Sad sad sad.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:08:53 +0000

This advice is really going to help, thanks.

By: Brian crawley

Brian crawley — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:59:41 +0000

im a littel younger but i really like the dort mall its like a littel thers so much of flint history there and ever time i go i see somthing new

By: Cathy Ayala

Cathy Ayala — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 05:52:48 +0000

When I got married and moved to Michigan 10 years ago, one of the first places my husband took me was to the Dort Mall. Not expecting much, when I walked in, my jaw dropped open and stayed that way till we explored through all the memorabilia. I have been to many places in my 50 some years but this is the most memorable and unusual. It is on my “to do list” when anyone from out of state visits. I tell everyone I encounter here about it and surprisingly, lot of the locals have never seen the place. I love to take them there and blow them away. No trip to Dort Mall is complete without getting the Hamburger Deal at Star Coney. Mr. Perani, I have never met you but you have put together a collection not only Flint, but the entire country should be extremely proud of. Thank you from the bottom of my heart…

By: JR Harrison

JR Harrison — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:21:35 +0000

Now that I think I about it, I too went to that same Secretary of State office to get my first driver’s license. What a day that was. I grew up just off of Fenton and Atherton Road area and remember the Dort Mall area very well. There was a place across the street (by the Arby’s) that rented indoor space to work on your car. That was great in the winter.

My mom belonged to the Slenderform Spa just down the road, next to the K-Mart I believe. And the cinema that was next to that was where I saw my first Kurt Russel film . . . “The Computer That Wore Tennis Shoes.”

Of course, as I got older I spend my fare share of time at the clubs in that area, too. I remember The Light in the basement, and Embers Lounge across the street, and Contos just down the road a piece . . . somewhere near Jimmy Lums (is that still there?). And if we weren’t there, we were at the million dollar Mikitam (sp) and even Playland.

Well, I left Flint at the wise old age of 20 in 1980 and return for an occasion visit now and then. It’s somewhat sad to see the sparkle and dazzle gone.