"Detroit Institution" Sets Up Shop in Auburn Hills

Posted by – Dale Mathes, Code Enforcement Officer

My late grandmother, Caroline Apfel, made her living as a counter girl and short-order cook.  As a matter of fact, her nickname was “Cookie.”  I can remember her working behind the counter in the Kresge’s store at the Eastland Mall and making me one of the best chocolate sodas I’ve ever had.  But long before that, she worked in Downtown Detroit.  I do not recall the name of the building, but it was a bank at the corner of Woodward and Michigan Avenue.  One would enter the building from Woodward and face a large staircase going down.  And there in the basement was a huge soda fountain counter run by none other than a famous Detroit business – Sanders.

Founded in 1875, this well-known maker of candies, cakes, and assorted sweets now has an ice cream counter right here in Auburn Hills.  In District 1 at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets, the counter runs the gamut of Sanders’ favorite products.  These include ice cream, cakes, cookies, homemade candies, and some Sanders specialties like chocolate and caramel toppings – and the ever-popular hot fudge.  My personal favorite is a combination of two treats that I love … the chocolate covered potato chip bar.  Yikes!

So, stop by and grab a cone or a sundae and enjoy it at their tables in the mall.  There are also Sanders gifts for that sweet-toothed friend of yours, like four jar collections of their scrumptious ice cream toppings.  I plan to re-visit the store to get my grandsons some hot fudge for Christmas and tell them all about their great-great grandma “Cookie.”  Oh the memories.