Berry Gordy's 3-D Record Mart

[woodward]

I am seeking a photo of Berry Gordy's short-lived 3-D Record Mart. This was at 588 Farnsworth, an area that has since been redeveloped.

Can anyone help?

[carole cucumber]

https://books.google.com/books?id=qh8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32&lpg=PA32&dq=588+Farnsworth,+Detroit+Michigan&source=bl&ots=702lP7Ar5O&sig=1_VLa1QnSHqcMI8MAREIPB2p3p0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ic4OVazyDuHnsAT4qYK4BA&ved=

It appears that Berry's Record Mart became the site of Anna Records.

[carole cucumber]

https://books.google.com/books?id=YwgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA66&dq=3-D+record+mart&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ntEOVaDUIKTlsAS9jICABA&ved=0CDkQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=3-D%20record%20mart&f=false

Still no photo but mention of the Record Mart in 'Roots' [[right column)

[woodward]

https://books.google.com/books?id=YwgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA66&dq=3-D+record+mart&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ntEOVaDUIKTlsAS9jICABA&ved=0CDkQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=3-D%20record%20mart&f=false

Still no photo but mention of the Record Mart in 'Roots' [[right column)
Thank you for your research. I was told that an advertising photo was made of the store and used in the Michigan Chronicle in the 1953-1955 era, but I made a collateral contact with the MC and they cannot assist me in this old of a newspaper. Do you know where any back issues of the MC might be located?

[motownjohnny]

Woodward, do you know where exactly on Farnsworth Berry's 3D Record Mart was located? The original address for Anna Records is 5139 St. Antoine, but shortly after opening Anna moved to 588 Farnsworth. Was that the address for the 3D Record Mart?

[woodward]

Woodward, do you know where exactly on Farnsworth Berry's 3D Record Mart was located? The original address for Anna Records is 5139 St. Antoine, but shortly after opening Anna moved to 588 Farnsworth. Was that the address for the 3D Record Mart?

To the best of my knowledge, the address for the ill-fated store was 588 Farnsworth.

[carole cucumber]

It would make sense that once Anna Records moved out of the St. Antoine address [[home of several Gordy family members & enterprises, according to Miss Ray) and Berry had moved in to Miss Ray's apartment , the Farnsworth address could be utilized. Ads and reports in Billboard magazine in 1959-61 help to estimate when the move took place & when Anna Records ceased.

[carole cucumber]

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?19995-Berry-Gordy-s-3-D-Record-Mart

[carole cucumber]

What Robb says in the Soulful Detroit Forum makes sense.
Think about it.
Many Gordy family members were quite successful in their ventures in the 1950's. And then there's Berry....In his autobiography , he lists several short stints in various parts of the work-force in the 1950's. Among them....In 1953 he starts 3-D Record Mart with money his dad, Pops, borrowed from the church credit union, along with money invested by his brother, George.The venture musn't have lasted too long; all investments were lost. Berry then worked for Guardian Service Cookware, married & in August, 1954 became a father.
Considering that Berry wasn't setting the business world ablaze, I would not expect that many pictures of the failed venture would be taken, let alone kept.
The Michigan Chronicle ad may well contain the sole picture that remains.

[motownjohnny]

Does anyone know when the 3 D Record Mart opened and closed? It's a shame Berry doesn't really say very much about the 3D Store in his book. Perhaps he saw that period as a failure and preferred to skip over it. Apparently the store didn't survive very long as a viable concern due largely to Berry's failing to appreciate the growing popularity for blues and R&B records, instead preferring to stock jazz discs that didn't sell well.

I've also fairly sure I've read Marv Johnson worked in the 3D for Berry where they struck up a long lasting friendship that led to Marv recording for Berry at his newly formed Tamla label. Anyone know if it's true that Marv worked there?

When the 3D failed, why didn't Berry and Miss Ray join Anna Records rather that going it alone?

[carole cucumber]

According to this Billboard report in 1959, Marv met Berry at a record shop owned by one of his [[Marv's) friends.

https://books.google.com/books?id=TiAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6&dq=Marv+Johnson&hl=en&sa=X&ei=cD4PVf-MMJSLsQSIgILwBA&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAjgU#v=onepage&q=Marv%20Johnson&f=false

[carole cucumber]

And here's what Marv himself had to say: "I met Berry at a place called Prince and Adams record shop where I was working as a retail clerk", Marv told interviewer Bill Randle. "I was rehearsing with a young girl group that I was playing piano for in the local amateur talent shows". Gordy liked some of Marv's original material and suggested they get together.
[[Booklet to Marv Johnson- I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose: The Complete Motown Recordings 1964-1971 Kent CDTOP 351)

[skooldem1]

I would think that a Detroit Library would have an archive of old newspapers that you could look up and view.

[robb_k]

9274
ALL the major newspaper issues should have been put on microfiche 30 years ago. All issues should still exist somewhere.

[nsoule]

I don't have a photo of the shop, but a friend recently gave me a 78 with the shop sticker still on it. Interesting to see that music outside of jazz [[the shop's specialty) was sold - my friend kept a Little Walter 78 with the same sticker.
18415

[woodward]

Interesting find. The 3-D Record Mart was in the period 1953-1955, but this 78 rpm release was first issued in 1951. Thanks for sharing. We are getting closer, one of these days a picture of the place will show up, someway, somehow.

[MIKEW-UK]

18416

I recollected seeing a photo of 3D Record Mart in the Hitsville movie.;) So I went to the movie and took a screen grab. On examination, the picture looks like a mockup. :mad: That being the case, I assume no photos of the real store exist. If one did exist, the movie would surely have used it rather than go through the process of making a digital mockup.

[marybrewster]

18417



Here is a picture of a 9 year old Berry Gordy sitting on top of the street sign at the corner of St. Antoine and Farnsworth, which would be right in front of the group of buildings that includes 588 Farnsworth [[his family owned and ran a grocery store in the adjacent corner buildings, 590 & 592 Farnsworth). View is looking north across the street towards 593 and 585 Farnsworth on the northwest corner.