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Detroit strut: Peoples Records flooded after fire.

aradpumaaradpuma 83 Posts
edited February 2008 in Strut Central
sad morning for detroit music/records/art/people/pets...
Friends,I am sorry to report that Detroit's Forest Arms apartment building was lost early this morning to a massive fire. The building is toast. Our new location is in the basement of my apartment, at 5835 Third St., just south of Antoinette.If anybody wishes to help out, how about sending a prayer out to the hundred or so people who lived there who are now homeless, and lost pets, and probably in a lot of cases, everything they owned to the blaze.People's Records will continue on without even really ever stopping. Unfortunately, I have to just about start over. Everything there is under about 4 feet of water. Literally.Also, if you have any photos of the old place, email [email]peoplesrecordsdetroit@gmail.com[/email]I think we may be having a benefit at the Bohemian within the next week or so; details to follow.So, if anybody wants to stop by the house on Third, Zac, Anibal and I are preparing the basement, and getting things ready for our newest incarnation.That's today. I don't think anything can be done at the store right now; it's going to take a whole lot of sump pumps to eventually get all the water out of that basement. 5,000 gallons A MINUTE were being pumped in.Phone calls don't really help right now; my voicemail is already full. Stop by the house on Third if you want to help.IF YOU HAVE SOME W__D that would be great.best,bradp.s. I needed a vacation anyway.p.p.s. Still paying CA$H for old records.
fire pictures
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  Comments

  • SoulhawkSoulhawk 3,197 Posts
    a tragedy, just unthinkable

    I'm gonna roll over there & see what I can contribute

  • tripledoubletripledouble 7,636 Posts
    fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuccck. sorry guys
  • BreakSelfBreakSelf 2,925 Posts
    unbelievable.
  • aleitaleit 1,915 Posts
    WOW!!!

    really sorry to hear this.
    i can't believe Forest Arms burned.
    that is freakin' crazy....
    too much time spent on that corner in my teenage years.

    i hope brad had some serious insurance...
    and gets covered on a lot of what was lost.
    although no insurance can recreate the space itself and all that went into it.

    regardless...
    detroit folks who head over there... (soulhawk, etc.)
    check in and see what the Peoples peoples need...
    if its monetary, i'm sure we could raise a few bucks to at least tide over a nasty situation.
  • BreakSelfBreakSelf 2,925 Posts
    Phone calls don't really help right now; my voicemail is already full. Stop by the house on Third if you want to help.

    IF YOU HAVE SOME W__D that would be great.

    best,
    brad

    p.s. I needed a vacation anyway.

    p.p.s. Still paying CA$H for old records.

    lol. I love Brad.
  • cardovacardova 743 Posts
    DAMN.
  • meatyogremeatyogre 2,080 Posts
    god damn. Were there some mega rares stored in there? Their current auctions get wasted too? Fuckin was planning a trip out there in a few weeks.
  • Controller_7Controller_7 4,052 Posts
    that really sucks. Sorry to hear about this.

    I was almost in the same situation a few years back. My entire block caught fire and kept creeping closer and closer to my building. It got one building away and flames were shooting at our top floor. It was minutes away from being flooded with water. I wasn't in danger of fire really, but I was on the bottom floor and would have caught all of the water. Scary and sad watching it all happen.

    Sorry to hear about this. I hope things recover.
  • dreas_heardrumsdreas_heardrums 686 Posts
    NO!

    that's terrible.

    prayers and thoughts out to those that lost their homes and definitely to brad, anibal, and them starting to rebuild. i have some killer w**d but getting it to out there might be a little difficult.
  • spelunkspelunk 3,400 Posts
    NOOOOO.

    I was literally just making plans to visit friends out in Michigan and People's Records was going to be a highlight of the trip. I really hope he can pull through and get that insurance money to get back up and running.

    But really, this keeps on happening to record stores, terrible luck.
  • gambitgambit 906 Posts
    Detroit has taken another institution under...

    I think I'll slide by tomorrow to see how I can help. This is crazy news. That apartment building is not what you'd consider small by any means.

    That's the same building Derrick May created some of his most notable joints too.
  • johnshadejohnshade 577 Posts
    just talked to b-rad on the phone. he's been up since 5am dealing with it. don't think he's been allowed in to really survey the damage yet, though the store is flooded. he's currently trying to make space at his house for anything that can be salvaged.

    apart from record damage, there would be some definite artistic damage as well, i.e. the signs painted by hermon weems and the the 45 boxes painted by anibal, all of which has been seen and lauded on this site.

    these guys, esp. brad, care way too much about records AND detroit for people's to go away. i'm sure it'll come back, one way or another.
  • motorcityfunkmotorcityfunk 128 Posts

    FUUUUUUCK!

    That great looking 45 wall! The shop was looking great too!

    A real loss to the Detroit record scene.

    MCF
  • holmesholmes 3,532 Posts
    Damn, my girlfriend spent a great day digging there a few years back & always says how cool the place & people were to her. She'll be gutted to read this. Sad news.
  • JoshDJoshD 215 Posts
    Unbelievable, woke to a text from Anibal. Brad just added 2 volumes of In The Modern Room to my site and I was having a time thinking about what that spot means to me. Place was my Frickin' hang out, and so many trips to the store turned into sessions after the store.

    But Deb, Anibal, Breck, crew, doing the right thing to look forward and grind this shit out. Brad has Karma for years and we're all here to do our part. Shit we where all there to see the shop start in the first place. I'm not in Detroit now but my heart is there with you guys and I'm sending my love from a far and Peoples new website will be ready in time for the new store.

    KEEP YOUR HEADS HIGH
  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    Incredibly bad news......my home burned down a few years back and the feeling was surreal for weeks......and then reality hits hard.....hope the Insurance coverage was adequate.

    If someone is going to start a fund or donate some records for an auction to help them out, count me in.
  • SoulhawkSoulhawk 3,197 Posts
    they're saying the fire was started by a guy getting evicted - he started the fire in his own apartment & barricaded himself in.

    thats fucked up

    zac & annibal said he was always throwing cat litter & garbage out the window

    brad has so much spirit, he was even making a record buy at his house by this afternoon - I have no doubt the store will rise again at a new location
  • aradpumaaradpuma 83 Posts
    yea, this is what i read from a detroit fire fighter on another board..


    yeah. a barricaded gunman started this. this started around 3 a.m. or so. shit was crazy. i was working, but was at another fire when we would have been called for the fourth alarm. it ended up going to 5 alarms, which is as big as a fire can get. at it's peak, there was probably at least 25 fire rigs there. i didn't realize that this was the place where peoples records was, that's too bad. i'm so used to almost all the fires being abandoned buildings and houses. stuff like this is pretty rare.

    i'm not 100%. but i think he set the fire in his own apartment, and waited in there with a gun. the cops opened his apartment up and the fire spread super quickly down the hall and up air chutes and shit to other floors. i was listening to the whole thing unfold as it went on over the radio.
  • JoshDJoshD 215 Posts
    Fuck
  • pabloscooterpabloscooter 370 Posts
    Damn! Straight up shitty. Best to Brad and the crew and everyone living in the forrest arms. One of the worst things I've read on soulstrut ever. Wish I was in Detroit to help.
  • drewnicedrewnice 5,465 Posts
    Holy shit. I'm really sorry to hear this. Sounds like Brad and Anibal have the fortitude to the store back up on its feet slowly but surely. That's my spot and I'm willing to help in any way possible.

    Mega Frickin' to the dude who set the fire and cost people their places of shelter.

    Wow.
  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
    Shit! My thoughts are with you guys... Will post some pics of the old store when I get back.
  • hammertimehammertime 2,389 Posts
    "fuck" is right...this is tragic. keep your chins up guys.
  • FunkyMmonikerFunkyMmoniker 88 Posts
    This is horrible, I loved going into Peoples. I send my best to everyone involved. I look forward to the reincarnation of this bad ass store!
  • counterpointcounterpoint 187 Posts
    aww, this makes me sads. i should've drove up there sooner than later.

    "i (heart) brad & peoples"

    i wish i could go up there now and maek nice offerings,
    risa
  • nessness 249 Posts
    well guys, here's the update.

    brad is still buying records. the rebirth of peoples just started to take shape yesterday evening. peoples will continue and brad is taking it like a trooper.

    we are in the process of organizing a benefit in conjunction with the bohemian national home. were also interested in setting up and online donation situation.

    there were 72 units in the building. the building housed small families, college students, and low income elderly. out thoughts and prayers go out to them, as they have lost everything.

    the forest arms will be sorely missed. not only did it house people's records but also amsterdam expresso. the whole corner was becoming a really great gathering place. it was really incredible to witness, especially in this city.

    i can be reached at [email]gonzalezanibala@gmail.com.[/email] if anyone has any suggestions or words of encouragement.

    thanks.
  • stop_33stop_33 365 Posts
    damn...
    this is terrible news...
    just visited last week for the first time...
    sending positive thoughts from north of the border...
  • yoigotbeatsyoigotbeats 1,667 Posts
    sorry for the lost!

    sending good vibes your way.

    ness - holla at me.
  • aradpumaaradpuma 83 Posts


    A Benefit Show for the Victims of the Forest Arms Apartment Fire

    Featuring Los Minstrels del Diablo and A Stowaway performing live, and DJs milieu, dirty D, Cirque and JOHNb, as well as the resident People???s Records DJs.

    There will also be sideshow entertainment provided by Tim TV, bellydancing by Chantal and other performances TBA.

    The benefit will be from 7:00pm until 2:00am on Friday, February 15th at the Atwater Block Brewery, 237 Joseph Campau, Detroit, MI.

    There will be a $5 suggested minimum donation at the door, but PLEASE GIVE WHAT YOU CAN. The venue, the sound system, and all the performances are being provided at no cost, so 100% of the funds donated will go directly to the victims of the Forest Arms Apartment Fire.

    Please come and show your support! For more information please contact [email]benefit@alittlebluedot.com[/email]
  • BsidesBsides 4,244 Posts
    never been, but damn!


    glad that he is continuing.
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