15 things Detroiters stubbornly insist on calling by the wrong name

By Metro Times editorial staff on Mon, Jul 31, 2023 at 12:33 pm

Michiganders are a special people. Many of us have an undeniable nasally accent and we can’t keep ourselves from saying “ope” every time we bump into someone. But, most notably, we tend to call things by a name that’s just plain wrong. For example, so many of us kept calling it “Pine Knob” after they renamed it DTE Energy Music Theatre that they eventually brought back the beloved music venue’s classic name. There are plenty more examples where that came from — let’s have a look.

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Huntington Place vs. Cobo Hall

First opened in 1960 as Cobo Hall, Detroit’s convention center was renamed in recent years considering the problematic history of its namesake, Mayor Albert Cobo. It was renamed TCF Center in 2019 and Huntington Place in 2020.

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Movement vs. DEMF

Detroit’s annual electronic music festival has officially been called Movement since 2006, when it was taken over by the production company Paxahau. Even today, hat hasn’t stopped some people from continuing to call it by its old name, Detroit Electronic Music Festival, or “DEMF.”

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NAIAS vs. The Auto Show

Traditionally, Detroit’s North American International Auto Show is a really big deal — people travel from around the world to attend the annual event. That big long name reflects its significance in relation to international car culture, but we just like to call it “the auto show.”

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The Fillmore vs. The State Theatre

When it was built in 1925, what we now refer to as the Fillmore was called the State Theatre. It was renamed the Palms-State Theatre in ’37 and shortened to Palms Theatre in ’49. It wasn’t until ’82 that it switched back to the State, which was used until 2007 when Live Nation rebranded it as the Fillmore, after the famous San Francisco venue, in an effort to create a national franchise of music venues.

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GMRenCen vs. Renaissance Center

The towering complex of glass buildings located just off the river in downtown Detroit is technically no longer called the “Renaissance Center.” We know, your mind must be blown right now. In 2015, it was renamed The GMRenCen, but literally no one calls it that.

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Hannah Ervin, Detroit Stock City

Midtown vs. Cass Corridor
It seems like whenever they build a new condo or open a fancy new restaurant, they say it happened in a place called “Midtown.” Yet whenever there’s a shooting, they say it happened in “Cass Corridor.”

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Lee DeVito

The Aretha vs. Chene Park

Detroit’s riverfront amphitheater was originally named Chene Park after Charles Chene, a French immigrant who owned a strip of land along the shores of the Detroit River. In 2018, Detroit City Council unanimously voted to rename it the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater after the Queen of Soul, who died in August of that year. Plenty of people still call it Chene Park, probably not helped by the fact that there is another venue in the city called “Aretha’s Jazz Cafe.”

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Ana Gavrilovska

Liquor store vs. party store

In Michigan, when we say we’re going to the”party store,” we’re not going to pick up balloons and streamers. What we really mean is that we’re going to the “corner store” to pick up some booze, snacks, and maybe a lottery ticket.

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MacArthur Bridge vs. Belle Isle Bridge

Did you have any idea that what is commonly called the “Belle Isle Bridge” actually has an official name? It’s the MacArthur Bridge, but we’re quite certain seemingly no one knows that. (When it was originally constructed, it was called the George Washington Bridge, but it was later changed to MacArthur.)

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Google Maps

Lahser vs. “Lasher”

It’s pronounced “la-sir,” not “lash-er.”

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Jordan Buzzy

Hydrofest vs. The Gold Cup

Since 1916, the Detroit River has hosted the American Power Boat Association hydroplane races. Sometimes, these races have been known as the “Gold Cup,” named after the oldest active motorsports trophy. This changed in 2015, when the event — and the eponymous trophy — was moved to Tri-Cities, Washington. A hydroplane race remained in Detroit, but it was renamed Hydrofest.

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Meijer/Ford/Kroger/etc. vs. Meijer’s/Ford’s/Kroger’s/etc.

We have a habit here of slapping a possessive “s” on the end of business names, typically ones named after an individual. When you think about it, Henry Ford started Ford, therefore it could easily be considered “Ford’s.” Whatever. It’s a Michigan thing.

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Soda vs. pop

What do you call that beloved sugary-sweet, carbonated beverage (other than the dentist’s worst nightmare)? The debate bubbles on as to whether it’s “pop” or “soda” (or if you’re in the deep South, simply “Coke”). The correct name has become geographically polarizing, but here in the Great Lakes State, it will always be pop.

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Downtown Detroit vs. Midtown/New Center/Eastern Market/Corktown

Many people tend to lump all of the 7.2 square miles that include downtown, Midtown, New Center, Corktown, and Eastern Market under the umbrella term “downtown Detroit.” The simple fact is that these historic neighborhoods each have their own particular identities that are each their own.

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Lee DeVito

Metro Times vs. … everything else

We’ve heard you guys call us everything from The Times, Metrotimes,Metro News and a slew of other variations. It’s OK, we’ll forgive you. But, it’s Metro Times.

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