Save Detroit Theater As Historic Building- Boycott Sloane McDonald's To Not Buy It

The city of Lakewood should refurbish and re-open the Detroit theatre rather than replace it with another fast-food restaruant serving junk food and bringing noise, traffic and congestion while eliminating culture and entertainment. Why allow it? We would not allow an abortion clinic, strip club, or noisy, smelly factory. Leave McDonalds on Sloane where it fits in.

The recently closed Detroit Theater in Lakewood can be saved if Lakewood residents quickly get organized and work smart. Lakewood mayor Mike Summers hosted a meeting June 15 on the subject at Lakewood Public Library, with only one day advance notice by his letter in the Lakewood Observer. Yet over 100 residents attended, 99% of them opposing the mayor's announced intention to replace the theater with a McDonald's instead of trying to save it. Unfortunately, nobody is running for election against him [note to Jim O'Bryan, the County Board of Elections says you did not submit your petition signatures and the deadline is June 30, so correct me if you will submit them by June 30]. But the mayor can be removed by a recall election. I publicly questioned the mayor, his development director Dru Siley, and former councilman and new Lakewood Law Director Kevin Butler, who finally admitted to the audience that Lakewood residents can save the Detroit Theater by petitioning the city's historic buildings commission asking them to designate it as a historic building, as was done last year to save St. James Church on Detroit.  It may then require an approval vote by city council. So let's do that fast, before it's too late.

We should also persuade McDonald's to stop its plan by warning we will boycott if it opens and by immediately and  lawfully picketing and boycotting the Sloane McDonald's until it promises, in writing,  not to buy and demolish the Detroit Theater. That can work. The Capitol movie theater at Detroit and West 65th was saved and re-opened.  The LaSalle movie theater in Euclid was saved. It can be done here too, but requires your effort. Charles Milsap at that June 15 meeting told the audience his preservation group will buy the Detroit Theater and re-open it to show movies. Really? When?  

He should make the owner an offer to buy it before McDonald's does, since they can offer the owner much more money than he can, buy it, then promptly demolish the theater and put up their restaurant. We cannot afford to wait and do nothing while Charles waits to make his offer to the owner; but if he does, the public should be told if the owner accepted or rejected his offer.  McDonald's can buy any day now,  so please make the owner your offer now Charles, before it is too late, and tell us the result. Let's BOYCOTT and picket daily the Sloane McDonald's now, demanding they not buy the Detroit Theatre. We can't outbid McDonald's, but we can boycott it, to save the theater. LET'S DO IT FOR LAKEWOOD! Now!  You can post and read messages about this on the facebook web page named Save The Detroit Theater. But don't just be an "Observer."  Take action now as a group to boycott and lawfully picket Sloane McDonald's. That is how to win. Attend a discussion meeting to save the Detroit Theater Wednesday, July 13 at 7:00 p.m. in the Lakewood Public Library multi-purpose room, 15425 Detroit. But in the meantime, spread the word to boycott and picket the Sloane McDonald's. To show McDonald's it will lose if it buys the Detroit Theater.