Historic Franklin is a destination and shopping experience like no other. You’ll find charming and quaint stores housed in century-old buildings surrounded by soaring trees and verdant landscaping. You’ll also meet a close-knit community of shopkeepers and townspeople who pride themselves on treating every visitor like family and friends.
Founded in 1825, Franklin's village center is a painstakingly preserved historic, architectural gem. Its one-of-a-kind business district is made up entirely of independent, locally-owned merchants.
Historic Franklin is truly a unique discovery!
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback.Comerica Bank, 32682 Franklin Road
This Colonial Revival building dates to 1955. It stands on a former apple orchard. It was also the site of the Lincoln Pole raising in 1860, when Abe Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin were running mates. The story goes that the democrats sabotaged the pole raising event by putting cucumbers in the canon!
Cranbrook Realty, 32440 Franklin Road
The Alber Rust home. Rust was a township supervisor, treasurer, postmaster, church leader and store owner. The house is a Queen Anne brick home built in 1890. Rust hired a New York architect to design the most beautiful home in the area at a cost of $5,000. Note the transom windows over bay windows and stained glass, limestone sills and splayed arches in the upper story windows.
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback.DeJaVu Resale, 32750 Franklin Road
This 1840 frame Greek Revival home was built by George Congleton for his wife, five children and his mother-in-law. A notable feature are the eyebrow windows. George opened a carriage house and blacksmith shop next door, now home to the Franklin Grill.
Event Bliss, 32802 Franklin Road
The former carriage house sits just behind and to the side of the home of Col. Peter Van Every. The home was built around 1840. A War of 1812 veteran, he lived here with his wife Amy and raised 14 children. Three generations of Van Everys once occupied the house and property. For a time it functioned as the Temperance Hotel and was also a stagecoach stop. Today it is the location of Event Bliss.
Faintuck, Shwedel, Wolfram, 32710 Franklin Road
This charming building was built between 1855 and 1872. In the 1940s and 50s, Samuel Buel Slade, grandson of Dr. Julian Buel, invented the dry roasted peanut in the building located behind the house.
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback.
Farmhouse Ice Cream & Coffee, 32644 Franklin Road
This barn was originally part of the George Bingham property. The structure was sold in 1904 to John Curren, along with the large gambrel roofed barn behind it. Mr. Curren stored plows, cultivators, mowers, and feed in the back barn and ran a general general store which also supplied groceries, hardwood, shoes, paint, and dry goods in the front structure, now Farmhouse Coffee. In 1930, Mr. Currin remodeled the barn into a house for his son Norman and his wife Jean to live in as newlyweds.
Fitness Driven, 32652 Franklin Road
Built in 1900, this two story brick store was built by George Bingham. From 1903 to 1932 it was the site of the village post office. In 1949 an addition was added to the north side of the building. Before telephones were common in homes, people trudged here to make phone calls. When people started driving cares, it was the fist place to sell gas and when the local school house burned down, classes were held upstairs. This building is home to Fitness Driven (second floor) and the former Market Basket.
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback.Franklin Auto Service, LLC, 32725 Franklin Road
Locally owned and operated since 1965, Franklin Auto Service is a flashback to years gone by. Its friendly staff will still pump your gas, check under the hood, and wash your windows.
Franklin Cider Mill, 7450 Franklin Road at Fourteen Mile
Although located in Bloomfield, the original grist mill had Franklin connections. In 1837 Colonel Peter Van Every, a Franklin villager, authorized the construction of a mill. It was a timber frame structure of white oak, white pine and black walnut all hewed and finished by hand.
Franklin Cleaners, 32740 Franklin Road
Built in 1936, this building was originally an automobile repair shop and gas station. It later served as the local post office from 1938 until 1960. It currently is home to five business: Love Child, Village Boutique, Village Alterations & More, Franklin Cleaners, and Fritz & Friends.
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback.
The Franklin Grill, 32760 Franklin Road
In 1840 George Congleton opened a carriage and blacksmith shop. Tools and horseshoes were made here as well as wagons and buggies for the common folk. The structure was a pair of two story buildings. The second floor of the first building was for painting buggies. The first floor was a blacksmith shop. The rear building was used for wagon repair. It burned down in 1979 and was rebuilt to look like the original.
Franklin Village Boutique, 32716 Franklin Road
Built in 1936, this building was originally an automobile repair shop and gas station. It later served as the local post office from 1938 until 1960. It currently is home to businesses: Village Boutique, Village Alterations & More, Franklin Cleaners, and Fritz & Friends.
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback
32751 Franklin Road
Housed in what was originally known as the Franklin Hotel, this building was built in 1830 by Dr. Raynale and served as the first store in the village. It became the Franklin Hotel and Public House in 1840 and became a stopover for travelers from northern towns going in and out of Detroit.
Fritz & Friends, 32722 Franklin Road
Built in 1936, this building was originally an automobile repair shop and gas station. It later served as the local post office from 1938 until 1960. It currently is home to five business: Escapades, Village Boutique, Village Alterations & More, Franklin Cleaners, and Fritz & Friends.
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback.
Glamour Puss Boutique, 32751 Franklin Road
Housed in what was originally known as the Franklin Hotel, this building was built in 1830 by Dr. Raynale and served as the first store in the village. It became the Franklin Hotel and Public House in 1840 and became a stopover for travelers from northern towns going in and out of Detroit.
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback.
Gorback Studio of Photography, 32731 Franklin Road
This is the oldest building in Franklin dating to 1830. There are log beams in the basement with initial carvings of early villagers. It was originally a tavern built by Elijah Bullock, the second landowner in Franklin. It has been a jewelry shop, hardware, bookstore, photography studio and barbershop. Alan Trammel would get his haircut here.
Linda Gee Beauty, 32800 Franklin Road
Colonel Peter Van Every, a War of 1812 veteran, lived here with his wife Amy and raised 14 children. The home was built around 1840. Three generations of Van Everys occupied the house and property. For a time it functioned as the Temperance Hotel and was also a stagecoach stop.
Perlmutter-Freiwald, 32620 Franklin Road
This 1900 Queen Anne style home was built by George Bingham, proprietor of the Brick Store and Albert Rust’s son-in-law. Bingham’s home was built near his place of business. It is a two story home made of red brick stretcher bonds with contrasting mortar except for its many gables that are covered in beige colored wooden shingles to represent fish scales.
Smile Builders of Franklin
Elina W. Costello, D.D.S, 32749 Franklin Road
So Zen Designs, 32751 Franklin Road
Housed in what was originally known as the Franklin Hotel, this building was built in 1830 by Dr. Raynale and served as the first store in the village. It became the Franklin Hotel and Public House in 1840 and became a stopover for travelers from northern towns going in and out of Detroit. It currently is home to four businesses: Bead Works, Glamour Puss, So Zen Design, and the Franklin Spa.
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback.
Tailoring & More,
32734 Franklin Road
Built in 1936, this building was originally an automobile repair shop and gas station. It later served as the local post office from 1938 until 1960. It currently is home to business: Village Boutique, Village Alterations & More, Franklin Cleaners, and Fritz & Friends.
Village Pilates, 32800 Franklin Road
Colonel Peter Van Every, a War of 1812 veteran, lived here with his wife Amy and raised 14 children. The home was built around 1840. Three generations of Van Everys occupied the house and property. For a time it functioned as the Temperance Hotel and was also a stagecoach stop. It is currently home to Village Pilates, Linda Gee Beauty and Event Bliss (in the carriage house).
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback.
Weaver & Young Law Offices, 32770 Franklin Road
Fred Van Every was a grandson of Peter Van Every. He was a merchant. The two story frame building with clapboard siding was built in 1918. It has been a pool hall, candy store and home of the first Golfdale Market which later occupied the Brick Store down the street.
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback.Z Dental, 32767 Franklin Road
The building is circa 1835. It is another Peter Van Every build. It is a one and a half story wood frame, front gabled Greek revival. The wraparound porch is not original to the home. There is a Michigan basement consisting of fieldstone walls. Thomas Midgely was a well digger and Justice of the Peace.
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback.
Yanke Designs Fine Jewelry, 32611 Franklin Road
This simple brick building was built in the 1930’s by George Wellington Smith and used as his realty office.
Photo courtesy of Les Gorback.
Zieben-Mare, 32800 Franklin Road
Building history courtesy of the Franklin Historical Society.