Gibraltar Trade Center facts for kids
| Location | Gibraltar, Michigan (1970-1980) Taylor, Michigan (1980-2014) Mount Clemens, Michigan (1990-2017) |
|---|---|
| Opening date | 1970 |
| Closing date | August, 2017 |
| Days normally open | Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays |
| Total retail floor area | 300,000 square feet |
The Gibraltar Trade Center was a very large public market in the Metro Detroit area of Michigan, in the United States. It was like a huge indoor shopping place where many different sellers had their own small shops. People could buy all sorts of things there, from clothes to collectibles.
At one point, it was one of the biggest indoor flea markets in the country. A flea market is a place where many different vendors sell new or used goods, often at lower prices. The main building was huge, about 600,000 square feet (55,742 square meters). Some sellers even set up their shops outside.
The Gibraltar Trade Center had two main locations over the years. One was in Taylor, Michigan, and the other was in Mount Clemens, Michigan. The Taylor location closed in 2014. The Mount Clemens location, which was the last one, closed in August 2017. The company said it closed because more people started buying things online.
Even though the main market closed, some parts of the business are still open. The "Gibraltar Gun and Knife Shows" and the "Gibraltar Rug and Furniture" store in Warren, Michigan are still operating.
History of the Gibraltar Trade Center
The Gibraltar Trade Center started small in the 1970s. It began as an outdoor market on Woodruff Road. This first spot was near Gibraltar, Michigan, which is how the market got its name.
Moving to Taylor
In 1980, the market moved indoors to a permanent spot in Taylor, Michigan. This new home was a large building that used to be a warehouse. By 1982, the market fully filled this building. The Taylor location became very popular in the Downriver area of Metro Detroit. In 1993, it even doubled in size, showing how much it had grown.
The Taylor location stayed open for 34 years. However, it closed for good on November 16, 2014. The building was torn down in 2015. Later, in 2018, a new store called Menards began building on the same site.
Opening and Closing in Mount Clemens
The second location of the Gibraltar Trade Center opened in Mount Clemens, Michigan in 1990. This spot was once a race track. For many years, both the Taylor and Mount Clemens locations were busy places for shoppers.
On July 2, 2017, the company announced that the Mount Clemens location would also close. It officially shut its doors after August 2017. This marked the end of the Gibraltar Trade Center as a large public market.
