Metro Detroit entrepreneur and Grosse Pointe Shores resident Varoujan “Dan” Kachadourian died Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, from complications of pneumonia at Select Specialty Hospital in Ascension St. John in Detroit.
The son of Armenian immigrants who fled to the United States after the 1915 Armenian Genocide, Kachadourian was born in Highland Park in 1934. As a boy, he fought to recover from polio in his leg, relearned to walk and went on to play and coach baseball.
Kachadourian worked at his parents’ Satisfactory Lunch restaurant — renamed J&M Bar in 1952 — which was located on Second Avenue, north of what is now the Davison Expressway. It was there he started his love for Detroiters and business, helping his family serve meals largely to factory workers from Ford Motor Co.’s Highland Park Assembly Plant.
In 1960, Kachadourian, with his brother John, opened the Parkmont Party Store in downtown Detroit. He was proud to start his own Detroit business and purchase property in his beloved city.
Kachadourian studied at the Detroit College of Law, then turned his focus toward commercial real estate in 1972, when he opened Mr. Stadium Coin Laundry in Ann Arbor, near the University of Michigan’s “Big House.”
His ad campaigns for Mr. Stadium became legendary in Ann Arbor, as did the laundromat’s maize and blue logo T-shirts, which became iconic among University of Michigan students and gained national attention in 2005, when Kevin Costner wore one in “The Upside of Anger.”
The Detroit News voted Mr. Stadium Coin Laundry the Best Campus Laundromat – an honor of which Kachadourian was very proud, as he always strived to make his customers feel at home. He enjoyed getting to know them and was proud to see their loyalty.
The last 20 years, Kachadourian continued to expand his idea of creating a U of M football tailgate park in Mr. Stadium’s lot. For each home game, 75 vehicles full of Wolverine football fans continue to gather there for the camaraderie, cooking and community he created.
Kachadourian, through his K&K Investment Co., later purchased and developed other pieces of commercial real estate in Washtenaw and Oakland counties and constructed one of the first homes built in Bloomfield Hills’ Wabeek neighborhood.
In the 1990s, Kachadourian teamed with St. Andrew’s Hall developer Blair McGowan to form the West of Woodward coalition to combat the demolition of the J.L. Hudson’s building.
A lover of Detroit architecture, he also was active in preserving Detroit’s Masonic Temple. Kachadourian was a past president of the Detroit Masonic Temple’s board of trustees, a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner. He worked to raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals helping children get specialty orthopedic care just like he needed as a child with polio. He also was active in promoting the Masonic program for dyslexic children.
Proud of his Armenian heritage, Kachadourian was a member of the 100 Hyes organization, which raises money for Armenians who are becoming new U.S. citizens. He also was a member of the Men’s Club of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, Huron River Club and The Windsor Club. He had a passion for golf, especially with his grandsons and cherished friends.
Dan Kachadourian is survived by his wife of 55 years, Lillian; daughter, Gail Kachadourian Howe (Wes Howe); grandsons, Jack and Paul Howe; brothers, John Kachadourian (Pat) and Robert Kachadourian; nephews, Larry Kachadourian, David Kachadourian (Charise), Ara Kachadourian (Anahit) and Grant Gilezan (Krisztina); niece, Gay Tosch (Paul Tosch); and grandnieces, Charlotte Tosch, Holly Gilezan and Lauren Gilezan.
The son of Armenian immigrants who fled to the United States after the 1915 Armenian Genocide, Kachadourian was born in Highland Park in 1934. As a boy, he fought to recover from polio in his leg, relearned to walk and went on to play and coach baseball.
Kachadourian worked at his parents’ Satisfactory Lunch restaurant — renamed J&M Bar in 1952 — which was located on Second Avenue, north of what is now the Davison Expressway. It was there he started his love for Detroiters and business, helping his family serve meals largely to factory workers from Ford Motor Co.’s Highland Park Assembly Plant.
In 1960, Kachadourian, with his brother John, opened the Parkmont Party Store in downtown Detroit. He was proud to start his own Detroit business and purchase property in his beloved city.
Kachadourian studied at the Detroit College of Law, then turned his focus toward commercial real estate in 1972, when he opened Mr. Stadium Coin Laundry in Ann Arbor, near the University of Michigan’s “Big House.”
His ad campaigns for Mr. Stadium became legendary in Ann Arbor, as did the laundromat’s maize and blue logo T-shirts, which became iconic among University of Michigan students and gained national attention in 2005, when Kevin Costner wore one in “The Upside of Anger.”
The Detroit News voted Mr. Stadium Coin Laundry the Best Campus Laundromat – an honor of which Kachadourian was very proud, as he always strived to make his customers feel at home. He enjoyed getting to know them and was proud to see their loyalty.
The last 20 years, Kachadourian continued to expand his idea of creating a U of M football tailgate park in Mr. Stadium’s lot. For each home game, 75 vehicles full of Wolverine football fans continue to gather there for the camaraderie, cooking and community he created.
Kachadourian, through his K&K Investment Co., later purchased and developed other pieces of commercial real estate in Washtenaw and Oakland counties and constructed one of the first homes built in Bloomfield Hills’ Wabeek neighborhood.
In the 1990s, Kachadourian teamed with St. Andrew’s Hall developer Blair McGowan to form the West of Woodward coalition to combat the demolition of the J.L. Hudson’s building.
A lover of Detroit architecture, he also was active in preserving Detroit’s Masonic Temple. Kachadourian was a past president of the Detroit Masonic Temple’s board of trustees, a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner. He worked to raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals helping children get specialty orthopedic care just like he needed as a child with polio. He also was active in promoting the Masonic program for dyslexic children.
Proud of his Armenian heritage, Kachadourian was a member of the 100 Hyes organization, which raises money for Armenians who are becoming new U.S. citizens. He also was a member of the Men’s Club of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, Huron River Club and The Windsor Club. He had a passion for golf, especially with his grandsons and cherished friends.
Dan Kachadourian is survived by his wife of 55 years, Lillian; daughter, Gail Kachadourian Howe (Wes Howe); grandsons, Jack and Paul Howe; brothers, John Kachadourian (Pat) and Robert Kachadourian; nephews, Larry Kachadourian, David Kachadourian (Charise), Ara Kachadourian (Anahit) and Grant Gilezan (Krisztina); niece, Gay Tosch (Paul Tosch); and grandnieces, Charlotte Tosch, Holly Gilezan and Lauren Gilezan.
Metro Detroit entrepreneur and Grosse Pointe Shores resident Varoujan “Dan” Kachadourian died Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, from complications of pneumonia at Select Specialty Hospital in Ascension St. John in Detroit.
The son of Armenian immigrants who fled to the United States after the 1915 Armenian Genocide, Kachadourian was born in Highland Park in 1934. As a boy, he fought to recover from polio in his leg, relearned to walk and went on to play and coach baseball.
Kachadourian worked at his parents’ Satisfactory Lunch restaurant — renamed J&M Bar in 1952 — which was located on Second Avenue, north of what is now the Davison Expressway. It was there he started his love for Detroiters and business, helping his family serve meals largely to factory workers from Ford Motor Co.’s Highland Park Assembly Plant.
In 1960, Kachadourian, with his brother John, opened the Parkmont Party Store in downtown Detroit. He was proud to start his own Detroit business and purchase property in his beloved city.
Kachadourian studied at the Detroit College of Law, then turned his focus toward commercial real estate in 1972, when he opened Mr. Stadium Coin Laundry in Ann Arbor, near the University of Michigan’s “Big House.”
His ad campaigns for Mr. Stadium became legendary in Ann Arbor, as did the laundromat’s maize and blue logo T-shirts, which became iconic among University of Michigan students and gained national attention in 2005, when Kevin Costner wore one in “The Upside of Anger.”
The Detroit News voted Mr. Stadium Coin Laundry the Best Campus Laundromat – an honor of which Kachadourian was very proud, as he always strived to make his customers feel at home. He enjoyed getting to know them and was proud to see their loyalty.
The last 20 years, Kachadourian continued to expand his idea of creating a U of M football tailgate park in Mr. Stadium’s lot. For each home game, 75 vehicles full of Wolverine football fans continue to gather there for the camaraderie, cooking and community he created.
Kachadourian, through his K&K Investment Co., later purchased and developed other pieces of commercial real estate in Washtenaw and Oakland counties and constructed one of the first homes built in Bloomfield Hills’ Wabeek neighborhood.
In the 1990s, Kachadourian teamed with St. Andrew’s Hall developer Blair McGowan to form the West of Woodward coalition to combat the demolition of the J.L. Hudson’s building.
A lover of Detroit architecture, he also was active in preserving Detroit’s Masonic Temple. Kachadourian was a past president of the Detroit Masonic Temple’s board of trustees, a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner. He worked to raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals helping children get specialty orthopedic care just like he needed as a child with polio. He also was active in promoting the Masonic program for dyslexic children.
Proud of his Armenian heritage, Kachadourian was a member of the 100 Hyes organization, which raises money for Armenians who are becoming new U.S. citizens. He also was a member of the Men’s Club of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, Huron River Club and The Windsor Club. He had a passion for golf, especially with his grandsons and cherished friends.
Dan Kachadourian is survived by his wife of 55 years, Lillian; daughter, Gail Kachadourian Howe (Wes Howe); grandsons, Jack and Paul Howe; brothers, John Kachadourian (Pat) and Robert Kachadourian; nephews, Larry Kachadourian, David Kachadourian (Charise), Ara Kachadourian (Anahit) and Grant Gilezan (Krisztina); niece, Gay Tosch (Paul Tosch); and grandnieces, Charlotte Tosch, Holly Gilezan and Lauren Gilezan.
The son of Armenian immigrants who fled to the United States after the 1915 Armenian Genocide, Kachadourian was born in Highland Park in 1934. As a boy, he fought to recover from polio in his leg, relearned to walk and went on to play and coach baseball.
Kachadourian worked at his parents’ Satisfactory Lunch restaurant — renamed J&M Bar in 1952 — which was located on Second Avenue, north of what is now the Davison Expressway. It was there he started his love for Detroiters and business, helping his family serve meals largely to factory workers from Ford Motor Co.’s Highland Park Assembly Plant.
In 1960, Kachadourian, with his brother John, opened the Parkmont Party Store in downtown Detroit. He was proud to start his own Detroit business and purchase property in his beloved city.
Kachadourian studied at the Detroit College of Law, then turned his focus toward commercial real estate in 1972, when he opened Mr. Stadium Coin Laundry in Ann Arbor, near the University of Michigan’s “Big House.”
His ad campaigns for Mr. Stadium became legendary in Ann Arbor, as did the laundromat’s maize and blue logo T-shirts, which became iconic among University of Michigan students and gained national attention in 2005, when Kevin Costner wore one in “The Upside of Anger.”
The Detroit News voted Mr. Stadium Coin Laundry the Best Campus Laundromat – an honor of which Kachadourian was very proud, as he always strived to make his customers feel at home. He enjoyed getting to know them and was proud to see their loyalty.
The last 20 years, Kachadourian continued to expand his idea of creating a U of M football tailgate park in Mr. Stadium’s lot. For each home game, 75 vehicles full of Wolverine football fans continue to gather there for the camaraderie, cooking and community he created.
Kachadourian, through his K&K Investment Co., later purchased and developed other pieces of commercial real estate in Washtenaw and Oakland counties and constructed one of the first homes built in Bloomfield Hills’ Wabeek neighborhood.
In the 1990s, Kachadourian teamed with St. Andrew’s Hall developer Blair McGowan to form the West of Woodward coalition to combat the demolition of the J.L. Hudson’s building.
A lover of Detroit architecture, he also was active in preserving Detroit’s Masonic Temple. Kachadourian was a past president of the Detroit Masonic Temple’s board of trustees, a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner. He worked to raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals helping children get specialty orthopedic care just like he needed as a child with polio. He also was active in promoting the Masonic program for dyslexic children.
Proud of his Armenian heritage, Kachadourian was a member of the 100 Hyes organization, which raises money for Armenians who are becoming new U.S. citizens. He also was a member of the Men’s Club of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, Huron River Club and The Windsor Club. He had a passion for golf, especially with his grandsons and cherished friends.
Dan Kachadourian is survived by his wife of 55 years, Lillian; daughter, Gail Kachadourian Howe (Wes Howe); grandsons, Jack and Paul Howe; brothers, John Kachadourian (Pat) and Robert Kachadourian; nephews, Larry Kachadourian, David Kachadourian (Charise), Ara Kachadourian (Anahit) and Grant Gilezan (Krisztina); niece, Gay Tosch (Paul Tosch); and grandnieces, Charlotte Tosch, Holly Gilezan and Lauren Gilezan.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
