Drake’s Sandwich Shop opened nearly a century ago at 709 N. University Ave. For generations of U-M students, faculty and staff, Drake’s was the go-to spot for a quick bite, a cup of tea, a glass of limeade or a red-and-white bag full of penny candy.
Originally owned by and named for pharmacist Claude Drake, the shop opened its doors in 1929. In the early 1930s, it was bought by Truman Tibbals, a Drake’s employee, who, along with his wife, Millie, operated the sandwich shop for more than 60 years.
Drake’s interior was quirky-casual, with avocado-green walls and wooden booths, a carved tin ceiling, and shelves packed with colorful candy jars and boxes of tea. The menu at Drake’s included cinnamon and toasted pecan rolls, fresh-squeezed limeade, and an assortment of sandwiches, such as bacon and peanut butter, orange marmalade, chopped green olive and nut, and the “Michigan” (chicken, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise).
The sandwich shop was reportedly one of the first spots in Ann Arbor to sell bagels, a prescient move given that Bruegger’s Bagels now inhabits Drake’s former location.
Drake’s was also a popular date spot for U-M students, and it was the unofficial break room for the Ann Arbor police. Truman Tibbals reportedly left the back door open so officers could stop in for baked goods at any hour.
Cartoonist and U-M alum Cathy Guisewite worked at Drake’s in the early 1970s, during her undergraduate years in Ann Arbor. In a profile in Michigan Today, she recalled that period.
“The most rebellious thing I did [at U-M] was join the Delta Delta Delta sorority,” Guisewite said. “And the most impactful thing I did was work at Drake’s Sandwich Shop, where I gained 40 pounds eating leftover grilled pecan rolls and milkshakes.”
Drake’s was seen by many as a cozy refuge from the bustle of campus, even if Truman and Millie themselves were reportedly reserved and rarely interacted with patrons. Some students and staff have said, however, that, behind the scenes, the couple imparted valuable life lessons and, in tough times, lent money or helped cover tuition.
For a few years, the Tibbals family operated a dance hall above Drake’s. When it first opened in the 1940s, it was known as the Walnut Room. Later, it was called the Martian Room.
Drake’s closed in 1994 after Truman Tibbals’ death, with most of the shop’s fixtures, signs and green booths going home with nostalgic former patrons.
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When Michigan Today ran the retrospective “Limeade and love: Memories of Drake’s Sandwich Shop” in 2012, the comments section was flooded by U-M alumni waxing poetic about their Drake’s memories. In 2015, the site of Drake’s was celebrated with a historic marker.
During the 2015 celebration, Ann Arbor Mayor and U-M alum Christopher Taylor told the crowd, “We all have our special memories of Drake’s. My wife and I had our first date at Drake’s.”
Stephanie Bennett
Thanks to my grandpa and my mom, neither one Michigan alums, stopping here for sticky buns and candy was a must before Michigan football games – long before setting foot in the lecture halls on campus! I was sad to see it close not too long after I graduated in ’91. I don’t think I’ve been to another place quite like it. Thanks for the memory! And Go Blue!
Clea Davis
I was good friends with Truman’s grandson growing up in Ann Arbor. Sometimes I’d come along with him when he had to close the shop and we’d raid the chocolates. As a UM student in the early 1980’s Drake’s was my favorite study place. I’d park myself in one of the cozy booths and feast on grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, and hot chocolate with Nilla wafers. I think lunch cost me under $3. I loved the buzz of the place, the famously indifferent “Drakettes”, the old phone booth at the back, the booths with the individual light – on a cold and blustery day there was no place cozier than Drake’s. In over 30 years I’ve never been able to bring myself to walk into that space again. I’m still heartbroken at the loss of Drake’s, but grateful for the wonderful memories.
Gregory Mills
WOW! I was digging for a photo of Drake’s from my time at U-M 1982-87 and you NAILED IT with this 1985 storefront shot. Unbelievable. I ALWAYS stopped in for a toasty cinnamon bun and Constant Comment Tea before EVERY chem exam to settle my nerves. And I ALWAYS had a poppy seed bagel and coffee every morning I could manage to fit it into my schedule. First time I visited was when my big sister took me there in the 1960’s. Thank you for a great article and pix! And, yeah, I did finish my BS at U-M in Biochem 🙂