Colorful Boston-Edison home comes with history and $596K price tag

The Kern’s department store “once rivaled Hudson’s in its popularity and quality of service,” writes the Detroit Historical Society. The downtown retailer that closed in 1959, but the famous Kern’s clock still sits outside the One Campus Martius building.

The home of Otto Kern, the son of department store’s founder, is also still around. And it’s for sale.

On Chicago Boulevard in Boston-Edison, the home is listed with Gaye Butler of Robinson Realty & Management Group for $596,000.

Built in 1920, the 5,155-square-foot Georgian Revival has a beautiful brick exterior with three dormers, window shutters, and a columned portico around the front entrance.

The foyer welcomes you into the colorful home with wide french doors to both the living and dining rooms. The former is centered around a marble fireplace and is adjacent to a music room which, according to the realtor, is a tribute to Dr. Nellie Ebersole, co-founder of the Art Center Music School and who lived in the home for 40 years.

The kitchen has some unique metal cabinetry and an island with a metal countertop, as well as a breakfast nook and enormous butler’s pantry. We also like the billiards room in the basement, the covered side porch, and nicely landscaped back yard with a tiny bridge.

The home also has six bedrooms, three full and two half bathrooms, and a two-car garage that comes with some extra space.