On March 19, 1943, a long line quickly formed outside the Crystal Palace Market, 1101 Market St., when word spread that one of the merchants inside the market had received a shipment of butter. More and more Tacomans were feeling the pinch of the war and the effects of rationing. Meat was in short supply with many markets totally out of beef and pork, continuing to keep their doors open by offering fish and fowl. Butter, too, was in short supply, and shortly after this photo was taken, the butter at the Crystal Palace had been snapped up.(T.Times, 3/20/1943, p.1) TPL-1991

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Consumer rationing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Consumers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Markets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crystal Palace Market (Tacoma);

Butter was in short supply in Tacoma in March of 1943. As soon as word leaked out that a merchant had received a shipment of butter, long lines of customers began to form. Two unidentified clerks behind the counter of one of the merchants in the Crystal Palace Market at 1101 Market Street had plenty of customers for their supply of butter on March 19th, within hours it had been snapped up. The unidentified man at the counter (far right) has just paid the clerk next to the cash register 56 cents, including 3 cents for a copy of that day's Tacoma News Tribune. The banner headline on the paper reads "Patton Gains 12 More Miles." (T.Times, 3/20/1943, p.1) TPL-3256

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Consumer rationing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Consumers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Markets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crystal Palace Market (Tacoma);

On March 19, 1943, a line quickly formed to buy rationed butter at the Crystal Palace Market. Other rationed items included coffee, sugar, gasoline, rubber and shoes. Ration stamps were needed to purchase any of these items, as diets and travel plans underwent revisions based on these restrictions. (T.Times, 3/20/1943, p.1)

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Consumer rationing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Consumers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Markets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crystal Palace Market (Tacoma);