In January of 1949, almost a year before Volkswagen introduced its Transporter (VW bus) to the world's press, people in Tacoma were viewing a strikingly similar vehicle, the Mustang "Teardrop," at Fisher's department store. Made by Mustang Engineering Corporation in Renton, the streamlined, aerodynamic vehicle featured a 4-cylinder Hercules rear engine, hydraulic 4-wheel brakes, swivel seats, split front window with dual windshield wipers, round Mustang logo, protective front bumper grill, and projecting driver's side mirror. Young Ronnie Warter, at the wheel, and passenger Elizabeth Fynboe envision what it would be like to take the Teardrop on the road with its cruising speed of 65 m.p.h. TPL-6191 (T. Times, 1/2/49, p. 6).

Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Prototypes; Mustang; Mustang Engineering Corp. (Renton); Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Walter, Ronnie; Fynboe, Elizabeth;

Davis car at Fisher's, Times. Crowds formed all day to look over a stripped down model of a 3-wheeled 1949 Davis automobile outside Fisher's Department Store.The experimental automobile was for sale at $995. The sign above the vehicle announced that dealer franchises were available. This was the newest American automobile design in many decades although 3-wheeled automobiles were manufactured in England during the 1920's and 1930's. Designed by aircraft engineers and designers, it boasts new features including a removable top. Its top speed was 116 miles per hour. It had disc brakes. Gary Davis of Van Nuys, California, planned to manufacture and sell 40,000 of these automobiles in 1949. (T.Times, 1/23/1949, p.7)

Experimental automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Davis automobile; Department Stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Publicity;

On January 22, 1949, a crowd gathered on the first floor of Fisher's Department Store to view the cigar shaped 3-wheeled Davis automobile. The aluminum bodied Davis, manufactured by the Davis Motor Co. of Van Nuys, California, reportedly went faster, stopped quicker, turned shorter and burned less gasoline than almost any other automobile made in America. It was touted as the truly unique automobile of 1949. It was claimed that 50 cars a day would be rolling off the 1949 production line. However, only 15-17 of the automobiles were ever manufactured. Gary Davis, the company's founder, was investigated by the Los Angeles District Attorney's office for fraud and the factory was shut down at the end of 1948. It was estimated that $1,200,000 was raised by Mr. Davis based on his test models. He had sold over 300 franchises that were waiting for their first shipments. Gary Davis was found guilty of fraud. He had designed an excellent vehicle but lacked the business acumen to produce it. (T.Times, 1/23/1949, p.7 and Parade magazine, Davis Automobile Registry online at www.suarezweb.com/davis)

Experimental automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Davis automobile; Department Stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Publicity;

Fisher's department store was advertising spring and Easter fashions for women, men and children in the Tacoma Times and Tacoma News Tribune. View of unidentified model wearing one of the latest hat styles for spring 1949; Fisher's was advertising the latest hats to go with the latest spring and Easter fashions, available in their hat department.

Fashion models--Tacoma; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Advertisements--Tacoma; Posing; Hats--1940-1950; Department stores--Tacoma; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma);

Fisher's Department Store was located in Tacoma's downtown business district at 1104 Broadway; Knute Kristall was the managing director in 1949. View of window display featuring five "Maytag" washing machines in a variety of styles, all with exclusive rollers to wring out excess water; Fisher's is also advertising a "Maytag" washing machine contest.

Washing machines; Appliance stores--Tacoma; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Window displays; Department stores--Tacoma; Home furnishings stores--Tacoma; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma);

Fisher's Department Store opened their bargain basement on Thursday August 18, 1949; they advertised this department as the first of its kind in Tacoma. Interior view of Fisher's new bargain basement; merchandise is neatly arranged in display fixtures, their cash registers are set up throughout the basement to help customers with their purchases (T.N.T., 8/18/49, p. 6).

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clothing stores--Tacoma; Department stores--Tacoma; Mercantile facilities--Tacoma; Shopping--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma);

Fisher's Department Store opened their bargain basement on Thursday August 18, 1949; they advertised this department as the first of its kind in Tacoma. Interior view of Fisher's bargain basement; view of ballerina skirts for $1.98, corduroy skirts for $3.98, skirts for $2.98 to $5.98 and rayon crepe blouses for $1.66 (T.N.T., 8/17/49, p. 10-11 & 8/18/49, p. 6).

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clothing stores--Tacoma; Department stores--Tacoma; Mercantile facilities--Tacoma; Shopping--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma);

Fisher's Department Store opened their bargain basement to the public on August 18, 1949; they advertised this department as the first of its kind in Tacoma. This was one of the first moves made by the store during their large expansion project. Interior view of Fisher's bargain basement; view of house dresses for $1.99 and $2.98, house coats for $3.29, dresses for $4.99 and half size dresses for $7.98 (T.N.T., 8/17/49, p. 10-11 & 8/18/49, p. 6).

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clothing stores--Tacoma; Department stores--Tacoma; Mercantile facilities--Tacoma; Shopping--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma);

Fisher's Department Store at 11th & Broadway opened their bargain basement to the public on August 18, 1949; they advertised this department as the first of its kind in Tacoma. The new department was one of the first moves made by the store during a new expansion project. Interior view of Fisher's bargain basement just after the close of opening day; sales personnel are completely exhausted and the hosiery department is completely destroyed (T.N.T., 8/18/49, p. 6).

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clothing stores--Tacoma; Department stores--Tacoma; Mercantile facilities--Tacoma; Sales personnel--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shopping--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma);

Fisher's Department Store has been in Tacoma for 60 years at the time of this October, 1945 photograph. They had recently completed a $500,000 expansion and modernization project, which helps them serve their customers better. View of three unidentified Fisher's Department Store window dressers; they are setting up a wedding and chrysanthemum display, featuring a bride and flower girl in the Bridal Room.

Mannequins; Wedding costume--1940-1950; Chrysanthemums--Tacoma; Window displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma);

The Relle Scatter-Pin Ring, a new innovation in the world of jewelry, was introduced to Tacomans at Fisher's Department Store in November 1949. It was a ring-pin combination; the wearer could choose to add a scatter pin to the ring, twisting securely to make a dinner ring. The creator, Norman Carr, designed brilliant stone-studded scatter pins which could be worn alone, or used in the creation of stuning dinner rings. (photo taken for Marian Wood, Fisher's Jewelry Dept.) (TNT, 11/27/1949, p.A-15)

Department Stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Jewelry; Rings;

Santa Claus has joined a group from Puget Sound National Bank at Fisher's Toy Department. The group have gathered for their portrait at "Santa's Western Home". Ordered by Puget Sound National Bank, Bob Gordon.

Department Stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Bankers--Tacoma; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma)--People;

This store window at Fisher's is decorated for Christmas and displays pajamas as a gift suggestion. The pajamas and bathrobes for men and boys are shown with stripes and plaids. Gift certificates are also suggested. Order by Mr. Hodos.

Window displays; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Sleepwear;

This view shows the shaft built for the escalator being installed inside Fisher's department store. Steel beams have been added to suppport the structure and plywood has been used to cover the exterior of the shaft.

Department stores--Tacoma; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Escalators--Tacoma;

Fisher's is installing an escalator inside their department store. Plywood has been used to surface the outside of the opening where the escalator will be placed. Supporting columns and various pipes are seen outside the area enclosed by plywood. Counters are filled with children's hats and clothing. A sign points the way to infant's wear, girls wear, infants furniture and toyland. A sales area with a cash register is seen in the center by one of the columns.

Department stores--Tacoma; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Escalators--Tacoma;

Joan Thrasher tries on a wedding gown at the Bon Marche for the Tacoma News Tribune's "Brides" layout. The exquisite gown is full-length lace with lavish train. (T.N.T.)

Weddings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Bon Marche (Tacoma); Wedding costume--1950-1960; Thrasher, Joan; Brides--1950-1960;

Joan Thrasher tries on a lace wedding gown at the Bon Marche, as multiple mirrors reflect back her image. This photograph was shot for the TNT 1952 bridal layout. Joan Thrasher married Allen Jerome Morgan June 14, 1952 in the Christ Episcopal church. The ceremony was followed by a reception at the Tacoma Lawn Tennis club. The bride was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James W. Thrasher of Tacoma and the groom the son of the Allen B. Morgans of Seattle. After the wedding, the couple left for Massachusetts, where the bridegroom served as coxswain for the Washington Athletic club-sponsored shell at the Olympic trials. Both Mr. and Mrs. Morgan graduated from the University of Washington, where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta and the Totem Club. Before the wedding, she had taught at the University Place grade school. While at the U of W, the groom was the president of Chi Psi, and belonged to Big W and the Varsity Boat club. He was coxswain for the U of W shell in the 1948 Olympic games. (Tacoma Reporter 6/21/1952) TPL-8058

Weddings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Bon Marche (Tacoma); Wedding costume--1950-1960; Thrasher, Joan; Brides--1950-1960;

This photograph shows the massive multi-storied Bon Marche downtown store, at 1104 Broadway, as it appeared in 1955. The upper portion of the facade included brick and Tenino sandstone and marble facing with metal canopy on the lower section. The structure was built in 1905 by the Cornell Brothers, contractors, for the Fisher Department Store and had been designed by architect Frederick Heath. Fishers underwent a name change in 1952 and emerged as the Bon Marche, part of a chain of stores owned by Allied Stores. The Bon Marche remained in its downtown location until July, 1964, when it moved to the Tacoma Mall. The building remained empty for a while as renovations took place until Rainier Bank moved in during 1980. It is now home to Columbia Bank. Photograph ordered by Bon Marche. (Kipp: Tacoma Redivia, p. 67) TPL-9349

Bon Marche (Tacoma); Fishers Department Store (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960;

John Keeler, managing director of the Bon Marche department store, accepts an office mural of the new Slenderella International Salon from Larry Mack, president of Slenderella, on January 17, 1956. Vice president of West Coast operations, Irene Ward, elegantly dressed in a fur wrap, stands between the two men. As its name hints, Slenderella was a weight reducing salon. It would soon open in downtown Tacoma on the sixth floor of the Bon Marche building and be managed by Mrs. Vera Jones. Although Slenderella had 100 stores worldwide, the Tacoma location would be the first in a western department store. Photograph ordered by News Tribune. (TNT 1-22-56, B-5)

Slenderella International, Inc. (Tacoma); Weight loss--Tacoma; Keeler, John; Mack, Larry; Ward, Irene;

Stores began gearing up for the Christmas shopping season as early as November, even in the 1950's. The Bon Marche set up a Christmas display on its sixth floor where a jolly Santa extends a beribboned gift. Dolls, including a smiling clown, dump trucks, and an electric football game await holiday browsers. Wrapped gifts are positioned under gilded bells to tantalize the curious. Photograph ordered by the Bon Marche.

Christmas--Tacoma; Christmas presents; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Bon Marche (Tacoma);

• Black and white photograph aerial view of the downtown Tacoma business district. The 11th Street Bridge (now called the Murray Morgan Bridge) is in the upper right of the card, and Fisher's Department Store is in the middle, just below center. circa 1940.
• Printed on front: Tacoma, Wash.

Circa 1910.

• Colorized photograph aerial view of the downtown Tacoma business district. The 11th Street Bridge (now called the Murray Morgan Bridge) is in the upper right of the card, and Fisher's Department Store is in the middle, just below center. circa 1940.
• Printed on front: Tacoma, Washington