The Stationers Inc. The Stationers opened at this location on September 17, 1959. At a time where records were for the most part kept manually and penmanship was an art form, The Stationers offered everything needed in writing supplies. Parker pens and ledgers are prominently displayed on shelves. The store offered office and school supplies as well as equipment; duplicators, steel desks and typewriters. They also had engineering and drafting supplies and social stationary. The company was founded in 1884 by Elisha C. Vaughn as a book, stationary and musical instrument store on Pacific Ave. Charles W. Morrill joined later as a partner. They adopted "The Stationers" as a store name in 1930. For 75 years the company did business at the same location, 926 Pacific Ave. also known as the Olds Building. They moved to this new store when the old building was designated to be torn down and replaced with escalators and parking facilities designed to bring the shoppers back to downtown. The new store was 5 stories high with 50 feet frontage on Commerce and 50 feet on Broadway. (TNT 9/17/1959, pg. A-4)

Stationers, Inc. (Tacoma); Office equipment & supplies;

The Stationers Inc. In the fifties, before computers were in general use, records and ledgers were kept by hand. The stationary store was an important outlet in the community. The Stationers sold office, personal and school supplies and equipment. They opened at this large location on September 17, 1959. The building was built in 1910 for Henry Mohr Hardware and designed by Frederick Heath, architect. The site included 1142-44 Commerce St. It was remodeled in 1942 for Seldens. The Stationers took possesion in 1959. It had now been demolished. The Stationers had a payroll of 25 employees. President C. Howard Armstrong had been with the firm for 47 years. At the time of the move to the new store, The Stationers had been in business for 75 years. (TNT 9/17/1959, pg. A-4)

Stationers, Inc. (Tacoma); Office equipment & supplies;

Week three of upholstering your chair included covering the springs with burlap, placing a layer of horsehair over burlap, then covering the horsehair with cotton upholstery padding. The final step would be to cover the chair with your chosen fabric; Selden's furniture store and specialists were assisting the Tacoma Times with this project. View of chair being upholstered at Selden's Incorporated's facilities; this was part of a four week "Upholstering Made Easy" feature in the Sunday Tacoma Times (T. Times, 1/9/49, p. 4). (Additional information provided by a reader)

Do-it-yourself work--Tacoma; Interior decoration; Upholstery; Textiles; Chairs; Furniture industry--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Selden's, Inc. (Tacoma);

This was how the 1100 Block of Broadway looked in June of 1941. The Henry Mohr Hardware Co. building (1141-43 Broadway,) built in 1910, can be seen on the right foreground with the ground floor occupied by the Karnes Shopping Mart. To the left was the Hotel Lansing at 1137-39 Broadway. The bottom floor was occupied by Overland Furniture. The building was built in 1907 and has since been demolished. Between the Lansing and the Blue Mouse was the Phillips Cafeteria at 1135 Broadway. The Blue Mouse was located at 1131-33 Broadway. It was demolished to make way for one of Tacoma's escalades connecting Pacific to Broadway.

Mohr Hardware Co. building (Tacoma); Karnes Shopping Mart (Tacoma); Hotel Lansing (Tacoma); Overland Furniture (Tacoma); Blue Mouse Movie Theatre (Tacoma); Phillips Cafeteria (Tacoma); Business districts--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Employees of Selden's, Inc. pose in front of rolls of Shuttleworth Carpets by Mohawk in a March, 1954, photograph. Selden's had sponsored a carpet show at their main store on Broadway where customers could view the latest in floor coverings and draperies. Selden's had been at their Broadway location since 1942; their building contained five stories of high quality floor coverings and home furnishings. They had opened a Lakewood branch in the early 1950's.

Group portraits--1950-1960; Selden's, Inc. (Tacoma); Rugs; Home furnishings stores--Tacoma;

Selden's Inc. had a carpet show in their main store on Broadway in March, 1954. Store employees pictured here on stage hold up samples of drapes and rugs for interested shoppers. Selden's was owned and operated by Sydney C. Selden, Sr., as president and general manager. It specialized in floor coverings but also sold household appliances including televisions, and offered an interior decorating service.

Selden's, Inc. (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Rugs; Home furnishings stores--Tacoma;

Selden's Home Furnishings. Behind-the-scenes look at Selden's, longtime Tacoma business, taken in September of 1951. Three rooms with people working. One man sewing carpet, three at work table, and one cutting flooring. Large hanging signage warning employees not to walk on carpet.

Selden's, Inc. (Tacoma); Selden's, Inc. (Tacoma)--Employees; Home furnishings stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Floor coverings; Signs (Notices);

Selden's Home Furnishings. Series of behind-the-scenes operations at Selden's, prominent home furnishings store, taken in September of 1951. One woman at long table in rear cutting fabric, four at long tables pressing fabric, and three at machines sewing.

Selden's, Inc. (Tacoma); Selden's, Inc. (Tacoma)--Employees; Home furnishings stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Sewing machines; Sewing--Tacoma; Irons (Pressing);