Hopper-Kelly Company of Tacoma, household electrical appliances dealers. Two Grunow refrigerators, one closed, one open. The newly remodeled store was the area headquarters for Grunow, Stewart-Warner and Potter refrigerators.

Hopper Kelly Co. (Tacoma); Appliance stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Refrigerators--1930-1940;

When the Hopper-Kelly Co. appliance store at 1145 Broadway expanded in 1937 they added a musical instrument department under the management of Ralph W. "Happy" Harrison (at left). Mr. Harrison had already been in the musical instrument business in Tacoma for several years and the quality of his instruments attracted many musicians to the Hopper-Kelly store. He carried Hohner, Carmen, and Accordiana accordions, and a wide selection of stringed instruments included Rex Aragon guitars. Mr. Harrison died suddenly in October of 1941 at the age of 46. The second man is unidentified. (TDL 2/14/1937 p. A-7)

Hopper Kelly Co. (Tacoma); Harrison, Ralph W.; Music stores--Tacoma; Musical instruments; Stringed instruments; Accordions;

ca. 1937. The Hopper-Kelly Company service crew was photographed in 1937 standing in front of their newly modernized and expanded store at 1145 Broadway. Pictured left to right are Harry Warner (service manager), Walter Reynolds, Ed Michajla, Jr., Ed Michajla, Sr., Clair Sherrod, Hi MacPherson, C.B. Rees and Harry Robertson. The store served as the area headquarters for Stewart-Warner, Potter and Grunow refrigerators (featured in display window.) The company sold household appliances, such as washers, ironers and refrigerators, as well as radios and pianos. President of the company was C. Galvin Hopper. (TDL 2/14/1937, pg. A-7)

Hopper Kelly Co. (Tacoma); Music stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Appliance stores--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Showroom of Hopper-Kelly Company of Tacoma, household electrical appliances dealers, featuring kitchen stoves and space heaters. A new department had been added to the expanded store at 1145 Broadway. They handled coal, wood and oil circulating ranges, including the Olympic and Great Western banquet lines.

Hopper Kelly Co. (Tacoma); Music stores--Tacoma; Appliance stores--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Hopper-Kelly Company of Tacoma, Musical Instrument Department. Baby Grand and two smaller pianos on display. Hopper Kelly had always been known as a piano house, carrying the finest in Wurlitzer and Kurtzman instruments.

Hopper Kelly Co. (Tacoma); Music stores--Tacoma; Appliance stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Pianos;

Milroy's Service Company. Milroy's is between Selden's home furnishings and the Hamilton (photography) Studio taking up 1141 - 1147 Broadway. Pedestrians are seen moving quickly along the sidewalk. Automobiles are parked at the curbs. A large clock stands at the edge of the sidewalk advertising Sprenger & Jones Jewelers.

Milroy's Service Co. (Tacoma); Hamilton Studio (Tacoma); Selden's, Inc. (Tacoma); Business districts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In November of 1946, Milroy's Service Company was located at 1145 Broadway, between Selden's Home Furnishings and the Hamilton Photography Studio. Earlier city directories had placed the business at 1146 Commerce. Leon D. Mills was Milroy's owner. Milroy's sold home appliances, such as stoves, refrigerators, furnaces and radios. From the looks of this photograph, they also maintained a shop to repair their appliances. At least one employee is working a drill press while another uses a lathe. One of their most popular and affordable items was the portable cylindrical Coleman GI stove at $10.95, with "1,000 uses afield and at home." Other Coleman products sold at Milroy's included gas furnaces like the ones on the left. The Coleman Co. is still going strong over a hundred years after its inception at the turn of the last century. They still produce lanterns, stoves, coolers and even backpacking gear. (www.coleman.com)

Milroy's Service Co. (Tacoma); Workshops--Tacoma--1940-1950; Machinery;

Milroy's Service store sold home appliances. Their store sign indicates they sell refrigerators and radios. An electric stove, water heaters, lanterns and "Coleman" pocket stoves are displayed in their window. A parking meter is in foreground of this January, 1947, photograph.

Storefronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Appliances; Window displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Milroy's Service Co. (Tacoma);