The Sears, and Roebuck Company took over the Owen Woods building at the corner of So. 13th and Broadway in 1935. This photograph from 1952 shows the completely remodeled building. The new facade was based on the Sears building at the Chicago Century of Progress Exposition. In 1981, after over 45 years at this address, Sears moved to the Tacoma Mall, leaving the Peoples Store at So. 11th and Pacific as the last major department store in downtown Tacoma. The Peoples Store closed three years later, in 1984. After Sears moved to the Mall, the building at 1148 Broadway was remodeled yet again, restoring much of the look of the original Owen Woods Building.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parking garages--Tacoma; Silas E. Nelsen Architects (Tacoma);

Interior exposure of mannequin and refrigerator for Sears and Roebuck. A mannequin in an apron and fold out penguins advertise the newest Coldspot refrigerator at Sears. The refrigerator has a serve shelf- bonus space in the door to store small foods, a chiller- extra cold storage for meats and a crisper and "vegedrator"- to keep fruits and vegetables firm and flavorful. All three innovations are still used on modern refrigerators.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Refrigerators--1950-1960; Mannequins;

View of alley entrance to Sears, Roebuck's multi-tiered parking lot. As the large sign above the parking lot's entrance indicted, Sears offered their customers one hour of free parking from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. This was a new concept to attract more customers to Sears; even in the summer of 1951, downtown parking was at a premium and parking congestion becoming prevalent. New keys could also be made at the garage's entrance with only a minute's delay.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Parking garages--Tacoma; Parking lots--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

A well dressed family marches into Sears in the summer of 1951. In a photograph shot for advertising purposes, a sign denoting "New lower down payments" on household appliances is prominently displayed to attract such customers to enter the building. What appears to be a mangler with lid is selling for $124.95 and other appliances can be glimpsed close to entrances and windows. TPL-2530

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Signs (Notices); Business enterprises--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A Sears, Roebuck employee demonstrates a new television console to a young Tacoma family in August, 1951. A similar television with rectangular screen is on sale for $259. Sears was having a sale on household appliances and furnishings with low down payments advertised. A sign on the wall indicates that a 15% down payments would be accepted. Several refrigerators are lined up just a few short steps away. TPL-5046

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Televisions--1950-1960; Children watching television; Refrigerators; Selling--Tacoma; Sales personnel--Tacoma;

Sears Roebuck and Company Department Store, Sporting Goods Department. Luggage on left, bicycles on right, table of hats, balls and bats. Back wall has rifles, tennis racquets, and fishing poles.

Business Enterprises - Department Stores - Tacoma - Sears Roebuck and Company Equipment - Sporting Goods

Sears Roebuck and Company Department Store, Housewares Department. Dishes and glassware in front with pots and pans next to them. Paint Department beyond.

Business Enterprises - Department Stores - Tacoma - Sears Roebuck and Company Equipment - Cooking Utensils, Tableware

Sears, Roebuck and Company Department Store, Powertool Department, as photographed on September 5, 1951. Tablesaws, jointer on left with drill presses. Next row has smaller power drills and accessories.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Equipment; Saws; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Sears Roebuck and Company Department Store, Appliance Department. Three rows of electric ranges are photographed on September 5, 1951. This was the Tacoma location of Sears, 1148 Broadway.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Stoves--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Sears, Roebuck and Co. Department Store, Second Floor. Hardware, hoses in stack, cabinet hardware, tools on back wall. Sears promoted their "easy payment plan."

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Sears Roebuck and Co. Department Store, Kitchen Display. Refrigerator on left with cabinets in L- shape. Sink with window above, stove on right, small counter with rounded shelves on end. Photograph taken on September 5, 1951.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Refrigerators; Stoves--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Elevated view of the Sears, Roebuck & Co.'s parking lot taken on July 23, 1951. Photograph was apparently taken from across the street and shows that the lot is full; apparently many Tacomans were taking advantage of the free parking that Sears provided. The multi-tiered parking lot would help to alleviate the problems of insufficient parking that downtown Tacoma was already starting to experience.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Parking garages--Tacoma; Parking lots--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Sears Roebuck and Company Department Store, Automotive Department. This elevated view of the automotive department, taken on September 5, 1951, shows tires on right, four tables with oil, seat covers, auto accessories, batteries and mufflers on right back wall. The automotive section seemed to be set next to appliances, including stoves.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Automobile equipment & supplies; Stoves--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Elevated view of Sears, Roebuck & Co.'s parking lot taken in summer of 1951. The Sears parking lot is nearly full; this was the top of a multi-tiered parking garage recently built by Sears. Angled parking provides most efficient use of parking space as many of Sears' customers take advantage of the free parking while shopping. Craig Furniture and Schoenfeld's buildings are visible in photo.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Parking garages--Tacoma; Parking lots--Tacoma--1950-1960; Craig Furniture, Inc. (Tacoma); L. Schoenfeld & Sons (Tacoma);

The pillars in the new parking garage at 13th and Market create a forest of concrete trees in this photograph from August of 1951. In 1951 Sears, Roebuck & Co. built a parking garage to help provide inexpensive, plentiful parking for their downtown customers. Sears offered one hour of free parking. Thirty years later, in 1981, Sears moved their store to the Tacoma Mall. This garage, which stands across from the downtown YMCA, became the Cornerstone Building.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Parking garages--Tacoma; Parking lots--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

Mrs. N. Earl Davison at Sears with daughter Joanne, 13, and son Steve, 11, are looking at a table saw for a possible Christmas gift. Joanne smiles at her brother as she sticks her finger through a small hole in the rough board. Sears, like now, carried a wide variety of items for sale including home tools.

Saws; Davison, N. Earl--Family; Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Shopping--Tacoma--1950-1960; Children shopping--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior of Sears store at the corner of South 13th Street and Broadway as pictured on November 15, 1950. The Coliseum Bowling Alley is seen up the hill along South 13th Street and the Savon Rexall Drug store is across Broadway. Ordered by Herb Moore.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Coliseum Bowling Alley (Tacoma);

This publicity photograph for a Tacoma Tigers game against Salem was taken on July 17,1950. Floyd (Lefty) Isekite, one of the great southpaws of the Western International League, demonstrates a pitching grip for Clarence Stave. Stave, peering over his sunglasses, was a retired umpire. Earl Kuper, at the far right, had been a catcher and manager for the Tigers. The three committeemen were promoting Tacoma Athletic Club night, August 1, at Tiger Stadium. (TNT 7-23-50, B-7)

Baseballs; Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Sporting goods; Isekite, Floyd; Stave, Clarence; Kuper, Earl;