This building at the northeast corner of North 26th Street and Proctor was occupied by a number of different business between 1916 when it was built and 1963 when it was replaced with the building that currently stands on that corner. In 1943, when this photograph was taken, it was home to North End Builders' Supply operated by Edwin L. Coy. Mr. Coy was a Baptist minister who served as the pastor in nine area churches during his ministerial career. Because many of the churches in which he served were financially troubled, the reverend took other jobs to support his family. Besides running this north end hardware store, he was employed over the years as a carpenter, a furniture salesman, a butcher and a conductor on a narrow-gauge railroad.

Hardware stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Coy's Hardware Store (Tacoma); North End Builders' Supply (Tacoma);