Lakewood Country Store, ordered by National Cash Registers. "Where value exceeds the price." The store advertised itself as an old fashioned country store with a cracker barrel, pot bellied stove, cider and a friendly game of checkers. Edward G. Stevens was manager of this department store, billed as the "Northwest's most unusual department store." The store offered a wide range of merchandise, as a forerunner to modern multi-purpose super stores.

Lakewood Country Store (Lakewood); Department stores--Lakewood--1950-1960;

Day exposure of the Lakewood Country Store's pet, patio and garden shop. The outdoor life store was located across the parking lot from the main store in the former temporary quarters of the Lakewood Puget Sound Bank. The special garden and patio store developed from the need for larger quarters for this section of the main store. Its Grand Opening on March 5-6, 1954 offered pony rides for the kids and a display of unusual pets. With the advent of spring, a Northwesterner's fancy turns to gardening and the Country Store was there to supply the means. The Country Store advertised itself as an old fashioned all purpose store and the most unusual department store in the Northwest. (TNT 3/4/1954, pg. A-12)

Lakewood Country Store (Lakewood); Department stores--Lakewood--1950-1960;

Night exposure of the Lakewood Country Store's pet, patio and garden shop. The shop opened in the former temporary quarters of the Lakewood Puget Sound Bank, across the parking lot from the main store. The store billed itself as an old fashioned country store and the Northwest's most unusual department store. It carried a broad mix of merchandise, a forerunner to today's bargain superstores. To the left of the photo is the pet and patio section, to the right is the garden section. The barn doors are open to the garden section and a rolling cart of plants has been tucked inside. Gardening tools can be seen hanging from the walls through the center windows. The Manager of the new store was Kenneth Wade, a graduate agronomist from the University of Idaho with 10 years of experience with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (TNT 3/4/1954, pg. A-12)

Lakewood Country Store (Lakewood); Department stores--Lakewood--1950-1960;

Progress photographs on construction of Puget Sound National Bank's temporary Lakewood Branch. A crew of 25 men finished the construction job for the temporary quarters of Puget Sound National Bank near Lakewood Center in 10 working days. The new branch opened March 24, 1952, just 28 days from the time the foundations were laid. Faced with a rapidly increasing population in the area and a growing need for modern branch banking facilities, bank officials made a quick decision to build a new bank and build it now. (TNT, 3/9/1952, p.C-12)

Puget Sound National Bank (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Banking--Lakewood; Building construction--Lakewood--1950-1960;

Progress photographs on construction of Puget Sound National Bank's temporary Lakewood Branch. Workmen are seen putting the finishing touches on the exterior of the building constructed in a record 10 working days. Architect Lea, Pearson and Richards turned to what was virtually an all-plywood construction for a one-story building in keeping with the colonial design of Lakewood Center. (TNT, 3/9/1952, p.C-12)

Puget Sound National Bank (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Banking--Lakewood; Building construction--Lakewood--1950-1960;

Progress photographs on construction of Puget Sound National Bank's temporary Lakewood Branch. The Lakewood Branch opened in temporary headquarters - a 35 x 75 foot plywood building - 10 working days after obtaining the Comptroller's approval. Plans for a permanent building to be located adjacent to the temporary building and on Gravelly Lake Drive were to begin immediately. The permanent branch opened on October 5, 1953. (TNT, 3/8/1952, p.A-3)

Puget Sound National Bank (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Banking--Lakewood;

Progress photographs on construction of Puget Sound National Bank's temporary Lakewood Branch. The temporary branch opened March 24, 1952, in an addition to Lakewood Center, directly south of the main shopping center, across the parking lot. Charles McCallum was to be the Lakewood Branch Manager. (TNT, 3/8/1952, p.A-3)

Puget Sound National Bank (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Banking--Lakewood;

Exterior view of Puget Sound National Bank's temporary Lakewood branch. As the 1950's began, so did urban flight. Population in the suburbs was booming and the bank followed its customers. In 1952, Puget Sound opened its Lakewood branch adjacent to the Lakewood Center and took in nearly $2 million in deposits by the end of its first year. Lakewood opened in temporary headquarters- a 35 x 75 foot plywood building- 10 working days after obtaining the Comptroller's approval. The permanent branch opened on 10-5-1953. ("Banking on Independence" by Barry L. Provorse)

Puget Sound National Bank (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Banking--Lakewood;

Exerior view of Puget Sound National Bank in Lakewood. The temporary Lakewood branch of the Puget Sound National Bank was completed and ready for occupancy in March, 1952. The branch was located at 6207 Mount Tacoma Drive S.W. , an addition of the Lakewood Center. View of bank shows it to be a one-story building, colonial in architecture, with porch and shutters. There is also a weathervane on the roof. Construction of the new branch was completed in less than one month. According to the 1953 City Directory, Charles McClallum was listed as Assistant Cashier and Branch Manager and F.A. White, Assistant Manager. Photograph ordered by Condon Co. (TNT 3-21-52, p. 9)

Puget Sound National Bank (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Banking--Lakewood;

Winifred (Mrs. Robley) O'Farrell, Jr. and child at Lakewood Country Store, owned by Norton Clapp, select golf clubs for a Christmas gift. They are checking out the merchandise in the sporting goods department in an early start of Christmas shopping. (T.N.T.)

O'Farrell, Winifred; O'Farrell, Robley--Family; Shopping--Lakewood--1950-1960; Lakewood Country Store (Lakewood); Sporting goods;

An employee at Lakewood Country Store pulls out a panel of plywood in a November, 1951, photograph. A wooden sign above the panels indicates that the plywood is made of Douglas fir and is separated into interior and exterior usage. Lakewood Country Store, located in the newly expanded Lakewood Community Center, carried a variety of items ranging from women's clothing to paints and building supplies. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Plywood; Paneling--Lakewood; Lakewood Country Store (Lakewood); Signs (Notices); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Mrs. Robley (Winifred) O' Farrell, Jr., and child examine golf clubs in the sporting goods department of the Lakewood Country Store on November 14, 1951. They were apparently getting a head start on 1951's Christmas shopping. View of Mrs. O'Farrell sitting on counter holding a golf club while her child pulls a club out of the golf bag. Baseball and boxing gloves, nets and spinning tackles are against the rear wall.

Shopping--Lakewood--1950-1960; Lakewood Country Store (Lakewood); O'Farrell, Robley--Family; O'Farrell, Winifred; Golfers--Lakewood; Sporting goods;

The Lakewood Country Store, located in the Lakewood Community Center, was a unique department store of the early 50's; it managed to keep up-to-date inventory in its many departments while keeping the country ambience of the past. A customer could purchase anything from fine gifts to thimbles to hunting supplies at the Lakewood Country Store. View of the Ladies and Sportswear departments; Van Raalte nylon lingerie was listed on sale in newspaper ads at $8.95 for nighties and $6.95 for slips. Stockings, Belle-Sharmeer brand, could be purchased from $1.35 to $1.95 a pair. Graff man-tailored jackets were selling for $12.95 a piece. One-stop shopping, including a stop at the cracker barrel and cheese display, was made convenient for suburban shoppers. (TNT 11-14-51, C-2, C-3-5)

Department stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Stores & shops--Lakewood--1950-1960; Lakewood Country Store (Lakewood); Lingerie; Underwear; Sport Clothes;

The Lakewood Country Store purchased several full page ads welcoming customers to their new location on Mount Tacoma Dr. in the newly expanded Lakewood Community Center. Headlines proclaiming the Lakewood Country Store as the "Northwest's newest and most unusual department store" ran in November, 1951, newspapers. The Country Store, owned by Ed Stevens, carried such varied items as hardware, notions, paints and women's clothing. View of notions department with napkins, imported towels, non-shrink yarns on display. The old cracker barrel and supply of cheese, a favorite of adults and children alike, would also remain in the new store. Artist Connie Brady's murals also decorated the store; her mural of an old country store is placed directly over a display of brooms and mops. (TNT 11-14-51, C-2,3)

Department stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Stores & shops--Lakewood--1950-1960; Lakewood Country Store (Lakewood); Yarn; Towels; Murals--Lakewood;

Lakewood Country Store, Gift Department. Tables and walls filled with glassware, games, and other gifts on display in mid-November of 1951. The Lakewood Country Store was located in the Lakewood Community Center which had recently expanded.

Lakewood Country Store (Lakewood); Department stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Stores & shops--Lakewood--1950-1960;

Lakewood Country Store, Hardware Department. Four counters containing hardware items, paint against wall, tools in the back. Photograph taken in November of 1951.

Lakewood Country Store (Lakewood); Stores & shops--Lakewood; Department stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Hardware;