A committee of interested citizens volunteered in 1942 to act as Santa's elves in bringing a little cheer to the members of the Armed Forces in Puget Sound, who were celebrating the holidays far from their homes and families. They are photographed grouped in front of the old guy himself at the Rhodes Bro. Department store. Tacoma Mayor Harry P. Cain is seated on the floor second from the right. Tacomans were being asked to buy small inexpensive presents to hand out on Christmas morning to soldiers. Gift depots had been set up all over town, in stores, schools and USO centers, for people to deposit these gifts. (T. Times 12/1/1942, pg. 9)

Santa Claus--Tacoma; Holidays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Christmas presents; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979;

Actor John Carradine, in Tacoma for performances of his Shakespeare Players at the Temple Theater, during a War Bonds rally at Rhodes Department Store. Mr. Carradine is in the front row, extreme right, next to Sgt. Norma Oaks, a U.S. Marine. Mrs. Roy Kneeland, chairman of the PTA War Bonds sales, is next to Sgt. Oaks. Carradine's company presented "The Merchant of Venice," "Hamlet" and "Othello" during their short stay in Tacoma. ALBUM 5. (TNT 11-25-43, p. 20)

Carradine, John; Actors--Tacoma--1940-1950; War bonds & funds; Marines (Military personnel); Oaks, Norma;

Mrs. Roy Kneeland (left), chairman of the PTA war bond campaign, looks on as John Carradine carefully types a bond application form for Sgt. Norma Oaks (right). The bond campaign sales office was set up in the "Victory Window" at the Rhodes Brothers Department Store. Mr. Carradine had brought his own theater troupe, The Shakespeare Players, to Tacoma for a series of live performances at the Temple Theater. On Wednesday November 24, 1943, they presented "Merchant of Venice" with Carradine as Shylock. On Thanksgiving, the 25th, they performed "Hamlet" as a matinee and "Othello" in the evening, again with John Carradine as the lead. There were so many curtain calls for "Othello" that the curtain operator was physically exhausted by the cranking. (TNT 11-25-43, p.20, TNT 11-26-43, p. 6 ) ALBUM 5.

Carradine, John; Actors--Tacoma--1940-1950; War bonds & funds; Typewriters; Oaks, Norma;

Trikskirts window display. Rhodes Brothers Department store first opened up on "C" Street in Tacoma, then within a few years had expanded into Seattle and a few other states as well. View of Trikskirts window display, showing a variety of colors and prices.

Department stores--Tacoma; Skirts; Window displays; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Rhodes windows. William Haley of the U. S. Secret Service and Detective C. O. Rolfson of the local police force set up this display of counterfeit and real money. Crowds of people have seen this window display at Rhodes Brothers Department Store (T. Times, 4/11/44, p. 7).

Window displays; Counterfeiting; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Rhodes window "Lilli Ann" suits. Rhodes Bros. has been in business in Tacoma since 1892. They were located in the Tacoma business district among other fine stores. View of display window number nine at Rhodes featuring part of the fall collection by top California designer, "Lilli Ann".

Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Window displays; Mannequins; Fashion designers; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Exterior of Rhodes Store, Olympic Ice Cream. A five-story brick department store. Window displays of women's clothing are shown. Miller's Furs and Olympic Ice Cream stores are up one block. Corner of 11th and Market.

Commercial buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Exterior of Rhodes Store, Olympic Ice. A five-story brick department store. Window displays of women's clothing are shown. Signs advertise War Bonds being sold at Rhodes. Miller's Furs and the Olympic Ice Cream stores are seen up the street on 11th. Pedestrian's images are blurred because they are walking and the camera's lens is open for a long time to get a good image of the building. Corner of 11th and Market.

Commercial buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950;Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Miller's Furs (Tacoma); Olympic Ice Cream Co. (Tacoma);

Rhodes Bros. department store was featuring "Harriet Hubbard Ayer" cosmetics on the first floor in March of 1945. Here a saleswoman offers a sample to a smiling customer. She may also be in the market for the "True Red" lipstick by "Harriet Hubbard Ayer" which sold for $1.00 or rouge for an additional 65 cents. Both could be worn with the season's bright prints or soft pastels. Harriet Hubbard Ayer was one of America's earliest cosmetic entrepreneurs who made a fortune manufacturing and selling facial creams. She later lost control of her company and became a writer of beauty columns. Her signature was trademarked in 1907 and cosmetics continue to be created under her distinctive name by Ayer Cosmetics International.

Cosmetics; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sales personnel--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma)--Employees; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In June of 1945 three unidentified women prepared to send Father's Day messages to servicemen from the special Post Yarns mailing center in Tacoma's Rhodes Department Store; an unidentified clerk working in the booth took their addressed messages. Rhodes joined with the Saturday Evening Post magazine in a special wartime Father's Day offer. The Saturday Evening Post made copies of Post Yarns, a pocket size version of their magazine, available at the department store; Rhodes provided free delivery for the miniature magazine - with a personal note from the sender.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Fathers & children;

Maurice P. Gribbon, in charge of the shoe department at Rhodes Department Store, fitted T/3 Gertrude E. Totten with a new pair of sling pumps in October of 1945. T/3 Totten had been chosen to receive a complete new civilian outfit from Rhodes Department Store because she was the high point WAC aboard the USS General William Mitchell which had just returned from New Guinea. The only thing Rhodes could not provide was a pair of nylon stockings. As luck would have it, Miss Totten still had one pair that she had saved through the war while she served in the Pacific. (T.Times, 10/31/1945, p.6)

Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Peace--Tacoma; Womens Army Corps; Totten, Gertrude E.; Awards;

Rhodes Department Store window display #4, Sun Rose Slack Suits. A backdrop is made from a grass mat with a painting of a dragon on it and a woven mat is also used as a carpet.

Window displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Mannequins; Clothing stores--Tacoma; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Rhodes Department Store window display featuring an exclusive line of Corliss Archer originals by Junior Miss of California, advertised for $12.95. Three outfits are shown. The mannequin is addressing a CBS microphone and a poster of a radio tower is in the background.

Window displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Mannequins; Clothing stores--Tacoma; Radio broadcasting; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Rhodes Department Store display windows featuring Servicemen's Canteen. Items displayed include tooth brushes, socks, key cases, pocket dictionaries and chocolates.

Window displays; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Rhodes Department Store window #2 featuring a Mademoiselle line. Two mannequins are shown near a large copy of a page from Mademoiselle.

Window displays; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Book Department at Rhodes. Rhodes department store offered their customers just about everything they could want or need. View of six unidentified sales people at Rhodes book department. They are standing around a display featuring books about the home. On right side we can see Betty MacDonald's "The Egg and I" book display.

Bookstores--Tacoma; Books; Bookcases--Tacoma; Sales personnel--Tacoma; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Rhodes department store offered their customers a wide selection of everything they might need to look their best. Rhodes received new merchandise on a daily basis. View of men's socks and shirts section at Rhodes Bros, Easter sales signs in center of sock fixtures.

Department stores--Tacoma; Hosiery; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Men--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Rhodes Brothers Department Store's window display featuring "Palm Beach Story by Sacony" fashions, exclusively available at Rhodes' ladies fashion department. Mannequins are wearing chic two piece suits, part of the Palm Beach collection, palm tree in background surrounded by sand; fashions are ideal for the modern women of the 1940's.

Mannequins; Window displays; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

A look at the boys clothing section of Rhodes Department Store on April 19, 1946. Piles of shirts, socks and other accessories await customers.

Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Rhodes Department Store, Shoe Department. Elevated view of the shoe department which appears to feature men's shoes, taken in April of 1946. Men's attire across the aisle.

Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shoes;

Rhodes Department Store had everything a customer could want or need for their home. Rhodes had recently finished a remodeling and modernization of their departments. View of unidentified woman looking at a refrigerator in the appliances department. A stove and an automatic washing machine are in foreground, Bendix home laundry advertisements in background.

Refrigerators; Washing machines; Stoves--Tacoma; Department stores--Tacoma; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Rhodes department store offered their customers a wide selection of women's wear, men's wear, children's items and household goods. Rhodes' ads said they received new merchandise every day. Interior view of Rhodes bedding department, North Star all-wool blankets, bedspreads and other bedding items are displayed. Pearltone plastic fabric a "post-war marvel" display is visible on right side center.

Bedspreads; Furnishings; Blankets; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Department stores--Tacoma; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Rhodes Department Store, "Hi School Shop", Junior's Fashion section. Murals on walls, splatter painted fixtures, many dresses and skirts.

Business Enterprises - Department Stores - Tacoma - Rhodes Brothers

Rhodes Department Store lingerie section.

Business Enterprises - Department Stores - Tacoma - Rhodes Brothers - Clothing Departments - Lingerie Department

Rhodes Department Store fabric section.

Business Enterprises - Department Stores - Tacoma - Rhodes Brothers - Fabric Department

Rhodes Department Store fabric section.

Business Enterprises - Department Stores - Tacoma - Rhodes Brothers - Fabric Department

Rhodes Baby Gift Shop along with many other departments had recently been remodeled and modernized. The room featured modern fixtures in a renovated spacious room. Rhodes offered the best selections for baby. View of Baby's Gift Shop with toys, shoes and clothing displays. Teddy bear with the letter "A" painted in corner (T. Times, 5/16/46, p. 10).

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gift shops--Tacoma--1940-1950; Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Children--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Rhodes toys and game room along with many other departments had recently been remodeled and modernized. The room featured modern fixtures in a renovated spacious room. View of toys and game room. A wide selection of model airplanes, dolls, doll furniture, games, sailboats and many other toys are displayed (T. Times, 5/16/46, p. 10).

Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Toys; Board games--Tacoma; Department stores--Tacoma; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Rhodes Millinery Mirror Room along with other departments had recently been remodeled and modernized. The room featured modern fixtures in a renovated spacious room. Rhodes offered fashionable and chic hats for the modern woman. View of Mirror Room with hat displays and comfortable areas for women to try on their favorite hat styles (T. Times, 5/16/46, p. 10).

Millinery; Hats--1940-1950; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Department stores--Tacoma; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Rhodes Department Store trimmings section. This view of the fabric department was taken in late April of 1946. Rhodes had been in business since 1903. It finally closed in 1974.

Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950;