When the first imported strawberries reached the Ryan Fruit Co., 1137 Dock Street, on March 3, 1927, Rhoda Merritt, cashier, couldn't resist slipping outside to nibble the choice fruit. A rough Washington breeze was blowing and her bobbed locks, about the same color as the plump luscious fruit, blew with the wind. However, Miss Merritt still smiled for the camera, delighted with the taste of southern sunshine. (TNT 3/8/1927, pg. 2)

George and Mary Demich opened this "mom and pop" neighborhood grocery store in 1914 at the corner of North 45th and Orchard Street. The North 45th Street Grocery & Meat Market was ideally located on a streetcar line. Advertisements for Medosweet Ice Cream and Ghirardelli's Chocolate are prominently displayed in this 1934 photograph of the Demichs. The neighborhood market closed after George's death in 1958 and was demolished a few years later.

This is how the Center Street Market appeared in the summer of 1931. The short-lived fruit and vegetable market, owned by Wilton W. Kean, was located at the corner of Center and I Street. Its immediate neighbor was the Tacoma Bread Company, 2836 S. I, shown at far right. Tacoma Bread would purchase the market in 1933, tear it down, and build a $10,000 addition to its plant. Photograph taken for Wilton W. Kean. Bowen # 310-255 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 10-29-33-article & photograph of Tacoma Bread Co. addition)

This photograph, taken in July of 1931, shows one of the many fruit and vegetable stands that were scattered through South Tacoma. The photograph was taken for Wilton Kean, who owned the Center Street Market at 901 Center, but this is not that stand. The Drive In Market was probably further south - around the corner of 48th and South Tacoma Way. Bowen # 310-255

Gig Harbor grocery store at 3409 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor, as photographed in November of 1936. The Stanich Grocery, a Red & White Store, is on the right side of the two-lane road. Martin and Katherine (Kathie) Stanich were early Yugoslav settlers in Gig Harbor. Mr. Stanich was a retired fisherman who had sailed the northwest waters for 52 years. The Stanichs were natives of Austria who had lived in Gig Harbor since 1909. Martin Stanich would pass away at age 90 in September of 1950 and his wife, Katherine, in January of 1964 at age 86. TPL-682, BU-13762

ca. 1938. Jackson Brothers Meat Market in the newly modernized Manning's store. Left to right, Elmer Jackson, Mike (last name not identified), Walter Jackson and Edwin Jackson. The meat market at Manning's had been in operation several years before 1926 when Edwin Jackson and Aug Fauss became partners and proprietors of the New Tacoma Meat Market. Edwin's brother Walter was working for them at the time and a few years later, Elmer Jackson was also cutting meat at 1102 Commerce. In the 1930s, it became Jackson Brothers Meat Market; they specialized in quality meat and sold Swift Co., Carsten's and Rath's meat products over the years. The Jackson Meat Market remained here until the building was razed in 1972.

ca. 1940. William Jennings Meade and employees at Meade's Shurfine Market, a neighborhood grocery store at the intersection of North 6th and North K Streets, circa 1940. Mr. Meade is flanked by meat cutter Bob Fulton at left and Dick Holm, produce, at right. Driver of the delivery van is not identified. Built in 1902 as a drug store/pharmacy, the building was remodeled in 1933 for a grocery store. Mr. Meade operated the Shurfine Market from 1938 to 1944. Today, it is known as the Corner Store. (Additional identification provided by a reader)

Daily operations at Dalgety Foods. Assembly line workers inspect bags of vegetables, possibly corn, as the bags pass by on the conveyor belt. Dalgety Foods were frozen vegetable and fruit processors. Photograph ordered by Dalgety Foods.

Dalgety Foods (Tacoma); Food industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Vegetables--Tacoma; Assembly-line methods--Tacoma--1970-1980;

Daily operations at Dalgety Foods. Sparklets Green Peas boxes are possibly being filled with the vegetables or lids mechanically sealed via assembly-line methods in this April, 1978, photograph at the Dalgety Foods plant. Photograph ordered by Dalgety Foods.

Dalgety Foods (Tacoma); Food industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Vegetables--Tacoma; Boxes; Assembly-line methods--Tacoma--1970-1980;

Daily operations at Dalgety Foods. Dalgety Foods were frozen vegetable and fruit processors. A Dalgety employee pictured above in April of 1978 is examining trays of Western Family Cut Corn, Bel-Air Green Peas and a succotash mixture. Photograph ordered by Dalgety Foods.

Dalgety Foods (Tacoma); Food industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Vegetables--Tacoma; Peas--Tacoma;

Dalgety Foods shipment. A White truck is either delivering or transporting Dalgety Foods frozen food products in this 1978 photograph. Dalgety foods were frozen vegetable and fruit processors and wholesalers with offices in Tacoma. Photograph ordered by Dalgety Foods.

Dalgety Foods (Tacoma); Food industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Trucks--1970-1980; Shipping;

Daily operations at Dalgety Foods. A young Dalgety worker sifts through a wide conveyor belt full of vegetables, probably corn, on April 27, 1978. Dalgety Foods was a frozen foods processor and wholesaler located at 1501 Pacific Ave. Photograph ordered by Dalgety Foods.

Dalgety Foods (Tacoma); Food industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Vegetables--Tacoma;

Outer walls go up in the construction of a new West Coast Grocery facility in May, 1966. A large crane is being utilized for the heavy lifting while workers make sure the walls are firmly in place. West Coast Grocery was building a new meat storage unit at 1525 East D. Photograph ordered by West Coast Grocery.

West Coast Grocery Co. (Tacoma); Building construction--Tacoma--1960-1970; Hoisting machinery;

Owned by Walt Hogan, the Food King supermarket in 1963 provided its South Tacoma neighborhood with a convenient place to stop and fill up with groceries. Located at 3510 So. 56th St., it was directly across the street from the Post Office and close to the South Tacoma Branch Library. Neighboring businesses in the small shopping center included Pate's Coin-Op Cleaners & Laundry and Bob's Burger Barn. Food King on So. 56th St. celebrated its grand opening from July 18-20, 1963. The celebration, where a live steer was given away to one lucky customer (steer to be cut up and packaged to customer's wishes), coincided with a outdoor sidewalk sale planned by South Tacoma merchants. The supermarket provided parking for about 100 cars. The new Food King was the sixth in a chain of supermarkets; it replaced the old Hogan's Fine Foods. Its exterior, faced with Palos Verde stone from Mexico, had plenty of glass and a modern arcade providing protection from the elements. Food King provided air conditioning, wide aisles, a variety section, and the OK Bakery, an in-store bakery. 41 years later, Food King is now the Red Apple supermarket and Bob's Burger Barn transformed into a Starbucks. (TNT 7-16-63, p. 9)

Food King (Tacoma); Supermarkets--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Managed by Floyd Bloom, the K&W Thriftway in Parkland would be celebrating its grand opening on December 12, 1963. It was combined with Save Way Drugs, managed by Don Shaw. Besides the usual grocery items of meat, fresh produce, and beverages, shoppers could also purchase hardware, variety items, pick up prescriptions and enjoy dining at the snack bar. A new concept of merchandising was used called "total shopping," whereby everything in both stores could be checked through the grocery checkstands instead of individual departments. This was thought to save time and steps for shoppers. Photograph ordered by the News Tribune. (TNT 12-11-63, A-10)

K&W Thriftway (Parkland); Supermarkets--Parkland;

Four Safeway employees surveyed newspaper food ads at the University Place Safeway store on March 13, 1961. The store was located at 7506 27th St. W. and was preparing for its grand opening in two days. This would be Safeway's 13th and newest market. Safeway shared space in a new University Place shopping center with Value Store and Thrifty Drug. From L-R: meat department manager Alvin Glasgow, store manager Leslie Carl, produce department manager Robert Arneberg and Tacoma Safety district manager, Fred Bucholtz. Safeway was running a canned food sale for seven days which included 5 cans of Del Monte green peas at $1.00, 3 cans of asparagus spears for 89 cents, 4 cans of Elberta peaches at 95 cents and 7 cans of pork & beans for $1.00. Photograph ordered by the News Tribune. (TNT 3-14-61, p. 6, 7) TPL-6171

Safeway Stores, Inc. (University Place); Grocery stores--University Place--1960-1970; Glasgow, Alvin; Carl, Leslie; Arneberg, Robert; Bucholtz, Fred; Newspapers--University Place;

Topper Supermarket. By the 1960's, supermarkets were offering not only groceries but also department store shopping as ladies blouses, men's shirts, underwear and socks could readily be purchased while also searching for tonight's dinner. View of Topper Supermarket, an I.G.A. store, shows a "soft goods" selection next to the ice cream section. Although the supermarket in this January 27, 1960, photograph is listed with a Tacoma location, it is believed that the Topper IGA was located in Fife at 1406 54th Ave. E. and owned by Daniel & LeRoy Herron. It was built on the site of the old Century Ballroom and destroyed by fire on January 4, 1964. Ordered by The James Co.

Supermarkets--Fife; Topper Supermarket (Fife);

View of Manley's parking lot taken from across the street. Cars fill the parking lot of Manley's Supermarket on Steilacoom Blvd. on a clear August, 1960, day. They were probably drawn to the supermarket due to the many sales including 10 lb. of C & H sugar for 89 cents, bag of potatoes for 45 cents or bananas at 10 cents. The store's "Chefs Hat" also featured barbecue and a delicatessen. Manley's had celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 1960, at the brand new Thunderbird Shopping Center. The supermarket along with the adjoining Ludwig Pharmacy would be the first occupants of the shopping center, located on a 48-acre tract of land which once housed an airport and golf course. The site, at Hipkins & Steilacoom Blvd., was chosen because of the potential economic growth in that area of the county. The 15,000 square foot supermarket was a concrete block and glass structure heated by natural gas. (TNT 8-23-60, p. 5)

Manley's Supermarket (Lakewood); Supermarkets--Lakewood; Parking lots--Lakewood; Signs (Notices);

Tradewell supermarket exterior. This Tradewell supermarket in University Place, managed by Wilford Noble, was celebrating its grand opening on July 14, 1960. A large banner placed against the store's front windows announced the opening. A multi-arched roof protected customers when entering or exiting the supermarket. It would be the fourth Tradewell in the local area. The grand opening was heavily advertised with four full page ads in the News Tribune. Highlights noted were the "Hot Shop" bakery where bread and pastries were baked in-store, the personal service seafood department, the new "Air Screen" beverage department, a rotisserie in continuous operation, and extra wide aisles. Bargain hunters could find such specials as: 10 lb. bag Tradewell flour for 69 cents, 10 lb. bag C & H sugar for 89 cents, 35 cents a pound fresh Washington fryers and a quart of Nalley's mayonaise for 49 cents. Photograph ordered by Tradewell Stores, Inc., Seattle. (TNT 7-13-60, B-1-4)

Supermarkets--University Place; Tradewell Stores, Inc., (University Place); Signs (Notices);

Exterior Tradewell supermarket. This is the 6th & Union Tradewell store, one of four in the local area, on August 18, 1960. Built of Roman brick and featuring plate glass and Van de Kamps bakery, the north end supermarket opened in May, 1953. It would be destroyed by fire on September 16, 1963, and subsequently demolished. Photograph ordered by Tradewell Stores, Inc., Seattle. TPL-9439

Tradewell Stores, Inc. (Tacoma); Supermarkets--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Groff's Natural Foods. Groff's was owned by Virgil Groff and offered vitamins and all natural foods to the discerning consumer. Groff stands at the entrance of his new store at 11th & Market. The store was formerly located in the same building, but moved to the space on the corner previously occupied by Frank's Jewelers. It was rebuilt with a new brick front, new flooring and lighting, window displays and entrances. Displayed in the windows are 100% pure honey and green Papaya juice for digestion. The interior color scheme was sunshine yellow and chlorophyll green. The oldest health food store in Tacoma, it was founded in 1928 as Thomson's Natural Food Store. Groff purchased the store in 1943 and expanded and modernized three times. The new store had a 3 1/2 ton walk in refrigerator to keep fresh natural foods and whole grains, also raw carrots for the juice extractor at the Juice Bar. Virg Groff was an energetic man who played handball and performed with the Tacoma Little Theatre. He claimed his success and energy came from "shots" of wheat germ and carrot juice consumed throughout the day. (TNT 2/19/1956, pg. A-5)

Groff's Natural Foods (Tacoma); Nutrition--Tacoma--1950-1960; Grocery stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The staff of this Safeway store probably had a lot of fun dressing up for the supermarket's "Country Carnival Days" promotion on June 30, 1958. The men wore bow ties and striped vests topped off with jaunty derbys while the women checkers, in bonnets, wore "buttons and bows." There is even an old-fashioned policeman with truncheon handy to keep order. Photograph ordered by the Retail Clerks Union.

Safeway Stores, Inc. (Tacoma); Publicity photographs;

A trio of checkers, dressed in "old-timey" clothing, sashay for the camera to advertise Safeway's Country Carnival Days. Adorned in ruffles and bonnets, the women are posed next to a cartoon cutout of a carnival barker. This June 30, 1958, photograph may have been taken at the Safeway store at 1102 South "M". Photograph ordered by Retail Clerks Union.

Safeway Stores, Inc. (Tacoma); Supermarkets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

Thriftway supermarket in the new Villa Plaza Shopping Center. Several Del Monte products on sale including six bottles of ketchup for $1.00, seven cans of canned corn for $1.00 and tomato sauce at 13 cans for $1.00. Thriftway advertised "Where Every Customer Is Important!" The Villa Thriftway, managed by Kenneth Gies, was a member of Associated Grocers. It had its own bakery and seafood market in addition to regular departments. Villa Plaza officials had planned a one-stop shopping designation for their Lakewood shopping center to include grocery, pharmacy, clothing, banking and automotive needs to attract the growing number of suburbanites. 50 acres of free parking proved a powerful lure for thousands of shoppers. (TNT 8-7-57, B8,9-alt. photograph)

Villa Thriftway Food Stores (Lakewood); Grocery stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Signs (Notices); Villa Plaza Shopping Center (Lakewood); Shopping centers--Lakewood--1950-1960;

Albertson's Food Centers were starting to expand in the Tacoma/Pierce County communities. There were two Albertson's outside city limits: one in the Lakewood Square shopping center and the other in University Place. View of Lakewood Square's Albertson's Food Center also shows the trend of placing supermarkets in shopping centers; customers could then combine grocery shopping with additional browsings and parking would not be a problem. A Montgomery Ward outlet and a Singers store can be spotted close by. Albertson's followed the practice of posting specials on the storefront windows with apple pies selling for 49 cents, chickens at 33 cents a pound, TV dinners for 59 cents, and pork roasts for 29 cents a pound. Sepia photograph ordered by Loveless Brothers, Inc. , investment brokers, of Olympia.

Albertsons Food Center (Lakewood); Supermarkets; Signs (Notices);

ca. 1957. Interior- Thriftway supermarket. A customer would not need to linger in lines for any length of time as the new Villa Thriftway came equipped with at least eleven check-out stands. At least one stand was expressly for quick check-out with six items or less. Customers were asked to place items on the movable belt with the prices up for faster service. Scales were provided at each stand so that produce could be weighed. Boxes of cigarettes were readily available on top of each cash register. The new 22,000 square foot supermarket was located in the Villa Plaza shopping center in Lakewood at the site of the former Visitation Villa. Photograph ordered by Associated Grocers, Inc. (TNT 4-2-57, B-7)

Villa Thriftway Food Stores (Lakewood); Supermarkets; Cash registers;

ca. 1957. Exterior- Thriftway. The Villa Thriftway supermarket would open for business in April, 1957. The store's name is in large neon letters on the building's porch roof. The overhanging porch would also protect customers from the elements as they entered or exited the store. Following an architectural trend, enormous windows are positioned at the supermarket's front. Located in Lakewood's new Villa Plaza Shopping Center, the 22,000 square foot store was built to order for a Thriftway market. It cost approximately $200,000. The shopping center boasted of plenty of parking; there was room for 4000 cars. Photograph ordered by Associated Grocers, Inc. (TNT 4-2-57, B-7)

Villa Thriftway Food Stores (Lakewood); Supermarkets; Electric signs--Lakewood;

Food Giant Supermarket. Numerous cars are parked at the Food Giant supermarket which was conveniently open 9 am to 9 pm in 1956. The location of this particular supermarket was not provided. The 1956 and 1957 City Directories did not list a Food Giant.

Food Giant; Supermarkets; Grocery stores--1950-1960;

The Thriftway Park 'N Shop, formerly the Park 'N Shop, self serve meat department. The white aproned butcher holds a Carsten's fully cooked smoked ham in one hand and a Lynden turkey in the other. The signs on the display coolers advertise this week's special, steaks and pot roasts for 49 cents a pound. Mirrors reflect the containers of pre-packaged meats waiting for the shopping homemaker to take home.

Park-N- Shop (Parkland); Supermarkets; Grocery stores--Parkland--1950-1960;

The Park 'N Shop Supermarket. The Park 'N Shop was owned by John Bussanich and Otto Marth. It had a distinctive dome style roof, a corner entrance and lots of parking. A refrigerated trailer outside holds ice. A delivery truck for Archway cookies is parked outside. At the forefront of one stop shopping, the store offered drugs, dry goods, groceries, meat, vegetables and prescriptions. This aided the busy housewife whose stops in earlier times would have included the butcher, green grocer and pharmacy.

Park- N- Shop (Parkland); Supermarkets; Grocery stores--Parkland--1950-1960;