An unusual sight in the early 1950's was a self-service gas station. Instead of having an attendant come out and pump the gas, the customer would do the work himself. As the large sign on the light pole proclaims, it would be possible to "save" money if you were willing to "serve-ur-self". Photograph ordered by Fletcher Oil Company.

Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Fletcher Oil Co. (Tacoma);

The Lincoln High School Choir sang at Lincoln Branch of Puget Sound National Bank for Christmas 1951. Reno Odlin, president of the bank, can be seen next to the choir standing at the back on the right. The bank was located just across the street from the high school.

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Banking--Tacoma--1950-1960; Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Choirs (Music); Students--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lincoln High School (Tacoma);

Portrait of cooks and servers standing behind buffet-style table at Steve's (Gay Nineties) Cafe. Street scene on wall with representations of Tacoma businesses by Knabel.

Steve's Gay '90s (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1950-1960; Buffets (Cookery)--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A view of bins made with plywood at Washington Hardware. An employee is filling a bag with small pieces of hardware from an open bin showing that the bin pulls out and the front swings down to allow easy access to the contents. A wall of several sizes of pulleys is seen on the left. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Washington Hardware Co. (Tacoma); Hardware stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Containers; Drawers (Furniture components); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Plywood;

Sepic Electric's new store was located one-half block north of Lakewood Community Center. Stan and Fred Sepic were proud to open their new store in a brand new building located for easy access to the thickly populated areas south of Tacoma - Nisqually, Lacey, Olympia and Shelton. The store was of a modified colonial design with combination cement block walls, brick front and white columned balustrade topping the front area. (TNT, 1/17/1952, p.11)

Furniture stores--Lakewood; Appliance stores--Lakewood; Sepic Electric Co. (Lakewood);

This night view of the exterior of the new General Paint Corporation building at 2305 South Tacoma Way was taken in December of 1951 shortly after the store moved from its old address at 102 South 10th. The company logo in neon of a uniformed toy soldier standing at attention is attached to a pole along South Tacoma Way. The Tacoma General Paint store closed in 1962. (Ordered by John Jones.)

General Paint Corp. (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Mercantile facilities--Tacoma; Paint industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

This exterior view of General Paint Corp., featuring a large freestanding neon sign of a toy soldier standing at attention, was taken on December 19, 1951. The company had recently vacated its downtown location of 102 So. 10th St. as the building was to be demolished to make way for a Bank of California parking lot. The firm moved to 2305 South Tacoma Way where it would remain until its closure in 1962.

General Paint Corp. (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Stores & shops--Tacoma--1950-1960; Paint industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Sepic Electric Company, Lakewood Store. Furniture and appliances are seen through the windows that fill the front wall of the store. A Hotpoint sign can be seen against one of the walls. The store had departments for carpet, bedroom furniture, living room furniture and appliances. Directing sales activities were: Charles Kelly, television; Marvin Frank, appliances; Will B. Dial, furniture; and Karl Jackson, office manager. (TNT 1/17/1952, p.11)

Home furnishings stores--Lakewood; Furniture stores--Lakewood; Appliance stores--Lakewood; Sepic Electric Co. (Lakewood);

A veneer clipper is shown at Northwest Door Company. Pulleys and belts dominate this view of the machine. Ordered by Wheeler-Osgood.

Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Machinery; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The back of the tellers cages at the Lincoln Branch of Puget Sound National Bank is shown with the windows closed. Cubbies are shown to the right of the stool and locking drawers are under the counter on the left and in the center. A calculating machine is seen to the left on the counter and another instrument is covered with plastic. Small cubbies for forms are seen just under the top of the upper level of the dividers. A rotary telephone is visible on the shelves between the two stations. The opening of this branch was the third step in the city wide expansion of Puget Sound National Bank. The opening followed in quick succession the completion of the downtown customer parking area at 13th and A Streets and the erection of the temporary K Street branch at 1115 So. L St. Ordered by Vince Carlstrom. TPL-9673 (TNT 10/14/1951, pg. C-15)

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Banking--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The interior of Puget Sound National Bank's Lincoln Branch showing teller windows on right with safe behind them. The administrative and commercial area is at the rear with a large window behind it. The entrance on the left opens onto G Street and 37th Street lies behind the rear of the photo. The new bank occupied a space 82 feet by 63 feet and provided 7,800 sq. ft. of banking space, nearly 3 1/2 times the area of the former Lincoln branch. (TNT 10/14/1951, pg. C-15)

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Banking--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Puget Sound National Bank, Lincoln Branch. Bank employee desks in the foreground. Teller stations on the left and at rear, with vault behind. G St. entrance on the right of the picture. The new bank, designed by the architectural firm of Charles and Clarence Rueger, occupied a space 82 ft. by 63 ft. and offered 7,800 sq. ft. of banking room. (TNT 10/14/1951, pg. C-15)

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Banking--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Consolidated Freightways' annual awards dinner was held at the Country House again in 1950. Four couples are shown at the head table that has been decorated for the holiday season. A banner with Santa Claus wishes "Fellow Freighters a Merry Christmas." Maynard Mayfield was the company's agent at this time.

Consolidated Freightways, Inc. (Tacoma)--Employees; Christmas decorations; Banquets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Country House (Tacoma);

The window display at Kress includes candy from Thompson's Candy House in Seattle: chocolate covered cherries, nut clusters, and chocolate malted milk balls for 69 cents per pound and salted nuts for 10 - 15 cents per 1/4 pound. Goslings are featured with a large poster. Paper napkins and tablecloths are hung against the back wall anticipating the holiday season and see-through plastic toys and snowmen fill the upper shelves.

S.H. Kress & Co. (Tacoma); Window displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Candy--Tacoma--1940-1950; Variety stores--Tacoma;

Stebner's Floor Covering's new building was formally opened in December 1950. A large showroom extended across the entire front of the building, affording an opportunity to display the many nationally advertised lines of broadloom, carpets, linoleums and tile. A new department featured electrical appliances. The full basement was used for the firm's storage, workrooms and truck space. August Stebner started his floor covering business in Tacoma in 1948 with three employees. With this move to larger quarters, Stebner's had 19 employees. (TNT, 12/8/1950, p.C-5)

Stebner's, Inc. (Tacoma); Floor coverings;

Exterior view of Hogan's Grocery Store, South 12th and "K" Street. Architect Emanuel J. Bresemann designed this building for Pick n Take Market in 1931. (T. Times)

Grocery Stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hogan's Fine Foods (Tacoma);

The building at 1202 Martin Luther King Jr. Way has had a number of tenants over the years. When it was built in 1931, it was home to the Pay 'n Takit Store. In June of 1943, Walter Hogan opened Hogan's Fine Foods. In recent years, it was home to Evergreen State College. (T.N.T., 6/4/43, p.8) TPL-3796.

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hogan's Fine Foods (Tacoma);

During World War II, the vital wartime industries in Tacoma ran around the clock. Workers flooded the city, needing places to stay. The Lux Hotel at 1523 1/2 Broadway was remodeled to help provide a solution to the overcrowding problem. The rooms were all remodeled and furnished with twin beds. The hotel was able to house 37 men. (T.Times 2/24/1943, pg. 3)

Lux Hotel (Tacoma); Dormitories--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma;

As Tacoma's war industries were hampered by a lack of manpower at the end of 1942, a cry went up for more housing for the needed workers. A conversion of the Lux Hotel, located at 1523 1/2 Broadway, into a dormitory for war workers was completed by the end of December of 1942. The manager of the converted property, A. J. Stewart (standing), talks to some of the 37 tenants of the renovated Hotel in the lobby. All of the rooms had been remodeled and furnished with twin beds. (T.Times 2/24/1943 p.3)

Lux Hotel (Tacoma); Dormitories--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Stewart, A.J.;

Three men stand by the Hawkinson General Motors panel delivery truck in front of Hawkinson Tire Tread Service recapping facility. One holds a General Tire with advertising in the middle. Ordered by Mattoon-Laverne Tire Company. TPL-6381

Tire industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hawkinson Tire Tread Service (Tacoma); Tires; General Motors trucks;

ca. 1943. Titus Motor Company reconditioning room. An unidentified employee is pictured steam cleaning an engine block in deep wash tubs. The engine is then lifted on a chain pulley above the sink. Photograph taken circa 1943.

Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma)--Employees;

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);

Coy's Hardware Store, North End Buildiers' Supply. Interior view. Owned by Edwin L. Coy. Shelves hold glassware, small rugs, lamps, gifts, stuffed animals, paints, and housewares. Chairs, hampers and small tables are also for sale.

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

ca. 1943. Rudder Club, Mr. Avge. Two cooks in the kitchen, one at the griddle. Large pots, baskets, bowls, and utensils are also shown.

Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Restaurant workers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rudder Club, Inc. (Tacoma); Kitchens--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Spotting brush for MacDonald & Dawn. Unidentified man carefully cleaning an article of clothing with a MacDonald & Dawn spotting brush.

Cleaning establishments--Tacoma; Laundry--Tacoma;

This view of the South Tacoma Business District was taken from just north of South 54th Street looking south on South Tacoma Way. To the left can be seen: (l to r) the Washington Electric Company, 5235 So. Tacoma Way; Herman Dier's furniture store, 5239 So. Tacoma Way; and the Crabb Drug Company, 5243 So. Tacoma Way. The buildings on the west side of the street include (center to r): the Safeway Store, 5402 So. Tacoma Way; John W. Bowlby's Richfield gas station, 5248 So. Tacoma Way; Steve's Tavern, 5238 So. Tacoma Way; and the West Coast Grocery, 5236 So. Tacoma Way. A stoplight hangs over the center of the street at the corner of South 54th and South Tacoma Way.

Grocery Stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business districts--South Tacoma; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Safeway Stores, Inc. (Tacoma);

Interior of Broadway Branch, Puget Sound National Bank. View of vault..

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Vaults (Strong rooms);

Interior of Safeway Store on Market Street in Downtown Tacoma.

Safeway Stores, Inc. (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Interior of Safeway Store on South Tacoma Way as photographed on September 28, 1942. Taken at night, two ceiling lights highlight the produce/fruit displays.

Safeway Stores, Inc. (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Safeway Store at 1108 South K Street in Mottau Building, Russell and Lance, Architects, 1934. Elaborate Art Deco style building with Virolite detailing.

Safeway Stores, Inc. (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950;