The owners and staff of Miller and Miller, Inc. posed for a group portrait in front of their building at 4006 Pacific Avenue in July of 1940. The company, founded by Frank, Harmon, and Russell Miller, designed and printed labels of every size and description as well as display banners, and counter and window displays. The firm had several artists on its staff who could create original drawings and designs to meet the needs of the firm's many customers. The firm moved into this building in 1938 and continued to occupy this site until they moved to 1912 Center Street in 1958. The young man fourth from the left in the front row has been identified as William C. Stromberg.

Miller & Miller Co. (Tacoma); Printers; Printing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950

Office building for Miller & Miller Co., commercial printers, at 4006 Pacific Ave. The company moved to this building in June of 1938, occupying a building originally leased to Piggly-Wiggly. The store front was built in 1931 by Ernest Otto as a market.

Miller & Miller Co. (Tacoma); Printers; Printing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950

ca. 1940. Remodeled interior at National Bank of Washington circa 1940. In the foreground are several desks accessible through the open wood gate. In the background appear to be teller/customer service units. The National Bank of Tacoma had changed its name to the National Bank of Washington circa 1937. It occupied a handsome structure built of Wilkeson sandstone at 11th & Pacific.

National Bank of Washington (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Desks;

Big Six Bowling Team, the "Oilers." Big Six Service Inc. was located at 3824 Sixth Ave. M.A. Martin was president-manager and J.J. McDonald was vice-president. The company sold gasoline, oils, stove oil, batteries, tires, radios and electrical appliances. Their bowling team was the 1941 Sixth Ave. Merchants Bowling League champion. Pictured are, front row l to r, Malcolm Panther, Clarence Rinard and Harold Hansen. Standing, l to r, Jack Clampitt, Walt Agney, Mel Martin and Bill Clampitt. (T. Times 4/22/1941, pg. 12)

Big Six Service Inc. (Tacoma); Bowlers--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Big Six Bowling Team, the "Oilers." Big Six Service Inc. was located at 3826 Sixth Ave. M.A. Martin was president-manager and J.J. McDonald was vice-president. The company sold gasoline, oils, stove oil, batteries, tires, radios and electrical appliances. Their bowling team was the 1941 Sixth Ave. Merchants Bowling League champion. Pictured are, front row l to r, Malcolm Panther, Clarence Rinard and Harold Hansen. Standing, l to r, Jack Clampitt, Walt Agney, Mel Martin and Bill Clampitt. (T. Times 4/22/1941, pg. 12)

Big Six Service Inc. (Tacoma); Bowlers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Panther, Malcolm; Rinard, Clarence; Hansen, Harold; Clampitt, Jack; Agney, Walt; Martin, Mel; Clampitt, Bill;

Group picture from the annual joint convention of the Washington State Hospital Association, Washington State Association of Nurse Anasthetists and Washington State Association of Record Librarians, held April 25-28, 1941 at the Hotel Winthrop. Photograph appears to be taken on the roof of the hotel. (T. Times 4/25/1941, pg. 1)

Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Interior of Safeway Store on South K Street.

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

Mattoon-Laverne Tire Company. Hawkinson Tire Tread Service. Three men stand by a stack of General Tires in front of the recapping facility. TPL-8358

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

Mattoon-Laverne Tire Company. Hawkinson Tire Tread Service. Three men stand by the Hawkinson panel delivery truck in front of the recapping facility. One holds a General Tire with advertising in the middle. This one-story brick building was built in 1927 as Cunningham Electric.

Tire industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hawkinson Tire Tread Service (Tacoma); Tires;

Coy's Hardware Store, North End Buildiers' Supply. Interior view. Owned by Edwin L. Coy. A woman helps customers at a counter with scales and paper on large roll with paper cutter. Bean pots and animal feeders are in the foreground. Gifts, paints, shovels, and mirrors are also seen. Signs say, "We make corsages", "Don't forget a Paint Brush", "We cut Glass and Repair Windows".

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

ca. 1943. Packed from wall to wall with customers, Sears and Roebuck Company's sale on alarm clocks was a huge success. This crowd was photographed circa 1943.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crowds--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shopping--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The third War Bond Drive opened on September 9, 1943. People of Tacoma and Pierce County were asked to purchase $19,000,000 in bonds during the drive. It didn't take long for the first million dollars in bonds to be sold. Tacoma Savings & Loan Association bought a block of $1,000,000 of U.S. bonds on September 13, 1943. Shown above are War Bond Drive representatives and officials of the savings & loan: (L-R) general campaign manager for Pierce County Hugo Ferber, vice-president & general manager of Tacoma Savings & Loan Association A.W. Winden, president of the association Alfred Lister, and chairman of the banks/industrial section of the campaign committee Doyle Watt. Association officials commented on the safety of the bonds and urged that the more money invested in war bonds, the quicker the victory over the enemy. (TNT 9-9-43, p. 1, TNT 9-13-43, p. 11)

Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; War bonds & funds; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma; Ferber, Hugo; Winden, A.W.; Lister, Alfred; Watt, Doyle;

Started in the mid-1930s by Benjamin J. Schwartz, Bert's Mens Wear was located at the corner of 11th and Pacific for over 30 years. The building was demolished in the late 1960s and replaced with the Park Plaza South Parking Garage. For several years in the 1950s there was a second Bert's store at 938 Broadway. TPL-8679

Clothing stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bert's Men's Wear (Tacoma); Window displays--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In June of 1944 Pauline Gunstrom, the telephone operator at the Bank of California, 1011 Pacific Avenue, was photographed holding a flask-type pint bottle that had been filled to the brim with dimes. The bottle was brought to the bank by an unidentified shipyard worker at the Todd Pacific Shipyards to purchase a war bond. Once emptied the bottle was found to contain 1,125 dimes, more than enough for a bond. (T. Times, 6/20/44, p. 3).

Banks--Tacoma; War bonds & funds; Bank of California National Association (Tacoma);

The entrance to the Olympus Cafe at the Olympus Hotel showing the stairway down from Pacific Avenue and the lobby. The newly opened "Olympus Cafe" and Supper Club, located in the Olympus Hotel, is celebrating their grand opening. Bert Sundegren, owner, stated it is "Tacoma's newest and Washington's finest" restaurant. The location had large columns, a tile floor and ornate chandeliers. TPL-6421

Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Olympus Cafe (Tacoma); Olympus Hotel (Tacoma);

Standard Oil service stations - Dravis Service Station, for Mr. Evans. The garage has been boarded up although old signs still hang in the front windows. Three gasoline pumps stand in the front of the one story building.

Automobile Service Stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Standard Oil Co. of California (Tacoma); Dravis Service Station;

Standard Oil Stations. Phil Pepper's service station. The gasoline pumps and cover cross the corner lot diagonally. The door to the one service garage is open. TPL-7114

Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Standard Oil Co. of California (Tacoma); Phil Pepper Servce Station;

Ray Gamble banquet at Rau's Chicken Dinner Inn located at the corner of Pacific Avenue and John's Orchard Hill (the Mountain Highway). Ray Gamble was born in Lexington, Nebraska, and arrived in Tacoma in a boxcar in 1892. His was a rags-to-riches story. He started in business opening a fish market in 1913 and developed the world's largest wood flour business which furnished stabilizing materials for the explosives manufacturers. He owned several pieces of real estate including the exclusive Casa Blanca Apartments. He was also well known for his hobbies of collecting elephant statues and performing magic. Rau's Club was opened March 2, 1939. In August 1946 the name was changed to the "Country House Restaurant". (TNT 7/27/1941, p. A2; Genii, March, 1939)

Restaurants--Graham; Banquets--Graham--1940-1950; Group portraits; Gamble, Ray, 1886-1972; Rau's Club (Graham);

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);

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;

Sherwin-Williams Paint and Interior Decorating store, exterior at night showing lighted neon sign and display windows. The store was photographed on February 23, 1946.

Sherwin-Williams Paint Co. (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Paint industry--Tacoma; Window displays--Tacoma--1940-1950;

West Coast Grocery with headquarters in Tacoma, expand operations. Interior view of West Coast Grocery store in Chehalis, Washington. The cash register, scale and counters are in the foreground. Shelves stocked with food, produce section and frozen food section are in the background.

Grocery stores--Chehalis; Cash registers; Supermarkets; Merchandise displays--Chehalis; Food--Chehalis; West Coast Grocery Co. (Tacoma);

West Coast Grocery, with headquarters in Tacoma, expands their operations. Exterior view of West Coast Grocery store in Chehalis, Washington. Gasoline pumps, advertisements for weekly specials and watermelons in front of store.

Grocery stores--Chehalis; Gasoline pumps--Chehalis; Supermarkets; Watermelons--Chehalis; West Coast Grocery Co. (Tacoma);

Central Motors bought, sold and serviced cars. They were about to move into this building, where they would offer their customers a wide selection of used cars and more extended services. Interior view of Central Motors.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Showrooms--Tacoma; Central Motors (Tacoma);

Rhodes Department Store fabric section.

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

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);

Rehn Motor Company. Several men enjoy each others company in the service area of the Chevrolet dealership.

Automobile dealerships--Gig Harbor--1940-1950; Rehn Motor Co. (Gig Harbor);

Ray Ridge Motors for Robert Sconce Advertising. Crowd admires the 1946 Mercurys at Ray Ridge Motors. Night view from outside showroom through plate glass windows. Convertible, sedan and "woody" wagon are visible.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ray Ridge Motors, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Hogan's Lakewood Center Grocery, Nalley's display. A stack of Nalley's Hamburger Relish selling for 25 cents each stands near the cash register. Other products are displayed on shelves behind the register. Nalley's Inc. was started in 1918 by Marcus Nalley. Nalley Valley Center Street Development consists of 3 main plants housing 4 separate food processing operations: the potato chip plant, processing potato chips, popcorn and various nut products; a pickle plant, a federally inspected meat plant, and the Tacoma sales branch offices and Nalley's general branch sales office. (T.Times, 12/10/1947)

Grocery stores--Lakewood--1940-1950; Hogan's Fine Foods (Lakewood); Cash registers; Merchandise displays--Lakewood--1940-1950;

Group portrait at the National Bank of Washington annual company picnic held at Benbow Lake on Sunday August 17, 1941. Benbow Lakes Resort was located on Tanwax Lake, about 20 miles from Tacoma.

National Bank of Washington (Tacoma)--People; Picnics--1940-1950; Benbow Lakes Resort (Kapowsin);