Interior of Safeway Store on South Tacoma Way.

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

Interior of Safeway Store on South K Street. Empty of customers at the time of this late September, 1942, photograph, the store was still brightly lit with hanging lamps. Safeway in the 1940s had over 15 locations in the Tacoma area.

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

Interior of Safeway Store on South K Street.

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

Safeway Store in Downtown Tacoma with remodeled Art Deco facade.

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

Looking south on South K Street from north of 11th Street. Mottau Building, Russell and Lance, Architects, 1934 at right center. Taken for Safeway Stores on September 28, 1942.

Safeway Stores, Inc. (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Mottau Building (Tacoma);

Interior of Arney's Market highlighting the meat department. The cold cases show delicatessen and cold cuts, meats to be purchased by weight and on top are condiments for meat. Four butchers stand behind the cases. Hams and signs for Coop turkeys hang from pipes extending from the ceiling behind them. Swinging doors lead to the back and windows in the front allow us to see parked automobiles.

Meat; Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Butchers;

Interior of the Thriftway Market highlighting the meat department. The cold cases show meats to be purchased by weight and three sets of scales are shown. Five butchers stand behind the cases. Lights hang over the cases. It looks like the meat shortages during the war are nearly over.

Meat; Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Butchers;

Geiger's Central Market, fixtures for Reed's Cabinets & Fixtures. Interior of the grocery store. Four members of the staff stand in the center of a produce stand filled with melons, fruits, and other produce. Shoppers is the background moved while the camera lens was open so they appear as shadows. Reed's Cabinet & Fixture Shop took over a 50' x 90' surplus government warehouse at 1751 Center Street and specialized in store fixtures, show cases, walk-in boxes and other commercial fittings. (T.Times, 8/8/1946, p.8; 8/14/1946, p.5)

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Geiger's Central Market (Tacoma); Farm produce;

Aerial view of West Coast Grocery, St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company and Tacoma Iron and Steel. The Union Pacific freight depot is across from West Coast Grocery on the Tacoma tideflats. TPL-5528

West Coast Grocery Co. (Tacoma); Union Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma); Aerial photographs; Storehouses--Tacoma; Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Cutting a 1,000 pound cake at Big Bear Store, Big Bear Store, Don Taylor. A five-tier cake stands next to a towering display of cake mix inside the Big Bear Store on February 17, 1949. A teddy bear sits on top of the enormous cake made with Swans Down Instant cake mix. The Big Bear grocery store was celebrating its first anniversary with many promotions including free Wood's coffee and slices of this enormous cake. The cake was 5-ft. by 8-ft. at its base and rose to a height of over 5 1/2 feet. Even more enticing to shoppers was the chance to win valuable prizes--inside the cake were encapsuled prize slips which entitled winners to a $400 television set, free coffee makers and free shopping bags full of groceries from Big Bear. The store was managed by Don Taylor. (TNT Ad - 2-17-1949, p. 5; TNT 2-17-1949, p. 25, article only)

Big Bear Stores (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cakes--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Cutting a 1,000 pound cake at Big Bear Store, Big Bear Store, Don Taylor. Two young men stand with the enormous cake made with Swans Down Instant cake mix and Medosweet milk created especially for the first anniversary of the Big Bear grocery store on February 17, 1949. The cake was 5' x 8' at the base and stood over 5 1/2 feet high. It took over 120 pounds of icing to cover the cake. Inside the cake were prize slips in capsules which entitled the winner(s) to a $400 television, free coffee makers and shopping bags full of groceries. The woman shopper has already decided to try the cake mix as she holds a box in her hand and has another box in her cart. (TNT Ad - 2-17-1949, p. 5; TNT 2-17-1949, p. 25-article only)

Big Bear Stores (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cakes--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Snowflake Cracker & jelly display at Franlkin Food Stores, National Biscuit Co. Customers were urged to try Snow Flake Crackers, first box 25 cents and Jelly, 12 oz. 21 cents. Behind this display of crackers and jelly are boxes of Softasilk cake flour, Bisquick and Occident Cake Bake. Canned goods are displayed in the background. Franklin Food Stores grocery and meats main location was 117-23 No. G St. and had branches at 1123 So. K St., 1101 Market St., 602 So. 38th St., and 5252 So. Washington St.

Franklin Food Stores (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crackers; Preserves--Tacoma;

Shoppers at the self-serve meat department of Park-N-Shop pause to examine the wide variety of meats, fish, and fowl available in August, 1950. Instead of giving an order to a butcher and waiting in line for the order to be filled, the customer could save time by simply selecting from pre-packaged meats. Park-N-Shop was a grocery store located at 9662 Pacific Avenue in Parkland.

Park-N-Shop, Inc. (Parkland); Meat; Grocery stores--Parkland--1950-1960;

The beautiful Miss Washington and Miss Wisconsin were visiting Tacoma's Big Bear Stores, they were promoting apples and cheese week. Everyone was invited to participate in the fun, free samples would be available. View of Miss Washington, Libby Aldrich of Kelso, Washington and Miss Wisconsin, Marveen Fischer; the women are leaning against a convertible Buick (T.N.T., 10/14/49, p. B-3).

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Events--Tacoma--1940-1950; Buick automobile; Big Bear Stores (Tacoma); Fischer, Marveen; Aldrich, Libby;

View of Miss Wisconsin, Marveen Fischer, standing with two unidentified men at Tacoma's Big Bear Stores. Miss Wisconsin is representing the dairy and cheese state, and Armour & Company; a huge 2,000 pound mammoth cheddar cheese is on display, free samples of the cheese would be available for Tacoma customers. Big Bear Stores was offering their customers "Miss Universe Real Mild Cheese" for 49 cents per pound; "Miss Wisconsin Medium-Sharp Cheese" for 59 cents per pound; and "Miss Wisconsin Famous Sharp Cheese" for 79 cents per pound (T.N.T., 10/14/49, p. B-3).

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Events--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cheese; Big Bear Stores (Tacoma); Fischer, Marveen; Armour & Co. (Wis.)--Products;

Tacoma was celebrating apples and cheese week at the Big Bear Stores. Miss Washington was representing Washington State's Centennial flour and the apple industry. View of Miss Washington, Libby Aldrich, standing with Don Taylor, left, and Fred Huey from Big Bear Stores; she is holding a sack of Centennial flour. Centennial Flouring Mills display in background (T.N.T., 10/14/49, p. B-3). TPL-9919

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Events--Tacoma--1940-1950; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Big Bear Stores (Tacoma); Aldrich, Libby; Centennial Flouring Mills Co. (Tacoma)--Products; Taylor, Don; Huey, Fred;

Interior of Hogan's 8th grocery store, at 98th & Pacific Ave., for its Grand Opening March 9-11, 1951. All of the Hogan Grocery Stores were owned by Walter Hogan, who also owned Western Grocery Co., a wholesale grocery outlet for retailers. This store offered Southeast Tacoma and the surrounding rural areas a complete assortment of groceries, meats, produce and dairy. The store had 5600 sq. ft. of merchandising floor space and a color scheme of chartreuse green and wine. The flooring was wine, red and brown. Mirrored produce cases reflected the jewel tones of the fruits and vegetables. The highlight of the opening was the giving away of four barrels of groceries. (TNT 3/8/1951, pg. C-4)

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hogan's Fine Foods (Tacoma); Farm produce--Tacoma;

Nalley's display at the new Safeway store at 84th and Pacific included Tang salad dressing at 49 cents per quart; shoestring potatoes, 2 cans for 31 cents; Banquet Dill pickles, 43 cents for 24 ounces; Lumberjack Syrup, and spaghetti with meat, 28 cents per can.

Safeway Stores, Inc. (Tacoma); Grocery Stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Nalleys, Inc. (Tacoma)--Products

The Frank Thomas, Sr., family established their small grocery store in University Place 46 years ago. The Thomas brothers, Al, Frank and Joe, grew up helping their mother run the business, working every day including Sundays. They opened up an ultra-modern full scale supermarket in September, 1951, as a Red & White Food Store in University Place. Their two full page ads on September 12, 1951, offered prizes, free balloons and merry-go-round rides for children, and free coffee and cake for all customers. View of showcase of fresh refrigerated fruits and vegetables including squash, peppers, eggplant and tomatoes. Red Tokay grapes were listed in the ads at two pounds for 25 cents; Danver yellow onions at 3 pounds for 10 cents. Stacks of Coca Cola bottles are positioned next to the display counter and there are several elaborate floral arrangements on the shelf above the produce. Photograph commissioned by Consolidated Service, Seattle. (TNT 9-12-51, A-6, A-10, A-11)

Thomas Bros. Foodliner (University Place); Grocery stores--University Place--1950-1960; Merchandise displays; Food--University Place--1950-1960;

In November of 1951, local coffee roaster Wood Coffee Company had an aisle-long display of their one and two pound coffee cans at the Big Bear grocery store in Tacoma's Stadium District. Big Bear was celebrating its redecoration with specials such as Wood's Coffee for 75 cents a pound or two pounds for $1.49. The Wood Coffee Co., located at 1517 Commerce St., was founded by John Wood, Sr., in 1905. Three years after John Wood, Sr. died, in 1951, the Wood Coffee Co. was sold to the Mello-Cup Coffee Co. of Seattle. (TNT 11-7-51, p. 11- ad for Big Bear)

Big Bear Stores (Tacoma); Wood Coffee Co. (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Grocery stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Produce is displayed along the windows at the A-G Food Store at 56th and Yakima (also South 56th and Park). A-G Food Stores were celebrating the opening of two new stores, this one and another at 72nd and South Oakes. Two long shelving units run the length of the store through the middle and more shelves line the walls along the left and at the rear. Two check-out counters are seen with scales located next to the cash registers. The meat counter is seen in the foreground. (TNT, 10/12/1951, p.A-2)

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; A-G Food Store (Tacoma); Cash registers; Scales;

Two men complete the display of Trend soap at the Midland Thriftway Market (Thriftway Food Stores) by adding a sign announcing, the "Largest Trend display in the World." The store was located at 5402 South Tacoma Way. Ordered by the Purex Corporation.

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Thriftway Food Stores (Tacoma);

Display of Crescent spices at Manleys food fair at Fircrest. Crescent Manufacturing Co.

Grocery stores--Fircrest--1950-1960; Merchandise displays--Fircrest; Spices; Manley's Food Fair (Fircrest);

This display of canned and bottled products was provided by Anderson's Market in July of 1930. This is believed to be Anderson's Public Market, located at 1104 Market St. A cash register is located between boxes of Nucoa and cans of Pabst Malt Syrup. Anderson's was celebrating its 20th anniversary on July 12th with free hot dogs, chicken noodles, hot coffee and Hires' root beer for customers. Many enticing specials were being offered including 16 oz. cans of Del Ray Chicken Ravioli for 20 cents, Del Ray complete chicken dinners for 27 cents per package and 45 cents for cans of Pabst Malt Syrup. G56.2-109 (TNT ad- 7-11-30, p. 9)

Anderson's Public Market (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Cash registers;

Haering's Grocetorium celebrated the opening of its newest store, Store No. 4., in July of 1921. The latest Haering's, built at a cost of about $4,500 by P.C. Walesby, was located at the corner of E. 63rd and McKinley in the Hillsdale neighborhood. It was a one-story brick building, both fireproof and ratproof, and contained two store rooms. Nicolaus Haering (standing in front of the telephone pole) founded the successful chain in 1913. The stores were among the first in the Northwest to feature "help yourself service" (self service), on a cash only, no delivery basis. Skeptics became regular customers, drawn back by lower prices. The chain eventually operated 12 stores in the Tacoma area. G56.2-090; TPL-6349 (TDL 6-12-21, B-5-article)

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1920-1930; Haering's Grocetorium (Tacoma);

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. 1938. Ben's Economy Groceteria and Mosier's Meat, 764 So. 56th St., Tacoma. The store was built around 1937. In 1951, it became Fagerholm's Associated Grocers (AG) Market.

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ben's Economy Groceteria (Tacoma); Mosier's Meat Market (Tacoma);

ca. 1905. George Davis capitalized on the budding growth of Bismarck by opening a neighborhood grocery store. The Tacoma Eastern Railroad Shops brought jobs to this Tacoma community, centered around McKinley Avenue and East 64th Street. As a consequence of the First World War, the area named for German chancellor Otto Von Bismarck was changed to Hillsdale. The Davis family included George, wife Minnie, and children Robert and Earl, most likely the people on the grocery store deck in this 1905 photograph. Bicentennial project #75346-39.

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1900-1910; George D. Davis Grocery Store (Tacoma);

ca. 1915. An eye-catching pig and his master, made of Washington lard, occupied one of the display windows of the Queen City Market, 1115 Broadway, circa 1915. The lard appears to have come from the Carstens Packing Co., local meat packers. The Queen City Market had opened in March of 1914 in the lower level of a three story building next door to the Horgan-Parker department store. They offered for sale a wide variety of fresh fish, poultry, butter, eggs, and assorted groceries. (TDL 3-1-1914, p. 3-article on store opening)

Queen City Market (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1910-1920; Window displays--Tacoma--1910-1920; Swine;

ca. 1979. Hillside Grocery, 1602 South G St., circa 1979. Double doors are posted with cigarette ads, while adjacent stairs lead to the apartments above. This building was added to the City Registry in 1995. It was built in 1889 as the Estil K Christie Grocery Store and residence. It has had a number of owners through the years. It received the "Hillside" name in the early 1970's.

Hillside Grocery (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1970-1980;