Interiors at Fletchers Grocery in Parkland. Photos ordered by the Jack Frost Co. Packs of cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco line the shelves behind the checkers. As the woman checker enters the prices in the cash register, two bag boys box the groceries. Signs indicate that this is the store's Grand Opening. Numerals indicate different areas of the aisles. The aisles are wide enough for carts and well stocked with canned and boxed goods.
ca. 1925. In 1925, McKinley Hill had a thriving business community, with locally owned shops and stores lining its sidewalks. Pictured left to right at 3504 McKinley Ave. are Porter's Barber Shop (owned by Ollie B. Porter), Central Shoes (A. Don Soper) and "Gents Furnishings" (Chester & Olsen). 3502B McKinley appears to be vacant and on the right, at 3502 A McKinley, is the Piggly Wiggly grocery store. In 1928, Mr. Porter, the barber, had the Porter Apartments constructed at this location. Although the newspaper doesn't specify this, it appears that the two stories of apartments were built on top of this commercial space. E. Taylor Gardner, of 3618 E "L", was the architect and contractor for the Porter Apartments. (WSHS)
Washington State Apple Advertising Commission display at Franklin Food Store. Apple crates stacked on a slope and on floor, signs hanging overhead and around boxes.
Franklin Food Stores (Tacoma); Advertisements--Tacoma; Advertising--Tacoma; Publicity; Apples;
American Wholesale Grocers. Interiors of new IGA Foodtown store located at Park Ave. and Airport Way. A large self serve cooler offers chilled six-packs of Bireley's, Dad's, White Rock and Quench. The right hand side of the cooler offers single bottles of soft drinks and mixers. The new grocery store would have its Grand Opening for 4 days beginning August 17, 1955. (TNT 8/16/1955, pg. 7-10)
Carbonated beverages; IGA Foodtown (Parkland); Grocery stores--1950-1960; Supermarkets;
American Wholesale Grocers. Exterior of new IGA Foodtown store located at Park Ave. and Airport Way. A planter box, including two trees that extend through the roof line, and flagstone paving lead to the entrance of the store. The Van de Camps bakery windmill logo can be seen on the neon sign to the right. Parking fans out around the building. Fluorescent tube lighting illuminates the inside and outside of the store. The 20,000 square foot concrete block and Roman brick building has large plate glass windows across the north side. (TNT 8/16/1955, pg. 7-10)
IGA Foodtown (Parkland); Grocery stores--1950-1960; Supermarkets;
American Wholesale Grocers. Interiors of new IGA Foodtown store located at Park Ave. and Airport Way. The modern supermarket no longer just offered food, it also offered varieties- items to be used around the home. The Foodtown Varieties section has thread, yarn, sewing supplies, brooms, nylons, sunglasses, pictures, "bun baskets" and glassware. The variety portion was self service with shoppers using the same check out counters as the grocery store. (TNT 8/16/1955, pg. 7-10)
IGA Foodtown (Parkland); Grocery stores--1950-1960; Supermarkets;
American Wholesale Grocers. Nighttime view of exterior of new IGA Foodtown store located at Park Ave. and Airport Way. The supermarket shares the same strip mall with Devereaux Realty, Ruth's Cafe, a beauty and barber shop and a drycleaning plant. The entrance to the grocery store is to the right. The variety section may have had its own entrance to the left of the brick wall. Each IGA was independently owned and operated, but affiliated with IGA, the second largest retail food outlet in the country. (TNT 8/16/1955, pg. 7-10)
IGA Foodtown (Parkland); Grocery stores--1950-1960; Supermarkets;
This was how the new IGA Foodtown store located at Park Avenue and Airport Way in Parkland appeared on the evening of August 16, 1955. One of the earliest strip malls in Pierce County, the complex contained the supermarket, bakery, variety store, cafe, beauty and barber shops, real estate office and dry cleaning plant.The entrance to the grocery store is to the right. Checkout registers and baskets can be seen behind the glass entrance. The variety section may have had its own entrance to the left of the brick wall. The store had the new feature of automatic doors and ample self service; 66 feet of self service meat, self service Van de Kamps bakery and large self service variety store. The parking lot provided space for 150 cars. Photograph ordered by American Wholesale Grocers. (TNT 8/16/1955, pg. 7-10)
IGA Foodtown (Parkland); Grocery stores--1950-1960; Supermarkets;
American Wholesale Grocers. Interiors of new IGA Foodtown store located at Park Ave. and Airport Way. The end cap is a display of ABC fig bars. The cookies sell for $.49. The sign shows the "world's largest fig bar" and proclaims when better fig bars are made, ABC will make them. The Grand Opening of the store would begin August 17 and continue for 4 days. During that time, free coffee and cake would be served, every lady shopper would receive a free gift and an orchid and a Shetland pony with saddle and bridle would be one prize of many given away. (TNT 8/16/1955, pg. 7-10)
IGA Foodtown (Parkland); Grocery stores--1950-1960; Supermarkets;
American Wholesale Grocers. Exterior of new IGA Foodtown store located at Park Ave. and Airport Way. A planter box and flagstone paving lead to the entrance of the store. The 20,000 square foot building was built of concrete block and roman brick with large plate glass windows across the north side. A large modernistic marquee extended over the northwest corner and a raised planting area with flowering and evergreen shrubs included two oriental trees that extended through the roof. (TNT 8/16/1955, pg. 7-10)
IGA Foodtown (Parkland); Grocery stores--1950-1960; Supermarkets;
Interior of Groff's Natural Foods. Groff's, in downtown Tacoma, stressed the importance of eating right, using "natural" foods and vitamins to keep a person healthy. Whole grain flour and cereals, a selection of salt-free foods, Vitamin A-packed carrot juice, 100% pure honey, and even mineralized cookies were offered to discerning customers. Jugs of papaya juice, surely not a standard on the 1950's breakfast tables, were also available for purchase. Groff's was to celebrate its grand reopening on October 28, 1955. The store had been in the same location in the Crystal Palace Shopping Center at 11th & Market Sts. for the past fifteen years. Owner Virgil Groff claimed his store had the largest supply of vitamins in Tacoma. Photograph ordered by Groff's Natural Foods. (TNT 10-27-55, A-8)
Dill pickle display at Skaggs-Safeway Market #277. In 1927 Skaggs-Safeway Market #277 was located at South 12th & "K" (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way) Sts. The store was promoting its second carload of Dill Pickles at 25 cents a dozen. Shoppers could pick and choose among hundreds of juicy pickles piled on display. The Northwest-based Skaggs United Stores along with Skaggs Cash Stores and the California-based Safeway Stores had recently consolidated to become known as the Skaggs-Safeway Stores. G56.2-132
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)
Haering's opened a new brick one-story grocery store in the Hillsdale neighborhood on the east side of town in July of 1921. It was the first of several new buildings to house the rapidly growing firm; more would be built in different parts of the city. The store was designed and built by P.C. Walesby for about $4500. Employees of the company are pictured above enjoying a celebratory banquet inside the store. Haering's Grocetorium promoted the "self-service" form of shopping as a means to keep prices low. As the signs inside the store indicated, smart shoppers could purchase five cans of Del Monte corn for $1.00, flour for $2.20, ginger snaps and citrus for 25 cents. "Help Yourself" seemed to be the store's byword. (TDL 6-12-21, B-5-article); TDL 7-11-21, p. 7-article)
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)
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
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.
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)
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.
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
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)
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.
ca. 1979. West Coast Grocery Co. building, 1732-38 Pacific Ave., circa 1979. The structure was built in 1890 from a design by Proctor & Dennis, architects. It is now part of the University of Washington Tacoma campus.
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.
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.
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.
The Patty Ann Bakery at the Thriftway Park 'N Shop, formerly the Park 'N Shop. Two bakery assistants in clean white uniforms pose, one holding freshly baked bread. The lighted glass display cabinets hold luscious looking cakes, doughnuts, cookies and pastries. Smiling jack o' lantern cutouts decorate the shelves, along with a palm tree look alike coming out of the planter box behind one woman's head.
Washington Co-op Farmers Association "Co-op Eggs" streamlined delivery van parked in front of Safeway Store at Puyallup Avenue and Bay Street. Man unloading crates of eggs is believed to be the driver, Harry Stearns.
Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Poultry industry--Washington--1940-1950; Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma);
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);
