Samuel Ewing, president of Peoples, (with broom) and merchandise manager Fred Carleton, right, donned overalls as they prepared for the shift in stations to occur on Friday, April 22, 1938, when Peoples Store women employees took over operations and administrative duties for the day. This semiannual custom was taken very seriously by the women on staff. Their slogan for the day was "Planned, Manned and Jammed by Women." This year Mr. Ewing allowed the women to elect their own bosses rather than being appointed to the positions. Mary Youmans, personnel manager, was elected president for the day. (T.Times, 4/19/1938, p.14-alt. photograph).

Peoples (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ewing, Samuel; Carleton, Fred;

On Friday, April 22, 1938, employees at Peoples Store will reverse roles. Women are assigned to management positions and men, including company president Samuel Ewing, (seated at left), and merchandise manager Fred Carleton, (seated at right), fill work stations held by women for the day. This role reversal was offered by Peoples twice a year, and on this occasion, the employees got to elect their own officers. The employees are, left to right, standing Evelyn Knoell, Isabelle Swanson, Helen Kiracafe, Freida Belle Worden, Elsie McDaniels, Olga Miller, Hazel Kasae, Brownie Davies & G.R. Milstead. Seated are Ewing, President elect for the day Mary Youmans, Amelia Berger and Carleton. (T.Times, 4/19/38, p 14).

Peoples (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ewing, Samuel; Carleton, Fred; Youmans, Mary;

Three women skeet shooters with rifles half kneeling in front of Washington Hardware Company store window.

Washington Hardware Co. (Tacoma); Firearms; Rifles; Shooting; Sharpshooting;

ca. 1938. Beacon Service Station at 84th Street and South Tacoma Way. For Richfield Oil Corporation of California. (T. Times)

Beacon Service Station (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Gasoline pumps--1930-1940;

ca. 1938. Neff & Co. Flooring Store, interior view of rolls of linoleum flooring. The company was owned and operated by Arthur L. Neff, a local amateur boxing supporter. They sold retail furnishings, including a complete line of carpets, rugs, linoleum, washing machines and homes products. They also sold the Johns-Manville line of asbestos siding & roofing. The company recently bought the stock of floor coverings previously owned by Pacific Floor Covering Co. (T. Times 10/19/1938, pg. 2) (filed with Argentum)

Neff & Co. (Tacoma); Floor coverings; Rugs;

Photograph of the McDonald-Smith building, 1932-36 Pacific Ave., taken in February of 1939. The building was constructed around 1890 (1932-34 Pacific) with an addition at 1936 Pacific added in 1893. In 1939, the addresses were occupied by, left to right, Paramount Supply Co. (at 1936), the former location of Consolidated Dairy Products Inc. (1934) and Younglove Grocery Co. Consolidated had relocated in 1937 to 102-190 So. 26th St. (filed with Argentum)

Paramount Supply Co. (Tacoma); Consolidated Dairy Products Inc. (Tacoma); Younglove Grocery Co. (Tacoma);

Peoples Department Store, Millinery Department. The large department exudes elegance with 2-3 hats displayed per merchandise counter.

Peoples (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma; Hats--1930-1940;

By June 26, 1938, employees and customers of Dorothy and Joe's Silver Dollar Cafe were settling in at the cafe's new quarters at 905 Pacific Avenue. Proprietors Dorothy and Joseph L. Duckwitz oversaw the move from their old location (910 Pacific) across the street. The Cafe had all new fixtures, including a back bar, that were manufactured in Tacoma. In 1940, Joseph started the Gehri Co. with George Gehri. Dorothy continued to operate the Silver Dollar Cafe until 1945. The Cafe, under new owners, officially closed around 1949. (filed with Argentum) (TNT 7/25/1958, pg. 5)

Silver Dollar Cafe (Tacoma); Duckwitz, Joseph--Homes & haunts;

Interior view of redecorated Spellman's Buster Brown Shoe Store, 1122-28 Broadway, circa 1939. Walls lined with shelves filled with shoe boxes, chairs running down the center for customers to sit and try on shoes. Buster Brown Shoes had opened their store in the David Gross Block building in 1924. In 1933, it became Spellman's, owned and managed by William and J. B. Spellman. In 1934, brother J. A. Spellman also joined the company. By 1939, the brothers owned and operated four other shoe stores in the Northwest. Spellman's Shoe Store closed on Broadway around 1966.(filed with Argentum) (TT 3/7/1939, pg.7)

Spellman's Buster Brown Shoe Store (Tacoma); Shoe stores--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Remodeled facade of Tacoma Glass Company Building, taken for builder Anton Ohlson. (filed with Argentum)

Tacoma Glass Co. (Tacoma);

Lumbermen's Banquet. Tacoma Hotel. "New" Tacoma Hotel Dining Room with seventeen men seated and standing behind dining table. (filed with Argentum)

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Banquets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Tacoma Times Carriers' Banquet at the Firs. Room packed with tables, boys and men representing the newspaper. Decorations hang from ceiling. A paper route was often the answer for boys and young men in need of spending money. The Times sponsored fun activities for its valued carriers throughout the year.

Tacoma Times Publishing Co. (Tacoma); Newspaper carriers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Banquets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Firs (Spanaway);

On October 2, 1939, Clara Thorsen is receiving the title from an unidentified member of the Ray Roberts Post 969 VFW for the new 1939 Studebaker Champion that she won. On winning, Miss Thorsen confided to the members that she is to be married the following month to Earl Heltsley, a driver for the Municipal Belt Bus Line. The pair will use the new vehicle to take a honeymoon trip to California. Allen Motor Co. building in background. Studebaker logo on storefront windows. Miss Thorsen is 24 years old and resides at 3623 McKinley Ave. She is a clerk at Fishers Department Store. (T. Times 10/5/1939, pg. 16)

Allen Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Studebaker automobile; Thorsen, Clara; Veterans of Foreign Wars, Ray C. Roberts Post # 969 (Tacoma);

The staff of a Franklin Foods Store poses in their Jubilee hats. In 1939, Franklin had locations at the Crystal Palace Public Market, 117 No. G, 5408 South Tacoma Way and 602 So. 38th. The man on the right of the standing row is possibly owner and founder George G. Franklin. In 1936, Franklin purchased Haddaway Hall, 4301 No. Stevens, from the Weyerhaeuser estate.

Franklin Food Stores (Tacoma)--Employees; Washington State Golden Jubilee, 1939--Tacoma;

ca. 1928. Architectural components from Walker Cut Stone Company for the Capital building; loaded on the back of a flatbed truck. Robert Walker started his stone cutting business in a shed on Puyallup Ave. in 1907. By the 1920's, he had demonstrated the building superiority of Wilkeson sandstone and finalized the largest stone contract to date, the state Capital buildings in Olympia. (TNT 2/25/1927, pg. 13) (Argentum)

Walker Cut Stone Co. (Tacoma); Building materials industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1928. Two men posed by trucks bearing stone architectural pieces and signs "Stone for Capital Building." The stone was from the Walker Cut Stone Co. With the awarding of the contract for the stone work for the state Capital buildings in Olympia, the Walker Cut Stone Co. expanded into their new plant at 2403 Center St. The contract for the Capital buildings was the largest stone contract ever made to date. (Argentum)

Walker Cut Stone Co. (Tacoma); Building materials industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1927. View of false room with tile faced fireplace, containing furniture exhibit. For Washington Parlor Furniture Company. Display is probably located in their showroom at 402 E 11th St., on the Tideflats. The company employed 150 persons with a yearly payroll of $200,000. (Argentum)

Washington Parlor Furniture Co. (Tacoma); Living rooms--Tacoma--1920-1930; Furniture--1920-1930; Fireplaces;

ca. 1935. Davis Motor Truck Company with Diamond T truck parked out front.

Davis Motor Truck Company (Tacoma); Diamond T trucks;

ca. 1936. Opening of the new Tacoma Hotel Annex. Man in tuxedo believed to be Mr. George Calvert, manager of the front office.

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Interior of the home of Thomas and Ellen O. Johnsen, owner of Bone Dry Shoes on Pacific Ave., and Cortland Johnsen, the company's manager. The home was built in 1936-37 and was located at 2420 No. Junett St. It was designed by architect W. Chelse Boynton. (filed with Argentum)

Bone-Dry Shoe Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Shoe industry--Tacoma; Shoemaking--Tacoma; Johnsen, Thomas O.--Homes & haunts;

Exterior of the Tudor style home of Thomas and Ellen O. Johnsen, owner of Bone Dry Shoes on Pacific Ave., and Cortland Johnsen, the company's manager. The home was built in 1936-37 and was located at 2420 No. Junett St. It was designed by architect W. Chelse Boynton. The exterior was brick veneer. (filed with Argentum)

Bone-Dry Shoe Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Shoe industry--Tacoma; Shoemaking--Tacoma; Johnsen, Thomas O.--Homes & haunts;

Flower arrangements cover the counters at the new location of Burnett Brothers Jewelers, in honor of their Grand Opening February 12, 1937. For a quarter of a century, the family owned business had sold jewelry from their old location at 932 Broadway. Their new store was narrow with large glass display cases resting on marble stands on either side. (store photos also cataloged as M67) (T.Times, 2/15/1937, pg. 12- picture; 2/11/1937, p. 8)

Burnett Brothers Jewelry (Tacoma); Jewelry stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Merchandise displays--1930-1940;

Peoples Department Store Building, Carl August Darmer, Architect, 1895. Photograph of store front with scaffolding and steam cleaner, circa May of 1938. Sign reads "This building is being steamed cleaned by Universal Cleaning Contractors." For Ocky Williams, Universal Cleaning Contractors. The structure was built for and occupied by the Peoples Store from 1895-1983 when the store closed its doors. It is now the Puget Sound Plaza. (filed with Argentum)

Department stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Peoples (Tacoma); Cleaning--Tacoma; Scaffolding--Tacoma;

Interior of office at Griffin Fuel Company. In February of 1939, Griffin Fuel Co. was celebrating its 50th anniversary. The company was started in 1889 by Fred L. Griffin. Through the years, the Griffin family was noted for its amicable and long term relationship with company employees. Four men and two women are photographed working in the office. (T. Times 2/27/1939, pg. 2-3) The photo is marred by two black marks.

Griffin Fuel Co. (Tacoma)--Employees;

The view down Pacific Ave from the intersection of around 17th Street, where the streetcar tracks intersect on the road. Most prominent are the Hotel Lewis, on the left, at 1522 Pacific Ave and Hotel Croft, on the right, at 1519 Pacific Ave. The Hotel Croft was owned by Lee Croft who would later become Pierce County Sheriff. Also on the right hand side can be seen Schoenfelds on Pacific at 15th and the Puget Sound Bank building at 1119 Pacific Ave. The photograph was taken to record the Schenley's Red Label billboard for Sunset Advertising in Seattle.

Hotel Lewis (Tacoma); Hotel Croft (Tacoma); Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1925. The Hotel Winthrop, viewed from Pacific Ave. looking west. The construction in front of the Hotel is the Motoramp Garage. It was constructed at 745 Commerce on the site of the Hotel Donnelly. The Hotel Winthrop opened in May of 1925 and the Motoramp opened in August of 1925. (WSHS) BU-12083

Construction--Tacoma--1920-1930; Motoramp Garage (Tacoma); Parking garages--Tacoma; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1927. This is the interior of the East End Market, 3102-08 Portland Ave., possibly around the time of its grand opening in July of 1927. The market was built for the Sotak Bros. by the Standard Construction Co. Some of the employees present have been identified as John Sotak, Vera Sotak, Mike Sotak, Leona Sotak (Mrs. Chuck) Paulik and Marie Sotak. Chuck Paulik would open Chuck's Lunch & Tavern in 1930 in part of the building. Chuck's Lunch would be renamed Chuck's Alibi Restaurant (after its cocktail room) in 1968. Photograph ordered by Economy Ice Machine Company. (Argentum) (Additional information/identification provided by a reader)

East End Market (Tacoma); Sotak, John; Sotak, Vera; Sotak, Mike; Paulik, Leona Sotak; Sotak, Marie;

ca. 1927. Lloyd Building in Seattle. Taken for West Coast Construction Company. (Argentum)

Lloyd Building (Seattle);

ca. 1927. Stand, #364?, at the Crystal Market. In the background is the Florida Fruit Co., Stall 52. (WSHS)

Markets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Crystal Palace Market (Tacoma);

On Saturday March 11, 1939, the Bachelor Club hosted a large ball and style show in the Crystal Ballroom of the Winthrop Hotel. The backdrop for the show as an elegant cityscape with outlines of skyscrapers, a large bridge and a late model sedan. (filed with Argentum) (T.Times 3/18/1939, pg. 9)

Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Bachelor Club (Tacoma); Fashion shows;