A group portrait of the 1950 Industrial Bureau of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce taken at their luncheon at the New Yorker. Thirty seven men have attended the luncheon January 20, 1950. Howard D. Norris served as chairman for the year 1950. Names of those attending are printed along the bottom of the photograph. TPL-8767

Tacoma Chamber of Commerce (Tacoma); New Yorker Cafe (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1950-1960; Group portraits;

The exterior of the newly remodeled Olympus Cafe featuring the Mirror Room at the Hotel Olympus. TPL-6423

Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Remodeling--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hotels--Tacoma; Mirror Room (Tacoma); Olympus Hotel (Tacoma);

Tacoma's Rudder Club was located at 735 Commerce Street in Tacoma's business district; the club manager was Walter Geehan. Throughout the year the Rudder Club hosted and sponsored many events, including dinners, luncheons and style shows for members and their family and guests. Interior view of the Rudder Club's dining room; a tropical frescoe with sailboats and palm trees, has recently been painted in the dining room.

Dining rooms--Tacoma; Table settings & decorations; Murals--Tacoma; Restaurants--Tacoma; Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Organizations' facilities--Tacoma; Rudder Club, Inc. (Tacoma);

The Poodle Dog restaurant was opened in 1933 by E. J. "Jimmy" Zarelli and Rocco "Mac" Manza", then rebuilt in 1949 and 1967. The restaurant held a grand opening in early November 1949. Interior view of the Poodle Dog restaurant in Fife; view of the Coffee Shop from the east, showing sloped front windows, kitchen area and double horseshoe-shaped counters. Photo ordered by Capital Coil and Equipment Company (CAPCO). (TNT, 11/09/1949, p.8) TPL-9688

Equipment; Business enterprises--Fife; Kitchens--Fife; Cooks; Waitresses--Fife; Restaurant workers--Fife; Dining tables; Diners (Restaurants)--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Capital Coil & Equipment Co. (Tacoma);

The famous Poodle Dog restaurant has been demolished, rebuilt and reopened three times, all at the same location in Fife. The restaurant was first opened in 1933 by E.J. "Jimmy" Zarelli and Rocco "Mac" Manza", added on in 1939, then rebuilt in 1949 and 1967. View of Poodle Dog's cooks, waitresses and customers; interior view of the newly remodeled and rebuilt restaurant. TPL-9685

Soda fountains--Fife; Equipment; Business enterprises--Fife; Kitchens--Fife; Restaurant workers--Fife; Cooks; Waitresses--Fife; Diners (Restaurants)--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife);

Tribune, Panhellinic Luncheon, Top of the Ocean, Mrs. Hosmer.The Panhellenic Conference held a luncheon at the Top of the Ocean followed by bridge. The conference was attended by 300 guests. Three women are seen leaving the Top of the Ocean. (T.Times, 2/16/1949, p.6)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Panhellenic Conference (Tacoma); Fraternities & sororities--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clubwomen--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In December of 1948, The Shuffleboard at 3805 So G Street was Tacoma's newest family restaurant. Its food and activities promised a fun filled outing for everyone. They had a birch wood snack bar featuring refreshments, soft drinks, ice creams, and other confections. Shuffleboard instructors were on hand, and prizes were awarded every night. They advertised "Leagues Now Being Formed --- No Intoxicating Beverages Sold." The Shuffleboard opened on December 10, 1948. It was built by Marvin Hawley and operated by Jack Treskes. Interior view of Shuffleboard cafe, shuffleboard machines are on the left side, soda fountain advertising "Arden" ice cream in background (T. Times, 12/17/48, p. 15).

Restaurants--Tacoma; Soda fountains--Tacoma; Ice cream & ices; Tile flooring--Tacoma; Shuffleboard; Recreation--Tacoma; Shuffleboard (Tacoma);

The Shuffleboard is the newest family restaurant in Tacoma; it is located at 3805 South G Street, and is owned and operated by Marvin Halley. The Shuffleboard has 8 new shuffleboards, a soda fountain with full snack bar and ice creams, tables and chairs, music, great lighting and air conditioning. This is the first place to offer shuffleboard to the general public in the Northwest. Exterior view of new restaurant people are inside at the grand opening event; electric sign in shape of shuffleboard machine and "Arden" ice cream signs in window. (TNT, 12/10/1948, p. 15).

Soda fountains--Tacoma; Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shuffleboard (Tacoma); Windows--Tacoma; Recreation--Tacoma; Events--Tacoma; Electric signs--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Bill Slater was the head chef in charge of the Top of the Ocean galley crew. Slater was a world famous chef who had been featured in "Ripley's Believe It or Not". View of stainless steel finished kitchen, stoves and oven are below "Top of the Ocean" sign. Photo ordered by Dohrmann Hotel Supply.

Kitchens--Tacoma--1940-1950; Stoves--Tacoma; Appliances; Restaurants--Tacoma; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma);

Three of the cooks at the Husk Cafe pose with a man in a suit, believed to be Thomas C. Hardwick, owner.

Husk Cafe (Tacoma); Cafes--Tacoma--1940-1950; Diners (Restaurants)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cooks;

Visit of Hawaiian Group to Tacoma Athletic Club, Ed Honeywell. Twenty-two Hawaiian business people visited Tacoma August 8, 9 and 10, 1947, on a good will tour of the Northwest. The Chamber of Commerce hosed the guests at a stag reception and dinner at the Tacoma Athletic Club at the Top of the Ocean. One of the business men actually caught a fish at the Top of the Ocean. (T.Times, 8/9/1947, p.1) TPL-3845

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Nightclubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing; Business people--Tacoma--1940-1950; Guests;

Tacoma's Rudder Club offered their members many social activities throughout the year; many of these functions were held at the club's facilities. Interior view of the Rudder Club's barroom; a bartender, wearing a uniform, is mixing a cocktail for one of the club members; a ship's steering wheel decorates the bar area.

Bartenders--Tacoma--1940-1950; Barrooms--Tacoma; Bars--Tacoma; Restaurant workers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Organizations' facilities--Tacoma; Clubs--Tacoma; Rudder Club, Inc. (Tacoma);

Tacoma Athletic Commission Dinner for Gretchen Fraser. Gretchen Fraser, winner of the 1948 Olympic Gold Medal for the special slalom, was the first American skier to win an Olympic event. Here she is seen presenting the Tacoma Athletic Commission perpetual trophy for the Women's Daffodil Cup race to Janette Burr, winner and holder of the National Women's downhill title. The perpetual trophy was to be known as the Gretchen Kunigk Fraser Trophy. (TNT, 4/6/1948, p.14)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fraser, Gretchen Kunigk, 1919-1994; Skiers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Medals; Celebrations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Burr, Janette;

Exterior of Max Frolic's Cafe. Owned and operated by former vaudevillian, violinist and band leader Max Frolic, the restaurant had been in business since May of 1938. It would undergo remodeling in 1958 including a new dining room and spruced-up exterior.

Restaurants--Lakewood--1950-1960; Max Frolic's Restaurant (Lakewood);

Combed redwood was featured in the Terrace Room that was added when Lakewood Terrace was remodeled in 1952. The face of the bar, the tops of the small tables and a portion of the walls were covered with redwood. To soften the back-of-the bar lighting a redwood egg-crate lattice was added overhead. The stools had redwood-slat seats on top of tall black iron legs. A brick floor was chosen to add to the textural highlights in the room. (TNT, 10/31/1952, p.C-1)

Lakewood Terrace (Lakewood); Eating & drinking facilities--Lakewood; Lounges--Lakewood;

The entrance to the new cocktail lounge, the Terrace Room, that was added when Lakewood Terrace was remodeled, has been decorated with a continuation of the highly textured theme that was chosen for the lounge. Black-framed panels of straw-woven linen separate the waiting room alcove from the lounge. One of the famous Terrace roosters has found a new home in the greenery of the red brick planter and vines and philodendron provide more texture. (TNT, 10/31/1952, p.C-1)

Lakewood Terrace (Lakewood); Eating & drinking facilities--Lakewood; Lounges--Lakewood;

The main dining room at Lakewood Terrace maintained its quiet reserve following remodelling in 1952. The grandfather's clock still ticks against the far wall. The huge colonial white-paneled fireplace with its 20-foot mantel still dominated the room. An "Anglo-Persian" carpet was added, however, as well as new wallpaper featuring huge clusters of rose-red blossoms and a dado which topped the wainscot for an extra colonial touch. Harold F. Chavis was manager of the restaurant and cocktail lounge at this time. Ordered by the Lakewood Development Company. (TNT, 10/31/1952, p.C-1)

Lakewood Terrace (Lakewood); Eating & drinking facilities--Lakewood; Restaurants--Lakewood;

Hugh O. Smith owned two restaurants in Tacoma; Smitty's Drive In on Puyallup Avenue and Smitty's Coffee Mug on South Tacoma Way. View of interior of Smitty's Coffee Mug in November, 1952; a customer could either sit at the U-shaped counter on a stool or choose to sit in a booth. Besides purchasing a cup of coffee, one could select a soda from their "soda bar" or enjoy some Medosweet ice cream. Photograph ordered by Smitty's Coffee Mug.

Smitty's Coffee Mug (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1950-1960; Stools;

The interior of Post House Tavern showing the bar, stools, and booths. The bar and lowered ceiling over the bar have been decorated with padded, studded leather-like material. A cool case is seen against the far wall as well as a pay phone. Ordered by Mrs. Teresa Diseth, owner of the tavern.

Bars--Tacoma--1950-1960; Post House Tavern (Tacoma);

Front entrance of the Turf Restaurant. The Turf Restaurant was located at 911 Commerce Street. The same building also contained the Turf Smoke Shop and Turf Bar. View of daytime exposure of front entrance to the Turf Restaurant; large neon signs decorate the building, including two with hats and riding sticks on the restaurant's windows. The Turf restaurant celebrated its grand reopening in November, 1951, with full page ads in the News Tribune. It would be open 24 hours a day. (TNT 11-7-51, p. 26) TPL-8119

Turf Restaurant (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The Coney Island room of the newly remodeled New Yorker cafe and nightclub is packed with dancers enjoying the sweet swing sounds of the Art Mineo Orchestra in a November, 1951, photograph. The showroom had hardwood dance floors and a clever two stages-in-one concept. Nightly dancing and big time entertainment were staples of the New Yorker, owned by Mike and Pat DeVoto. (TNT 11-15-51, C-10, 11)

New Yorker Cafe (Tacoma); Art Mineo Orchestra (Tacoma); Mineo, Art; Cafes--Tacoma--1950-1960; Musicians--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson "jams" with Art Mineo on bass, Dick Morehead on drums, Joe "Flip" Phillips on tenor saxophone and Bill Harris on trombone on November 12, 1951, the opening night of the newly remodeled New Yorker Cafe. Peterson, Phillips and Harris were performing in Seattle with the Jazz at the Philharmonic road show when they called Mineo to sit in at the opening. The jazz greats jammed until closing, creating an unforgettable night of music in Tacoma. Peterson had joined Jazz at the Philharmonic in 1950 as a relative unknown and was rapidly gaining recognition in the jazz world. (information supplied by Art Mineo)

New Yorker Cafe (Tacoma); Art Mineo Orchestra (Tacoma); Mineo, Art; Musicians--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cafes--Tacoma--1950-1960; Peterson, Oscar; Phillips, Joe "Flip"; Harris, Bill; Morehead, Dick;

Jazz greats, left to right, Art Mineo on bass, Joe "Flip" Phillips on tenor saxophone, Oscar Peterson on piano and Bill Harris on trombone deliver sweet sounds for the opening of the newly remodeled New Yorker Cafe in November of 1951. Mineo and his 10-piece orchestra had been hired to play the opening night when Mineo received a call from Peterson, Phillips and Harris asking to sit in. The trio were playing in Seattle with the Jazz at the Philharmonic road show. The result was Tacoma history, as the group jammed into the small hours of the morning, closing the club and sending the lucky audience dancing into the dawn. Art Mineo passed away at age 91 on July 27, 2010. (from information previously supplied by Art Mineo)

New Yorker Cafe (Tacoma); Cafes--Tacoma--1950-1960; Art Mineo Orchestra (Tacoma); Mineo, Art; Musicians--Tacoma--1950-1960; Phillips, Joe; Peterson, Oscar; Harris, Bill;

John Stanley poses in a publicity photo for opening of Gay Nineties Room of Steve's (Gay '90s) Cafe at 5238 South Tacoma Way. Steve's was owned by John J. Stanley and Stephen O. Pease. The mural on the wall depicts area businesses such as Jordan Bakery and Pantex Cleaners in the "Gay Nineties." Steve Pease began his business around 1941 partnered by Mrs. John Martinolich, of the shipbuilding family, in "Steve's Tavern." After two years, he bought out her interest in the building. When liquor-by-the-drink legislation came along in 1949, he needed a restaurant in order to have a liquor license. He formed a partnership with John Stanley who owned a coffee shop next door to the south. Stanley ran the restaurant and Pease ran the lounge. Much of the area surrounding the original restaurant was bought and remodeled to become part of Steve's. The spot became a tourist attraction and popular hangout of the fifties and sixties. It closed around 1977 and in 2001 is again opening after being converted to retail and restaurant space. (TNT 4/4/1951, pg. B6-B7)

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

The exterior of the Poodle Dog after the 1949 rebuild. Regarded as one of Tacoma's major tourist attractions, the restaurant had huge photo-murals that encircled both private dining rooms and a portion of the lobby. The photos by the Richards studio displayed both scenic wonders of the area and local industries and businesses. The internal design was a model of labor saving devices including automatic dishwashing and a circular seating counter that surrounded the waitress stations. The chefs worked at stainless steel counters just beyond the service area, allowing counter diners to watch their food being prepared. Parking surrounded the building. TPL-553

Poodle Dog (Fife); Restaurants--Fife--1950-1960;

Publicity photo for the opening of the Gay Nineties Room of Steve's (Gay '90s) Cafe at 5238 South Tacoma Way. Steve's was owned by John J. Stanley and Stephen O. Pease.The stage was entirely surrounded by a hand painted display of signs, handlettered by South Tacoma artist Bill Knabel. Mr. Knabel did the lettering work for the Pantages and Grand theatres when curtain advertising was the only venue available. The signs for local South Tacoma businesses surround the stage where Jane Power and Arnold Leverenz performed nightly on the Hammond organ. Old fashioned lanterns hang from a wagon wheel chandelier. Bold checked tablecloths welcome diners and invite them to enjoy good food in an homely and friendly atmosphere. Another part of the restaurant's decor was old photographs of South Tacoma and old style shadow boxes, created by Mrs. George Kelly of Seattle. (TNT 4/4/1951, pg. B6-B7)

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

This photograph shows the exterior of Steve's Cafe, 5238-40 South Tacoma Way, (later commonly known as Steve's Gay '90s.) as it appeared in April of 1951. Huge neon signs points the way to South Tacoma's newest dining hot spot. Owned & operated by Steve Pease and John Stanley, Steve's offered a smorgasbord every day (at $1 for lunch) and entertainment in the evening. As the restaurant grew in popularity, it swallowed up all the surrounding real estate becoming the huge conglomeration that became Steve's Gay '90s. Steve's closed in 1977. TPL-8691

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

The Viking Smorgasbord held their grand opening April 14, 1951, in their recently completed building. The restaurant featured American and Scandinavian foods with a la carte dinners as well as smorgasbord service offered in an atmosphere of old Sweden. A separate entrance has been provided for those attending functions in the banquet room.(TNT, 4/14/1951, p.C-5)

Viking Smorgasbord (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma;

The buffet table at the Viking Smorgasbord boasted one of the finest and largest Swedish smorgasbords in the Northwest with more than 50 Scandinavian and American delicacies displayed on the table which covered an area of 80 square feet. The waitresses wore attractive Swedish Peasant costumes lending authenticity to the Swedish environment. (TNT, 4/14/1951, p.C-5)

Viking Smorgasbord (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma;

Interior- Diamond Jim's. A customer at Diamond Jim's appears to be pretty happy to greet the chef bearing a platter of freshly cooked steaks in a January 31, 1958, photograph. Diamond Jim's, or "D.J.'s", per the advertising placard, was located at 7401 Aurora in Seattle. It specialized in family styled chicken dinners and steaks. Waiting patrons could observe daily activity on busy Aurora Avenue through the many view windows. Photograph ordered by Teleradio Advertisers, Inc., for KTVW.

Diamond Jim's (Seattle); Restaurants--Seattle; Signs (Notices); Cooks; Meat;