Six uniformed waitresses pose with a woman in a dark dress at the Husk Cafe, 1211 Pacific Ave., in January of 1943. The women wear little caps, almost like a small nurses cap, pinned in their hair.

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

The cooks and waitresses of the Husk Cafe at 1211 Pacific Avenue posed at 3:30 pm on January 25, 1943 following the lunch hour rush. They are standing behind the lunch counter with its miniature juke box selectors. Mrs. C. Isabelle Hardwick and Thomas C. Hardwick opened the Husk in 1934. According to a posted sign under the clock, customers could not get counter service unless they were prepared to spend at least 10 cents. For 20 cents, you could get a bowl of hot chili or some pie and ice cream to go with your coffee. The Husk Cafe closed in the late 1950s.

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

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;

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);

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;

Robert Sconce Advertising, Ray Ridge Motors. In this October 11, 1946, photograph, Ray Ridge, just to the right of the engine, is holding a part while the other men look on and listen to an explanation about the part. Ray Ridge was the newly appointed Lincoln and Mercury dealer for the area. These men are shown in the service department of Ray Ridge Motors at 124 Tacoma Avenue South.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ray Ridge Motors, Inc. (Tacoma); Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ridge, Ray;

Lassieis here to advertise that the motion picture "The Courage of Lassie" will open at the Music Box Theater in this December of 1946 photograph. One of the usherettes from the theater holds "Lassie's" leash while "Lassie" stands next to her dog house in the outside lobby of John Hamrick's Music Box Theatre. "Lassie" wears a sign, "Courage of Lassie, Music Box Now." Two unidentified businessmen stand on the other side of the dog house.

Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Collies--Tacoma; Dogs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ushers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Publicity;

Service area at Sanford Nash Company. Many Nash and other automobiles lined up along wall under signs promoting services.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Nash Metropolitan automobile; Sanford-Nash, Inc. (Tacoma); Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Service area at Sanford Nash Company. Display of Nash accessories, auto lift racks, wheel alignment and lubrication cabinets, two automobiles in background.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Nash Metropolitan automobile; Sanford-Nash, Inc. (Tacoma); Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Parts and Accessories counter at Sanford Nash Company. Parts and accessories on display, posters promoting Nash accessories on wall above.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Sanford-Nash, Inc. (Tacoma); Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies;

The Brown & Haley Company has been making candy in Tacoma since 1913. Although they are internationally known for their Almond Roca, they have always made other brands of candy. Over the years they have sold Mountain Bars, Almond Buttercrisp, and - as this advertising photograph from 1946 shows - Johnny Peanut bars. Johnny Peanut was a peanut covered taffy bar, and a "Winnah".

Brown & Haley (Tacoma); Candy--Tacoma; Chocolate industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Packaging;

Lakewood Hardware for Ralph Davisson. The interior of the hardware store featuring toasters, broilers, blenders, and standing radiators. New metal and plastic tables and chairs are also shown.

Lakewood Hardware (Lakewood); Hardware stores--Lakewood--1940-1950; Appliances; Tables; Chairs;

New Yorker Cafe for Dohrman Hotel Supply. A view of the sparking, new kitchen with stainless steel cabinets, coffee makers and overhead hoods.

New Yorker Cafe (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Kitchens--Tacoma--1940-1950; Stoves--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cupboards--Tacoma--1940-1950;

New Yorker Cafe for Dohrman Hotel Supply.The double grill in the kitchen provides a large cooking area. The large stock pot on the left has a spout with a turn off valve at the bottom of the pot and a water line is provided with a faucet above the pot. The exit flues for the venting hoods over the grills bend towards each other before exiting through the ceiling forming an almost decorative look.

New Yorker Cafe (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Kitchens--Tacoma--1940-1950; Stoves--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fans (Machinery); Pots & pans;

Western Machine Works. The interior of the shop. A metal frame is seen in the foreground. The background is filled with machines and materials. Western Machine Works specialized in veneer and hoisting machinery. They also handled general repair work. Headed by Frank Schmidt, the firm was established in 1922.

Western Machine Works (Tacoma); Machine shops--Tacoma--1940-1950;

West Coast Grocery Company had just moved into their new headquarters in Tacoma. This building included, food storage warehouses, offices and subsidiary companies all on one site. The $400,000 building was 640 feet long, 240 feet wide and over 135,000 square feet of space, all on one floor. Aerial view of West Coast Grocery Company.

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

Harold A. Sanford was the President of Sanford-Nash Inc., he had been in the Nash dealership business since 1918. Exterior view of Sanford Nash Company, two signs posted by entrance tell us this is the Parts Department for used cars, the Service Department is located on lower floor. Stucco building at Sixth and Tacoma Avenue, two Nash automobiles in showroom windows, neon and painted signs on building.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Sanford-Nash, Inc. (Tacoma); Signs (Notices); Showrooms--Tacoma;

Reed Fixtures had moved into a larger building in 1946. They took over a fifty by ninety foot government surplus warehouse located on Center Street. They specialized in business fixtures, display cases and other commercial fixtures. Interior view of grocery store with new Reed fixtures, which included: food shelves, fruit and vegetable bins, and fixtures for frozen foods. This image shows the bins and fixtures stocked.

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fruit--Tacoma; Vegetables--Tacoma; Food--Tacoma; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Reed's Cabinet & Fixture (Tacoma);

The Towers' kitchen measured 33 feet by 66 feet. It had all electric appliances and was finished in stainless steel. Bruce Parkers was the head chef, he was very well known throughout the Pacific Northwest. Interior view of the Towers' kitchen and dinner china, photo ordered by Dohrmann Hotel Supply.

Kitchens--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tableware; Cooking utensils; Nightclubs--Tacoma; Restaurants--Tacoma; Towers Restaurant (Tacoma);

The National Cash Register Co. was the business machines headquarters in Tacoma. They had a sales and service department equipped to handle Tacoma business needs. Exterior view of store, window displays featuring modern cash registers for 1947 are next to a holiday sign.

Storefronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Window displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cash registers; National Cash Register Co. (Tacoma);

Interior view of Mallon Motors Ford Sales and Service shop, service area shows equipment installed by Equipment Supply Company, automobile supplies manufacturers and distributors. Ford sign is between the Mallon Motors Inc. sign and "Approved lubrication" signs. Ford sedan on lift rack, motor oil tanks and overhead hoses are visible.

Automobile equipment & supplies; Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Mallon Motors, Inc. (Tacoma); Equipment Supply Co. (Tacoma);

Irwin-Jones Motor Company, Dodge and Plymouth dealers, service department showing equipment installed by Equipment Sales Corporation. Auto hoist, Pennsoil tanks, Purolator filter sign, enameled cabinets, sign w/ Dodge crest, Quaker State Motor Oil clock.

Business Enterprises - Tacoma - Automobile Dealers - New Automobile Dealers - Dodge / Plymouth Dealers - Irwin--Jones Company

Pantorium Cleaners & Dyers at 3306 Tacoma Avenue South was one of five dry cleaning and laundry services operated by the Home Service Laundry Company. Pantorium had domestic and commercial accounts throughout Tacoma. Besides apparel , the laundry specialized in cleaning drapes, curtains, carpets, rugs and upholstery. Door-to-door service was available. People are unidentified.

Cleaning establishments--Tacoma; Laundry--Tacoma; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pantorium Cleaners & Dyers (Tacoma);

Tacoma Auto Sales. Exterior of South Side Used Car facilities. Used cars were "Bot and Sold" at this location. You could also obtain insurance and car loans. Two men wearing business suits stand outside the shop by a mid-1940's automobile with wide-wall white walls. TPL-8100

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; South Side Used Cars (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Interior of Rug Cleaning Plant, Cartozian & Sons Rug Company, Edward S. Cartozian. A man views a guage that not only reads the current conditions but also prints a scale of conditions over time on a circular chart.

Cartozian & Sons Rug Co. (Tacoma); Rugs; Service industry facilities--Tacoma--1940-1950;