A young employee of Gil's takes an fast food order from a woman customer in January, 1958. Customers were not permitted inside the restaurant; the only contact with employees was through the small openings in the plate glass windows where food could be ordered and obtained. A wide variety of burgers, shakes, soft drinks and cones could be purchased at very reasonable prices. Gil's Hamburgers had three locations in the Seattle area. This particular location was not identified. Photograph ordered by Teleradio Advertisers, Inc., for KTVW. TPL-6190
Drive-in restaurants--Seattle; Fast food restaurants--Seattle; Gil's Hamburgers (Seattle); Signs (Notices);
Exterior of burger restaurant. Fords, Hudsons and Chevrolets line up in front of Gil's Hamburgers, a fast food restaurant of the late 1950's. The familiar Richards Studio station wagon is parked third from the left. Gil's had a large overhanging roof to protect customers placing orders for burgers, fried fish, and shakes. Prices looked extremely reasonable with hamburgers at 19 cents, sundaes at 19 cents, milk shakes at 20 cents and fish n' fries at a whopping 39 cents. Complete service was available at all windows and there may have been a small covered patio for outdoor dining. There were three Gil's Hamburgers in the Seattle area, one on East Pine, another on Rainier Avenue and the third on Avalon Way. This particular Gil's was not identified. Photograph ordered by Teleradio Advertisers, Inc., for KTVW. TPL6189
Drive-in restaurants--Seattle; Fast food restaurants--Seattle; Gil's Hamburgers (Seattle); Signs (Notices); Ford automobile; Chevrolet automobile;
The Chart Room at Barcott's Sea Food restaurant. The bar is backed by a rustic brick, while overhead is a rough finished dropped ceiling. Dark upholstered curved booths and cocktail tables await patrons.
The Towne House Restaurant, ordered by Carolyn Sholdar Associates. The Towne House had a deluxe dining room called the "Copper Room." It was located around the corner from the Tradewell Grocery Store. View of the exterior of the restaurant on a city street with parking meters and parked cars. Although the Richards appointment book lists the restaurant in Auburn, it is most probably the one located at 209 Williams in Renton.
Towne House Restaurant (Auburn); Restaurants--Auburn--1950-1960;
Exterior- Inferno restaurant. As their large signage indicates, the Inferno restaurant specialized in charcoal broiled steaks and chicken in 1957. Flames roar under the Inferno's name on their neon sign. A canopy covers the long walkway to the front door; awnings in the same material on windows provide shade. The Inferno was located in a modest wooden one-story building at 7430 Pacific Avenue. TPL-9663
Inferno Charcoal Broiler Restaurant (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Awnings--Tacoma;
Before Starbucks there was Manning's. In 1920 Edward Manning and his brother W.W. Manning opened Manning's Market at the corner of So. 11th & Commerce in a building, designed by Frederick Heath, that was built in 1905. Specializing in fresh roasted coffee, the market was one of the first locations for a chain of Manning's stores that grew to 65 locations from Bellingham, WA to San Diego, CA. Over the years the Tacoma Manning's grew until it contained a coffee shop, a cafe, a bakery, a meat market, and a beauty salon. The Tacoma Manning's Market closed in 1972, and the building was demolished. TPL-8569
Barcott's Sea Food restaurant. Tables are set in a narrow room with rough hewn walls and exposed beams. Barcott's signature life preservers with the restaurant's name decorate the walls. Barcott's was owned by John E. Barcott Jr., a member of one of Tacoma's best known families of restauranteurs. It opened in 1953.
The Chart Room at Barcott's Sea Food restaurant. The bar is backed by a rustic brick, while overhead is a rough finished dropped ceiling. Dark upholstered curved booths and cocktail tables await patrons.
Grand opening of Deans Tavern at 759 So. 38th St., owned and operated by Charles Zigmont. The back of the bar is covered with floral tributes from well wishers on the Tavern's inaugural 4th of July. A curved counter with stools fronts the bar. Booths line the other wall of the tavern. A game table can be seen in the lower left hand of the photo. A lowered curved ceiling over the bar and wood panelling lend atmosphere, while new, unopened bottles of liquor stand at attention like soldiers behind the bar. Zigmont had operated the tavern for several years; it was formerly located at 3807 So. Yakima. (TNT 8/1/1956, pg. A-6 & A-11)
Saturday August 21, 1954 marked the grand opening of the Narrows Drive-In at 6602 Sixth Avenue. Under the co-ownership and management of Norris Telling and James Slopak, it employed the latest in modern fixtures and equipment to provide speedy service with less effort. The menu included complete dinners, short orders and fountain service. Open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m Sunday through Thursday, and 11 to 3 on Friday and Saturday, they offered curb service at all hours to those who wanted to stay in their car.
Narrows Drive-In (Tacoma); Drive-in restaurants--Tacoma; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Steve's Gay '90s. Steve's Cafe (later commonly known as Steve's Gay '90s) was a fixture in South Tacoma for several decades. It was well known for its good food and lavish entertainment. View of Cable Room, a specialty dining area within Steve's which definitely had an old-time atmosphere. Steve Pease had imported actual cable car seating for his restaurant; Bill Knabel Sign & Display Service designed the room's layout. Names of actual cable cars were attached to the ends of the seats, including Powell & Market Strs., Bay & Taylor, and Angel Flight. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. TPL-3850
Exposure of architect's scale model for the new expansion at Busch's Restaurant, ordered by architect Percy Ball. Photograph shot near the Top of the Ocean. The drive in restaurant with car hops located at 3505 South Tacoma Way was so enormously popular that Percy Ball was designing its enlargement.
Drive-in restaurants--Tacoma; Automobiles--Tacoma--1950-1960; Buschs Drive In (Tacoma); Architectural models;
Interior - Primo's Wagon Wheel. The interior of Primo's Wagon Wheel appears to have been heavily decorated with wood panels, matching the rustic exterior of the tavern. A mounted deer's head would have been staring at the customers lined up on the bar stools before the polished bar. The Wagon Wheel had been at its 8602 South Tacoma Way location since 1938; the space had formerly been occupied by Babe's Inn. It had celebrated a grand reopening in 1940 after extensive remodeling, and another grand opening in June, 1958. Known as the "Home of the Singing Gondolier", the business was owned by Primo Gasperetti. It now had room for 350 people and offered dance music six nights a week. Photograph ordered by Primo's Wagon Wheel. (TNT 6-18-58, B-2, B-3)
This was the crowded Little J.E.M Dining & Dancing Cafe parking lot on July 16, 1958. Every Wednesday night from 8-12 was "Teen-age Hop" night with admission at 75 cents. The place was packed that Wednesday, crammed with kids anxious to listen and rock to the sounds of the Bluenotes, one of first rock bands in the area. In July of 1958 the Bluenotes included Robin Roberts on vocals, Bill Engelhart on guitar, Buck Ormsby on bass, Frank Dutra on sax and Lassie Aanes on drums. The Little J.E.M. was located on Highway 99 just past the Puyallup Bridge, and outside of Tacoma's city limits. On Fridays and Saturdays, the Little J.E.M was opened from 11 am to 2 am for dancing with live music. (TNT ad 7-23-58, A-10)
Little J.E.M. Cafe (Tacoma); Parking lots--Tacoma--1950-1960; Automobiles--Tacoma--1950-1960;
ca. 1959. Interiors of Steve's Gay Nineties Restaurant. Whenever the old famous structures of Tacoma were in danger of the wrecking ball, owner Steve Pease was first in line, with cash in hand, to purchase as much of the past as possible; and most of it ended up in his Gay Nineties Restaurant. This staircase came from the Hewitt mansion at 501 No. 4th St., once considered to be the most beautiful home in Tacoma. When it was razed in 1957 to make way for a parking lot, Pease purchased this staircase and panelling, among other things. To see a photograph of the staircase in the Hewitt home, see D97664 image 7.
Viafore's, a new restaurant located at 2409 Pacific Ave. The restaurant was owned by Edward Viafore and Matt Allegro. This is either the cocktail lounge or a quick service food area.
Interior of Cliff House Restaurant. A busy floral patterned carpet greets customers of the remodeled Cliff House Restaurant in this February, 1960, photograph. Near the entrance is the kitchen/serving area where an enormous black fan catches the eye. It would provide excellent ventilation of cooking odors. The kitchen area appears well equipped with shiny metal appliances.
Cliff House Restaurant (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1960-1970;
Dining room of Cliff House Restaurant. Empty tables with starched tablecloths and napkins await diners of the remodeled Cliff House Restaurant on February 15, 1960. Picture windows facing the Tideflats have their shades removed to the side so that patrons can enjoy the beautiful views. A display of large ferns complements the leafy pattern of the dining room carpet.
Cliff House Restaurant (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1960-1970;
A young family waits to select from a menu at Steve's Gay '90s as their hostess smiles in this July 27, 1960, photograph. Three can-can dancers and the m.c. are on the stage behind them in the restaurant's Opera Room. Mrs. LeRoy M. Curtis enjoys a free dinner at Steve's as Steve's Gay '90s was one of ten restaurants where Dine Out Every Month Club members utilized the "Buy one, get one free" method of receiving free meals. For $5.00, Dine Out Every Month Club members would receive a coupon book good for ten meals at participating restaurants. With Mrs. Curtis is her husband and daughter Terry; assisting the Curtis' family is Steve's hostess Vicki Tran. (TNT ad 8-2-60, p. 8)
The cast of "The Drunkard" posed for a variety of shots on February 27, 1967. The 1890's melodrama, directed by Dorothy Jean Heffernan, was held at Steve's Gay '90s, 5238-40 South Tacoma Way, in March and April of 1967. Kathie McCulloch, as Mary Wilson, is pictured above with her hands aloft and mouth open in dismay at the appearance of the play's mustached villain, Jack Richardson, who stars as Lawyer Cribbs. Photograph ordered by Steve's Gay '90s. (TNT 3-3-67, A-6)
ca. 1967. Doughnut Shop at Fort Lewis. Fort Lewis was, in essence, a miniature city. The Army military base provided its soldiers and their families with goods and services that could normally be found off-base. Here in 1967 soldiers could enjoy doughnuts at the Doughnut Shop pictured above or "take 'em home." Color photograph ordered by Puget Sound Area Support Center, Fort Lewis.
A group of people stand in front of the Peninsula Cafe in the heart of Gig Harbor on October 8, 1927. The restaurant shared a brick building with the Peninsula Hotel. They may have been photographed for the Seattle Times. G72.1-143. See also Tacoma-Pierce County Buildings Index for 3108 Harborview Dr, Gig Harbor.
Peninsula Cafe (Gig Harbor); Hotels--Gig Harbor; Group portraits--1920-1930;
ca. 1893. The kitchen at The Chilberg, 1011-13 Pacific Ave., circa 1893. The Chilberg had recently moved into the spacious new quarters formerly occupied by the New York Kitchen. The kitchen was spotless. Five visible cooks prepared food (left) over a range, while two more prepared the ingredients (center.) The man and the two young boys to the right appear to be dishwashers. A long table was set left for the staff to take their meals. According to the newspapers of the time, the restaurant was open 24 hours a day. Known for their extensive menu, elegant appointments and attentive service; the restaurant was called "the Delmonico of the West." (Photograph damaged upper left corner and near lower right corner.)
ca. 1893. Lunchtime at The Chilberg, 1011-13 Pacific Ave., circa 1893. The Chilberg was designed by architect C.A. Darmer to provide both mass dining, center, and a more intimate experience in one of the many private dining boxes, left or (seen from the back) right. During lunch, most of the large tables were occupied by businessmen and tradesmen, their hats hung on hooks surrounding the support pillars. Dark jacketed waiters in white aprons waited at the ends of each table, supplying the Chilberg's legendary attentive service. French Collection G45.1-054A
The Spot Delicatessen, 2530 Jefferson Ave., as it appeared in June of 1931. The caption reads "A real place to eat." According to the sign left, the specialty of the house was "chicken on toast." Photograph ordered by Mr. Sanwick. Bowen 310-242
The Pine, 7052 Pacific Ave, as it appeared in June of 1931. The photograph of the diner was shot at night in heavy rain. Neon sign and sign on roof both proclaim "Dine at the Pine." Bowen # 310-245
Harry's Billiard Parlor. Two employees stand ready to assist customers at the refreshment bar located within Harry's Billiard Parlor, in the 700 block of Pacific Avenue, on July 11, 1924. Vases filled with flowers are placed on the wood countertop. The open doorway invites entry into the establishment. Harry's Billiard Parlor was celebrating its grand opening in the Donnelly Hotel. Harry Winesburg was the proprietor. TPL-7183; G53.1-095
