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)

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)

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1920-1930; Haering's Grocetorium (Tacoma);

West Side Grocery (now the Tides Tavern), 2925 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor . Docked beside it is the "Florence K," a passenger steamer built in Tacoma by Crawford & Reid in 1903. The "Florence K" would end her service career as a ferry called the "Beeline." Buildings to the right in this undated photograph are part of the Skansie Brothers shipyard. TPL-191, BU-12833 (Doecher Collection DOE- N001)

West Side Grocery (Gig Harbor); Grocery stores--Gig Harbor; Skansie's Shipbuilding Co. (Gig Harbor); Steamboats--Gig Harbor;

ca. 1931. This was how the new drive-in Stadium Market at 618-20 No. 1st Street appeared in 1931. The new market's main appeal was its "expansive" parking, for up to 80 cars, and its modern concept of "park while you purchase." Built to cater to the new motoring public, the store offered no home deliveries. The market formally opened in September of 1931. It was located on the site of the old Annie Wright Seminary in the Allen Motor Co. annex. Upstairs, with street entrance at 629-31 Division Ave., was the Packard Tacoma Company. Renting retail space in the Stadium Market's "spacious" and "ample" enclosure were Pay'n Takit (featured on two exterior signs), Van de Kamp's Bakery, Greens Dairy & Poultry, Stadium Florist, Frank's Fruit & Produce, Stadium Fruit and Produce, Stadium Coffee Shop, E.P. Rowe- tea & coffee, Shenkel Fruit & Vegetable, Marush Fish & Oyster, Stadium Meat Market and Alder Street Bakery. (TNT 9/4/1931, pg. 17)

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Stadium Market (Tacoma);