The interior of the High Hat Tavern located at 8920 South Tacoma Way showing booths and counter seats. An alcove for Mel McLaughlin's Trio has been added along the far wall close to the jukebox. Ordered by Mr. Pep Greco.

High Hat Tavern (Tacoma); Bars--Tacoma;

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);

Twenty-five men from Sears pose around a luncheon table decorated with toy cars running along a banner in the middle of the tables. Small wrapped packages have been placed by each seat at the table. Mayor John Anderson is seated at the head of the table second from the right. The company would be celebrating the grand opening of the new parking garage at Market and South 13th the following day. Ordered by Sears Roebuck & Company.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A long vegetable case has been installed along one wall at Paul Cook's Market. Mirrors at the back of the case enhance the display of vegetables. A special railing has been added along the top of the case to easily show and change the prices of produce as available. Ordered by Carl Rhodes Sales Company, Seattle.

Paul Cook's Market (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Vegetables--Tacoma; Showcases; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Sepic Electric Co. new location at night. The Sepic brothers, Fred and Stan, opened their second appliance and home furnishings store in May of 1951 at So. 72nd and Pacific Ave. A large sign on the store window announced that this was Sepic's #2. The same quality Hotpoint appliances and well designed furniture as found in the main store on "K" St. were also located here in the city's southern end. Sepic's had a vertical neon sign planted outside the building so that it could be clearly visible at night. Photograph ordered by Sepic Electric Co.

Sepic Electric Co. (Tacoma); Home furnishings store--Tacoma; Appliance stores--Tacoma; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

A display of new refrigerators in the window at Selden's. Trade-ins of old refrigerators were allowed. Signs advertised that "$5.00 Now is all it Takes". The new 7.6 cubic foot Frigidaire on the left was selling for $239.75. Ordered by Sunset Electric Company.

Home furnishings stores--Tacoma; Refrigerators; Window displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Selden's, Inc. (Tacoma);

Candy racks in front of the cash registers at Sib's Thriftway are loaded with Nalley's candies, tempting everyone to try them. Ordered by Nalley's, Mrs. Hildreth.

Sib's Thriftway (Tacoma); Food industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Nalley's, Inc. (Tacoma)--Products; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Candy--Tacoma--1950-1960; Grocery stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The interior of Sullivan's Colonial Shop, a new store in the Proctor district. This portion of the shop features a living room display with a couch, two chairs, braided rug, fireplace, tables, and accesories.

Sullivan's Colonial Shop (Tacoma); Home furnishings stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interior of Sullivan's Colonial Shop. This view of the new shop features a dining set, living room group and various accessories. Located in the Proctor District, Tacoma.

Sullivan's Colonial Shop (Tacoma); Home furnishings stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The interior of Sullivan's Colonial Shop showing a wide range of home furnishings. A man is sitting in rocker reading while a woman stands behind him, possibly the owners, in the new shop with numerous colonial items.

Sullivan's Colonial Shop (Tacoma); Home furnishings stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;

An estimated 500 automobile dealers and their wives were assembling on June 1, 1951 for the annual convention of the Washington State Auto Dealers Association at the Winthrop Hotel. The convention began on Thursday with a golf tournament and an evening dinner and entertainment. During Friday's session M.R. Darlington, Jr., from the Inter-Industry Highway Safety committee spoke on "The Dealer's Stake in Highway Transportation", followed by a forum on state laws and regulations. Dealers were supplying driver training cars to 5,700 high schools, 125 of them in Washington state. The session concluded on Sunday. (TNT, 6/1/1951, p.C-7)

Washington State Auto Dealers Assoc. (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

A window display of gardening supplies featuring Green Spot equipment, and Scott's Weed & Feed and 4-XD at Washington Hardware.

Washington Hardware Co. (Tacoma); Window displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gardening equipment & supplies

ca. 1951. Self-service gas stations, although relatively rare in the early 1950's, were starting to make their mark in the Puget Sound area. This photograph, taken probably in the late summer of 1951, announced the grand opening of a Serve-Ur-Self type of service station. Four uncovered gas pumps wait for the incoming motorist. Quaker State Motor Oil and Miller tires could be purchased as well. Free gifts were also promised to all who stopped by during the grand opening.

Automobile service stations; Automobile equipment & supplies; Gasoline pumps;

View of alley entrance to Sears, Roebuck's multi-tiered parking lot. As the large sign above the parking lot's entrance indicted, Sears offered their customers one hour of free parking from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. This was a new concept to attract more customers to Sears; even in the summer of 1951, downtown parking was at a premium and parking congestion becoming prevalent. New keys could also be made at the garage's entrance with only a minute's delay.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Parking garages--Tacoma; Parking lots--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

A well dressed family marches into Sears in the summer of 1951. In a photograph shot for advertising purposes, a sign denoting "New lower down payments" on household appliances is prominently displayed to attract such customers to enter the building. What appears to be a mangler with lid is selling for $124.95 and other appliances can be glimpsed close to entrances and windows. TPL-2530

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Signs (Notices); Business enterprises--Tacoma--1950-1960;

An unidentified cabinetmaker, working at the Tacoma Fixture Company, Inc., 501 Puyallup Avenue, uses a hand-held router to do finish work on a plywood kitchen cabinet door in August 1951. The Tacoma Fixture Co. was founded by Dudley Wilhelmi in 1949. It was taken over by Don and F.H. Fisher in the late 1950s, and in the mid-1960s it moved to 1902 Milwaukee Way. Photograph ordered by Tom Sias, Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Tacoma Fixture Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Cabinetmaking--Tacoma; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

An employee of Tacoma Fixture Company, Inc., carefully fits a door on custom made kitchen cabinets in the firm's workshop on August 16, 1951. Drawers and other doors still need to be inserted in the one-piece cabinet which is elevated on sawhorses. Plywood backed Masonite is being used on the kitchen cabinet doors. Photograph commissioned by Tom Sias, Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Tacoma Fixture Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Cabinetmaking--Tacoma; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

A Sears, Roebuck employee demonstrates a new television console to a young Tacoma family in August, 1951. A similar television with rectangular screen is on sale for $259. Sears was having a sale on household appliances and furnishings with low down payments advertised. A sign on the wall indicates that a 15% down payments would be accepted. Several refrigerators are lined up just a few short steps away. TPL-5046

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Televisions--1950-1960; Children watching television; Refrigerators; Selling--Tacoma; Sales personnel--Tacoma;

Ardens specialized in women's clothing at their store on Broadway in 1951. They were close to the Knights of Pythias Temple and Weisfield's, Inc. Ardens' display windows are full of mannequins dressed in the latest ladies' fashions with suits, dresses, blouses and skirts. Huge letters spelling out the business' name are prominently mounted on the building's exterior as well as on windows and even the sidewalk. Customers could park directly in front of the store as evidenced by the two parking meters.

Ardens (Tacoma); Signs (Notices); Clothing stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Mannequins;

Sears Roebuck and Company Department Store, Sporting Goods Department. Luggage on left, bicycles on right, table of hats, balls and bats. Back wall has rifles, tennis racquets, and fishing poles.

Business Enterprises - Department Stores - Tacoma - Sears Roebuck and Company Equipment - Sporting Goods

Mueller- Harkins Buick Agency. Advertising on tower, 35th Anniversary signs in windows, two automobile visible in showroom. Ordered by Bethelhem Steel Pacific Coast Steel Corporation.

Business Enterprises - Tacoma - Automobile Dealers - New Automobile Dealers - Buick Dealers - Mueller-Harkins Motor Company

Shell Station #L814 was newly opened in the summer of 1951; it was located on South 38th Street near Thompson. Owned by Lyle Edwards, Edwards Shell Station had two gasoline pumps in a large parking lot. A banner advertising that Shell provided the "most powerful gasoline you can use" hung over the office entrance. The familiar "shell" shaped sign alerted customers to the new service station.

Edwards Shell Station (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma--1950-1960; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

National Auto Parts opened a new store in the Fife Square in the summer of 1951. It apparently was the second National Auto Parts store in Pierce County. As the large sign painted on the building indicated, National Auto Parts carried "Everything for Your Car", including Valvoline motor oil, Wagner brake parts, and Perfect Circle piston rings. The 6000 square foot store would also feature precision built engines. According to W.C. Johnston, president of National Auto Parts, the new store would fill the needs of customers in the southern portion of Pierce County. View of storefront; appears to have been made of brick with large picture windows. Photograph ordered by Mr. Johnston, National Auto Parts, Tacoma office. (TNT 8-8-51, A-10)

Automobile equipment & supplies; Business enterprises--Fife; Storefronts--Fife--1950-1960; National Auto Parts, Inc. (Fife);

Sears Roebuck and Company Department Store, Housewares Department. Dishes and glassware in front with pots and pans next to them. Paint Department beyond.

Business Enterprises - Department Stores - Tacoma - Sears Roebuck and Company Equipment - Cooking Utensils, Tableware

Ardens, like other women's clothing stores, prepared for the fall fashion season with full racks and displays of skirts, blouses, jackets and dresses. Layaways were encouraged as signs advertised on the walls. Ardens was located on Broadway near the Broadway Theatre and the Knights of Pynthias Temple. Photograph taken on August 28, 1951; commissioned by Jess Jackson.

Ardens (Tacoma); Clothing stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

Schumm's Associated Service, self service gas station. Four sets of two pumps with building at rear of lot, Miller Tire and oil display. Trailers in extreme background. Ordered by Fletcher Oil Company.

Business Enterprises - Automobile Service Stations - Associated Dealers - Tacoma - Schumm's Associated Service

Interior view of Fife's Poodle Dog restaurant taken in August, 1951, shows waitress serving area, comfortable upholstered bench seating, and a variety of murals on the restaurant's walls. The Poodle Dog is a long-time Fife mainstay; originally opened in 1933, it was demolished and rebuilt on the same site in 1949 and then replaced by the current building in 1967. Richard's Commercial Photography would decorate the walls with photo murals, including a copy of a large backlit illustrated Washington State map, shown on the right hand side of the photograph. (TPL-3231)

Diners (Restaurants)--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Murals--Fife; Equipment;

Ardens on Broadway was a women's clothing store. They sold the latest fashions and styles; view of interior of store shows racks of evening wear, dress suits, dresses and coats. According to the 1951 City Directory, the store was managed by W.C. Inskeep. Photograph commissioned by Jess Jackson.

Ardens (Tacoma); Clothing stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Evening gowns--Tacoma--1950-1960; Coats--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Opened in 1933, and then rebuilt on the same site in 1949, Fife's Poodle Dog restaurant advertised "Good Food" with a variety of items ranging from hamburgers to fancy seafood. Interior view of serving area; carts full of clean cups and glasses, silverware drawers and clean plates on counter in a U-shaped kitchen area. Rollaway serving table with used dishes and dirty pan in containers is next to a metallic cabinet. A black rotary phone is hung on an adjacent wall. TPL-9691

Diners (Restaurants)--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Business enterprises--Fife; Equipment;

The driver of a Holroyd Company truck halfway emerges from his vehicle to look back at the shovel scooping up gravel. The gravel will then be loaded onto the truck's bed. The photograph was taken on September 5, 1951, in the gravel bunker at the Lakeview pit. The Holroyd Company manufactured concrete blocks, bricks and other types of building materials. The Holroyd Company was founded by Arthur Holroyd who came to Tacoma before 1890, and began dealing in gravel and other building materials in 1906.

Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials--Tacoma; Concrete products industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hoisting machinery; Shovels;