F.W. Woolworth Co. joined fellow downtown stalwarts Rhodes Brothers and J.C. Penney in establishing new stores in Lakewood's newest shopping center, the Villa Plaza. It had its grand opening on May 9, 1957. The concept of several dozen stores, side by side, in one location was a growing trend. Shoppers in suburban areas could now visit many familiar stores in one central location without having to travel to downtown Tacoma and face heavier traffic and parking woes. Presumably the same merchandise was available at the shopping center's stores as was in the main locations. The new Woolworth's was a two-story structure. It had unusually wide aisles for customer comfort, fluorescent lighting, and air conditioning. Customers used a self-service basis where items were selected, put into carts and then wheeled to cash registers. Jack E. Heagle was the Villa Plaza's Woolworth's first manager. Photograph ordered by Norman Iverson & Associates. (TNT 5-8-57, A-8)
F.W. Woolworth Co. (Lakewood); Variety stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Villa Plaza Shopping Center (Lakewood); Shopping centers--Lakewood--1950-1960;
Flags gaily flapping in the wind welcomed shoppers to the J.C. Penney store in Lakewood's Villa Plaza Shopping Center. The large department store was the cornerstone of the block that included Weisfield's, Fashion Shoes, Woolworth's and Mode O' Day. Penney's joined the Rhodes Brothers Department Store at the Villa Plaza; both stores had their main stores in downtown Tacoma. Penney's had its grand opening on May 16, 1957, where the 33,000 square foot store became the first shopping center Penney's in the Northwest. It was also the first Penney's to have all sales departments on one floor; the upper level was for offices and staff rooms. Howard E. Haley was the Villa Plaza Penney's first manager; he had a staff of 60 local employees. Photograph ordered by Norman Iverson & Associates. (TNT 5-15-57, B-1, B-4) TPL-8317
J.C. Penney Co. (Lakewood); Department stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Villa Plaza Shopping Center (Lakewood);
ca. 1957. Employees at the new King's are possibly preparing for a noon rush in 1957 as they are applying relish and pre-wrapping burgers. The drive-in featured Medosweet dairy products including Smitty freeze cones for 5 and 10 cents and hard ice cream. Prawns could be purchased for 65 cents and hot dogs cost a quarter. Signs assured the public that only the finest of meat cuts were served from King's own Sunset Markets. King's #2 on Wakefield Dr. (now South Tacoma Way), just off Pacific Avenue, was designed by owner Werner Schmid to run efficiently and provide excellent customer service. Schmid was the owner of the Smitty Drive-In restaurants; King's #2 was the latest of five in the Tacoma area. Photograph ordered by Smitty's Drive-In. (TNT 9-11-57, D-3)
ca. 1957. A bright neon sign pointed the way to the new Kings drive-in restaurant at 315 Wakefield Dr. (now South Tacoma Way) in late summer, 1957. A delicious burger could be purchased there for only 19 cents. The small brick building had expansive glass windows and fluorescent lighting; the parking area was still unfinished. King's #2 celebrated its grand opening on September 12, 1957, with food specials and orchids for the ladies. Owner Werner Schmid was well-known for his clean restaurants and fine service. In addition to King's #2, Mr. Schmid owned Smitty's Drive-In on Puyallup Ave., King's #1 on Pacific Ave., Smitty's Hilltop and the Burger Bowl. Werner Schmid died in January 1984 at the age of 78. Photograph ordered by Smitty's Drive-In. (TNT 9-11-57, D-3) TPL-8326
Kings (Tacoma); Drive-in restaurants--Tacoma--1950-1960; Restaurants--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960;
W.T. Grant Co. department store at the Villa Plaza Shopping Center. Grant's was the 22nd business to open in the Villa Plaza when it threw open its doors at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 1, 1957. The store was fully air-conditioned and featured fluorescent lighting. Family fashions, dry goods, home and hardware were all under one roof in the 22,000 square foot building. This was the fifth W.T. Grant Co. store in Washington state amongst nearly 600 stores nationwide. The business had grown from a small single store in Lynn, Mass., started by William T. Grant in 1907. Mr. Grant was still alive in 1957, age 81. (TNT 7-30-57, p. 2; TNT 7-31-57, A-9; TNT 8-7-57, D-2) TPL-10526
W.T. Grant Co. (Lakewood); Department stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Villa Plaza Shopping Center (Lakewood); Shopping centers--Lakewood--1950-1960;
Exterior of Bank of California. Impressive Ionic columns decorate the exterior of the Bank of California building in the busy business district encompassing Pacific Avenue. Built in the Italian Renaissance style by J.E. Bonnell & Son, contractors, the bank was opened for business on October 8, 1928. By 1957, the Hopper-Kelly Co., dealers in musical instruments and appliances, moved in next door. The portion of Hopper-Kelly fronting Pacific Avenue appears to have had three floors. The building on the other side of the Bank of California was the Pierce County Federal Savings & Loan. Photograph ordered by Bank of California.
Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Pierce County Federal Savings & Loan (Tacoma); Hopper Kelly Co. (Tacoma); Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960;
By September, 1957, shoppers could purchase groceries, clothing, household goods, tires, and now glasses at Lakewood's Villa Plaza Shopping Center. Binyon Optometrists opened a second store in the new Villa Plaza Shopping Center in late summer, 1957. They maintained their original Tacoma store at 9th & Broadway but chose to attract new customers in the suburban areas of Pierce County. The Villa Plaza branch was managed by Dr. Arthur L. Clark. It was close to Woolworth's and Foreman & Clark and appeared to occupy the same building as Richardson's Sportswear, Helen's, and Saunders Health Service. Binyon's believed itself to be the most modern in the Pacific Northwest and had new scientific equipment installed for eye exams. Binyon Optometrists was organized in 1913 by Dr. J.R. Binyon and had offices statewide. Photograph ordered by Binyon Optometrists. (TNT 9-22-57, A-8)
Binyon Optometrists (Lakewood); Opticians' shops--Lakewood; Facades--Lakewood--1950-1960; Villa Plaza Shopping Center (Lakewood);
Exterior - new bank building. Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association built a new bank building in Portland, Oregon, in 1957. View of Oregon structure shows a multi-story modern corporate style of construction. It emphasized balance and regularity with particular emphasis on the vertical. The building was probably constructed of steel and concrete with many glass windows. As with the Tacoma headquarters of Pacific First Federal Savings, the Portland branch had a revolving corner clock. Photograph ordered by Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association.
Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association (Portland); Banks--Oregon--Portland;
ca. 1958. Exterior view of a newly constructed Pacific 1st Federal Savings building located in the Villa Plaza Shopping Center. A large outdoor clock would be later mounted above the lower roof extension. The financial institution opened their Villa Plaza branch on January 2, 1958. The 2000+ sq. foot structure had an exterior of pre-cast marble Mosaic and large roof-to-ground windows. It was designed by Tacoma architects Lea, Pearson & Richards. Pacific 1st Federal was the largest savings & loan in the Pacific Northwest with offices in Washington and Oregon. It served more than 57,000 families. Rudolph J. Tollefson of the well-known Tacoma family of Tollefsons was the first branch manager at the Villa Plaza location. He had been with Pacific 1st Federal since 1935. (TNT 1-2-58, A-6-text only)
Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Villa Plaza Shopping Center (Lakewood); Shopping centers--Lakewood--1950-1960;
View of front entrance to new Industrial Development Co., Inc., offices; photograph was taken on December 15, 1957. Located near So. 38th & Pine Streets, the Industrial Development Co. was a firm of mechanical engineers managed by Dale L. Schubert. The 14,000 square foot brick & concrete building with front windows facing east was recently completed in late 1957, and would hold an open house on December 13. The roof over the front doorway apparently has lights as well as possibly circular skylights. Photograph ordered by Industrial Development Co., Inc. (TNT 12-12-57, A-13)
Industrial Development Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Additional view of Gifford Motor Company, Rambler and Hudson dealership, with roller rink upstairs. Three vehicles protrude from the large building. Gifford Motors was heavily promoting the arrival of the new Ambassador model of Rambler; the public was invited in for a special preview. Hudson and Rambler neon signs were on separate sides of the building. The Puyallup Roller Rink was on the second floor of the car dealership. A sign on the rooftop indicates that the rink was open for skating that evening. A separate entrance to the rink, with neon sign above, is to the far right of the picture. Later becoming the home of Larson Rambler, the building was destroyed by fire circa 1965. From series, customers of KTVW-TV, Ch. 13.
Automobile dealerships--Puyallup--1950-1960; Nash automobile--Puyallup; Gifford Motor Co. (Puyallup); Skating rinks--Puyallup; Electric signs--Puyallup;
A little boy, with some coaching from a woman, perhaps mom, appears to be placing his order at Gil's Hamburgers, a fast food restaurant. They are standing outdoors and speaking to an employee through a small slot in the window. Hamburgers were selling at 19 cents each with cheeseburgers at 24 cents and french fries for only 11 cents. Shakes could be made with the Sweden Shake Maker models, or ice cream cones purchased for 5 to 10 cents. Gil's Hamburgers had three locations in the Seattle area; this particular site was not identified. Photograph ordered by Teleradio Advertisers, Inc., for KTVW.
Drive-in restaurants--Seattle; Fast food restaurants--Seattle; Gil's Hamburgers (Seattle); Signs (Notices);
King Fried Chicken offered delivery service of their chicken, prawns, and fish with only a phone call. Customers calling EVergreen 0010 between 3:30 pm and 3:00 a.m. could enjoy King's tasty meals. View of King Fried Chicken delivery van, back doors open, with driver walking boxes of food to waiting customers. It appears that deliveries may have been made often to workers in industrial areas; van is parked in a two-hour parking zone and warehouses are visible in the background. Photograph ordered by Teleradio Advertisers, Inc., for KTVW.
Customers could dine from 12 noon to 8 p.m. on Sundays and weekdays and until 1 a.m. on weekends at the Branding Iron restaurant. The neon cactus and the restaurant name itself gave some indication of the type of food it served--dishes from the American West, including lots of beef. Parking facilities were available in front and on the side of the brick and wood building. A broad porch would shelter patrons from inclement weather. The Branding Iron restaurant was located at South 84th and Pacific; it was owned by Leo Balistreri and Ernie Zarelli. See A112067-4 for interior of restaurant. Photograph ordered by the Branding Iron.
Branding Iron (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Women employed by a local laundry appear to be in the process of operating a giant sheet iron and folder in an April 9, 1958, photograph. The new machinery, by American Trumatic and American Sylon, ironed and folded fourteen sheets per minute. The Tacoma-Olympic Laundry and Pantorium Cleaners were part of the Home Service Co., Inc., operated by Jack G. Hersey, president. The Home Service Co. advertised their services as dependable and "lusterized" their dry cleaning. Customers could be assured that the most up-to-date equipment would be used to clean their linens, pillows, laundry, blankets, rugs and furs. Photograph ordered by Howard R. Smith Advertising Co., for Home Service Co. (TNT Ad 4-14-58, p. 12)
Puget Sound National Bank had a drive-in branch at South 13th & A St. downtown. There were two drive-up teller windows in the customer parking lot. The drive-up tellers, opened on April 1, 1958, replaced the less convenient singular drive-up window at the rear of the main bank building on Court A. Now a bank customer could cash checks, make checking/savings deposits, and pay loans without getting out of his car. Puget Sound Bank called itself "Tacoma's Friendly Bank" with convenient neighborhood branches and free customer parking. Under the capable hands of Reno Odlin, the bank's deposits had increased almost 50% between 1950 & 1960. This was accomplished through internal growth and not through the purchase of other banks or mergers. Photograph ordered by the Condon Co. (Provorse: Banking on Independence, p. 116, TNT ad 3-31-58, p. 15))
Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Banking--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Night exposure of Weisfield's. Weisfield's, a credit jeweler, was located for many years in the 900 block of Broadway. Under the direction of John Lade, general contractor, the store underwent extensive exterior and interior remodeling in 1961. An August 31, 1961, night exposure of Weisfield's facade shows that exterior remodeling was not quite complete. A desire by general manager Jack Gruber for "something out of the ordinary" lead to an unusual mosaic facade, part of the $150,000 renovation of the 45-year-old Tacoma firm. (TNT 9-6-61, A-6,7)
Weisfield's, Inc. (Tacoma); Jewelry stores--Tacoma--1960-1970; Facades--Tacoma--1960-1970; Electric signs--Tacoma--1960-1970;
Three drivers stand by their GMC trucks parked outside the Home Service Co./Supreme Cleaners building on Center St. on June 19, 1962. Jack Hersey was the president of the laundry and cleaning operation that advertised dependable laundering and lusterized dry cleaning. Tacoma Superior Laundry and Pantorium Supreme Cleaners were part of the Home Service Co. Photograph ordered by Irwin-Jones Motor Co.
Home Service Laundry Co. (Tacoma); Supreme Cleaners & Dyers (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1960-1970;
Owned by Walt Hogan, the Food King supermarket in 1963 provided its South Tacoma neighborhood with a convenient place to stop and fill up with groceries. Located at 3510 So. 56th St., it was directly across the street from the Post Office and close to the South Tacoma Branch Library. Neighboring businesses in the small shopping center included Pate's Coin-Op Cleaners & Laundry and Bob's Burger Barn. Food King on So. 56th St. celebrated its grand opening from July 18-20, 1963. The celebration, where a live steer was given away to one lucky customer (steer to be cut up and packaged to customer's wishes), coincided with a outdoor sidewalk sale planned by South Tacoma merchants. The supermarket provided parking for about 100 cars. The new Food King was the sixth in a chain of supermarkets; it replaced the old Hogan's Fine Foods. Its exterior, faced with Palos Verde stone from Mexico, had plenty of glass and a modern arcade providing protection from the elements. Food King provided air conditioning, wide aisles, a variety section, and the OK Bakery, an in-store bakery. 41 years later, Food King is now the Red Apple supermarket and Bob's Burger Barn transformed into a Starbucks. (TNT 7-16-63, p. 9)
Food King (Tacoma); Supermarkets--Tacoma--1960-1970;
A Pioneer Sand & Gravel employee in hard hat watches as a giant shovel deposits sand into a wooden bin on wheels on September 20, 1963. Utilizing steel wires connected by two towers, workers were able to move great amounts of sand and gravel smoothly and efficiently. This is believed to be Pioneer Sand & Gravel's pit near Steilacoom. Photograph ordered by Sauerman Brothers.
Exterior of International Design Corp., an engineering concern, on October 15, 1963. The building on 3848 So. Pine St. was next to Barcott's Sea Food and across the street from what is now the Evergreen Post Office. It was built in 1957 for the Industrial Development Co.; name had apparently changed to International Design Corp. by 1963 although it had retained the same manager, Dale Schubert.
International Design Corp. (Tacoma); Engineering--Tacoma;
Interior of new Washington Natural Gas Co. headquarters in the late summer of 1963. The spacious floor space has plenty of room for new household appliances utilizing natural gas - stoves, washers and dryers, hot water heaters and refrigerators. Wall-to-ceiling folding doors can be used to separate portions of the buildings including a meeting/demonstration area. Photograph ordered by Bozell & Jacobs Advertising.
Washington Natural Gas Co. (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1960-1970; Appliances;
Head-on shot of interior of the new Washington Natural Gas Co. building on So. 38th St. near Union shows the length of the structure; there are no formal walls in place to shorten the view. The height of the building is emphasized by its tall ceilings and windows near the roofline. Customer service desks are tucked along side of the expansive windows near the wall-to-ceiling folding doors. Customers could easily view the natural gas appliances on display with plenty of room to stroll and compare. Photograph ordered by Bozell & Jacobs Advertising. (TNT 9-10-63, B-1)
Washington Natural Gas Co. (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1960-1970; Appliances;
Part of the main floor of the new Washington Natural Gas Co. headquarters was used for demonstrations/training sessions. Several rows of chairs are pictured on August 27, 1963, towards the rear of the building in the "Blue Flame" auditorium. Up to 80 people could be accommodated in this meeting area. The new Washington Natural Gas Co. structure was built of pre-cast concrete by the Nelson Construction Co. It was located on the site of the old Tiger Field/Cheney Field on So. 38th St. near Union Avenue. Photograph ordered by Bozell & Jacobs Advertising. (TNT 9-10-63, B-6)
Washington Natural Gas Co. (Tacoma); Public utility companies--Tacoma; Folding chairs;
C & G Radio Supply were wholesalers of electronic equipment, televisions, and radio parts. Located in the 2500 block of Jefferson Avenue in the former Motor Truck Service Co. building since 1949, the large company was owned by Lloyd R. Norberg. The business had been operating in Tacoma since the 1930's. 33 employees lined up for a company picture on April 16, 1957. Photograph ordered by C & G Radio Supply Co.
C & G Radio Supply Co. (Tacoma); Stores & shops--Tacoma;
Interior of new Leed's Shoes at Villa Plaza Shopping Center. Leed's advertised QualiCraft shoes. In addition, purses, handbags and hosiery could be purchased there. The new suburban store opened on April 4, 1957, as the 197th QualiCraft store in the United States, the 59th on the Pacific Coast and second in Tacoma. The first Tacoma Leed's opened at 932 Broadway in 1937. The Villa Plaza Leed's was about 30 feet wide and 150 feet deep. Its ceilings and main wall were painted pale turquoise and beige and oyster-white textured tweed carpet was laid on the floor. Ellery Wybrow was named as the Villa Plaza Leed's first manager. (TNT 4-3-57, A-7-article)
Leed's Shoes (Lakewood); Shoe stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Merchandise displays--Lakewood--1950-1960; Villa Plaza Shopping Center (Lakewood); Shopping centers--Lakewood--1950-1960;
