Mike Shea marathon. People crowd around Mike Shea to congratulate him at the original Poodle Dog Cafe in Fife. He had just concluded a fast walk from the Olympus Hotel in downtown Tacoma to Fife's Century Ballroom in just short of an hour. Mike looks barely winded after his 4.6 mile journey. 20 carloads of supporters in addition to police traveled with him in the late night escapade. He won a $10 bet for his efforts.

Shea, Mike; Men--Social life--1930-1940; Events--Fife--1930-1940; Walking races; Marathons; Men--Clothing & dress--Fife--1930-1940; Restaurants--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife);

Exterior view of the Poodle Dog in Fife; view from the southwest of new building at location where Rocco "Mac" Manza and James Zarelli opened their hamburger stand in 1933. This structure was replaced by the current building in 1967; photo ordered by the Tacoma Fixture Company, Incorporated. The Poodle Dog offered their customers good food including: hamburgers, chicken, steaks and seafood. TPL-9684

Soda fountains--Fife; Light fixtures; Business enterprises--Fife; Electric signs--Fife; Diners (Restaurants)--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Tacoma Fixture Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Poodle Dog Restaurant. View of the Poodle Dog, a Fife landmark, on May 25, 1970. The popular eating spot had originally been built in 1933 and rebuilt several times. This view in May of 1970 shows off the newest version built in 1967. As the large signage indicates, the Poodle Dog was proud of the "Good Food" served within. TPL-9692

Poodle Dog (Fife); Restaurants--Fife--1970-1980; Diners (Restaurants)--Fife;

The Poodle Dog restaurant was opened in 1933 by E. J. "Jimmy" Zarelli and Rocco "Mac" Manza", then rebuilt in 1949 and 1967. The restaurant held a grand opening in early November 1949. Interior view of the Poodle Dog restaurant in Fife; view of the Coffee Shop from the east, showing sloped front windows, kitchen area and double horseshoe-shaped counters. Photo ordered by Capital Coil and Equipment Company (CAPCO). (TNT, 11/09/1949, p.8) TPL-9688

Equipment; Business enterprises--Fife; Kitchens--Fife; Cooks; Waitresses--Fife; Restaurant workers--Fife; Dining tables; Diners (Restaurants)--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Capital Coil & Equipment Co. (Tacoma);

The Poodle Dog in Fife, view of the Coffee Shop from the southwest, showing photo murals and large illuminated Washington State map on wall. Photographs were taken by Richard's Studio; they depict well known Tacoma and Western Washington industries. More than 200 diners could be seated at one time at the newly reopened restaurant. Photo ordered by Capital Coil and Equipment Company (CAPCO). (TNT,11/9/1949, p.8) TPL-9687

Equipment; Business enterprises--Fife; Kitchens--Fife; Dining rooms--Fife; Dining tables; Photographs; Diners (Restaurants)--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Capital Coil & Equipment Co. (Tacoma);

The famous Poodle Dog restaurant has been demolished, rebuilt and reopened three times, all at the same location in Fife. The restaurant was first opened in 1933 by E. J. "Jimmy" Zarelli and Rocco "Mac" Manza, then rebuilt in 1949 and 1967. This is an exterior view of the new 1949 Poodle Dog restaurant; photo ordered by Capital Coil & Equipment Company (CAPCO), manufacturers of store fixtures, their business offices were located in Tacoma. TPL-9283

Soda fountains--Fife; Business enterprises--Fife; Electric signs--Fife; Diners (Restaurants)--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Capital Coil & Equipment Co. (Tacoma);

The famous Poodle Dog restaurant has been demolished, rebuilt and reopened three times, all at the same location in Fife. The restaurant was first opened in 1933 by E.J. "Jimmy" Zarelli and Rocco "Mac" Manza", added on in 1939, then rebuilt in 1949 and 1967. View of Poodle Dog's cooks, waitresses and customers; interior view of the newly remodeled and rebuilt restaurant. TPL-9685

Soda fountains--Fife; Equipment; Business enterprises--Fife; Kitchens--Fife; Restaurant workers--Fife; Cooks; Waitresses--Fife; Diners (Restaurants)--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife);

The exterior of the Poodle Dog after the 1949 rebuild. Regarded as one of Tacoma's major tourist attractions, the restaurant had huge photo-murals that encircled both private dining rooms and a portion of the lobby. The photos by the Richards studio displayed both scenic wonders of the area and local industries and businesses. The internal design was a model of labor saving devices including automatic dishwashing and a circular seating counter that surrounded the waitress stations. The chefs worked at stainless steel counters just beyond the service area, allowing counter diners to watch their food being prepared. Parking surrounded the building. TPL-553

Poodle Dog (Fife); Restaurants--Fife--1950-1960;

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;

General Beer Distributors truck advertising Heidelberg beer in front of the Poodle Dog restaurant in Fife. The driver is unloading cases of beer from the back of the company's new Diamond T truck.

Trucks--Fife--1950-1960; Electric signs--Fife--1950-1960; Restaurants--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Diamond T trucks;

General Beer Distributors truck advertising Heidelberg beer is parked in front of the Poodle Dog restaurant in Fife. The company chose a Diamond T truck for the newest addition to their fleet. TPL-8193

Trucks--Fife--1950-1960; Electric signs--Fife--1950-1960; Restaurants--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Diamond T trucks;

This photograph of the Poodle Dog restaurant, owned by E. J. "Jim" Zarelli and Rocco "Mac" Manza, was taken in May of 1951 after it was rebuilt for the second time in 1949. The pair opened the original Poodle Dog as a 13 stool hamburger and short order cubicle in 1933. In 1939, it was torn down to accommodate a new Spanish style building. As materials became available after World War II, that building was torn down in 1949 and replaced by the one pictured, designed by Thomas Albert Smith. The building's interior design was a model of labor saving devices. In 1967 this building was demolished and yet another, new Poodle Dog was built. (TNT 11/08/1949) TPL-9690

Poodle Dog (Fife); Restaurants--Fife--1950-1960;

Fife's Poodle Dog restaurant was opened in 1933, added on in 1939, then demolished and rebuilt in 1949 at the same location. Richard's Commercial Photography would be displaying a photo mural at the restaurant. View of copy of large backlit illustrated Washington State map which hung in the 1949 building for Poodle Dog restaurant in Fife. Note Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox in lower left-hand corner.

Murals--Fife; Maps; Interior decoration; Restaurants--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Washington (State)--Description & travel;

Mike Shea marathon. A patrol officer holds up Mike Shea's arm in a victory salute in February of 1938. Surrounding the two is a crowd of jubilant participants standing in front of the neon-clad original Poodle Dog Cafe in Fife. Mike had accomplished the remarkable feat of walking from downtown Tacoma to Fife's Century Ballroom in a time just short of an hour. That was a distance of 4.6 miles. The beaming Shea collected on a bet of $10 for his efforts.

Men--Social life--1930-1940; Events--Fife--1930-1940; Restaurants--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Shea, Mike; Walking races; Marathons;

Mike Shea marathon. Shea, center, is congratulated by four men inside the original Poodle Dog Cafe in Fife on February 18, 1938. He had briskly walked from the Olympus Hotel in downtown Tacoma to Fife's Century Ballroom in a remarkable 59 minutes, 38 seconds. That was a distance of 4.6 miles. The event attracted 20 carloads of fans who followed him during the post-midnight walking race.

Men--Social life--1930-1940; Restaurants--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Shea, Mike; Walking races; Marathons;

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;

Banquet at Poodle Dog Restaurant for employees of Mannings Market. Ordered by Mac Manza. This view of the interior includes the photo mural with images of many Northwest industries. TPL-9689

Diners (Restaurants)--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Banquets--Fife--1950-1960; Mannings Inc. (Tacoma);

Fife's Poodle Dog restaurant was opened in 1933, added on and renovated in 1939, demolished and rebuilt in 1949 at the same location. The famous restaurant would be rebuilt once more in 1967. Richard's Commercial Photography would be displaying a photo mural at the restaurant. Interior view of the Poodle Dog restaurant in Fife; view of the Dining Room, showing photographs by Richard's Studio and domed jukebox. TPL-9686

Photographs; Photography--Tacoma; Dining tables; Dining rooms--Fife; Jukeboxes; Murals--Fife; Interior decoration; Restaurants--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife);

The Poodle Dog had just rebuilt their restaurant at the same site; this work was completed in 1949. Interior view of the Poodle Dog in Fife, from the west inside new building showing double horseshoe counters, kitchen and waitress area, murals by Richards Commercial Photo Service on walls; structure was replaced by the current building in 1967. Photo ordered by Tacoma Fixture Company, Incorporated. TPL-9683

Soda fountains--Fife; Equipment; Restaurant workers--Fife; Waitresses--Fife; Diners (Restaurants)--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Tacoma Fixture Co., Inc. (Tacoma);