Bon Marche in 1970. This is believed to be the first floor (mall level) of the Bon Marche, located in the Tacoma Mall. Sturdy columns are interspersed on the floor, separating various departmental merchandise. The showcases in the foreground tastefully display well-known cosmetic manufacturers' products. Women's shoes and stockings are on separate tables. Aisles were constructed wide so that people could walk through easily without bumping into cases/tables or one another. The Bon Marche was the first occupant of the Tacoma Mall, opening for business in 1964 months before other stores. Althought the Bon started as a local business, it became part of a national concern, and in 2003 became known locally as Bon Macy's. By 2005 all stores were just called Macy's. Photograph ordered by the Bon Marche.

Bon Marche (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1970-1980; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1970-1980;

The front window display of Woolworth's heavily advertised the store's "Golden Fried Chicken" to-go in June, 1970. Signs hanging on the window and in the store's interior advised that the chicken could be purchased by the bucket, bag or piece. The chicken would be kept hot by use of "Hot Sak," probably insulated bags, or in paper buckets. A female mannequin in apron poses in the window with a sign indicating mom would appreciate a day off from cooking, a hint that fried chicken would be a good substitute.

F.W. Woolworth Co. (Tacoma); Variety stores--Tacoma--1970-1980; Signs (Notices); Window displays--Tacoma--1970-1980; Mannequins;

Exterior view of Kmart, 100th & Bridgeport Way. Kmart store #4467 opened on Thursday, July 20, 1972, at 10 a.m. The brick structure was similar in design to the Kmart stores at 72nd & Portland Ave. and on Sixth Ave. with plenty of free parking available in the well-lit lot. Robert W. Henley was the store's first manager; its 150 full-time employees would be a boon to Tacoma's economy. Photograph ordered by SS Kresge Co. (TNT 8-25-71, A-1- article; TNT 7-16-72 Ad A-4; TNT 7-19-72, A-2 -article; TNT 7-21-72, A-9-article)

Kmart (Lakewood); Department stores--Lakewood--1970-1980; Parking lots--Lakewood;

Ladies wear at Peoples. This section featuring fashionable ladies wear is believed to have been taken at Peoples downtown store in October of 1970. Both pant suits and one-piece jumpers appear to be popular items. Peoples had three locations in the local area including one in Lakewood and another in Lacey. By 1970, the store advertised Sunday shopping hours, possibly to compete with the Tacoma Mall. This photograph was part of a full page ad in the News Tribune on November 4, 1970. Photograph ordered by Peoples. (TNT ad 11-4-70, D-12

Peoples (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1970-1980; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1970-1980;

Sportswear department - Peoples. A large section of fashionable sportswear awaits customers of the Peoples department store in October of 1970. Racks are packed with women's clothing, including both bold prints and plain solids. Peoples had recently completely remodeled their second floor and invited customers to come take a look at the variety of women's stylish fashions. Photograph ordered by Peoples. (TNT 11-4-70, D-12)

Peoples (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1970-1980; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1970-1980;

Foundations department - Peoples. The women's foundations section at Peoples in October of 1970 displayed a wide variety of undergarments including slips, bras, panties and nightgowns. A small sign advised customers to "Stretch on - Shape up!" Peoples had recently remodeled their second floor featuring women's clothing and accessories; this photograph was part of a full page ad in the News Tribune's November 4th issue. Photograph ordered by Peoples. (TNT 11-4-70, D-12)

Peoples (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1970-1980; Underwear; Signs (Notices);

Fred Carleton, vice president of the Peoples Store. See T1030 image #1 for Carleton's wife Sylvania and son Alvin. Peoples Store was located at 1101-1107 Pacific Ave. It opened in 1895 and closed in 1983. The Carletons had recently relocated from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., to Tacoma. (T. Times 9/16/1937, pg. 12)

Peoples (Tacoma); Carleton, Fred;

Santa Claus on his throne surrounded by a crowd of children and mothers at Peoples Department Store after Santa's arrival from airport on November 24, 1939. Santa would be at the Peoples Store until his Christmas Eve gift run, speaking with the children of Tacoma and checking his naughty and nice list.

Department stores--Tacoma; Peoples (Tacoma); Santa Claus--Tacoma; Holidays--Tacoma;

Santa Claus exits his Packard automobile in the 5200 block of South Tacoma Way to greet the children who have been patiently waiting for a glimpse of him. He is on his way from the Mueller Harkins airport, where he arrived by plane, to the Peoples Store, to listen to all the kiddie's wish lists for Christmas. Santa's head can be barely seen above the sea of happy children. Sign for Crabb Drugs, 5343 South Tacoma Way, in the right background.

Peoples (Tacoma); Santa Claus--Tacoma; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Arrivals & departures--Santa Claus;

Samuel Ewing, president of Peoples, (with broom) and merchandise manager Fred Carleton, right, donned overalls as they prepared for the shift in stations to occur on Friday, April 22, 1938, when Peoples Store women employees took over operations and administrative duties for the day. This semiannual custom was taken very seriously by the women on staff. Their slogan for the day was "Planned, Manned and Jammed by Women." This year Mr. Ewing allowed the women to elect their own bosses rather than being appointed to the positions. Mary Youmans, personnel manager, was elected president for the day. (T.Times, 4/19/1938, p.14-alt. photograph).

Peoples (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ewing, Samuel; Carleton, Fred;

On Friday, April 22, 1938, employees at Peoples Store will reverse roles. Women are assigned to management positions and men, including company president Samuel Ewing, (seated at left), and merchandise manager Fred Carleton, (seated at right), fill work stations held by women for the day. This role reversal was offered by Peoples twice a year, and on this occasion, the employees got to elect their own officers. The employees are, left to right, standing Evelyn Knoell, Isabelle Swanson, Helen Kiracafe, Freida Belle Worden, Elsie McDaniels, Olga Miller, Hazel Kasae, Brownie Davies & G.R. Milstead. Seated are Ewing, President elect for the day Mary Youmans, Amelia Berger and Carleton. (T.Times, 4/19/38, p 14).

Peoples (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ewing, Samuel; Carleton, Fred; Youmans, Mary;

Peoples Department Store, Millinery Department. The large department exudes elegance with 2-3 hats displayed per merchandise counter.

Peoples (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma; Hats--1930-1940;

Peoples Department Store Building, Carl August Darmer, Architect, 1895. Photograph of store front with scaffolding and steam cleaner, circa May of 1938. Sign reads "This building is being steamed cleaned by Universal Cleaning Contractors." For Ocky Williams, Universal Cleaning Contractors. The structure was built for and occupied by the Peoples Store from 1895-1983 when the store closed its doors. It is now the Puget Sound Plaza. (filed with Argentum)

Department stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Peoples (Tacoma); Cleaning--Tacoma; Scaffolding--Tacoma;

Retail employees show a dress to two customers at the Bremerton Sears store. The store had recently opened. Sears closed their doors at this location in 1985, when they moved to the Kitsap Mall in Silverdale. The building remained vacant until 2003, when the Bremerton Calvary Chapel opened a daycare at this location. (information supplied by an interested party)

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Bremerton); Merchandise displays; Department stores--Bremerton;

Exterior of Peoples Store after painting.

Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Peoples (Tacoma);

Rhodes Department Store fabric section.

Business Enterprises - Department Stores - Tacoma - Rhodes Brothers - Fabric Department

ca. 1943. Crowd lined-up on sidewalk at Sears, Roebuck and Company for sale on alarm clocks in this circa 1943 photograph. The department store advertised as "Tacoma's Modern Store" featured an updated facade of stucco with a black glass tiled corner entry. Hooded street lamp.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crowds--Tacoma--1940-1950; Queues--Tacoma; Shopping--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Trikskirts window display. Rhodes Brothers Department store first opened up on "C" Street in Tacoma, then within a few years had expanded into Seattle and a few other states as well. View of Trikskirts window display, showing a variety of colors and prices.

Department stores--Tacoma; Skirts; Window displays; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

The Relle Scatter-Pin Ring, a new innovation in the world of jewelry, was introduced to Tacomans at Fisher's Department Store in November 1949. It was a ring-pin combination; the wearer could choose to add a scatter pin to the ring, twisting securely to make a dinner ring. The creator, Norman Carr, designed brilliant stone-studded scatter pins which could be worn alone, or used in the creation of stuning dinner rings. (photo taken for Marian Wood, Fisher's Jewelry Dept.) (TNT, 11/27/1949, p.A-15)

Department Stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Jewelry; Rings;

In 1948 the Peoples department store chain had an empire of twelve stores. For two days, starting on November 12, 1948, Mildred Davis became president of the Peoples Empire during the semi-annual Women's Day. On these two days, women took over all executive positions. Mrs. Davis, who worked as the company's switchboard operator, was elected by her co-workers to be president and general manager. William P. Fitpold, the real president and general manager, shows plans and duties to Mrs. Davis. (TNT, 11/11/1948, p.2)

Peoples (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Davis, Mildred; Fitpold, William P.; Events--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business people--Tacoma--1940-1950;

William P. Fitpold, president of the Peoples department store, at 1101 Pacific Ave., struggled with the store's switchboard in this photograph from November 1946. Twice a year, during their Women's Days sales, Peoples' officers and managers were demoted and the women employees took over all the management positions held by men. Because Mildred Davis, the store's regular operator, was elected president by the staff, Mr. Fitpold had to take over her regular duties while she ran the store. (T. Times 11-11-1948 p.11) Times, Frank Herbert

Peoples (Tacoma); Fitpold, William P.; Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business people--Tacoma--1940-1950; Telephone switchboards--Tacoma--1940-1950; Telephone operators--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Built in 1895 at the corner of South 11th Street and Pacific Avenue, the Peoples building was originally planned for three stories, but lower than expected costs allowed for a four story building. Peoples closed in 1983. The building was remodeled and renamed Puget Sound Plaza in 1985 and served as offices for Puget Sound National Bank's trust department, private banking, commercial lending, international department and several bank operations divisions. Several smaller retail spaces were available on the lower level. Starbuck's Coffee opened a franchise in the corner location in the early 1990's.

Peoples (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Business districts--Tacoma;

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;

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

Four-table blouse display at J.C. Penney's. Blouses for $1.98 to celebrate Penney's department store birthday party. Tacoma had two J.C. Penney stores located at 1114 Broadway and 5424 South Tacoma Way. The company had been built by James C. Penney from a $500 investment fifty years earlier into one of the largest nation-wide chains of retail stores with 1,630 outlets. (TNT, 9/4/1952, p.11)

Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; J.C. Penney Co. (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The W.T. Grant Co. department store opened for business in the Villa Plaza Shopping Center in the summer of 1957. It joined a number of well-known stores to make shopping easier for suburbanites: J.C. Penney, Rhodes Brothers, Weisfield's Jewelry, and F.W. Woolworth. While the aforementioned stores maintained their main stores in downtown Tacoma, the trend was growing to attract new customers who lived outside Tacoma's city limits by opening suburban branches. The 22,000 square foot store was the fifth W.T. Grant store in Washington. Manager Charles W. West indicated that the Villa Plaza Shopping Center was selected because of the accessibility for families of this area. The vast parking facilities and excellent grouping of shops and supermarkets made it ideal for a family one-stop shopping destination. Photograph ordered by Norman Iverson & Associates. (TNT 7-31-57. A-9)

W.T. Grant Co. (Lakewood); Department stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Villa Plaza Shopping Center (Lakewood); Shopping centers--Lakewood--1950-1960;

Ribbon cutting ceremonies at the new J.C. Penney's store in the Villa Plaza Shopping Center. Store and Plaza officials look on as Miss Tacoma, Connie Mernaugh, does the honors. For this big event, she became "Miss Penney's of the Villa Plaza." From left to right are: Eldon J. Kahny, Villa Plaza Penney's assistant mgr.; O.M. Robinson, Penney's district mgr.; Howard E. Haley, Villa Plaza Penney's mgr.; Miss Mernaugh; Lowell H. Paup, South Tacoma Penney's mgr.; E.J. Zarelli, Villa Plaza Development Co. and Lysle G. Paterson, downtown Penney's mgr. Additional Penney's staff are in the background. Penney's anchored one block of the shopping center; its 33,000 square foot store was the first shopping center Penney's in the Northwest. It was also the first Penney's to have all public business conducted on one floor. (TNT 5-15-57, B-4-assorted articles & alt. photographs)

J.C. Penney Co. (Lakewood); Building dedications--Lakewood--1950-1960; Department stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Villa Plaza Shopping Center (Lakewood); Mernaugh, Connie; Haley, Howard; Paup, Lowell; Paterson, Lysle; Zarelli, E.J.;

Eager shoppers gather at the entrance of the new J.C. Penney store in the Villa Plaza Shopping Center for the grand opening ceremonies on May 16, 1957. They were prepared to charge forth into the store after the ribbon was snipped and the ceremonies concluded. Villa Plaza Penney's new manager, Howard E. Haley, is at the microphone addressing the crowd with Miss Tacoma, Connie Mernaugh, at his side. Miss Mernaugh would have the honor of snipping the red ribbon, officially opening the store. Store and Plaza officials in line were (left to right): Asst. store mgr. Eldon Kahny, District mgr. O.M. Robinson, Mr. Haley, E.J. Zarelli of the Villa Plaza Development Co., and downtown Penney's mgr. Lysle Paterson. The Villa Plaza Penney's was the third in the area after the downtown and South Tacoma locations. The 33,000 sq.foot building had offices and staff rooms upstairs and all sales departments on the main floor. It was the first J.C. Penney store in the Northwest to have all sales areas on one floor and also the first "shopping center" Penney's in the Northwest. The west-facing grand entrance shown above was on Gravelly Lake Dr. S.W. (TNT 5-15-57, B-4-assorted articles & alt. photographs)

J.C. Penney Co. (Lakewood); Department stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Building dedications--Lakewood--1950-1960; Shopping--Lakewood--1950-1960; Villa Plaza Shopping Center (Lakewood); Mernaugh, Connie; Haley, Howard; Zarelli, E.J.; Paterson, Lysle;

This photograph shows the massive multi-storied Bon Marche downtown store, at 1104 Broadway, as it appeared in 1955. The upper portion of the facade included brick and Tenino sandstone and marble facing with metal canopy on the lower section. The structure was built in 1905 by the Cornell Brothers, contractors, for the Fisher Department Store and had been designed by architect Frederick Heath. Fishers underwent a name change in 1952 and emerged as the Bon Marche, part of a chain of stores owned by Allied Stores. The Bon Marche remained in its downtown location until July, 1964, when it moved to the Tacoma Mall. The building remained empty for a while as renovations took place until Rainier Bank moved in during 1980. It is now home to Columbia Bank. Photograph ordered by Bon Marche. (Kipp: Tacoma Redivia, p. 67) TPL-9349

Bon Marche (Tacoma); Fishers Department Store (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Winthrop Hotel executive William R. Conant, Sr., and Sonia Fowler (now Sonia Gray) watch as their kimono-clad waitress in the Kokura Restaurant pours a small cup of tea on July 13, 1964. The Kokura was the Winthrop Hotel's latest major improvement, an authentic Japanese restaurant located on the Broadway level. Named after Tacoma's sister-city in Japan, the Kokura served only Japanese food. To add to the atmosphere, the chef and waitresses were of Japanese descent. Customers entered the Kokura through a torii, an orange-red gate, and were directed to small private dining rooms separated by shoji screens. Tables were low and customers sat on padded cushions resting on tatami mats, much as they would in Japan. Bamboo-covered walls and hanging paper-like lighting fixtures added to the dining experience. The Kokura closed in 1971. (Photograph ordered by the Winthrop Hotel.) (TNT 5-10-64, B-10, TNT ad 10-14-64, A-8) TPL-9851

Kokura Restaurant (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1960-1970; Dining rooms--Tacoma--1960-1970; Waitresses--Tacoma; Kimonos; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Conant, William R.; Fowler, Sonia;