ca. 1905. George Davis capitalized on the budding growth of Bismarck by opening a neighborhood grocery store. The Tacoma Eastern Railroad Shops brought jobs to this Tacoma community, centered around McKinley Avenue and East 64th Street. As a consequence of the First World War, the area named for German chancellor Otto Von Bismarck was changed to Hillsdale. The Davis family included George, wife Minnie, and children Robert and Earl, most likely the people on the grocery store deck in this 1905 photograph. Bicentennial project #75346-39.
Grocery stores--Tacoma--1900-1910; George D. Davis Grocery Store (Tacoma);
ca. 1905. James Delbert and Frank Armstrong (left to right) stand at the entrance to the Armstrong Bros. grocery store at 5648 So. Union Avenue (now So. Tacoma Way) in the early part of the 20th century. Vegetables fill the window space at left while paintings are on display at right. The store was earlier known as Armstrong & Baker.
Armstrong Bros. (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1900-1910; Armstrong, James Delbert; Armstrong, Frank;
ca. 1914. The staff of the Queen City Market lined up in front of the store which had opened in early March of 1914. It was located in a three-story building at 1115 Broadway in downtown Tacoma, adjoining the Horgan-Parker department store. The market had a modern refrigerating system installed with ammonia pipes in all showcases. The Queen City Market offered for sale meats, butter, eggs, cheese, fresh fish, oysters and crabs, and misc. groceries. It was managed by Albert Bruner. (TDL 3-1-1914, p. 3-article)
Queen City Market (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1910-1920;
ca. 1915. An eye-catching pig and his master, made of Washington lard, occupied one of the display windows of the Queen City Market, 1115 Broadway, circa 1915. The lard appears to have come from the Carstens Packing Co., local meat packers. The Queen City Market had opened in March of 1914 in the lower level of a three story building next door to the Horgan-Parker department store. They offered for sale a wide variety of fresh fish, poultry, butter, eggs, and assorted groceries. (TDL 3-1-1914, p. 3-article on store opening)
Queen City Market (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1910-1920; Window displays--Tacoma--1910-1920; Swine;
Haering's Grocetorium celebrated the opening of its newest store, Store No. 4., in July of 1921. The latest Haering's, built at a cost of about $4,500 by P.C. Walesby, was located at the corner of E. 63rd and McKinley in the Hillsdale neighborhood. It was a one-story brick building, both fireproof and ratproof, and contained two store rooms. Nicolaus Haering (standing in front of the telephone pole) founded the successful chain in 1913. The stores were among the first in the Northwest to feature "help yourself service" (self service), on a cash only, no delivery basis. Skeptics became regular customers, drawn back by lower prices. The chain eventually operated 12 stores in the Tacoma area. G56.2-090; TPL-6349 (TDL 6-12-21, B-5-article)
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)
ca. 1925. In 1925, McKinley Hill had a thriving business community, with locally owned shops and stores lining its sidewalks. Pictured left to right at 3504 McKinley Ave. are Porter's Barber Shop (owned by Ollie B. Porter), Central Shoes (A. Don Soper) and "Gents Furnishings" (Chester & Olsen). 3502B McKinley appears to be vacant and on the right, at 3502 A McKinley, is the Piggly Wiggly grocery store. In 1928, Mr. Porter, the barber, had the Porter Apartments constructed at this location. Although the newspaper doesn't specify this, it appears that the two stories of apartments were built on top of this commercial space. E. Taylor Gardner, of 3618 E "L", was the architect and contractor for the Porter Apartments. (WSHS)
ca. 1925. Grocery store interior. Dairy, meat and soft drink cases. Prohibition-era soft drinks made by Rainier Brewing, Fisher's Instant Oats, White King Detergent, Rawlston Bran and Puffed Wheat, Nabisco Shredded Wheat, Kellogg Pep, OK Dairy calendar. (filed with Argentum)
Unidentified Grocery Store interior showing display case. Counter with scales on top, dairy and meat case below. Gold Medal and Lake Park butter in case. Canned food on shelves, Tacoma Dairy calendar in background. For Andrews Showcase Manufacturing Company. (filed with Argentum)
ca. 1926. Interior of Grocery Store. Fresh meat cases, scale, beverage case, packaged foods on shelves. Sign on wall: "Cash - Please Do Not Ask For Credit." (filed with Argentum)
ca. 1926. Grocery Store interior. Canned, bottled and packaged foods on shelves, bulk food case, coffee grinder, scale, cash register. (filed with Argentum)
ca. 1926. Hollywood Market and Grocery, circa 1926. The market was located on a rural route on Lincoln Ave. Small stucco building with crenelated cornice on corner lot. Auburn Ice Cream signboard on sidewalk. (filed with Argentum)
Grocery stores--1920-1930; Hollywood Market (Tacoma);
ca. 1926. Grocery store interior. Dairy case, canned goods on shelves, coffee grinder, scale, adding machine, Tree Tea display on counter.(filed with Argentum)
ca. 1926. Grocery store interior. Canned goods on shelves, scale, Wrigleys and Beech Nut Gum, Karo Syrup, Leslie Salt, Snow Flake Crackers in display case. Flowers in vases on countertop. (filed in Argentum)
ca. 1926. Unidentified Grocery Store interior. Counter with scales on top, dairy and meat case below. Packaged and canned food on shelves behind. For Andrews Showcase Manufacturing Company. (filed with Argentum)
ca. 1926. Unidentified Grocery Store interior. Glacier Refrigerator case with cash register in center of countertop. Packaged and canned food on shelves behind counter. (filed with Argentum)
ca. 1926. Dairy case inside market. Milk and cheese in case, packaged foods on shelves behind counter. Ordered by B. Wingard and Sons, manufacturers of butcher supplies. (filed with Argentum)
Grocery stores--Tacoma--1920-1930; B. Wingard and Sons (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Showcases;
ca. ,1926. Grocery Store interior. Glacier Refrigerator case with scales in center, packaged and canned food on shelves behind counter. (filed with Argentum)
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)
Dill pickle display at Skaggs-Safeway Market #277. In 1927 Skaggs-Safeway Market #277 was located at South 12th & "K" (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way) Sts. The store was promoting its second carload of Dill Pickles at 25 cents a dozen. Shoppers could pick and choose among hundreds of juicy pickles piled on display. The Northwest-based Skaggs United Stores along with Skaggs Cash Stores and the California-based Safeway Stores had recently consolidated to become known as the Skaggs-Safeway Stores. G56.2-132
ca. 1927. Mrs. Ethel A. Adams posed in her new Whippet 4 coupe in front of the West Side Grocery Co., circa 1927. The new two passenger closed model of the Whippet Line was becoming very popular. Mrs. Adams had purchased hers from Manley Motor Co., Overland and Willys-Knight dealer. She had also recently purchased the West Side Grocery store at 608 No. Pine. (WSHS) (TDL 2/20/1927, pg. 4G)
West Side Grocery Co. (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Adams, Ethel; Whippet automobiles;
ca. 1927. C&M Grocery Company, Stalls 108 -111, Crystal Palace Market. Men behind counter are likely owners Nunzio Carnevale and James Maruca. Ordered by Toledo Scales. (Argentum)
Markets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Crystal Palace Market (Tacoma); C & M Grocery Co. (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1920-1930;
ca. 1927. Crystal Palace Fish Market, Stalls 5 and 6, Crystal Palace Market. Two men behind counter, likely owners Harry Masouras and Aro Delimitros. Ordered by Toledo Scales. (Argentum)
ca. 1927. The Crystal Palace Market, at the corner of South 11th and Market Streets, opened to the public on Saturday, June 4, 1927. One of the largest "food emporiums" of its kind on the west coast, the Crystal Palace had 189 food stalls and 50 farmers' tables. All equipment was standardized and uniform, but each stall was under separate management. This photograph shows several of the fruit and vegetable stalls operated by Japanese-American merchants that were located on the Market Street side of the building. The Sanitary Market is visible across the street, seen through an open area behind the vendors. (For Toledo Scales.) (Argentum) (TNT 06-03-1927 p.1)
Markets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crystal Palace Market (Tacoma); Japanese Americans--Tacoma; Sanitary Public Market (Tacoma);
ca. 1927. Cooler at A. E. Paulson's Grocery for Hoover Fixture and Butcher Supply Company. Glass case with meats and dairy products, packaged foods on shelves. Hoover Fixture manufactured show cases, butchers supplies, scales, soda fountains, restaurant equipment, choppers and mills. A.D. Hoover was the owner. (Argentum)
This display of canned and bottled products was provided by Anderson's Market in July of 1930. This is believed to be Anderson's Public Market, located at 1104 Market St. A cash register is located between boxes of Nucoa and cans of Pabst Malt Syrup. Anderson's was celebrating its 20th anniversary on July 12th with free hot dogs, chicken noodles, hot coffee and Hires' root beer for customers. Many enticing specials were being offered including 16 oz. cans of Del Ray Chicken Ravioli for 20 cents, Del Ray complete chicken dinners for 27 cents per package and 45 cents for cans of Pabst Malt Syrup. G56.2-109 (TNT ad- 7-11-30, p. 9)
Anderson's Public Market (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Cash registers;
This is how the Center Street Market appeared in the summer of 1931. The short-lived fruit and vegetable market, owned by Wilton W. Kean, was located at the corner of Center and I Street. Its immediate neighbor was the Tacoma Bread Company, 2836 S. I, shown at far right. Tacoma Bread would purchase the market in 1933, tear it down, and build a $10,000 addition to its plant. Photograph taken for Wilton W. Kean. Bowen # 310-255 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 10-29-33-article & photograph of Tacoma Bread Co. addition)
