The Tacoma Mall Thriftway supermarket had its grand opening on October 13,1965. The store was decorated throughout with wooden panels and murals that, through color and design, imitated Pacific Northwest Indian art motifs without reproducing actual design elements from any particular tribe. In the Bakery Department, shelves offered a variety of freshly baked goods and apparently offered wedding cakes as well since a variety of bride-and-groom ornaments were displayed. The supermarket became part of the Lucky's chain in the early 1970's and was converted later into the Mall's food court. (Photograph ordered by Associated Grocers.) (TNT 10-12-65, C-8, C-9 Ad, C-13)

Bakeries--Tacoma--1960-1970; Baked products--Tacoma; Supermarkets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tacoma Mall Thriftway (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1960-1970;

The unidentified staff of the Oven Sweet Bake Shop, 8221 So. Tacoma Way, Lakewood, stand behind display cases containing fresh-baked pies, cookies, doughnuts, rolls and heart-shaped cakes. The bakery opened for business in February of 1948. The heart-shaped floral stand at the back of the shop has a ribbon wishing, "Success". The owner of the bakery may have been Mr. Filigini. The bakery only remained in business for about one year.

Oven Sweet Bakery (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sales personnel--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cakes--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cookies--Tacoma; Doughnuts; Pies; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Showcases;

In May of 1950, Mrs. Gordon Giles was the winner of the Musical Bingo contest broadcast on radio station KTBI. Mrs. Giles recieved her prizes from Arthur K. Jordan (center), owner of Jordan Baking Company , sponsor of the program, and Ed Lovelace, manager of KTBI. Her prizes included a Wittnauer watch, a pearl necklace, a fountain pen and pencil set, a pipe, Arpege perfume, and the board game "Challenge". The program was heard daily over KTBI and the Liberty Broadcasting System. In 1950, KTBI broadcast from their studio at 2715 Center Street. (TNT, 6/8/1950, p.B-3) TPL-8270

Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Awards; Bakeries--Tacoma; Jordan, Arthur K.; Radio broadcasting--Tacoma; KTBI Radio Broadcasting Station (Tacoma);

Bread delivery truck outside of Jordan's Bakery, the state's largest independent bakery, serving Tacoma and surrounding areas. Arthur K. Jordan began his company in 1937 when he purchased the Bert Nichols plant in Old Tacoma and opened it under the Jordan name on May 16 with six employees and one delivery truck. The bakery quickly outgrew this location and opened at 54th and Washington in 1939. The company expanded in 1941 when it purchased Apex Bakery in Bremerton. In 1950, the company won the "First Prize for Quality" in the Better Bread contest staged by the Quality Bakers of America. The competition featured bread baked by over 100 bakeries nationwide. By 1950, the company employed 131 people in Tacoma with a payroll of a half million a year. The bakery bought and used a million dollars worth of ingredients a year. Art Jordan maintained ownership and control of the company.

Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1954. Close-up view of product display. The American Biscuit & Cracker Co. baked several varieties of tasty snacks in the 1950's. Samples of their products are displayed on a white tablecloth; these include Graham Crackers, Oyster Crackers, Vanilla & Whole Wheat Fig Bars, Iced Animals, Jelly Tarts, Maid Crackers, Penguin Cremes, Chocolate Eclairs and Sugar Wafers. Most are packaged in see-through bags so the customer can clearly see and almost taste the mouth-watering goodness. The American Biscuit & Cracker Co. was located at 1461-71 Elliott Avenue West in Seattle but had opened a large plant on Durango Street in South Tacoma in 1954. It is possible that these cookies and crackers were baked in the Tacoma plant. The Durango Street location had a 280 foot band oven which could roll, stamp and bake 3.5 million crackers in an eight hour shift or 650,000 cookies during eight hours. (TNT 9-3-54, C-6)

American Biscuit & Cracker Co. (Seattle); Bakeries--1950-1960; Merchandise displays;

Continental Baking Co. had been in Tacoma for decades and used the most up-to-date methods and equipment for their baked goods. Known widely for their Wonder Bread, the bakery turned out thousands of loaves on a daily basis. Bakery employees are pictured here on August 27, 1958, placing loaves in the massive new 40 foot long oven for baking and then putting the finished products on large racks. The bread emerges from the ovens and then is cooled. Other new equipment purchased were a new proof box, divider, slicing and wrapping machines. The men all wear caps to keep stray hairs from contaminating the bread. Approximately 100 local residents worked at the bakery. It would be celebrating its 30th anniversary here in Tacoma as part of Continental Baking Co. Sepia photograph ordered by Continental Baking Co. (TNT 9-7-58, B-2)

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baking--Tacoma;

Group at Continental Baking Co., M. Hook. Vincent Hook was the chief clerk at Continental at this time. A policeman and one of the men from Continental Baking Co. stand near a sign advertising Wonder Bread with a Multi-band radio.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Employees--Tacoma--1940-1950; Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Radios;

Classroom with new lighting fixtures at Stewart School, American Machinery and Electric Company, Mr. Week. A large classroom at Stewart Junior High School with more than 100 desks has new florescent lighting fixtures running perpendicular to the large sky lights. An upright piano stands against the blackboard in the left.

American Machinery & Electric Co. (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Stewart Junior High School (Tacoma); Light fixtures; Classrooms--Tacoma--1940-1950; Desks; Pianos; Blackboards;

Jordan Baking Company was a wholesale bakery, located at 5233 South Washington Street in South Tacoma; this business was owned by Arthur K. and Elizabeth Jordan. View of Jordan's bread products, including: cracked wheat for 18 cents a loaf, wheat germ made with "Germ'ako" for 17 cents, raisin bread, and "Ol' Southern" corn bread for 18 cents a loaf.

Bread--Tacoma; Baking--Tacoma--1940-1950; Packaging; Business enterprises--Tacoma; Advertising--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bakeries--Tacoma; Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma);

Melo-Cream Bakery, interior of new store on North Tacoma Avenue. Glass cases filled with baked goods and counters adorned with bouquets of flowers, indicating a Grand Opening celebration. Polk's City Directory shows this address as vacant in 1938 and as Tacoma Pastry Shop in 1939. (filed with Argentum)

Melo-Cream Bakery (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Model Bakery truck for International Harvester Co. The vehicle is parked along side of Washburn's Market at 2602 No. Proctor. It appears that some baked goods, probably Model's Star Loaf brand, are being delivered to the I.G.A. grocery on February 1, 1939.

Model Bakery (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washburn's Market (Tacoma);

Model Bakery truck for International Harvester Co. The delivery truck is parked directly in front of Washburn's Market at 2602 No. Proctor on February 1, 1939. The driver has the rear door open and is in the process of taking out goods sent from the bakery. Model Bakery advertised its "Star Loaf" as Tacoma's finest bread.

Model Bakery (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washburn's Market (Tacoma);

ca. 1924. Advertising for products from the Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. On the left is a bag of "Eat-Mor Mammy's Sugar Cookies" and on the right is a container of "Everybody's Cracker Meal." The Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. was located at the corner of East F and 25th. Charles Hotchkiss was president and J.G. Bassett was manager. (WSHS)

Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. (Tacoma); Baked products;

Nine trucks from Model Bakery lined up by Lincoln Park. Sixteen men in semi-circle, one is receiving an award.

Business Enterprises - Bakeries - Tacoma - Model Bakery

In this photograph from December of 1948, Ernie Rice, the owner of Hoyt's Doughnut Shop at 2412 6th Ave., holds a tray of freshly deep fried doughnuts. Ernest A. (Ernie) Rice and the Hoyt Doughnut Co. shop were synonymous, and the two were legendary in the history of the Sixth Avenue Business District. Mr. Rice started working at Hoyt's in 1911, the business was originally owned by Jim and Hoyt Lesher, Ernie later married Jim and Hoyt's sister. He purchased the business in 1947. After making donuts for 48 years, he retired in 1959 (T. Times, 12/19/48, p. 2). TPL-10187

Bakeries--Tacoma; Doughnuts; Cooks; Cookery--Tacoma; Confections--Tacoma; Confectioneries--Tacoma; Hoyt Doughnut Co. (Tacoma); Rice, Ernest A.;

More than 20 new Ford trucks for Jordan Baking Company are lined up in front of the bakery. The new fleet of 45 Jordan Baking Company trucks, painted blue and white, had already begun distribution of the firm's new and improved loaf, "Sunbeam Bread". Art Jordan, owner of the company, is standing on the far left. Ordered by Mallon Motors, Inc. (TNT, 3/6/1952, p.16)

Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Ford trucks; Jordan, Arthur K.; Bakeries--Tacoma;

Cup awarded for best loaf of bread, Jordan Baking Company, Art Jordan. Jordan Baking Company's name has been engraved on the base of the trophy for the month of November 1949. A company in Jacksonville, Florida, has won for the month of October. The trophy was presented by the Quality Bakers of America. A female fiqure with wings holding a loaf of bread over head tops the cylindrical trophy.

Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Awards; Bakeries--Tacoma;

Alan Buchan and his large staff of delivery truck drivers posed outside the Buchan's Baking Company bakery at 3802 Yakima Avenue South on October 11, 1958. The Buchan family had been in the bakery business in western Washington since 1913. The Buchan bakery in Tacoma opened in 1955 when they purchased the Morning Fresh Bakery at the corner of 38th and Yakima Avenue South. The building was originally built in 1919. The patriarch of the Buchan family business became a baker at the age of 14 in his native Scotland. The bakery was known for their "Bonnie Good Bread Baked in Tacoma" which was made of the choicest Northwest wheat and enriched with protein and vitamins. The Tacoma Buchan's was owned and operated by Alan G. Buchan; it closed in 1968 and the building has since been demolished. (Photograph ordered by Buchan's Baking Co.) TPL-9897

Buchan's Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1930. Copy of customer print. Employees of the Tacoma Bread Co. stand proudly in front of their fleet of delivery trucks in a photograph possibly taken in the 1930's. This was a far cry from the horse and buggy used to deliver bread to South Tacoma families when the bakery first started in the 1920's. The Tacoma Bread Co. was a long-time local bakery that was well-known for Manthou's Kream Krust Bread. Run by the Chris Manthou family, it expanded its facilities many times through the years. This old print was copied for the Tacoma Bread Co. on August 23, 1954; actual date of print is unknown.

Tacoma Bread Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940;