Display of office equipment. The H.D. Baker Company was a family owned and operated business; the company sold business machines including cash registers, typewriters and adding machines. In 1954, they were located in downtown Tacoma at 1015 Pacific Avenue. View of various models of cash registers, Remington and Smith-Corona manual typewriters, and Victor adding machines. Photograph ordered by Llewellyn Advertising. TPL-9383

H.D. Baker Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Office equipment & supplies; Cash registers; Calculators; Typewriters;

Interior beauty salon. The Grandchamp Beauty Salon in Seattle offered the latest in modern equipment to its discerning customers in July, 1954. Comfortable padded wide-bodied chairs were provided so the customer could relax while having her hair dried and possibly permed. Current fashion magazines like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar were within reach; an ashtray was positioned on a tri-legged table for smokers' benefit. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Beauty Supply Co.

Grandchamp Beauty Salon (Seattle); Beauty shops--Seattle; Hair dryers; Tacoma Beauty Supply Co. (Tacoma);

Bold checkered linoleum highlights the selection of Frigidaire appliances at Schoenfeld's Furniture in September, 1954. The white stoves and refrigerators gleam when contrasted with the darker flooring. Schoenfeld's occupied a multi-level skyscraper so there was room enough for many displays without the customer feeling close and crowded. There was always much to choose from Schoenfeld's selections in a wide variety of prices and styles.

L. Schoenfeld & Sons (Tacoma); Home furnishings stores--Tacoma; Appliances;

In September of 1954, there was no doubt as to which business occupied 1423 Pacific Avenue--Schoenfeld's blazed their name in massive letters on both sides of the historic Sandberg Building. Owned by L. Schoenfeld & Sons, the furniture and home furnishings store was a downtown fixture for over ninety years. Brothers Herbert and Ralph Schoenfeld were the owners; they were the sons of Louis Schoenfeld who started the business in 1848. They offered the latest styles in furniture, appliances and home decoration. This photograph is of the exterior of the building showing new display windows and a brand new marquee extending the length of the building, including the new adjacent four story addition. Schoenfeld's finally closed its doors in November, 1996. The building was purchased and renovated by Total Renal Care in 1998; they later changed their name to DaVita. (TNT 9-12-54, B-2) TPL-6242

L. Schoenfeld & Sons (Tacoma); Home furnishings stores--Tacoma; Furniture stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Drapery department- Schoenfeld's. Schoenfeld's carried a wide variety of draperies for the discerning homeowner. It was customary for homes to have window coverings, especially drapes, and Schoenfeld's made sure they had plenty to offer inquiring customers. They believed that "Windows are living pictures and deserve frames of beauty" as indicated by the wall motto. Schoenfeld's added a free instruction and workroom for the convenience of their customers in their new four-story addition adjacent to the original twelve story building. Schoenfeld's skyscraper was a landmark in downtown Tacoma for many years until the store's closing in 1996. (TNT 9-12-54, B-9)

L. Schoenfeld & Sons (Tacoma); Home furnishings stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Draperies;

Exterior-Schoenfeld's. The massive lettering on the Schoenfeld's exterior was visible from miles away. It drew customers from all over the region to shop at the store's spacious facilities. Schoenfeld's was located in the Sandberg Building at 1423 Pacific Avenue; designed by Western Engineering Co. and built by Peter Sandberg in 1907, the building was listed on the City Registry. Later in September, 1954, Schoenfeld's was to announce the grand opening of their Evergreen Auditorium on the fifth floor. It was to prove to be very popular as it was free to civic organizations. The auditorium would seat 200 people and had a complete kitchenette, tables, and powder room. (TNT 9-12-54, B-2)

L. Schoenfeld & Sons (Tacoma); Home furnishings stores--Tacoma; Furniture stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Furniture department- Schoenfeld's. Schoenfeld's was a downtown fixture for ninety four years. L. Schoenfeld & Sons first opened up a store on S. 11th St. in 1902 before moving to the Sandberg Bldg. at 1423 Pacific Avenue in 1924. It occupied a 12-story skyscraper, the oldest reinforced concrete skyscraper on the West Coast. It seemed as if a customer could find anything in the home furnishings field at Schoenfeld's--sofas, chairs, appliances, draperies and televisions. View of sofas, dinettes, chairs and coffee tables; sofa in the foreground has a label stating that "the famous Kroehler" was ready for customers to sample and order. Kroehler four-piece ensembles were on sale for $177 during Schoenfeld's grand opening sale September 13-18, 1954, to celebrate the four story addition adjacent to the original twelve story building. Nearly all of the departments had been remodeled. Schoenfeld's finally closed its doors on November 25, 1996, and its enormous store lettering was eventually erased. (TNT 9-12-54, B-6)

L. Schoenfeld & Sons (Tacoma); Home furnishings stores--Tacoma; Furniture stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interior beauty shop. Ladies having their hair done at Eva's Styling Room could observe the procedures in the large rectangular mirror. Closed drapes provided privacy from passing pedestrians on Saint Helens Avenue. Hair drying equipment was located behind the wooden cabinet, not visible in this picture. Eva's Styling Room was owned by Eva Andersen. Photograph taken on September 14, 1954; ordered by Tacoma Beauty Supply Co.

Eva's Styling Room (Tacoma); Beauty shops--Tacoma--1950-1960; Chairs; Mirrors; Tacoma Beauty Supply Co. (Tacoma);

Interior beauty salon. Eva's Styling Room was owned by Mrs. Eva E. Andersen and was located at 757 Saint Helens Avenue, close to the Brant Hotel and Jacob Blechmann's tailor shop. The beauty salon provided its customers with comfortable padded chairs while seated under Rilling hair dryers, with magazines and ash trays close at hand. Potted plants added a homey atmosphere. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Beauty Supply Co.

Eva's Styling Room (Tacoma); Beauty shops--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hair dryers; Tacoma Beauty Supply Co. (Tacoma);

Dinette sets were very popular in the 1940's and 50's. Schoenfeld's Furniture carried a wide selection of inexpensive kitchen furniture. Dinette sets were made out of chrome and generally had four chairs, with plastic covers, although some came with only two. Most popular shape appears to have been rectangular. Modern wrought iron styles were also becoming popular. Kitchen sets and televisions were located on the sixth floor close to the appliance section. (TNT 9-12-54, B-9)

L. Schoenfeld & Sons (Tacoma); Home furnishings stores--Tacoma; Dining tables;

Exterior beauty salon. The Grandchamp Beauty Salon in Seattle was a modern, well-equipped beauty shop. Not only was hair cut, curled and permed on the premises but like the beauty salon of today, various beautifying products were also sold to the salon's customers. Hazel Bishop's collection and Dermetics skin care were just a few of the items offered. Comfortable, modernistic chairs were provided for those waiting, with wide picture windows for viewing the busy Pine Street activities. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Beauty Supply Co.

Grandchamp Beauty Salon (Seattle); Beauty shops--Seattle; Show windows--Seattle; Facades--Seattle; Tacoma Beauty Supply Co. (Tacoma);

Television department-Schoenfeld's. Schoenfeld's was a downtown fixture for ninety-four years. Occupying the oldest reinforced concrete skyscraper on the West Coast, it had a well-known reputation for quality goods and service. There was always a wide selection of merchandise to choose from; view of television sets on display on the sixth floor. An August 26, 1954, News Tribune article mentioned that there were 362,000 black and white television sets in the Puget Sound region. Shoppers could certainly have purchased one of those sets from Schoenfeld's. (TNT 8-26-54, D-4)

L. Schoenfeld & Sons (Tacoma); Home furnishings stores--Tacoma; Televisions--1950-1960;

The National Lead Co. opened a new store at the corner of South "M' St. and Center in July, 1954. An ad in the News Tribune dated August 20, 1954, welcomed shoppers to the Dutch Boy Paint Store; the store may have changed its name after that date. It specialized in a full line of quality Dutch Boy Paints, wallpaper, and painting supplies. Floyd Chapman was listed as manager in the 1955 City Directory; he had previously been listed as the manager of the Dutch Boy Paint Store on A Street in the 1954 City Directory. View of exterior of paint store with neon sign, large plate glass windows allowing customers to see store's merchandise of brushes and paint cans. Special events at the grand opening included a home decorating show, free drawings for prizes, gardenias for the ladies and balloons for the kids. (TNT 8-20-54, p. 21- Ad)

National Lead Co. (Tacoma); Dutch Boy Paint Store (Tacoma); Paint industry--Tacoma; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Sears, Roebuck held a summer appliance sale on the rooftop parking area of their parking center at 1140-50 Court C in August of 1954. During the summer clearance sale customers could save up to $72 on a Kenmore washer and $81 on a Kenmore dryer. Wringers, refrigerators and chest freezers were also on sale. Beyond the parking garage further up the South 13th Street hill can be seen: the Dewey Hotel, 1308 Market Street; the Coliseum Bowling Alley, 407 South 13th; and (top right, just beyond the bowling sign) the Crescent Ballroom, 1308-10 Fawcett Avenue. The brick building at top center is the Eagles Hall, 1305-07 Fawcett Ave.; it was demolished in April of 2007 several days after its roof collapsed.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Washing machines; Appliances;

Furniture department- Schoenfeld's. Schoenfeld's Furniture, formally known as L. Schoenfeld & Sons, occupied the Sandberg Bldg. on Pacific Avenue since 1924. The 12-story, 180 foot skyscraper was the oldest reinforced concrete skyscraper on the West Coast. It was designed by builder Peter Sandberg and Western Engineering Co., architects, to allow for a 24-story building. Schoenfeld's was well known for its quality furniture and appliances. View of elegant wing chairs and sofas; photograph taken on September 7, 1954. The period and contemporary upholstered furniture was placed in the new Design-For-Living Terrace located on the second floor. (TNT 9-12-54, B-6)

L. Schoenfeld & Sons (Tacoma); Home furnishings stores--Tacoma; Furniture stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Chairs;

Exterior of Barks Musicians Supply Co. Owned by Theo R. Barks and Earl E. Barks, the Barks Musicians Supply Co. had moved from their South 7th and Saint Helens Avenue address to a modern spacious new store in the Bernice Building in September, 1954. The Barks Musicians Supply supplied Tacoma's musicians with band instruments, accessories and sheet music. They also sold televisions, radios and high fidelity phonographs; a complete repair department was also available to customers. Barks celebrated its grand opening on September 29, 1954. Children received musical toys at the grand opening when accompanied by their parents. Theo R. Barks had 47 years experience in the music business. He formerly was one of the leading clarinetists on the West Coast. Earl Barks was the former assistant director for the 13th and 17th Naval District bands. View of exterior of Barks showing window displays of saxophones, trumpets, drums and stringed instruments; neon signs with musical notes decorate the exterior. (TNT 9-28-54, A-4)

Barks Musicians Supply Co. (Tacoma); Music stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A Naturalizer shoe display at Lloyd-Friesen, Inc. on 9th and Broadway was photographed for Family Circle magazine on September 23, 1954. Small posters advertising Naturalizer's Scottie twins are placed on and in front of the tables holding the shoes. The shoes are displayed at an angle, with some lifted as if an invisible woman were in the process of walking. Only six pairs are on display, leaving the tables relatively uncrowded, with a copy of Family Circle magazine upright in the center. Photograph ordered by Family Circle Magazine, New York.

Shoes; Shoe stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lloyd-Friesen, Inc. (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Family Circle Magazine (New York);

Two employees of United Pacific Insurance Company at company headquarters in the Medical Arts Building examine data being printed probably involving policyholders on October 28, 1954. The man in the suit is pointing at a particular entry on the list while the other man observes. Three more employees are in the background possibly handling data entry cards. Photograph ordered by United Pacific Insurance.

United Pacific Insurance Co. (Tacoma); Insurance companies--Tacoma; Office workers--Tacoma--1950-1960; Machinery;

Fleet of trucks. A fleet of Holroyd trucks and mixers is parked outside of the company plant on November 2, 1954. The Holroyd Co. manufactured concrete blocks, bricks and other types of building materials. Their products could be found in businesses and homes throughout Western Washington. The company plant was located in South Tacoma's industrial section at 5047 So. Washington St.

Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Cement industries--Tacoma; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Concrete mixers;

A variety of departments in the United Pacific Insurance Company were photographed in one day, October 28, 1954, as requested by the firm. Three employees appear to be determining the layout of a publication, perhaps the company magazine The Gryphon, as there is a large photograph, a drawing and text laid out on a desk. United Pacific had its headquarters in Tacoma in the Medical Arts Building and provided employment to many local residents. Photograph ordered by United Pacific Insurance Company.

United Pacific Insurance Co. (Tacoma); Insurance companies--Tacoma; Office workers--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Employees of United Pacific Insurance Company are shown scrutinizing typed reports at company headquarters on October 28, 1954. The man seated is possibly Morris Brown, company vice-president. United Pacific Insurance had 15 branch offices throughout the county in addition to several claims offices. It was not just a local firm but was a presence nationally in 32 states plus the District of Columbia and Alaska. United Pacific moved into new quarters in January, 1955, as a $500,000 addition to the Medical Arts Building was finally completed. Photograph ordered by United Pacific Insurance.

United Pacific Insurance Co. (Tacoma); Insurance companies--Tacoma;

Although organized in Seattle in the 1920's, United Pacific Insurance Company decided to move their headquarters to Tacoma after purchasing the Medical Arts Building in the early 1940's. Their new addition to the Medical Arts Building would open in early 1955 and contain new quarters for their company. Here two employees of United Pacific Insurance look over data from the Sanborn Map Co. concerning information about North "E" Street on October 28, 1954. Several other Sanborn Map volumes are filed nearby, including Vol. 2 for Tacoma and three volumes for Portland. Photograph ordered by United Pacific Insurance Co.

United Pacific Insurance Co. (Tacoma); Insurance companies--Tacoma; Office workers--Tacoma--1950-1960; Maps;

A long line of trucks and cement mixers is stationed outside the Holroyd Co. plant on South Washington St. in November, 1954. The Holroyd Co., owned by James Holroyd, was a supplier of all kinds of building materials, sand and gravel, steel windows and manufacturers of concrete masonry units. Their products were used throughout Tacoma and Western Washington. Their mixers were capable of churning out several hundred cubic yards of concrete mix a day. View of trucks, mixers, storage units and loading machines; photograph commissioned by the Holroyd Co.

Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Cement industries--Tacoma; Concrete industries--Tacoma; Building materials; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Concrete mixers;

Exterior of Livermore Co. The Livermore Co., located at 2407 Sixth Avenue, were electrical contractors who specialized in Berko Heating units. The Berko Electric units provided glass panel radiant heat year round. The streamlined modern heating maintained even, constant heat. Livermore's also sold Coolerator electric appliances, which included refrigerators, freezers and ranges. Thomas Livermore owned and operated the business bearing his name. View of exterior of Livermore Co. building with neon signage; Palmer Radio & TV Service is brick building to its right.

Livermore Co. (Tacoma); Heating & ventilation industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1955. A commercial butcher shop with a walk in cold storage locker. Photograph ordered by Wingard & Co., Inc., maker of refrigeration equipment. A meat saw can be seen to the right and the trimmed pieces have been loaded into three deep trays on a cart. TPL-8124

Butcher shops--1950-1960; Meat cutting--1950-1960; Meat industry--1950-1960; Meat; Wingard & Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

United Pacific Insurance Co.'s Open House, January 4, 1955, in their new office building. The new building was designed by John Graham Co., Architects, to complement the Medical Arts building. The new building would take almost 2 years to complete and cost close to 1/2 million dollars. The five story building would be used primarily by United Pacific for their home office. The company had 15 branch offices throughout the county, plus a number of claim service offices. It operated in 32 states, plus Alaska and the District of Columbia. The main business of the company was contract bonding, but it also offered auto, fire, marine and hazard insurance on a wholesale basis. In this picture, a group of people study the guest register. (TNT 1/5/1955, pg. 18)

United Pacific Insurance Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1979. Photograph taken in 1979 from Market St. looking east of the newly remodeled Tutor Craft Interiors at 1531 Market. The skyline of Tacoma decorates the background of the photograph, comprised of left to right: the Rust Building (950 Pacific,) the Washington Building (1019 Pacific,) Puget Sound Bank Building (1117-19 Pacific,) Bank of Washingon Plaza (1201-23 Pacific) and Schoenfelds (1423 Pacific.) The Washington Plaza Building at 24 stories was Tacoma's tallest building.

Fabric shops--Tacoma; Draperies; Textiles; Tutor Craft Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1979. The newly remodeled Tutor Craft Interiors at 1531 Market. Photograph taken in 1979 from Market St. looking east.

Fabric shops--Tacoma; Draperies; Textiles; Tutor Craft Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1979. Unidentified barber shop circa 1979. The shop is believed to be the Asako Barbershop, 1552 Market St.

Barbershops--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1979. A hand-lettered sign in the window above a boarded up pane advertises the location as "Kurt's Carpet," address unknown, while a more substantial sign notifies passerbys that the store is patrolled by K-9 Police dogs.

Security systems; Kurt's Carpet (Tacoma);