Category Archives: WA State – Pierce County

Moon Rising Over the Chieftain

SignI’ve often admired other folks’ photos of the sign for the Chieftain at 3015 South Tacoma Way and today I stopped to snap one of my own in the chilly March air (really snow called for in March?!).

The property was originally Victor Sea Food Products and Victor’s Oyster Bar and George Victor was the builder. It was built in 1946. In 1951 it became Ping’s Garden Chinese Restaurant and in 1953 there was a liquor raid with 41 arrested. In 1954 it became a Larry’s Drive-In Restaurant. In 1971 it became the Chieftain.

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Round Table Pizza

8566684187_cdbed6c6c8_bLunch today was at Round Table Pizza at 2601 North Pearl, Tacoma. The pizza was good and the company even better. The company was founded in 1959 and there are over 500 locations in Western United States.

Buy some endurance at the Vitamin Shoppe

8560123527_5c9f605815_zThe Vitamin Shoppe at 3801 South Steele Street, Tacoma is occupying 1/2 of the space that had previously been Petco. I stopped in the store today because I had some time to waste before I picked up dear daughter. I walked out with a bar of citrus soap, some gummy vitamins, gum healthy gum and a power bar. There are over 500 Vitamin Shoppes across America.

Galaxy Narrows Theater, closed

8556319358_0ccd8f4114_bThe Galaxy Narrows Theater at 2208 Mildred Street West in University Place closed its doors on January 31, 2013, the same day that Meiers House of Clocks closed. This is another place that I just assumed would be there in the future. Over the years we’ve often watched films there and then we’d go to the frozen yogurt place next door (which is also gone). The Keg Restaurant has also recently left the center.

 

Available for Sale or Lease

8549667873_1db4a84245_bSo I went off in search of cupcakes along Pacific Avenue  today, but the cupcake place was closed and it was raining and I wanted to go home. So I snapped a quick photo of the vacant building. It was driving me crazy that I couldn’t remember what it use to be, but then it came to me. It was a Sea Galley. I never ate at this one, but I did go to the one in Puyallup once. It was something else for a while and its been vacant for a while. There is still one left open in Union Gap, WA.

Tahoma Market

8546433625_66e1baa721The other day, dear daughter asked why we hadn’t stopped at Fife’s new grocery store, Tahoma Market at 6006 Pacific Highway East, Fife, WA 98424. Well today after the YWCA’s wonderful RAGS show I did stop in. It wasn’t what I expected. I thought it was a small specialty grocery store, but really it is a large convenience store with 24 traditional gas pumps, several electric vehicle charging stations, an extensive liquor selection, several types of brewed coffee and everything one might need for a quick pit-stop. It was extremely clean and service was polite.

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Ben Gilbert Park

8541163424_d544d9abd3_bBen Gilbert Park, located where St. Helen’s and Market Street in Tacoma is a relatively large pocket park. The park is pretty cool with native vegetation carefully planted and labeled, a fun owl mural and a stupendous mural showing a gathering of baseball fans in 1926 Tacoma. The fans were there to watch the results of the seventh game of the World Series between the New York Yankees (Lou Gehrig) and the St. Louis Cardinals (Babe Ruth). The park was dedicated on August 14, 2010. The interesting history of the park can be found here http://www.tacomahistory.org/SpecialProjects/Ben_Gilbert_Park.html#

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Veggies Northwest – Fircrest

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Veggies Northwest Fircrest at 1115 Regents Boulevard, Fircrest will be open a year as of April 28, 2013. It primarily sells fruits and vegetables, along with cheeses, beer, wine, nuts and a few miscellaneous items. Really they have a great selection and I’ll be stopping back. There is a second Veggies Northwest location, the original one, in Chehalis. Their Facebook page is here https://www.facebook.com/veggiesfircrest

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Winds of change at Van Lierop Gardens

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Van Lierop Bulb Farm at 13407 80th St E  Puyallup, WA 98372 is one of two bulb farmers left in the Puyallup Valley and it is closing its door on May 15, 2013. I stopped in today and it made me kind of sad because the store seemed rather empty. The fields are full of daffodils poised for blooming.

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The UPS Store

8517885968_a93aa9647cBack in August 2010 I used the UPS on South 38th Street. Shortly after that they moved to their “new” location at 2602A S 38th St, Tacoma, WA 98408. This time we were using UPS’s services to mail off college applications. Hummmmm.