Category Archives: WA State – Pierce County

Toy Rescue Mission

Leave a reply

The Toy Rescue Mission is located at at 607 South Winnifred Street, Tacoma, WA 98465. I remember when I was a Girl Scout leader, we collected toys for this fine organization. Their detailed website states that “Toy Rescue Mission (TRM) is an all-volunteer run, grass-roots organization. It was organized in 1991 with the purpose of providing toys to children who find themselves in unfortunate circumstances, either due to family hardship or an immediate disaster. TRM programs center upon recycling used but still useable toys. Its volunteers are dedicated to its Mission:”

http://www.toyrescuemission.org/index.html

Buffalo Soldiers Museum

Leave a reply

The Buffalo Soldiers Museum at 1940 S. Wilkeson, Tacoma was in the news today http://www.thenewstribune.com//2012/02/18/2031079/buffalo-soldier-gone-but-story.html?storylink=fb  My AAUW group was honored to have Jackie Jones-Hook, (one of our own!), tells us about the museum and the Buffalo Soldiers. Her father, William Jones, was a Buffalo Soldier and started the museum. Beginning next month, the museum will be open to the public and school groups by appointment. The buffalo head and buffalo skull are sure to be hits with the children!

Per wikipedia “the term Buffalo Soldiers became a generic term for all African-American soldiers” and indeed the museum covers a range of wars. We got to see most of a video about the soldiers, their bravery and the prejudice they experienced. Some of it was heart retching to see.

More information about the Buffalo Soldiers can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Soldier

 

 

The Kellogg – Sicker Building (Browne’s Star Grill)

Leave a reply

The  Kellogg Sicker Building at 1112 – 1116 Martin Luther King Jr. Way isn’t the most welcoming of buildings. The 1906 building is named after the builders Frank G. Kellogg and Robert Sicker.  Tenants over the years have included Essey & Macksoud Dry Goods, various physicians and dentists, Habid Nasser Dry Goods, Johnson’s Dry Goods & Clothing, Economy Drug Co., Geo. Clark’s Meats, Clark’s K Street Cash Market, Matsumoto’s Fruit Stand, Geo. Skaer’s Butter & Eggs, Fujimura Grocery, Nad Chemical Co., Anderson’s Grocery & Vegetable Market, Vic’s Market, Marshall-Wells Hardware, Coast to Coast Hardware, Cash Market, Marshall-Wells Store and Harold Meyer Drugs. Browne’s Star Grill relocated to this site in 1968 and operated there until September 2005. There is a great mural on the front.

The building now sits vacant and is owned by the City of Tacoma. There is a Facebook Page devoted to saving the building. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-the-Brownes-Star-Grill-Building/143544072391184

War Memorial Park

Leave a reply

I’ve often wondered about park that I see when I cross the Narrows Bridge and today I went to visit. I didn’t realize that the entrance was at the end of a park and ride. In fact I didn’t realize that there was a park and ride there. The War Memorial Park “Living War Memorial Park” located at 6th Avenue and McArthur Street.

The park was dedicated  in 1952 and honors the sacrifices of Tacoma area military men and women. It is a 2.5 acre park and is mostly grassy area with areas to reflect on the lives lost during different wars. There is a terrific view of the Narrows Bridges.

The park features the bell from the USS Tacoma, a 1900 protected cruiser ship. There were five other sister ships each named after a city: Denver, DesMoines, Chattanooga, Galveston and Cleveland. In January 1924 the Tacoma broke up in heavy seas, though her bell was saved.

http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?hid=7001

 

 

State run liquor stores will be gone by June 1st, 2012

Leave a reply

From the Washington State Liquor Board website

http://liq.wa.gov/transition/overview

With the passage of Initiative 1183, the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) will cease state liquor store and liquor distribution operations by June 1, 2012. Contract liquor stores – which are operated by small business owners – may continue to sell spirits, but state-run liquor stores will be closed. The Seattle Distribution Center – which supplies state and contract liquor stores with spirits – and its assets will be sold.

I didn’t really go into the liquor store at Tacoma Central Shopping Center today. Come to think of it, I haven’t been in a liquor store in years! Not that I have anything against them, I just don’t seem that interested. Last time I sent in I bought some rum for a rum cake.

But I was wondering about when the stores would be closing and this was my excuse to find out.

 

Medi’s for Valentine’s Pizza

Leave a reply

Medi’s at 2710 6th Avenue was a great choice for a Valentine’s meal. We somehow missed lunch, so went at the early time of 4. We ordered their special, a large multi-cheese pizza for $13 and a cheesesteak. It was way more food then we could eat, so we brought some pizza home to dear daughter and there is still enough for lunch tomorrow.  Medi’s opened in September based on how busy it was, they are doing well. I was glad to see it was a family restaurant because I plan to take my dear daughter to lunch here sometime.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Medis-Tacoma/237527906295290

This parcel of land was originally the site of a cottage built in 1889. In 1925 the current building was constructed and occupied by C.S. Enger Hardware Co. Sluggo Music opened on Valentine’s day 1979 and was there until 2011. Medi’s Pizza has the Sluggo Music sign hanging up in tribute.

Art in the women’s restroom.

Cinnamon Bread at Bakery Outlet

Leave a reply

Entenmann’s Oroweat Bakery Outlet Store at 5401 6th Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98406. has some great products and excellent prices. I stopped in and picked up some potato bread, pretzels and cinnamon bread.

Oroweat (which I always thought was spelled Orowheat) has a website with recipes here http://oroweat.com/

And Entenmann’s  has a website with recipes here http://www.entenmanns.com/

 

 

Kurt Cobain’s first public show was here

1 Reply

The theater then church at 5441 South M Street has seen better days. It was constructed in 1924 as an early movie theater with 500 seats. Their first movie was Lights Out. On October 6, 1930 there was extensive damage when a bomb went off (there must be a story there!). Per the Tacoma Public Library, Kurt Cobain and the rock band Skid Row (later Nirvana) played their first public show here! Online information indicates that Templo Maranatha now owns the space.

Go here to see photographs of the property when it was new, http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/buildings/bldg1up.asp?n=19979

Thanks Tacoma Public Library!

A&W and KFC

Leave a reply

At the corner of Sprague and Division ( 2006 Sixth Avenue, Tacoma WA 98403) there is a A&W.KFC Co-Branded fast food restaurant. The A&W part is one of three A&W locations in Tacoma. All are co-branded with KFC. In fact we now have to drive 20 miles to Port Orchard to find a stand alone A&W. I wonder if it is the drive up kind.here are six KFCs with a Tacoma address, which includes the three just mentioned.

Per Wikipedia, both KFC and A&W had been owned by Yum! until recently and that “Most A&W stores that opened in the U.S. in recent years were co-branded with another of Yum!’s chains— Long John Silver’s, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell or Kentucky Fried Chicken. On December 19, 2011, A&W and Long John Silver were sold to A Great American Brand LLC.


 

Better Movies Then You Could Pick

1 Reply

Stadium Video at 29 North Tacoma Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98403-3124 is closing its doors. Today dear daughter and I went back to visit and pick up a couple of anime dvds.  I remember a few years back I was stuck home for a couple of weeks during a quick recovery period and I sent my dear husband to Stadium Video every other day. They were the only ones who had the quirky, interesting movies that I needed and they always have such great recommendations! I will miss them when their gone.

An article on their closing is here http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/01/28/2003287/sad-news-for-tacoma-movie-buffs.html

Their Facebook page is here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stadium-Video/63099191351

Their going out of business sale is going to continue for a while, so go check them out!