Tacoma Rubber Stamp at 919 Market Street has been around for a long time. I found a photograph in the public library archives showing it in place in 1967. It was originally built as Home Telephone Co. Building (later called Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co.) with Russell & Babcock as the architects in 1907.
By 1935 it was the Washington State Welfare Dept. and in 1940 it was Irving’s Clothes Shop.
There are seven Saar’s Marketplace Grocery Stores in Washington State and two of them are in Tacoma. This Saar’s location is at 6414 South Yakima Ave. The store does a good job of low prices, friendly employees and ethnic foods (mostly Hispanic and Asian), but doesn’t have a huge selection or some of the niceties like a coffee shop or bakery.
On Thursday I made a quick stop at Bartell’s Drugs at 2700 Bridgeport Way West for sundry items. Bartell’s Drug Company was created in 1890 in Seattle. There are 58 stores, all in Western Washington. It is the oldest family owned drug store chain in the nation.
Practically every time I go through Ellensburg, I stop at the Thorp Fruit and Antique Mall at 410 Gladmar Road, Thorp. We usually stop for a coffee drink and maybe some cheese or a sweet. The lower level is full of local produce and specialty items and the upper level has antiques. The family run business began in 1944.
Actually there were two types of sweet corn ice cream bars at the H Mart, which recently opened at 8720 South Tacoma Way in Lakewood. Dear daughter and I visited and found many delightful food items including udon (which she loves), mochi, fresh turmeric, those long vegetable things (I knew I should have written down what they were!), an entire aisle of dried seaweed, all sorts of pickled foods (see the yellow pickled radishes) and fresh seafood. There is a large produce section and all the day to day household items one would need. The employees were super friendly.
The H in H Mart stands for “Han Ah Reum,” a Korean phrase meaning “arm full of groceries.” The chain’s website shows two other locations in Washington State (Federal Way and Lyonwood. There are also locations in 12 other states and Canada, mostly on the east and west coasts. They recently opened a location in London.
Ubiquitous Journey at 2607 Sixth Avenue opened on March 15th. They have a plentiful selection of spices, herbs and teas, as well as a grill and espresso bar. I’d love to come back and try the grilled cheese! Each of the spices and herbs had tester containers to sniff. I walked away with some amazing garlic salt and some dried onion, which is nice to have around for when I run out of fresh onion. I wish them the best of luck in this, their second location. For more information, go here.
Their motto is “Because you deserve the best flavors the world has to offer. Find them at Ubi’s!”
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Sears is located at the Tacoma Mall at 4502 S Steele St #100, Tacoma. Information about Sears is here. Tacoma Public Library’s Northwest Room says that the mall’s original four anchors were J.C. Penney, the Bon Marche, Nordstrom and Rhodes Department Store. I was a little surprised that Sears wasn’t on the list. The Bon was Tacoma Mall’s first tenant.
Tacoma Public Library has a wonderful photo of Tacoma’s original Sears at the corner of South 13th Street and Broadway circa 1950. It can be seen here.
Harbor Greens at 2620 Bridgeport Way W. University Place WA 98466 opened on March 1, 2013. Really, its delightful store full of fresh, lovely produce and a great deli. There is also a large wine/beer selection, interesting candy, flowers/gardening supplies and sundry items. Oh, and the people working there were really nice! The original location is in Gig Harbor. Their Facebook page is here and their website is here.
The 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.
The 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.
