Driving around Tacoma I found The Farm by Hug, which I of course read as the Hug Farm. I loved the idea of growing hugs! And the actuality of the garden was almost as good. It is a community garden sponsored by the Hilltop Urban Gardens. Their mission is “to develop systems for food sovereignty and create racial and economic justice”. To learn more, go to their website.
Sometime during the dreary winter months, this wonderful art project appeared on the side of the Merit Building at 951-959 S Market Street in downtown Tacoma. There is an associate Youtube video to be watched here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE-D3nA7vTQ
The Merit Building is available for sale for $1,000,000 (bring your best offer). Per the listing information the building was constructed in 1909, has 32,000 square feet and has been gutted down to the frame. I remember going to a restaurant in the building which I believe was called the Judicial Annex and having the best split pea soup!
If you’d like to buy the Merit Building, the listing can be found here http://www.commercialmls.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=inventory.biodetailFS&ln=462987&eofficeid=&eagentid=22193
Over the building’s long life, it has been home to many businesses included the Hotel Kingston, Federal Tire Sales Co., Auto Tire Co., Hollywood Apparel Shop, Olympic Dairy Store & Ice Cream Parlor, Second Closet Thrift Shop, Know They Self Book Center, Afrikan Book Center and the African American Museum. One of the employees of the Ice Cream Parlot later started the Baskin Robbins chain.
To see how the building looked in its glory days (1928), follow this link to the Tacoma Public Library
http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/buildings/bldg1image.asp?j=1&o=4&n=2095&i=4290#text