Northern Fish Company at 2201 Ruston Way in Tacoma has a wonderful setting with Commencement Bay out its back door (if it had a back door!). There are two Northern Fish Co. locations in Tacoma with the other one being at 3911 South 56th. The Ruston Way location not only offers seafood to prepare at home, but also seafood chowders and baskets to either eat there or at home. Their website is here http://www.northernfish.com/
So I printed out a map of a potentially lovely park in Gig Harbor and I grabbed my camera and daughter who wanted a ride and off I went. As we are crossing the Narrows Bridge I tell her that I’m going hiking and within seconds it started to hail! Well, OK then, maybe not a hike. I drop her off at the movie theater and remember that there is a Coldwater Creek in the Uptown Gig Harbor Center (4621 Point Fosdick Dr. NW,Gig Harbor, WA 98335). Great. I’ve had my eye on a scarf/vesty thing that is a requirement for the women in my generation and was waiting for a big online sale to buy it. This was my chance to look at it in person. Imagine my delight when they had it marked down from $49.95 to $29.99, and then it was 60% off! And it was a great fit. Oh happy days 🙂 I bought two (different colors). Part of one is pictured here (the pink border is part of the processing) and there is a bonus Buddha, which was at the center and I thought was cool.
I’d always planned to stop at Tacoma Lighting at 1301 Center Street in Tacoma. Now I guess I never will, because the store is vacant and available for sale. First Western is asking $1,050,000 for the property, which is 11,685 square feet of building area and was constructed in 1968. The listing can be found here http://commercialmls.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=property.detailFSprint&ln=497406&eofficeid=
The current building has always been owner occupied by Tacoma Lighting. Back in 1890, the property was the site of the Aesche Boots & Shoes store. To see that wood frame building go to this Tacoma Public Library page http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/buildings/bldg1image.asp?j=1&o=3&n=12544&i=9666#text
I’ve gone past Mattress Mania at 2901 S 12th St., Tacoma, WA 98405 plenty of times, but on Wednesday I paused to consider it for a moment. The Tacoma Public Library indicates that in 1909 the site was occupied by I.E. Russell Drug Store and in 1930 by Twelfth Street Drug Co. and in 1950 by Fowler’s Twelfth Street Drug Co. The Pierce County Assessor’s Office shows that the building was constructed in 1938 and I’m unsure if the original building was demolished
The freestanding building at 602 North Pearl use to be where I dropped off film (remember film?) to be developed. Flash One Hour Photo had the nicest people working there and one hour development. I think it was bright yellow. Of course their business declined as we all went to digital and I’m guessing that is why they closed.
Later it was a home design store (Tacoma Interior Market) , a check cashing place and most recently a spot to get new counter tops. Now it has some furniture in it, but it looks vacant.
I had an appointment at the mall and took a minute to wander into Nordstroms at the Tacoma Mall to look at boots. I learned the 10 Top Fall 2011 Fashion Trends, which are:
The Purple Dragonfly at 1744 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma is a store of pure indulgence with nothing I needed and plenty that I wanted. It is full of lovely jewelry, decorative items and lotions. They had a grapefruit hand lotion that I really liked, but it was out of stock. Oh darned. I guess I’ll just have to go back!
Originally uploaded by Gexydaf
Today was all about the practical. I needed to order new eyeglasses before my benefit went away. I went to a new place for me, Pearl Eyecare Center near the Tacoma Mall. My husband has been going there for years and said they would treat me right. He was right! They spent the time I needed and actually understood how the insurance worked. I ordered two pair. The top pair have a little design on the frames and will be sunglasses. The bottom will be my day to day pair, when I’m not wearing contacts.
2505 S 38th St # A108
Tacoma, WA 98409-7372
(253) 472-1188
I would donate my older pair to charity, but my dog ate them! Rotten dog.
Not every new place of the day can be culturally, historically and/or architecturally interesting. Sometimes it is just practical. And so soon before the holidays, nothing says practical like a battery store.
4027 Tacoma Mall Blvd (Rainier Place Shopping Center)
STE M, Tacoma, WA 98409
(253) 476-2666
Originally uploaded by Gexydaf
I had thought the new place of the day’s name was Juxtapoz because of the large sign over the door, but it turns out that the store is called What? Shoppe and Juxtapoz is an online magazine. The store is crowded with an interesting assortment of unusual merchandise demanding some serious browsing time. I noticed t-shirts, figurines, wigs, cards, posters, model train stuff and much more. This is a great place to find a present for a hard to please young adult.
740 Broadway in Tacoma
