1955 Tacoma: Safety via Bikinis at Kaiser Aluminum
December 12, 2018In 1955 Kaiser Aluminum decided there was no better way to promote safety on the job than to have models—in bikinis—demonstrate proper equipment handling. That’s how the woman seen in the photo below came to pose holding a gas hole bar while wearing fireproof covers over her shoes, thick gloves, safety glasses, a hard hat,…
How to Make Your House Look Cool and Do Good in Tacoma
December 7, 2018You get a bed! You get a couch! You get a table! You get two dining chairs! These are the humble dreams Hope Furnishings and Northwest Furniture Bank try and make come true for everyone. Used furniture stores aren’t easy to find in Tacoma. The gap between showroom-level new and thrift store sketchy is vast, but…
The Chilling History of Tacoma’s “Elf” Storage Building
November 27, 2018There was no marketing genius behind turning Tacoma Self Storage into Tacoma “Elf” Storage 11 years ago. It wasn’t a ploy by the company to get free press, or even an enthusiastic holiday reveler looking to spread cheer—it was a happy little accident caused by our feathered friends. The story on the company’s site explains:…
Everything You Need to Know About the Tacoma Night Market’s New Home
November 20, 2018The Tacoma Night Market is no longer happening at the Drake building on Pac Ave. But fear not! They got a new permanent spot at Alma Mater and it’s gonna be better than ever. To kick off the new location with a proper celebration, November’s Night Market will actually be two nights, Friday the…
Flash Giveaway: Who’s Ready for a Free Tacoma Tattoo?
November 18, 2018Update: Congratulations to Erin Shadensack, whose comment was chosen at random as the winner! Unless she has a change of heart we’ll be seeing that octopus and Narrows Bridges design tattooed real soon. Thanks to everyone who entered, and don’t forget all of this artwork is available to be tattooed at Homage. Just stop on…
RIP Tacoma Thrift: How One 6th Ave Business Has Been Pushed Out
November 14, 2018Abruptly the time has come to say goodbye to Tacoma Thrift, the 6th Ave business you’ve probably walked by or driven past a few dozen times or more. Hearing of their demise might initially seed a pit of guilt in your stomach for not having stopped to shop more frequently, but it isn’t us average…
Downtown Tacoma Penthouse Living: The Views Don’t Suck
November 10, 2018Ready to take a peek inside what it looks like to live inside a downtown Tacoma penthouse? Here’s an opportunity to gawk, courtesy of the one currently for sale atop 747 St. Helens Ave. Listed by Nicholas Vilvandre’ of Keller Williams Seattle, all 5,593 square-feet of this space is looking for a new owner to call it…
Searching for Tubby: The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse’s Only Victim
November 7, 2018It’s now been 78 years since the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed, but it was just a handful a months ago one local resident discovered he’s now living in the former home of one of the most notable figures from that day. During the process of remodeling, owner Ben Strutin discovered Leonard Coatsworth’s car insurance…
How to Avoid a Parking Ticket in 1940s Tacoma
November 1, 2018Parking in downtown Tacoma wasn’t any easier in the late 1930s than it is today. In fact, that decade was filled with disputes between shop owners who wanted spaces to be available for customers and “parking hog” employees that stayed all day. After years of fighting in city hall, 1,200 meters were installed during the…
A Dome of Our Own: The Tacoma Dome Story
October 26, 2018In celebration of the Tacoma Dome’s recent renovation, we were invited to look through the archives at the Tacoma Dome to see what kinds of historical tidbits we could find. From David Bowie to the Backstreet Boys, Truckzilla to RV shows, the archives held all the Dome’s most cherished memories. The story of how the…
Tacoma’s Loch Ness is an Electrified Sea Monster
October 18, 2018Every 60 years or so the tale of Tacoma’s electrified version of the Loch Ness Monster manages to find a way to be told once more. Here, we present the 1960 retelling of the event that terrified local fisherman in 1893, as found filed away in the Tacoma Public Library’s Northwest Room archives… Sunday, August…
“Local Magazine Outed as Total S**tshow”
October 15, 2018One year ago this week, our website went live and our first batch of stories were sent off into the City of Destiny. Since that day, dozens of people have enjoyed our photos and stories. We’ve had a lot of amazing experiences. We’ve met the coolest people in Tacoma who make this city what it…