Drumm's Wine House - Tacoma
A labeled 1/2 gallon bottle embossed "Drumm's Wine House" (reverse-side) that contained "Drumm's Special" wine.
Richard Grosse and Otto Drumm started in the retail liquor business in 1901 at 1403 Pacific in Tacoma. In 1906, Grosse and Drumm purchased a second store located at 1306 C Street and this new location proved to be much better for their sales. They sold the original store in 1907 and operated the second store exclusively where they remained in business until 1910 when Grosse retired. Drumm remained in business as Drumm's Wine House until Prohibition in 1915.
Aronson - Seattle
An amber embossed (reverse-side) bottle of "Private Stock Port" from J Aronson of Seattle.
Jacob Aronson started in the wholesale liquor business in Seattle in 1900. He first located at 109 Columbia Street and in mid-1903 moved to 104 First Avenue South and then expanded the business to a second store at 1510 Second Street in late 1909. He continued to wholesale liquor in Seattle until Prohibition in 1915. In addition, he had a retail liquor store from 1911 until 1915 located at 308 & 310 Pike Street when he bought out the Murphy Wine and Liquor Company.
Los Angeles Wine Co. - Spokane
A labeled 1/2 gallon bottle embossed "Los Angeles Wine Co." (on reverse-side) that contained "Port" wine distributed for the California Wine Association of San Francisco and New York.
The Company had its beginning sometime in 1899 when George W. Fox started a wholesale wine house at 713 Sprague Avenue. Newspaper ads of the day listed them as agents for Schade Bottled Goods a local Spokane brewery. The Los Angeles Wine Co. was incorporated in April 1906 holding capital of $50,000 with Albert Fox, Mildred Fox and Walter G. Schultz as shareholders. Late in 1908 the company expanded and had a portion of its goods in the basement of a building at 712 First Avenue. By 1911, the outlet on First was listed at 714 First Avenue, this was most likely not a move but a different entrance to the same building. It remained there as the Los Angeles Wine Co. until closed by Prohibition in 1915.
Migliavacca Wine Co. - Seattle,
A label-only "Haut-Sauterne" wine bottle from the Migliavacca Wine Co. of Seattle.
The Migliavacca Co. was one of the older firms on the West Coast that dealt with native wines and brandies. It was established in Napa City, Ca. in 1865 and manufactured sweet and dry wines as well as brandies. It opened an outlet in Seattle at 109 Main St in 1899 and was incorporated in 1905. Although they closed the Seattle outlet in 1909, their main operation in California continued until Prohibition. One of their brands was "Coast Club" whiskey.
Note: An advertisement in the 12/21/1910 edition of The Seattle Times stated that the Imperial Liquor Co. was selling the inventory of the Migliavacca Wine Co. which had recently gone out of business. Wines for sale included French Sauternes, Clarets and Burgandies for 85 cents per quart (which regularly sold for $2.00 per quart).
Imperial Liquor Co. - Seattle
A label-only "Bonita Vista - Sauterne" wine bottle from the Imperial Liquor Co. (whose label is underneath the Monte Santa Wine Co. label) of Seattle.
The Jaffe business interests in the wholesale and retail liquor industry of early Seattle encompassed several companies including the Imperial Liquor Company. This company was started by Joseph L. Jaffe in 1908 and lasted until Prohibition in 1915. It was a saloon and combination family liquor store that also dealt in the wholesale business. Joseph C. Barman was secretary treasurer and manager of the company having taken over for M. Nelson in 1912. The business outlets for this company were located at 305-307 & 311 Pike and 818 First Avenue and the firm used the brand name "King's Crown" in various local newspaper and billboard ads throughout the city. The saloon store that was in combination with the liquor store at 311 Pike was known as the College Buffet. Louis Ruiz operated the store on First Avenue in 1911 until its closing in 1913 which then became the Los Angeles Wine Co. operated by I. Rosenthal from 1913-1914.
Our House Wine & Liquor Co. - Seattle
A label-only "Medera Cognac Brandy" wine bottle from the Our House Wine & Liquor Co. of Seattle.
John R. Rogers opened the Our House Saloon on 2nd & Washington St. in Seattle sometime in 1889 and remained in business there until 1901 when he sold the business for an enormous amount of money and became the manager of The Seattle Hotel. Rogers was arrested in San Francisco in November of 1909 on a variety of charges including robbing a saloon, holding a fake identification card (James R. Rogers) and claiming that he owned the "J. R. Rogers Wholesale Wine and Spirit Company in Seattle whose address was located at 1123 First Ave. in Seattle - the same address as the Keystone Liquor Co. at the time. Rogers was thought to had been traveling the world when he was arrested in San Francisco. Police claimed that he may have had lost his mental powers and had gone crazy. He remained in San Francisco for a few years then drifted out of sight.
The "Our House" at 151 Washington St. was always listed as either a wine house, saloon or cafe except for the year 1907 when they were listed as a wholesale liquor operation. Joseph Bacher and Louis Grimminger operated the business until closed by Prohibition in 1915.