Sunset Wine House - Everett
The Sunset Wine House was started by John Spence in the Mitchell Building located at 1919 Hewitt Ave. in Everett in 1903. Ben Hart and S. H. Paine took over the business in 1906 with Paine being replaced by George Hansen the following year. The business lasted until sometime in 1910 as the City of Everett had enacted a local prohibition ordinance against the sale of alcohol in 1911. Hansen had also operated a saloon in Seattle (between 1906-1915 at 2307 First Ave.) and moved all of the Sunset Wine House inventory to his Seattle location in 1911. The 1919 Hewitt Ave. address was next occupied by F. D. McKenzie in 1913 (after the local ordinance was repealed) who ran McKenzie's Wine House until prohibition came to Washington State on January 1, 1916.
Durkin Wines and Liquors - Spokane
James "Jimmie" Durkin (1859-1934) gained notoriety in the Inland Empire of Eastern Washington as Spokane's legendary liquor tycoon. By 1872 he was working in a bar. Eventually Durkin moved on to learning the wholesale liquor business in Perham, Minnesota, where on August 8, 1882, he married Margaret Daily and they went on to have three sons and two daughters. In 1886 Durkin headed out west to Washington Territory. He arrived in Colville W.T. and with the $2,500 he'd saved, Durkin opened Colville's 10th liquor outpost. Within a few years his nest-egg had grown into a small fortune totaling over $65,000. The draw of the big city attracted Durkin and in the spring of 1897 he relocated in Spokane. Durkin eventually had three shops (at 702 Sprague Avenue, 121 Howard Street, and 415 W Main Avenue) which lasted until Prohibition in 1915.
Kornfield Wine Co. - Bellingham
Harry S. Kornfield was the proprietor of the Kornfield Wine Company which opened in late August of 1909. Prior to being a liquor store, the site was occupied by the Economy Store in the McLeod building; it became the Kornfield Liquor Co. in 1909 and remained at the same location 1230 Elk Street its entire time in business. The location became the South Bellingham Rug Store in Nov. 1910.
Murphy Wine and Liquor - Seattle
Daniel Murphy began a retail and wholesale liquor house in Seattle sometime in 1898 at 308 to 310 Pike Street. He was said to be an expert buyer of wines and liquors where he went to the best markets to secure the goods for his establishment. The store was neatly appointed with only experienced and courteous help employed. He remained in business until for over 15 years and was one of the most prominent figures among the old-time liquor men in Seattle. Due to rapidly failing health, he sold out to Jacob Aronson in 1911. The sale took place rather quickly with Aronson providing cash in hand taking over the business lock stock and barrel.
Drumm's Wine House - Tacoma
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.
Langert Wine Co. - Spokane
Charles Langert was a wholesale liquor dealer who started in Tacoma in 1881 when he acquired a storeroom and warehouse for liquor distribution. He was the sole agent for a variety of whiskey brands and had a great knowledge of foreign winegrowers and distillers which helped him build a quality stock and aquire a reputation known throughout the country. The Langert Wine Company began operation in 1910 at 422 Sprague Avenue in Spokane and closed its doors 5 years later due to Prohibition. It was listed as a distributor - not a bar or saloon. This was the newest of the Langert Companies dealing in spirits and had an estimated net worth of between $10,000 and $20,000 at its closing.