Hyde Liquor Co. - Seattle (1904-1915)
Clear Whiskey Bottle
Rafael Sartori began a wholesale liquor house in Seattle in late 1889 at 2322 Front Street. In the early 1890's, R. Sartori moved their location to 115 James Street. Just before the turn of the century, another warehouse and outlet was added to the company at 114 Yesler Street to take advantage of the expanding trade. Sometime in 1904 the company was sold to Samuel Hyde and Hyde continued to operate the company until Prohibition in 1915. At the time the company had an estimated net worth of between $125,000 and $200,000. An ad run by the company in 1905 said it was an "importer and wholesale dealer in high-grade wines and liquors", and that the firm also had a retail department in connection with their wholesale house.
208-210 Pike St. Seattle - Then
A picture postcard of the Hyde Liquor Co. which was located at 208-210 Pike St. in Seattle (circa 1905).
208-210 Pike St. Seattle- Today
Photo Courtesy: Google Street View
Haley Grocery - Seattle (1889-1895)
Clear Whiskey Bottle
The records are sparse in trying to track the lineage of the Haley Grocery Co. of Seattle. We find John Haley as a partner in the Haley & Wright Co. (Charles H. Wright) located at 722 2nd Ave. which was located in the Boston Block Building between 1889-1890, one of the only structures to survive the great Seattle Fire in 1889. Next, he is listed under "Grocers" as a vice-president of the Haley-Glenn Co. at the same location with J.H. Glenn as president and H.H. Meeker as secretary/treasurer. In 1892, the business (still in the same location) is now listed as the Haley Grocery with Joseph B. Hill as president, Haley as vice-president and H. Ward as secretary/treasurer.. In 1894, Haley was sued by the Haley Grocery Co. for engaging in the grocery business after having sold his stock in the company which apparently indicated that he had a non-compete clause in the lawsuit and further stating that he could not live within a 1/2 mile radius of the Haley Grocery Co. The only other reference to John Haley was in the 1900 Seattle Polk Directory as having been a clerk at the L.A. & Co. residing at 2115 4th Ave. By 1900, the 722 2nd Ave location was a grocery listed as the Pidduck-Ross-Melhorn Co.with no further listings of the Haley Grocery to be found
722 2nd Ave. Seattle - Then
A photo of the Boston Block Building which housed the Haley Grocery Co. after the devastating 1889 fire in Seattle (June 1889).
722 2nd Ave. Seattle - Today
Photo Courtesy: Google Street View
Levinson's - Seattle (1899-1915)
Embossed 1/2 Gallon Whiskey Bottle
Joseph Levinson began business in Seattle sometime in 1899 at 1209 Second Street. At first the business was a small wholesale wine and delicatessen store. It grew into one of the leading wholesale wine and liquor houses in Seattle and lasted until Prohibition in 1915. In 1905 the firm was claiming to be the oldest wholesale house in Seattle selling to family trade. The motto of the company was "Our Name Our Guarantee". Levinson's advertised frequently in the early papers, running fill-page ads for wines, whiskies and cigars. They ran annual sales and gave out profit sharing certificates to customers that could be exchanged for furniture, cut glass, silverware, china and hundreds of other articles for the home. They even put out an illustrated premium catalog for their gifts. In later years, Levinson also had another business on the southwest corner of 3rd Ave. & Cherry called Levinson's Buffet.
3rd Ave. & Cherry Seattle - Then
A photo showing the storefront of Levinson's Buffet which was located at the corner of 3rd Ave. & Cherry in Seattle (Circa 1912).
3rd Ave. & Cherry Seattle - Today
Photo Courtesy: Google Street View
Langert Wine Co. - Spokane (1892-1915)
Ceramic jug
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.
422 Sprague Ave. Spokane - Then
A photo showing the storefront of the Langert Wine Co. located at 422 Sprague Ave. in Spokane (Circa 1915).
422 Sprague Ave. Spokane - Today
Photo Courtesy: Google Street View