Jas. Durkin - 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.
Kreielsheimer Brothers - Seattle
The Kreielsheimer Brothers (Simon, Jacob and Max) started out in Seattle, Washington Territory in 1887 at 323 Commercial Street. The firm dealt in wholesale wines, liquors and cigars. From late 1889 until 1895 they were located at 309-311 Commercial Street. Beginning in 1896 they moved to larger quarters at 209 First Avenue South. The Seattle operation remained there for the rest of their business life, a total of 27 years. The company utilized a number of "advertising" items (embossed bottles, labels, tea pots, ink stands and shot glasses) to promote their "Crown Diamonds" brand over the years.
Chapman & Co. - Seattle
A short-lived company that was involved in the wholesale and retail liquor industry of the day. The firm began sometime in 1906, taking over for Daniel McKenzie at 307 Pike St. Outlets were located at both 305 & 307 Pike St. and sometime in 1908, Louis Jaffe bought out the liquor holdings of the company and named it the Imperial Liquor Co. which was in operation from 1908-1912. Charles Chapman was the sole owner of the business while the company was in existence.
Everett Liquor Co. - Everett
Rodger D. Levy and Emil Ofner started the Everett Liquor Company sometime in 1902 and it was located at 1903 Hewitt Avenue in Everett. This area of town was known as the saloon district which at the time had 26 different saloons on Hewitt Avenue alone. Levy and Ofner were one of the few business doing both a wholesale and retail wine and liquor business and by 1904 were giving out Green Stamps with every purchase. Levy bought out Ofner in 1905 and continued at the same location until the city temporarily shut down all saloons in 1911. They reopened on January 1, 1913 when Everett voters repealed the "Local Option Dry Law" and the business was then located at 1403 Hewitt Avenue and under the management of Fred G. Brown. The company lasted until state-wide Prohibition in 1915.
Brown-Powell - Seattle
The Brown-Powell Liquor Company was a wholesale-retail concern that operated in Seattle from late 1910 until Prohibition in 1915. It was an elegantly appointed liquor store and saloon located at 611 Third Avenue in the Lyon Building. The owners of the company were Felix Brown and Charlie Powell who were widely known throughout the city. Brown had been known as "Commodore" Brown during his stay in Alaska and Powell had been connected with R. Sartori and S. Hyde at their 115 James St location. The business was a combination liquor outlet for wholesale sales as well as a saloon where hot lunch was served daily. A fire in Feb 1912 caused $5000 damage to fixtures and stock however the loss was covered by insurance. The company advertised that it only dealt in high-grade liquors and that full measure, absolute quality and purity was the motto of the firm.
Kellogg & Ford - Tacoma & Yakima
Frank G. Kellogg and Ernest M. Ford started their liquor business in Tacoma in 1896. They were first listed in Yakima at No. 8 South First St. in 1903 and by 1904 Ford had the Yakima location all to himself which in later years became known as the Ford
Liquor Company. Kellogg and his wife Josephine located their business at 1105 South K St. and in later years the business had moved to 1122 South J St which they owned until Prohibition in 1915. Kellogg died in January 1916 from the effects of a paralytic stroke at the age of 59.