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 They reopened on January 1, 1913 when Everett voters repealed the "Local Option Dry Law" and the business was then located at 1403 Hewitt Avenue and under the management of Fred G. Brown.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.
City Liquor Co. - Tacoma
Michael Shea began selling liquor in Tacoma around late 1889 at 2401 Pacific Avenue which was the later site of the City Liquor Store. Shea sold the liquor store to Patrick McGloin in 1890 and then re-old the business back to Shea in 1896. He continued in the liquor business until 1907 when he then sold the business back to McGloin and his partner George Wuest which was by that time was named City Liquor Store. The City Liquor Store operated as a wholesale and retail business at 2401 Pacific Ave. while the saloon was operated at 2403 Pacific Ave. In 1913 when the company was disbanded, McGloin continued to operate saloons in the Tacoma area while Wuest continued operating the one located at 2403 Pacific Ave. until Prohibition.
R. Sartori - Seattle
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.
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.
Kreielsheimer - 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.
James 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.