Friday, October 21, 2011

5 More Walla Walla Businesses Of The Past

1.  B. Barer And Sons  Founded by my Great Grandfather, B. Barer (above with my Great Grandmother) and his brother Ike.  On the corner of 4th and Rose, it began as an animal hide purchasing outlet, evolving to scrap salvage, structural steel, and industrial gases.  Began in the early 20th century, it was run by 4 generations of the family, sold to Oxarc in 2000
2. Ben Hunt Mfg  A manufacturing company located in the Eastgate, one of B. Barer And Sons biggest customers, if not the biggest, it was not unusual for the company to do two or three large deliveries in a single day.  It began as a blacksmith company making horseshoes and what not, evolved into a metal construction factory known for truck bumpers.
3.  Derby Electric   Great place to buy a color TV. Located on Main and Spokane, it became Radio Shack. 
4, Chances R   Owned by the same family that owned Wades, sold clothing that was cool in the 70s.
5. The Liberty  The only indoor theatre in town, movies would show months after their release, annoying the locals.  Although it's architecture was spectacular, it was musty and less then pleasant on the inside.  It was owned by a Seattle firm during it's heyday

7 comments:

Geoffrey said...

I recall doing radio commercials for Derby Electric, Chances R and The Liberty Theater in the late 70s on K-Hit Radio when Carl Tyler and Steve Stevens owned to station. I recall holding a "10" contest when the movie starring Bo Derick and Dudley Moore came out. It attracted many contestants from the local colleges who paraded around on stage in their bikinis while I emceed and received smooches on the cheek. The winner was rated by applause from the sold-out crowd. My...the things you could do in those days...and get away with it.

Mike Barer said...

Back in the day, Sterling Recreation Organization owned almost all of the theatres in Washington. They also owned radion stations KALE in the Tri-Cities and KZOK in Seattle. SRO was Bellevue based and I believe the building in Bellevue that was once a theatre is still called the John Danz Building.

Anonymous said...

Back in the day, didn't your grandmother live on Rustic Place? I believe she was my neighbor.
Ellen Coxon Kane

Mike Barer said...

Yes, next to the DeWitts. Before 1970; she lived on Isaacs.

Mike Barer said...

People asked if I was one of the sons in B.Barer And Sons. Actually, my Grampa and my Uncle Dave were the sons. That's how far back the business ran.

Nancy Mann said...

I was born in Walla Walla in 1944, and grew up there until I left after graduating in 1962. My absolute FAVORITE place in the town was the ROXY THEATER. To me as a kid, it was the most elegant, exciting place EVER. I spent many happy hours attending the Saturday matinee, watching Roy Rogers and the Cisco Kid gallop across the screen. It broke my heart when I heard it was torn down. Some of the things I loved: only 25 cents to get in, deep, luxurious carpeting, grand staircase going downstairs, gilded woodwork, a coke machine that mixed the syrup and carbonated soda right in the cup, and a constantly popping popcorn machine! I even wrote a short story about it a few years ago. Who ELSE remembers the Roxy??!

Robert W. Jamison said...

I remember it, when I was very young. I moved to Walla Walla in 1950 and saw a few pictures there.