Built in 1911, this store front was once home to the West Woodland Pharmacy, Safeway and then in 1947, West Woodland Hardware. West Woodland Hardware was originally located at 416 NW 65th Street, which is now a part of the 418 Restaurant. This first location for the hardware store was small and at the east end of the business district.
Moving into the newly remodeled and much larger space at the corner of 5th Ave NW and NW 65th was a competitive advantage for the hardware store. While the trolley was no longer in service by this date, having been shut down in 1942, this corner was still the heart of the neighborhood and the store fronts were all in use.
The building is currently standing and in use as a private gym. There have been several cosmetic changes to the exterior, including the removal of two sections of the stepped crest roof-line.
The black & white photo shows the SW corner of 5th Ave NW & NW 65th in September 1955, courtesy of the Puget Sound Archives.
Vintage West Woodland - Seattle 