Updated 02/22/2018
The City of Seattle routinely photographs public works projects, City events, City sites, facilities, and elected officials for current use and as a record of events. This photo was taken to record the creation of a traffic channel for motorist to use when turning right onto 3rd Ave NW. This “channelization” was later enhanced with the installation of a traffic island at the same spot.
A Texaco Service Station once occupied the south east corner of 3rd & 65th. Today on this same parcel you can shop at Not Without Salt (former location of Hairstream & Boot Girl) and buy a chicken coup at Saltbox Design.
On the south west corner, Miller’s Grocery was open for businesses in the brick building now occupied by Chocolat Vitale. I suggest stopping by and trying their world class drinking chocolate.
The photographer was standing on the roof of Berg’s Grocery, which is now home to Olsen Violins. In the 1930s it was “Carl Berg’s IGA” store, a member of a local grocers cooperative that allowed members to make bulk purchases and thus charge lower prices.
The photo dated March 1944 is courtesy the Seattle Municipal Archives Photograph Collection.
More About Berg’s Grocery:
Built in 1931, this building is a good example of the mixed use commercial and apartment buildings that developed along main arterials, such as 3rd Avenue NW, in the early 1900’s. To the left of Berg’s Grocery, you can see Mitchell’s Meat Market, which was owned by Clyde Mitchell.
Berg’s Grocery was an IGA store, which meant Berg was a member of a local grocers’ cooperative that allowed members to make bulk purchases and thus charge lower prices. More recently this building has been the showroom for All Aboard Second Hand Furniture and is currently occupied by Olsen Violins.
This building is unusual for its elegant detailing, with a red barrel tile roof and leaded glass doors and transoms. As a result, the building has been included in the City of Seattle Historic Building Inventory. For additional information, visit: http://web6.seattle.gov/DPD/HistoricalSite/QueryResult.aspx?ID=367
A special thank you to Mark & Carol Lundemo for the photo below. The Lundemo’s were given this photo by Carl Berg’s daughter, Sharon. Carl Berg was the owner of “Berg’s Third Ave. Food Store”, one of the original IGA stores in Seattle. Berg is standing in the doorway of this undated picture.
Bonus Photo:
Looking north on 3rd Ave NW at NW 65th Street. On the left side of the photo you can see a service station called “H.G. Ross, Independent Dealer, Gilmore Products”. After WWII, more people were able to afford luxury items, like automobiles, and as a result our little neighborhood had several service stations within a short walk of each other on NW 65th.
Today, a seven unit apartment building, built in 1967, is located on the parcel and Berg’s Grocery is now Olsen Violins.
Vintage West Woodland - Seattle 