5221 South Tacoma Way (1906)

This building was constructed by the North Pacific Bank in 1906. The bank specialized in serving businesses and patrons that worked with Northern Pacific Railroad. In 1912, German immigrant Peter Wallerich purchased the business. His success eventually led to the construction of a new building for the bank in 1914, at 5446-48 South Tacoma Way. This building first remained vacant after the bank departed, and new tenants were not secured until 1926. 

Following the departure of North Pacific Bank in 1914, the building remained vacant until 1926 when the South Tacoma Cycling Company moved in. It was operated by Frankie Leslie and George Southwell until 1930 when the store relocated to 5213 South Tacoma Way. The building remained vacant during most of the depression era. Although bicycles were an inexpensive and common form of transportation during the early 20th century, automobiles quickly became a preferred mode of transportation during the late '30s and early '40s, and the bicycle shop was replaced by a Western Auto Supply in 1941.

As the war years brought changes to the nation, the business district responded to fulfill those needs, and in the late 1940s an Army recruiting station occupied the site, followed by Andy’s Army Store, a military surplus business, in the 1950s. Although the storefront has seen some changes to the large display windows and entry, and the structure is currently painted, the basic vintage form remains intact, and is a fine example of an early brick commercial storefront. The simple rhythm of the building with two large arched openings, one for entry doors and the second for windows, is given tremendous depth and texture through the multiple layers of brick. Although currently bare, the long recessed rectangle towards the top of the building’s façade was designed to showcase business signage.

Historic South Tacoma Way. Tacoma, WA. Historic Tacoma Press, 2011.