| Historic Name: |
Renton Cash Grocery |
Common Name: |
California Nails |
| Style: |
Commercial |
Neighborhood: |
Columbia City |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1926 |
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| Significance |
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The Rainier Valley was one of Seattle's earliest streetcar neighborhoods, as the Rainier Avenue Electric Railway began operating as far as Columbia City in 1891. It weas extended to Renton in 1896, so that both people and freight (especially farm produce) could travel easily from Seattle to the White River Valley. Development along Rainier Avenue focused mostly in Columbia City and Hillman City, with scattered commercial buildings elsewhere among the residences. This 1926 building is one of the relatively few early mixed use buildings on Rainier. Despite some window alterations, it substantially retains its earlier appearance. In 1937 the tenants included the Renton Cash Grocery and a cleaning and dyeing shop. Subsequent tenants have included an ice cream store, a candy store, TV and radio repair, a jeweler, an organ studio and a real estate office.
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| Appearance |
| This two-story brick building has second floor windows of black aluminum in the original wood surrounds, with a combination of fixed pane and double-hung sash. The two middle sections each have three windows, flanked by a pair of windows at each end. Above each of these end window pairs is an arch filled with ceramic tiles, the building's most distinctive feature. These bays are further emphasized by a stepped parapet.
One of the four store entries is recessed, whitle the other three are not. This reconfiguration appears to have been done in the 1950s, but all have brick bulkheads, transom windows (some covered) and older metal frame display windows. On the north elevation is a solid wood door and a small maintenance door. The south elevation, very close to the adjacent buildings, is clad with shiplap. |
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