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Mon. June 11, 2007, 06:49am PDT
Rug Barn building getting some TLC
Any business with "barn" in the name kinda' scares me. Especially that strange spot at the corner of Proctor and 12th. Can't say I've ever been inside but it appears the place has been dying a slow death. They've remained open over the last few months but there have been "commercial space for rent" signs up. Seems the building itself that houses Rug Barn and a local Pizza Time is getting some TLC. KFnet friend Angela pointed out that, though kind of an eyesore now, they're tearing back a lot of the modern siding to reveal some of the structure's past. Even the awning that covers part of the sidewalk is kinda' cool with it's great, theater-style rounded ends.
With the success of nearby Mandolin and 12th Street Diner maybe some good things will come from the soon-to-be-former Rug Barn site.
So Many Barns
Much like GritCity's recent "House of..." post, here's a list of local Barn's:
- Bob's Burger Barn
- The Rug Barn
- The Car Barn (Lakewood)
- Quilt Barn (Puyallup)
- Dress Barn (Auburn)
- Coffee Barn (Sumner)
- The Wax Barn (Kent)
Costco is kinda' a barn... What else?
Comments (11) | To Top
6/11/2007 @ 11:31am
Great building. One of the few in the area which have the potential to build community in the area rather than being a version of 7-11 set back in a huge parking lot.
Business is starting to pick up in the area. 12th street Burgers are adjacent to the building.
by Erik B.
6/11/2007 @ 11:47am
I wonder if anyone lives up there?
by Jake
6/11/2007 @ 12:18pm
Jake: I was wondering that myself. Of course, I do that with a lot of buildings around town and up and down 6th Ave. too.
by KevinFreitas
6/11/2007 @ 12:19pm
Judging by the AC units in the windows, my guess is something (office or residents) is up there.
by KevinFreitas
6/11/2007 @ 1:58pm
I'm pretty sure there are apartments. I think I've seen lights at night.
It's worth noting that this building is a former trolley barn, as well as numerous other incarnations over the years. Your pictures show remains of some lettering on the side from when Thomas Fine Foods was in the building (thanks, TPL Building Index!). Note that since you took these pictures they've actually put new sheeting (hardiplank?) over the whole building and done some tile work just above the sidewalk...
by jamie
6/11/2007 @ 2:09pm
Oh, I guess the picture shows some of the sheeting and tilework on the lower part, but I believe they may have added more on the upper part...
by jamie
6/11/2007 @ 2:14pm
Interesting stuff Jamie, thanks! I did take these shots about a week ago and will have to swing by again to compare.
by KevinFreitas
6/11/2007 @ 3:11pm
We live not too far from the former House of Rug Barn, and we've been excitedly watching the improvements over the past few weeks. The rumor is that the building has a new owner from Japan who supposedly drives a Maserati. As I understand it, the plan is to add a few more shops with different storefronts in the building.
Hooray for another walking destination!
Just to annoy people who live in the North End, I propose us Central Tacoma dwellers start calling this area at South 12th and Proctor the Proctor District.
by Cole
6/11/2007 @ 3:35pm
"Just to annoy people who live in the North End, I propose us Central Tacoma dwellers start calling this area at South 12th and Proctor the Proctor District."
Shoot, real estate agents have been doing that for years...
by jamie
6/11/2007 @ 4:24pm
The building is featured on page 17 in the Business Examiner today.
by Erik B.
4/13/2009 @ 7:41pm
I grew up in that hood. That building used to house a very nice little grocery store and meat market. I had no idea it was a former trolley barn until I spied some little show on CLIC networks channel 12 at Mom's house on Easter. Does anyone have any early pics of this building? On the East side of the building in 1978 there was a double murder suicide in a little hair salon. Across Proctor along 12th sits a little square building that houses a construction company office.....Until 1974 or so, it was a classic (seafoam green and black and white tiles) soda fountain cafe called Kerch's.
by Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Flim