You might be hard pressed to find a Tacoma Business, in exhistance at the same location more than 50 years. Rankos is one such place, the art deco-ish pharmacy is located at 101 Tacoma Ave. This vintage little piece of Art Deco was designed and built in 1936 by Cora B. Scherzer and the Macdonald Building Company.
The building originally housed the Gray Goose Coffee Shop and confectionary. By 1940, it had become what it is Today, 69 years later Ranko's Stadium Pharmacy and a Rexall. Correct me if I'm wrong, but after doing the mental stroll this morning, after coffee of course, I can only think of a handful or less of long standing downtown Tacoma Businesses. So kudo's to Ranko's!
If I had a magic wish for Tacoma and people could maybe work together, including Tacoma Power? It would be to find a way to restore the classic neon signs that adorn the entrance. Maybe with a bit of effort, it could be rehab'd into a very classic sign that Tacoma could treasure for years to come.
If neon returned, the otherwise semi-boring street corner would be trasnformed into an exciting era in Tacoma history, rightfully placing the icing on the cake for the Stadium District for may years to come. As far as classic art deco neon, it might even make the cover of future Tacoma coffee table book, or at the very least a photo hanging on the wall at Tully's across the street.
