Fashion designer and retailer John Doyle Bishop (1913-1980), known as "Seattle's most colorful Irishman," opened his first store in 1950 when he purchased Helen Igoe's exclusive women's apparel shop at 1331 Fifth Avenue in downtown Seattle. In 1954 Bishop moved the shop to 1334 Fifth Avenue, where he sold his and other designs to a wealthy clientèle. His impeccable style won him a spot on the 1967 Harper's Bazaar list of the world's hundred best dressed men. A flamboyant gay man in an era when that was not acknowledged publicly, Bishop's big personality was also a generous personality. He helped young people on their way up the ladder and was active in supporting St. James Cathedral and Seattle University.

This image was taken of the interior of John Doyle Bishop's new fashion retail store around the time it opened in late 1954 on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Union Street. The new space was designed by Seattle architects William James Bain, Sr.and Harrison John Overturf, with Overturf managing the interior decoration. The central lounge space seen here had seating and small display areas for accessories and gifts. The walls were light green and the curtains were translucent white.

Caption information source: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/John-Doyle-Bishop-Irishman-put-Seattle-fashion-4381050.php
Caption information source: The Seattle Times, October 22, 1980, page 47
Caption information source: http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/person/2130