In 1875 Polish immigrants Ferdinand Toklas (1845-1924) and Paul Singerman (1847-1915) moved to Seattle and opened what became the city's first department store. Originally located in Pioneer Square and named the San Francisco Store, it was later renamed Toklas, Singerman, & Co. In 1892 the founders sold the store to another partner, John B. MacDougall (1849-1931), who incorporated it as MacDougall & Southwick Co. The popular store at Second Avenue and Pike Street was operated by Mercantile Store Corp. from 1910 until it closed in 1964.

This image of unidentified Toklas, Singerman & Co. employees posing with a display of menswear items appears to have been taken outside of the store's temporary location at Third Avenue and Madison Street. This building was quickly erected after Seattle's Great Fire in 1889 and allowed the store to remain in business until the permanent building was rebuilt at Front Street and Columbia Street (now 713 First Avenue). After the store vacated, the temporary building became a succession of theaters, including Beede's Madison Street Theatre, Cordray's New Theatre, and the Third Avenue Theatre. It was demolished in 1907.

Caption information source: The Seattle Sunday Times, October 30, 1955, p. 15
Caption information source: http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/17350