We in the McKinley Hill Business District have a long and proud history of supporting the surrounding community. Many of us are a part of the McKinley Hill Boosters which have been operating for decades in the area promoting, supporting and building up the McKinley Hill area.
The community developed around the working class families that lived here and worked down the hill in the lumber mills, shipyards and railroads of the Thea Foss, Tide Flats and what is now known as the Union Station area downtown. Businesses sprouted up to serve these families and offered not only goods and services, but a strong sense of loyalty and community values that are still shared by McKinley Hill residents and business owners today. Some of the early favorites included the Park Theater, Sprague Hardware, Wolds Market and Boyles Pharmacy. There are many, many more than can be mentioned here, but a variety of first hand articles about the businesses and original settlers of the McKinley Hill area can be found in the Northwest Room of the Tacoma Public Library
Today in the district we are still hard at work creating a viable commercial district for neighbors and for inviting folks to visit while on their way to an event at the Tacoma Dome, or while heading out to Tacoma’s “Eastside.” So, if you are in the neighborhood, stop in and say hello or if you like you can contact us and we’ll share with you more stories about McKinley Hill’s history or the business opportunities and experiences that await you!