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Overview

Marcus Narancic (1890-1962), a Croatian immigrant who landed in New York in 1903, established Nalley's, Incorporated, a food products company in Tacoma, WA, by about 1918. He started off making potato chips, then called "Saratoga chips," for the New York city that popularized them, but branched out to other canned goods, utilizing local produce grown in the Puyallup valley including potatoes, cucumbers and beans for chips, pickles, relishes and chili. During the 1920s, the firm built a factory on State Route 16 in Tacoma, and consistently expanded it over the years. (See Ronald Holden, Crosscut.com, "Nalley's brand: A story of losing our local history," published 05/27/2014, accessed 08/24/2021.) Narancic "Americanized" his name, changing it to "Nalley," and incorporated his business in 1928. Nalley succeeded in provided snack foods, ready-to-serve condiments and canned meals to America during a period when women cooked and canned less and bought more and more ready-to-eat foods in markets and supermarkets.

A new owner closed the Tacoma plant in 2010, moving 160 jobs to Iowa. (See Keith Seinfeld, KNKX.org, "Nalley’s saying ‘Goodbye’ to Tacoma after 92 years," published 12/03/2010, accessed 08/24/2021.)

Building History

Nalley's, Incorporated, the Tacoma-based manufacturer of pickles, relish items, canned chili, salad dressings and potato chips, established a warehouse in Spokane, WA in either late 1931 or early 1932. Its first location was at 220 Spokane International Right-of-Way, with Harry V. Gaines, its district manager. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1932, p. 468.) The Nalley's Spokane facility was listed at East 222 Sprague Avenue in 1933 and East 230 Sprague Avenue in 1935. (See (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1933, p. 469 and Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1935, p. 490.)

Various district managers rotated through the branch between the turbulent economic years of 1032 and 1935, with Cecil A. Gholson, operating the district branch in 1933 and Lynden B. Nichols in 1935. Joseph G. Lehman remained as the Spokane district manager of Nalley's Incorporated between 1936 through 1940, at least. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1936, p. 516 and Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1940, p. 546.)

Addresses for the East Sprague Avenue facility varied over time, as well, 222 in 1933, 230 in 1935 and 220 in 1936. Nalley's, Incorporate, moved to a new location at East 3038 Trent Avenue by 1938 and remaining here until at least 1954. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1938, p. 555.)

Fay McAlpin was the local manager in 1954. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1954, p. 605.)

Building Notes

This East 3038 Trent Avenue warehouse was located in part of a brick building, that had one-floor in front and two stories toward the rear. The front facade faced WA State Route 290, and had three step-gabled bays each with a garage door opening onto the highway. A long, two-floor warehouse, lit by segmental arched windows lined the property facing Trent Avenue. The Nalley's warehouse was listed on Trent Avenue, meaning it probably occupied the rear, two-story portion of the building.

PCAD id: 24132