Greenough's Grocery Store

Before there was Walmart or Safeway or Fred Meyer in Spokane, there was Greenough's. But after nearly a century spent downtown and on the South Hill, the former Greenough's grocery store at the corner of 6th and Washington is no longer.

Section:Gallery

Wed., July 29, 2020

Greenough's, Spokane's first 'groceteria', opened in 1918 at Sprague and Howard. Customers waited upon themselves using the "cash and carry" plan. In 1929, Greenough's built a new building at Fifth and Washington, pictured above, and was regailed as the largest and most complete grocery store west of the Mississippi. The store included a drug department, soda fountain and later a hair salon. W.D. Greenough, the proprietor, was fined $25 in 1924 for breaking the Sabbath Law. He sold meat on a Sunday. The store closed in 1985. Photo archive/The Spokesman-Review THEN and NOW The Greenough brothers, Wilbur, Thomas, Joseph and John, were from Kansas and later Missoula. Wilbur, known as W.D., was the eldest, born 1874. The men made their fortunes mining in Idaho’s Silver Valley. John, known as “Brush”, left in 1910 to ranch in Wyoming while the others went into retail, railroads and mining. The three brothers opened a grocery store in Mullan, Idaho in 1898 and Wallace in 1906. The family opened a store in Spokane in 1918 at Sprague and Howard. Thomas, called T.L., lived in Missoula and was a railroad contract builder. Joseph lived in Spokane but Wilbur was the managing partner. In 1924, Greenough was fined $25 for selling meat on Sunday, violating the arcane list of what could be sold on that day. He organized grocers against the law. In 1929, the Greenoughs opened their store at Sixth Ave. and Washington St. The store incorporated all the latest trends: It was self-service, it had off-street parking, and there was a beauty parlor, pharmacy, gas station and soda fountain. As one of the first suburban markets, the location was convenient for South Hill residents. W.D. made his son Franklin the manager and went to the Yukon to work the mines there. He also owned a mine in the Clayton area. W.D. died of a heart attack in December of 1934. Business carried on with Franklin, who served in the Navy in WWII, and the rest of the family. The activities of the children and grandchildren of the wealthy Greenoughs filled the society pages of newspapers around the region. Glen Dow, founder of the Glen Dow Academy of Hair Design, took over the salon at Greenough’s in 1960. Grandson Peyton Greenough and the store manager, John Weekes, bought the business from the rest of the family in 1957. Weekes bought out his partner in 1970. Over the years, large suburban shopping centers lured customers away independents like Greenough’s. The Ridpath Hotel family owned the Greenough’s building and the store lost its lease in 1985. “The store continued to be profitable,” said Weekes of the closing. “But the loyalty of our customers is tied to this neighborhood. If we were to move to another part of the city, we couldn’t take that with us.”

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Greenough's Store is shown in 1929, when it opened.

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Greenough Store, shown in 1929, was an early example of a modern supermarket, opened by the Greenough family, which had made their money in mining and other ventures.

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In this 1940 photo, these veteran employees are among those in charge of the 34th anniversary sale which opened yesterday and will close Saturday at Greenough's. Along with two 10-year employees not in the picture, they represent a total of 157 years of service. Those shown, with years of service stated, are, left to right, seated: Isabel Jones, 10 years; Frank Falsetto, grocery department manager, 25; Agnes Kincaid, 10; Cecile Thorsen, 10. Standing: Dale Rankin, 10; Mildred Sullivan, 13; Paul Campbell, 26; Milton Langlois, 10; W.A. Nevin, 10, and Frank E. Meyers, 13. The two other 10-year employees are Jack Lowe, bakery expert, and Hildur Strang.

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Baker Construction is preparing the site of the former Greenough’s grocery store, near Sixth Avenue and Washington Street in Spokane, for a new building by removing the last of the basement and foundation concrete, Tuesday, July 28, 2020.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Baker Construction is preparing the site of the former Greenough’s grocery store, near Sixth Avenue and Washington Street in Spokane, for a new building by removing the last of the basement and foundation concrete of the longtime grocery store, Tuesday, July 28, 2020. The building site is now behind a now Horizon Credit Union building that faces Washington Street.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Baker Construction is preparing the site of the former Greenough’s grocery store, near Sixth Avenue and Washington Street in Spokane, for a new building by removing the last of the basement and foundation concrete Tuesday, July 28, 2020.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Baker Construction is preparing the site of the former Greenough’s grocery store, near Sixth Avenue and Washington Street in Spokane, for a new building by removing the last of the basement and foundation concrete of the longtime grocery store, Tuesday, July 28, 2020.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
This June 2, 2015 photo, shows the location of the former Greenough's IGA grocery store as a block of offices and storefronts. After operating as a grocery from 1929 to 1985, the building was sold to United Health Services Credit Union and converted to offices.

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