This token has me stumped.

[OldNBroken]

I was born and raised in Spokane and know many people who have lived there a loong time. None of us have ever heard of this store and I can't find anything googling about it at all.
Any info or opinions or search help on stuff like this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Almost forgot, it's slightly smaller than a quarter. 24mm I think. And it's made of aluminum so that would put it post WWII wouldn't it?
OnB

 

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[Shortstack]

Research back through the old City Directories for the family name "People" or "Peoples". Do your research through genealogy resources. Treat this name as if it is the last name of a long, lost shirttail cousin branch of your family tree.

 

[Cal_Cobra]

Here's some possibilities (look at the last one), unfortunately there's no photo:

http://tokencatalog.com/display_rec...es&SearchStringAnyWord=&action=DisplayRecords

 

[OldNBroken]

Well, still no luck on the token or any reference to the store it came from. I have found ones similar in the back and the size/material, but nothing specifically on this one. Closest store I've found is Peoples department stores founded in 1888 in Tacoma and went out of business in 1968. They did branch out across Washington in the 40's but I have two problems with that. One, it was a department and furniture store. Why would they issue a 5c token? Two, there is no record of them ever branching out to Spokane and, like I said, I have yet to find anyone in Spokane who ever remembers a Peoples Store there.

It should be low on my list of braincell priorities but, dammit, I just hate it when stuff like this bugs me and I can't resolve them. I guess that would make me a little OCD huh?

 

[idahotokens]

This is the fun of trade tokens - the research makes it interesting! Aluminum tokens like this were popular long before WWII - they date from after the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair, but most like this were from the 1915-1925 time. The City Directory or Dun & Bradstreet Directory route is the way you are going to have to go.

I see an article in the Seattle Times of 26 Jun 1914 where the Peoples Store of Tacoma and the White House Store of Spokane, both owned by the H. B. Claflin Co. of New York, were placed in receivership. Possibly the company emerged from bankruptcy and operated the Spokane store under the Peoples Store name, but a directory search will have to be done to prove anything.

John in ID

 

[Bramblefind]

Ancestry.com has a bunch of various city directories. I found this ad in the 1895 Spokane directory -

 

[OldNBroken]

Oh you had my hopes up that this was solved Bramblefind, but that is Kirkendall and Weister, not The Peoples Store. That is their slogan.
Was over in Spokane all day today and still couldn't find anyone who's heard of it. But I did find that ancient relic I accidentally posted in the "what is it" thread.
Just bugs the hell outta me that I can't find any info on this stupid token.
Thanks for the help

 

[Bramblefind]

I'll give it one more shot - food for thought - it is listed in the directory under "P"

 

[daroofa]

Is it possible that they would use their slogan because it is well known and/or Kirkendall & Weister wouldn't fit that well on it?

 

[OldNBroken]

Looked into this but didn't get me anywhere. Still stumped.

 

[Bramblefind]

I think this shoe store is the source for your token. But that's just my feeling on this. I can understand you not being entirely convinced and still looking for other options but I wouldn't discount it - IMO the theory has a lot going for it.

Here is another ad I found via google -

http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/advert&CISOPTR=26&CISOBOX=1&REC=3

Advertisement People's Shoe Store (1893)
Company/Advertising Agency People's Shoe Store
Publication Source Spokane City Directory, p. 33
Publisher R. L. Polk & Company
Publisher Location United States--Washington (State)--Spokane
Publication Date 1893

Advertisement Text Wholesale and retail dealers in boots, shoes, and rubber goods, Kirkendall & Weister. Cheap the world over. Cash wins at The People's Shoe Store.
Historical Notes This advertisement coincides with the rise of the Populist Party (the People's Party) in the 1890s. In the 1894 Washington State elections, one-third of the votes were cast for Populist candidates, partly due to crop failures and financial troubles for farmers.

Category Beauty and fashion
Clothing trade
Subjects (LCTGM) Shoe stores--Washington (State)--Spokane
Geographic Coverage United States--Washington (State)--Spokane

Digital Collection Early Advertising
Digital ID Number ADV0265
Repository University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Division
Repository Collection Pacific Northwest Collection. 979.785 D62 1893
Object Type Advertisement
Digital Reproduction Information Scanned from original text at 400 dpi in JPEG format and resized to 600 ppi horizontal. Saved at compression rate 3. 2007.

 

[idahotokens]

IMO, Old, you need to keep looking. I have never heard of a shoe store using trade tokens -- to me this one probably was used by a grocery store in the 1920s.
John in ID

 

[daroofa]

Another possibility....from the Spokane Daily Chronicle April 8, 1911

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...&pg=3385,84584&dq=peoples+store+spokane&hl=en

 

[Bramblefind]

IMO, Old, you need to keep looking. I have never heard of a shoe store using trade tokens -- to me this one probably was used by a grocery store in the 1920s.
John in ID

I'm sure you know far more about tokens than me John. So you are likely right.

But I'm not giving up yet

Daroofa - you might be on to something there - but funny thing is .. that store also sold shoes!

1914 Oregonian newspaper-

 

[7eglfly]

I dont know if anyone has brought up the possibility of a "Company Store". Company stores did not pay their workers in currency. Instead, the workers were given these tokens as pay and had to trade these tokens for living goods. These company stores were most common in mining communities.
Ray

 

[OldNBroken]

Being a Johnny Cash fan I shoulda thought of that.
Except Spokane was mainly a railroad town, not mining or timber. It supported all the mining, timber and ag in E Wash and N idaho.
The main reason I'd like some resolution on this is I have lived my entire life around here and thought I knew most everything. But this one I can't find anything or anyone local who has been of any help.

That Chronicle ad looks promising!

 

[OldNBroken]

Well, researched Kemp & Hebert. They built a bldg in dtown Spokane in 1908 and opened a large cash&carry dept store there. (that fits) Went out of business in 1940.
What's really ironic is it was renamed the Liberty bldg and I put a new roof on it in the mid 90's.